Re: amazonian herb for asthma

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Joan,I have read that it is used in Africa, against asthma and also against liver problems (viral hepatitis). The ascendens variety doesn't have that many records in PubMed, but there have been some positive, although episodic, journalistic papers in France these past years about it (ie the health pages of some weeklies).As usual, if you intend to try it, start with a low dosage and have rescue medication at hand just in case.BTW, the Whole World Botanicals site is interesting.-------J Ethnopharmacol. 1990 Jul;29(3):325-35.Effect of Desmodium adscendens fraction 3 on contractions of respiratory smooth muscle.Addy ME, Burka JF.Department of Biochemistry, University of Ghana, Legon.AbstractThe third flash chromatography fraction prepared from an aqueous extract of Desmodium adscendens leaves (DAF3) was evaluated for pharmacological activity using contractions of tracheal spirals and lung parenchymal strips caused by ovalbumin, arachidonic acid, histamine and carbachol. DAF3 inhibited both the early and late phases of antigen-induced contractions of both tissues dose-dependently, but had no effect on arachidonic-induced contractions. With tracheal spirals, the inhibition occurred whether the tissue was pretreated with indomethacin or not. On tracheal spirals, the maximum contraction (Emax) caused by histamine and carbachol were enhanced, but the pD2 value for histamine was not affected while that for carbachol was decreased. DAF3 had no effect on Emax or pD2 values for these agonists on lung parenchymal strips. The results suggest that DAF3 may inhibit the release of free arachidonic acid.J Ethnopharmacol. 1986 Oct;18(1):13-20.Dose-response effects of Desmodium adscendens aqueous extract on histamine response, content and anaphylactic reactions in the guinea pig.Addy ME, Dzandu WK.AbstractDifferent concentrations of a hot water extract of Desmodium adscendens, a plant used in Ghana to control asthmatic attacks, were used in drinking water to evaluate the plant's anti-anaphylactic properties in guinea pigs. The results show that the extract's inhibition of histamine-induced ileal contraction is largely competitive and that its effect of reducing lung histamine content is dose-dependent. The results also show that the extract causes a dose-dependent reduction in the amount of spasmogens released anaphylactically and in anaphylactic-induced contraction of ileal muscle.J Ethnopharmacol. 1984 Aug;11(3):283-92.Effects of the extracts of Desmodium adscendens on anaphylaxis.Addy ME, Awumey EM.AbstractDesmodium adscendens, used by herbalists in Ghana for the treatment of asthma, is anti-anaphylactic in vitro. As the plant material is administered orally, in vivo studies of its anti-anaphylactic property were undertaken using the guinea-pig. The results show that both aqueous and ethanolic extracts of D. adscendens, when taken orally, reduce anaphylactic contractions, interfere with histamine-induced contractions, and reduce the amount of smooth muscle stimulating substances released from lung tissue of guinea pigs.Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2011;2011:620862. Epub 2010 Oct 13.Chemical Composition and, Cellular Evaluation of the Antioxidant Activity of Desmodium adscendens Leaves.Muanda FN, Bouayed J, Djilani A, Yao C, Soulimani R, Dicko A.Chemistry Laboratory and Methodology for the Environment, -Verlaine University Metz, 1, boulevard Arago Technopole 2000, 57078 Metz, France.AbstractDesmodium adscendens plant is widely used as juice or tea in various parts of the world against a wide range of diseases. This study determines the quality and the quantity of polyphenols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, and tannins in D. adscendens leaves by UV-spectrophotometry and RP-HPLC methods. In addition, the antioxidant capacity of these phenolic compounds is evaluated by ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic)), DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1 picrylhydrazyl), and Cellular tests. D. adscendens leaves are mainly composite of flavonoid compounds with 12.8 mg of catechin equivalent (CE)/g dw. The amounts of total polyphenol compounds are 11.1 mg of gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g dw. The quantity of total anthocyanin and total tannin compounds is not considerable 0.0182 mg CgE/g dw and 0.39 mg CE/g dw, respectively. A direct correlation between phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity is observed (R(2) = 0.96). The RP-HPLC analyses reveal that the main phenolic compound identified in the methanol-water extract is quercetrin dihydrat (2.11 mg/mL). According to the results, it is observed that D. adscendens leaves possess a considerable scavenging antioxidant and antiradical capacity, therefore these antioxidant properties might increase the therapeutic value of this medicinal plant.>> This herb, desmodium ascendens, is supposed to be good for asthma and bronchial issues. Has anyone tried it?> > http://www.wholeworldbotanicals.com/herbal_desmodium>