Manjishta Botanical: Rubia
cordifolia, Rubiaceae S: Manjitti,
Shevvelli C: Qian
cao gen
Part used: Root
Energetics:
· Rasa: madhura/sweet, kashaya/astringenttikta/bitter
· Virya: ushna/hot
· Vipaka: katu/pungent
· Guna: ruksha/dry, guru/heavy
· Dosha: PK-, V+
· Dhatu/Tissues: plasma/rasa, rakta/rbc, muscles/mamsa, bone/asthi
· Srotas/Systems: Raktavaha/Circulatory, Artavavaha/Female Reproductive, Excretory/Mahavahasrota, Bone/Asthivahasrota
Ayurvedic Action:varnya/ improves complexion, svedajanana/diaphoretic, purishasangrahaniya/stool forming, jvaraghna/destroys fever, krimiaghna, mutravirechana/diuretic, ashmaribhedana/lithagogue, sonitasthapana/hemostatic, raktasthambhana/blood purifier, kandughna/eliminates itching, kusthaghna/alleviates skin disease, vishaghna/destroys toxins, lekhaniya/reduces accumulations, sandhaniya/bone mender, vedanasthapana/analgesic, pittasmana/reduces pitta, yoni/uterine herb(Srikanthamurthy 2001, 190; Warrier et al 1996, 17; Dash 1991, 78; Frawley and Lad 1986, 178)
Starting dosage: .5-10g per day dried or 3-12ml per day of 1:3 @ 25% tincture (Pole, 2006)
3-5 g per day or 1-5 mL per day of 1:3 @ 50% alcohol dried root tincture, oil for inflammatory joint disorders (Caldecott)
Constituents:quinones: anthraquinones cordifoliol and cordifodiol, the quinoidal dimmers naphthohydroquinone anhydride, furomollugin, mollugin, and rubilactone, as well as naphthoic acid esters.
iridoid glycosides 6-methoxygeniposidic acid, manjishtin, garancin and alazarin. Triterpenoids include oleananes rubiprasin A-C and arboranes rubiarbonol A-F.
bicyclic hexapeptides RA-XI-XVI, and well as -sitosterol and daucosterol (Abdullah et al 2003; Williamson 2002, 258; Hassanean et al 2000; Ho et al 1996; Takeya et al 1993; Itokawa et al 1993; Morita et al 1992; Hua et al 1992; Wang et al 1992; Qiao et al 1990; Kapoor 1990, 292).
Biomedical indications: Dyspepsia, colic, diarrhea, dysentery, intestinal parasites, hemorrhoids, jaundice, hepatitis, splenitis, intermittent fever, pharyngitis, cough, edema, skin diseases, wounds, ulcers, broken bones, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, metrorrhagia, hemorrhage, urinary tenesmus, inflammatory joint disease, neuralgia, pain, diabetes, cancer.
Precautions:
Safety: The oral LD50 is stated to be greater than 175g/kg in mice (Bensky and Gamble 1993, 258).
Research highlights:
Anticonvulsant: A triterpene isolated from the acetone soluble part of a petroleum ether extract of R. cordifolia was studied in experimental convulsions in rats and mice, as well as on behavior and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and serotonin (5-HT) content in mouse brain. The isolated triterpene inhibited seizures induced by electro shock, electrical kindling, pentylenetetrazol (PTZ), and lithium-pilocarpine. The triterpene was also shown to potentiate phentobarbitone-induced sleep and inhibited non-purposeful repetition induced by amphetamines. The triterpene was also found to raise brain GABA and 5-HT contents (Kasture et al 2000).
Antioxidant: An alcoholic extract of Rubia cordifolia and its constituent rubiadin (1, 3-dihydroxy-2-methyl anthraquinone) were found to inhibit of FeSO4 induced lipid peroxidation by oxidizing and reducing properties with Fe2+ and Fe3+, and inhibiting oxidation of reduced glutathione. Rubiadin showed an oxidizing effect only by converting Fe2+ to Fe3+ (Tripathi et al 1998). Rubiadin possess potent antioxidant properties, preventing lipid peroxidation induced by FeSO4 and t-butylhydroperoxide (t-BHP) in a dose dependent manner. The effect was greater than that of EDTA, Tris, mannitol, Vitamin E and p-benzoquinone (Tripathi et al 1997). A solvent-free alcoholic extract of R. cordifolia was studied in rat liver homogenate, and was found to prevent cumene hydroperoxide induced malondialdehyde formation and maintained reduced glutathione levels (Pandey et al 1994)
Viral hepatitis: The naphthohydroquinones, furomollugin and mollugin isolated from Rubia cordifolia strongly suppressed the secretion of hepatitis B surface antigen while having little effect on the viability of the cells (Ho et al 1996).
Antispasmodic: A crude extract of Rubia cordifolia was found to have a spasmolytic activity similar to that of verapamil, suggesting the presence of calcium channel blocker-like constituent (Gilani et al 1994).
Antithrombotic: The effect of a partially purified fraction of Rubia cordifolia was studied on rabbit platelets, and was found to inhibit platelet aggregation induced by PAF (platelet activating factor) but not thrombin. The fraction also inhibited the binding of 3H-PAF to the platelets in the dose-dependent manner (Tripathi et al 1993).
References
Caldecott, Todd, Herbal Profiles on www.toddcaldecott.com
Frawley, Dr. David, Lad, Dr. Vasant, The Yoga of Herbs, 2001 by Lotus Press
Pole, Sebastian, Ayurvedic Medicine, 2006 by Churchill Livingstone
Tillotson, Alan Keith, The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook, 2001 by Kensington Books
Tirtha, Swami Sada Shiva, The Ayurveda Encyclopedia, 1998 Ayurveda Holistic Center Press
Tierra, Michael, Planetary Herbology, 1998 by Lotus Press
Part used: Root
Energetics:
· Rasa: madhura/sweet, kashaya/astringenttikta/bitter
· Virya: ushna/hot
· Vipaka: katu/pungent
· Guna: ruksha/dry, guru/heavy
· Dosha: PK-, V+
· Dhatu/Tissues: plasma/rasa, rakta/rbc, muscles/mamsa, bone/asthi
· Srotas/Systems: Raktavaha/Circulatory, Artavavaha/Female Reproductive, Excretory/Mahavahasrota, Bone/Asthivahasrota
Ayurvedic Action:varnya/ improves complexion, svedajanana/diaphoretic, purishasangrahaniya/stool forming, jvaraghna/destroys fever, krimiaghna, mutravirechana/diuretic, ashmaribhedana/lithagogue, sonitasthapana/hemostatic, raktasthambhana/blood purifier, kandughna/eliminates itching, kusthaghna/alleviates skin disease, vishaghna/destroys toxins, lekhaniya/reduces accumulations, sandhaniya/bone mender, vedanasthapana/analgesic, pittasmana/reduces pitta, yoni/uterine herb(Srikanthamurthy 2001, 190; Warrier et al 1996, 17; Dash 1991, 78; Frawley and Lad 1986, 178)
Starting dosage: .5-10g per day dried or 3-12ml per day of 1:3 @ 25% tincture (Pole, 2006)
3-5 g per day or 1-5 mL per day of 1:3 @ 50% alcohol dried root tincture, oil for inflammatory joint disorders (Caldecott)
Constituents:quinones: anthraquinones cordifoliol and cordifodiol, the quinoidal dimmers naphthohydroquinone anhydride, furomollugin, mollugin, and rubilactone, as well as naphthoic acid esters.
iridoid glycosides 6-methoxygeniposidic acid, manjishtin, garancin and alazarin. Triterpenoids include oleananes rubiprasin A-C and arboranes rubiarbonol A-F.
bicyclic hexapeptides RA-XI-XVI, and well as -sitosterol and daucosterol (Abdullah et al 2003; Williamson 2002, 258; Hassanean et al 2000; Ho et al 1996; Takeya et al 1993; Itokawa et al 1993; Morita et al 1992; Hua et al 1992; Wang et al 1992; Qiao et al 1990; Kapoor 1990, 292).
Biomedical indications: Dyspepsia, colic, diarrhea, dysentery, intestinal parasites, hemorrhoids, jaundice, hepatitis, splenitis, intermittent fever, pharyngitis, cough, edema, skin diseases, wounds, ulcers, broken bones, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, metrorrhagia, hemorrhage, urinary tenesmus, inflammatory joint disease, neuralgia, pain, diabetes, cancer.
Precautions:
Safety: The oral LD50 is stated to be greater than 175g/kg in mice (Bensky and Gamble 1993, 258).
Research highlights:
Anticonvulsant: A triterpene isolated from the acetone soluble part of a petroleum ether extract of R. cordifolia was studied in experimental convulsions in rats and mice, as well as on behavior and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and serotonin (5-HT) content in mouse brain. The isolated triterpene inhibited seizures induced by electro shock, electrical kindling, pentylenetetrazol (PTZ), and lithium-pilocarpine. The triterpene was also shown to potentiate phentobarbitone-induced sleep and inhibited non-purposeful repetition induced by amphetamines. The triterpene was also found to raise brain GABA and 5-HT contents (Kasture et al 2000).
Antioxidant: An alcoholic extract of Rubia cordifolia and its constituent rubiadin (1, 3-dihydroxy-2-methyl anthraquinone) were found to inhibit of FeSO4 induced lipid peroxidation by oxidizing and reducing properties with Fe2+ and Fe3+, and inhibiting oxidation of reduced glutathione. Rubiadin showed an oxidizing effect only by converting Fe2+ to Fe3+ (Tripathi et al 1998). Rubiadin possess potent antioxidant properties, preventing lipid peroxidation induced by FeSO4 and t-butylhydroperoxide (t-BHP) in a dose dependent manner. The effect was greater than that of EDTA, Tris, mannitol, Vitamin E and p-benzoquinone (Tripathi et al 1997). A solvent-free alcoholic extract of R. cordifolia was studied in rat liver homogenate, and was found to prevent cumene hydroperoxide induced malondialdehyde formation and maintained reduced glutathione levels (Pandey et al 1994)
Viral hepatitis: The naphthohydroquinones, furomollugin and mollugin isolated from Rubia cordifolia strongly suppressed the secretion of hepatitis B surface antigen while having little effect on the viability of the cells (Ho et al 1996).
Antispasmodic: A crude extract of Rubia cordifolia was found to have a spasmolytic activity similar to that of verapamil, suggesting the presence of calcium channel blocker-like constituent (Gilani et al 1994).
Antithrombotic: The effect of a partially purified fraction of Rubia cordifolia was studied on rabbit platelets, and was found to inhibit platelet aggregation induced by PAF (platelet activating factor) but not thrombin. The fraction also inhibited the binding of 3H-PAF to the platelets in the dose-dependent manner (Tripathi et al 1993).
References
Caldecott, Todd, Herbal Profiles on www.toddcaldecott.com
Frawley, Dr. David, Lad, Dr. Vasant, The Yoga of Herbs, 2001 by Lotus Press
Pole, Sebastian, Ayurvedic Medicine, 2006 by Churchill Livingstone
Tillotson, Alan Keith, The One Earth Herbal Sourcebook, 2001 by Kensington Books
Tirtha, Swami Sada Shiva, The Ayurveda Encyclopedia, 1998 Ayurveda Holistic Center Press
Tierra, Michael, Planetary Herbology, 1998 by Lotus Press
