Some Potentially Interesting Plants

[Yeti101]

Work has been slow lately, my supervisor has been absent this week and I'm finding new ways to procrastinate rather than concentrate on my studies. All of this info is from the journal, poorly cut&pasted/reassembled/paraphrased by me (see my blog for more info).

So here are a few plants that I found interesting in my searches of Planta Medica :

Apocynum venetum syn Trachomitum venetum. Common name: luo bu ma

Effect: Anxiolytic and possibly antidepressant.

Apocynum venetum (AV, Apocynaceae) is a wild shrub native to parts of northern Asia and the Mediterranean region. A leaf extract from AV has been shown to possess various beneficial effects including antidepressant and anxiolytic activities. While flumazenil (benzodiazepine antagonist) blocked the anxiolytic action of the fractions in a dose equivalent to 125 mg/kg whole extract, WAY-100635 (5-HT1A receptor antagonist) antangonized the fractions according to 30 mg/kg of AV extract. In conclusion, these results indicate that the anxiolytic activity of an AV extract acts via both the GABA (in 125 mg/kg) and serotonin (in 30 mg/kg) receptor systems in a dose dependent manner.

Sounds interesting, but unfortunately I don't know where to get it in Aus.

Egletes viscosa. Common name: Macela

Effect: Non-narcotic(?) analgesic

The diterpene, 12-acetoxyhawtriwaic acid lactone (AHAL) was found to have an antinociceptive effect on mice without effecting ambulation or motor coordination. Data suggest that AHAL inhibits acute neurogenic inflammation possibly involving capsaicin-sensitive TRPV1-receptors, endogenous adenosine and ATP-sensitive potassium channels. (Having said this, Raintree indicates that this may potentate opiate drugs).

Information concerning traditional use can be found in the Raintree database entry: http://rain-tree.com/macela.htm

Galphimia glauca syn Thryallis glauca. Sometimes commonly known as 'Thryallis'.

Effect: Anti-anxiety.

Galphimia glauca Cav. is a plant used in Mexican traditional medicine as a ”nerve tranquilizer”. Previous studies have demonstrated that the methanolic extract from this plant species possess an anxiolytic effect. Galphimine B (GB, a nor-seco-triterpene), is the active principle. In patients with generalized anxiety disorder the aqueous extract showed important anxiolytic effectiveness, very similar to that produced with lorazepam. However side effects were considered more tolerable than lorazepam and the onset of anxiolytic effects were apparent from the first week of treatment. The authors state (with no reference) that in traditional use of the plant, 1 L of infusion prepared with 3 g of G. glauca leaves is consumed throughout the day.

I'm pretty sure that this is available in Aus.

[Torsten]

the anxiolytic activity of an AV extract acts via both the GABA (in 125 mg/kg) and serotonin (in 30 mg/kg) receptor systems in a dose dependent manner.

Lovely! I've been trying to import some of this for a while.

[Teotzlcoatl]

It's so good to see people finding and talking about new ethnobotanicals everyday! I wish more people did this kind of work! Keep it up!

[Auxin]

Thanks for reporting those finds Yeti

Teotz, you can join in too.. heres your starter pack:

Database of 7,300+ ethnobotanicals, some nice gems hiding in there.

And then look for more in depth data with Google Scholar

[Teotzlcoatl]

I'm already doing that! My heading is already swimming with all the info I try to keep up with!

Thanks for the links! Let the work begin!

[Yeti101]

I'm just trying to do my bit, that's all.

Google Scholar is good, but there is so much stuff to sort through. It's other problem is that good articles don't always rank highly, so you can miss articles that are very useful but not widely linked to or cited.

I've had much more success searching selected publications. Even if you don't have full access, most will let you see the abstract which can be enough by itself. If you really need the whole article, you could bribe the nearest uni student with an internet connection to get it for you.

I'll get some of that Apocynum off you when you get it T, I reckon it sounds pretty good.

[planthelper]

i let you in to a secret, torstens favorite plant family are the apocynaceae, just if he reads anything starting with, apo he hardly can controll his excitment. although, the german sounds much better, hundsgiftgewaechse, litterally dogpoisonplants...

[Torsten]

yes, I admit I have an apo fetish.... now, where is apothecary

na seriously, before my GABA obsession I had a serotonin obsession. Well, in fact I still have both, which is why a plant that works on both systems makes me drool [literally - if I have too much of it ]. So yeah, that Apocynum is right up my alley. My two favourite families are the alkaloid wonderlands of the Apocynaceae and Rubiaceae.

While the rest of the world is obsessed with dopamine I feel that the path to better humanity lies in the serotonin and GABA systems.

[t st tantra]

i let you in to a secret, torstens favorite plant family are the apocynaceae, just if he reads anything starting with, apo he hardly can controll his excitment. although, the german sounds much better, hundsgiftgewaechse, litterally dogpoisonplants...

sounds like dogbane but thats plectanthus i think?

bumping old thread too.....some interesting plants....i'm trying to help a friend get of benzos and feel a substitute might help her drop her dose quicker.....what could 'flush' it from her system,medicos told me it takes at least 6 months to get the benzos out of your system...

t s t .

[hebrew]

i never saw this thred first time round

luo bu ma

i should be able to get, can find out in a week or two

[Yeti101]

luo bu ma

i should be able to get, can find out in a week or two

Excellent!

Dried material I assume?

[hebrew]

yes i woudl say its dry, i will have to check with my herbalist. can get back to you about it soon

[Thelema]

oleamide has gaba and 5ht activity too, and it's still legal baby!

[Torsten]

oleamide is boring. you ahve to take a large amount of it and all you get is a non-relaxing non-pleasant sleepiness. If you don't take enough it is frustrating until it wears off [a few minutes later]. If you do take enough you simply fall asleep. The latter effect was of interest to me, but it turns out that in anxious people and insomniacs the sleep only lasts till it wears off - ie they wake up 20 minutes later. I had such high hopes for this, but it was completely pointless and dull.

are you sure about the gaba activity? I thought it was 5HT and cannabinoid.

[hebrew]

got some leaf available of the lou bu ma if people are interested

[Alchemica]

A review on Antianxiety Plants: (most are commonly known, but seems to be a good short summary)

http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/12345...)%20476-483.pdf is worth a read.

Edited August 28, 2009 by Alchemica