Eurycoma Longifolia

Eurycoma Longifolia

Other names : Akar Pasak Bumi, Ali's Umbrella, Ali's Walking Stick, Batang Pasak Bumi, Canne d'Ali, Eurycoma, Eurycoma longifolia, Eurycoma Longifolia Jack, Eurycoma merguensis, Ginseng de Malaisie, Kayu Dali, Long Jack, Longjack, Malaysian Ginseng, Manotes Asiatica, Pasak Bumi, Picroxylon Siamese, Sengkayap, Tongkat Ali, Tung Saw, Umpudumaidu, Wonod Mondou.
Eurycoma longifolia is a tall, slender evergreen shrub-tree commonly found in Southeast Asia. Malaysian men claim that tea made from this plant improves their sexual abilities and virility. As a result, this plant is in such high demand that it is now considered a “protected” species.

Special Precautions of Eurycoma Longifolia

• Though reports of side effects are mild and few, the potential side effects include nausea and upset stomach; therefore, tongkat ali should be taken with food. Because tongkat ali is an energizing adaptogen, it should be used with caution by individuals with sleep issues or who are overcoming health adversity. Like many herbs, tongkat ali has mild blood thinning properties; if you are taking prescription blood thinners, consult your healthcare provider before taking tongkat ali.
• don't confuse with Brucea Javanica which is also sometimes named Tongkat Ali.

Health Benefits and uses of Eurycoma Longifolia are

Tongkat Ali is a rich source of a variety of bioactive compounds including alkaloids, triterpenoids, and complex polypeptides called eurypeptides that may help normalize hormone levels. Quassinoids, the dominant group of chemical compounds in tongkat ali, provide dynamic bioactive properties that promote good health. Because these chemical substances are distinctly bitter, tongkat ali is best taken as an herbal extract in capsules. Like other adaptogenic and restorative herbs, tongkat ali works to balance the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis). Adaptogens like tongkat ali send feedback to the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that governs many of your body’s key processes including metabolism and energy (thyroid), stress response (adrenals), and reproductive functions (testes/ovaries). The root of Eurycoma longifolia contains several chemicals that have different effects in the body. Some of the chemicals seem to affect how the body produces the hormone testosterone. Research in animals and humans suggests it might increase testosterone in the body.
Research has shown that Tongkat Ali helps:

• Promote sexual drive and desire in men and women
• Support male sexual performance
• Improve energy and stress tolerance
• Promote normal muscle mass and strength
• Support optimal bone density
• Improve physical stamina and performance
• Elevate mood
• Balance blood sugar and normalize insulin
• Modulate immunity
• Balance the microbiome
• Male Infertility. Some evidence suggests that a specific oral Eurycoma longifolia supplement can improve the sperm quality of infertile men.

References

• Abdulghani M et al. The ameliorative effects of Eurycoma longifolia Jack on testosterone-induced reproductive disorders in female rats. Reprod Biol. 2012 Jul;12(2):247-55.
• Tung NH et al. Quassinoids from the Root of Eurycoma longifolia and Their Antiproliferative Activity on Human Cancer Cell Lines. Pharmacogn Mag. 2017 Jul-Sep;13(51):459-462.
• Bhat R, Karim AA. Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia Jack): a review on its ethnobotany and pharmacological importance. Fitoterapia. 2010 Oct;81(7):669-79.
• Miyake K et al. Quassinoids from Eurycoma longifolia. J Nat Prod. 2009 Dec;72(12):2135-40.
• Low BS, Das PK, Chan KL. Standardized quassinoid-rich Eurycoma longifolia extract improved spermatogenesis and fertility in male rats via the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. J Ethnopharmacol. 2013 Feb 13;145(3):706-14.
• Tran TV et al. NF-κB inhibitors from Eurycoma longifolia. J Nat Prod. 2014 Mar 28;77(3):483-8.
• Meng D et al. Four new quassinoids from the roots of Eurycoma longifolia Jack. Fitoterapia. 2014 Jan;92:105-10.
• Lahrita L et al. Isolation and lipolytic activity of eurycomanone and its epoxy derivative from Eurycoma longifolia. Bioorg Med Chem. 2017 Sep 1;25(17):4829-4834.
• Thu HE et al. Eurycoma longifolia, a potential phytomedicine for the treatment of cancer: Evidence of p53-mediated apoptosis in cancerous cells. Curr Drug Targets. 2017 Jul 18.
• Thu HE et al. Eurycoma Longifolia as a potential adaptogen of male sexual health: a systematic review on clinical studies. Chin J Nat Med. 2017 Jan;15(1):71-80.
• Khanijo T, Jiraungkoorskul W. Review Ergogenic Effect of Long Jack, Eurycoma Longifolia. Pharmacogn Rev. 2016 Jul-Dec;10(20):139-142.
• Thu HE et al. Eurycoma longifolia as a potential alternative to testosterone for the treatment of osteoporosis: Exploring time-mannered proliferative, differentiative and morphogenic modulation in osteoblasts. J Ethnopharmacol. 2017 Jan 4;195:143-158.
• Rehman SU, Choe K, Yoo HH.Review on a Traditional Herbal Medicine, Eurycoma longifolia Jack (Tongkat Ali): Its Traditional Uses, Chemistry, Evidence-Based Pharmacology and Toxicology. Molecules. 2016 Mar 10;21(3):331.
• Han YM et al. Antiinflammatory and analgesic effects of Eurycoma longifolia extracts. Arch Pharm Res. 2016 Mar;39(3):421-8.
• Han YM et al. In Vitro Evaluation of the Effects of Eurycoma longifolia Extract on CYP-Mediated Drug Metabolism. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015; 2015:631329.
• Girish S, Kumar S, Aminudin N. Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia): a possible therapeutic candidate against Blastocystis sp. Parasit Vectors. 2015 Jun 18;8:332.
• Tong KL et al. The in vitro and in vivo anti-cancer activities of a standardized quassinoids composition from Eurycoma longifolia on LNCaP human prostate cancer cells. PLoS One. 2015 Mar 31;10(3):e0121752.
• Hajjouli S et al. Eurycomanone and eurycomanol from Eurycoma longifolia Jack as regulators of signaling pathways involved in proliferation, cell death and inflammation. Molecules. 2014 Sep 16;19(9):14649-66.
• Udani JK et al. Effects of a Proprietary Freeze-Dried Water Extract of Eurycoma longifolia (Physta) and Polygonum minus on Sexual Performance and Well-Being in Men: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2014;2014:179529.
• Abd Jalil MA, Shuid AN, Muhammad N. Role of medicinal plants and natural products on osteoporotic fracture healing. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:714512.
• Lahrita L, Kato E2, Kawabata J. Uncovering potential of Indonesian medicinal plants on glucose uptake enhancement and lipid suppression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. J Ethnopharmacol. 2015 Jun 20;168:229-36.
• Husen R, Pihie AH, Nallappan M. Screening for antihyperglycaemic activity in several local herbs of Malaysia. J Ethnopharmacol. 2004 Dec;95(2-3):205-8.
• Ismail SB et al. Randomized Clinical Trial on the Use of PHYSTA Freeze-Dried Water Extract of Eurycoma longifolia for the Improvement of Quality of Life and Sexual Well-Being in Men. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:429268.
• FFTC Agricultural Policy Articles. Review of Policies and Issues in the Malaysian Herbal Industry. Mohd Hafizudin bin Zakaria. Economic and Technology Management Research Centre, MARDI. Persiaran MARDI-UPM, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.