Common name:
Indian ipecac
Botanical names:
Tylophora indica, Tylophora
asthmatica
Parts used and where
grown
Tylophora is a perennial climbing
plant native to the plains, forests, and hills
of southern and eastern India. The portions of
the plant used medicinally are the leaves and
root.
Tylophora has been used in
connection with the following conditions (refer to the individual health
concern for complete
information):
| Health
Concerns |
|
Asthma |
|
Diarrhea
Hay
fever |
Historical or
traditional use (may or
may not be supported by scientific
studies)
This
plant has been traditionally used as a folk
remedy in certain regions of India for the
treatment of bronchial asthma, bronchitis, rheumatism, and
dermatitis. In the latter half of the 19th
century, it was called Indian ipecacuahna, as
the roots of the plant have often been employed
as an effective substitute for ipecac. The use
to induce vomiting led to tylophora’s inclusion
in the Bengal Pharmacopoeia of
1884.
Active
constituents
The
major constituent in tylophora is the alkaloid
tylophorine. Laboratory research has shown this
isolated plant extract exerts a strong
anti-inflammatory action. Test tube studies
suggest that tylophorine is able to interfere
with the action of mast cells, which are key
components in the process of inflammation. These
actions seem to support tylophora’s traditional
use as an antiasthmatic and antiallergic
medication by Ayurvedic practitioners.
These
historical and laboratory findings have been
supported by several human clinical trials using
differing preparations of tylophora, including
the crude leaf, tincture, and capsule. One
clinical trial with asthma sufferers, found
that tylophora leaf (150 mg of the leaf by
weight) chewed and swallowed daily in the early
morning for six days led to moderate to complete
relief of their asthma symptoms. In a follow-up
trial with asthma patients, an alcoholic extract
of crude tylophora leaves in 1 gram of glucose
had comparable effects to that of chewing the
crude leaf. Another trial found
similar success in reducing asthma symptoms
using a tylophora leaf powder (350 mg per day.)
However, the tylophora was not as effective as a
standard asthma drug combination. One
double-blind trial failed to show any effect on
asthma for
tylophora.
How much is usually
taken?
Tylophora leaf—200 to 400 mg of the dried
leaf per day or 1 to 2 ml of tincture per
day—can be used to treat asthma.
Are there any side
effects or interactions?
Patients using tylophora may experience
temporary nausea and vomiting, soreness of the
mouth, and loss of taste for salt, particularly
with the fresh leaf and tincture. The herb’s
safety for use during pregnancy and breast-feeding has not
been established. People with asthma should be
closely monitored by a qualified healthcare
professional.
