Plumbago zeylanica (Chitrak, Plumbago zeylanica) is an herb belonging to the family Chitrak . It is a medicinal plant. Native to South India. This herb is native to Southeast Asia and Malaysia and grows in eastern and northeastern Indian states such as Bihar, West Bengal, and South Indian states. Spend. The root is the part of the plant that contains many bioactive components and has most of its therapeutic properties. Plumbagin, a naphthoquinone, is the main component present in the root and has therapeutic activity.
Other names for Plumbago include Agni/Vahni in Sanskrit, Chira/Chitra in Hindi, Black-faced Horse in Chinese, White Flower Vine, Baihua Vine, Chicken Bun, White Snow Flower, White Flower Xie Sanniang, Tianshan Niang, Yi If it doesn’t go away, take medicine, Erding Vine, Fierce Tiger, White Flower Golden Silk Rock Tuo, White Flower Jiugu Niu, White Soap Medicine, White Snowflake, Shan Bo Ling, Zhao Medicine Root, Yijian Xiao, Fire Spirit Pill, False Jasmine, Fierce tiger, white flower rock and blue snow of Ceylon. Different parts of plumbag contain a variety of phytochemicals. These phytochemicals are flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, steroids, triterpenes, tannins, coumarins, phenolic compounds, saponins, naphthoquinones, carbohydrates, fixed oils and fats, and proteins.
Nutritional value of plumbagin:
The nutritional value of plumbagin extract is as follows.
nutritional value | Crude extract (mg/g) |
protein | 42 |
starch | 45 |
sugar | 55 |
Lipids | 41 |
phenol | 3 |
Therapeutic uses of plumbagin:
The therapeutic uses of plumbagin are as follows:
- In Ayurveda, the root is used to treat migraines, jaundice, skin diseases, urinary stones, semen weakness, and internal abscesses. It is also used as an antidote, antipyretic, antiseptic and anthelmintic.
- In India and China, its roots are widely used to treat bruises on the limbs, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and menstrual cramps.
- The roots contain an alkaloid called plumbagin. It has various therapeutic properties such as antioxidant, anti-malarial, antibiotic, anti-fertility, anti-cancer and cardiotonic.
Benefits of plumbagin:
Plumbagin Benefits for Kidney Disease:
- Plumbagin extract reverses cisplatin-induced kidney damage.
- Plumbagin extract exhibits protective activity against the nephrotoxic effects of cisplatin drugs.
Benefits of plumbagin in cancer prevention:
- Plumbagin inhibits the growth of pancreatic cancer cells.
- It has the potential to provide therapeutic benefits against pancreatic cancer.
Plumbagin benefits for the heart:
- According to an animal study, plumbagin Root extract may reduce blood cholesterol levels and low-density lipoprotein (LDL).
- Plumbagin also prevents the buildup of cholesterol and LDL in blood vessels and liver.
Plumbagin Benefits in Wound Healing:
- Many preclinical evaluations have reported the wound healing properties of plumbagin root extract.
- Wound healing activity is attributed to phytochemicals such as saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids.
- The antioxidant properties of the plant extracts are also said to contribute to wound healing activity.
Plumbagin Benefits in Preventing Liver Damage:
In animal models, plumbagin root extract has a protective effect against paracetamol-induced liver injury.
Advantages of plumbagin in treating microbial infections:
- According to a study, Plumbagin root extract exhibits antibacterial activity against a variety of bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus, multidrug-resistant strains of Escherichia coli and Shigella, Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella typhi, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and more.
- The crude extract of the leaves has antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida.
Benefits of plumbagin in treating arthritis:
- According to an animal study, plumbagin root extract may inhibit type 2 collagen-induced arthritis.
- Applying root extract can reduce the symptoms of arthritis.
Benefits of plumbagin in birth control:
- The boiled water extract of the root is used to control fertility.
- Alpinia alba mosaic leaf extract has also shown antifertility effects in rabbits.
- This antifertility effect is reversible once extract treatment is discontinued.
How to use plumbagin?
Plumbagin can be applied externally as a paste or taken orally. There are a variety of commercially available dosages containing plumbagin.
Plumbagin side effects:
The side effects of plumbagin are as follows:
- Plumbagin is found in plumbagin root extract and can produce abdominal cramping and irritation when taken in high doses. Other symptoms include redness and itching of the skin, dilated pupils, myotonia, hypotonia, irregular pulse, and respiratory failure.
- The roots or branches can cause redness and blisters on the skin when applied externally.
Precautions when using plumbagin:
Here are a few things you should remember:
Dietary considerations
Avoid greasy foods, spices and condiments to ensure good absorption of plumbagin. Root vegetables such as potatoes and tubers should be avoided to promote good absorption of plumbagin. It is recommended to drink plenty of water between meals and while taking botanicals to ensure good absorption, bioavailability and excretion of the botanicals.