PARTE UTILIZADA= Used part: El rizoma.

ACCIÓN FARMACOLÓGICA= Pharmacological action: astringente, tonico general, antianemico, antiflamatorio, hmostático local y cicatrizante.

POSOLOGÍA= Posology: Decocción : 30 a 40 g/l, hervir 10 minutos. Tres o cuatro tazas al día.  Decocción : 60 a 80 g/l, hervir 15 minutos. Aplicado en forma de compresas, lociones, baños, irrigaciones y gargarismos.

COMPOSICIÓN QUÍMICA= Chemical composition: Contiene abundantes taninos (15-20 %)

ZONA GEOGRÁFICA= Geografical zone: Zonas templadas

ÚLTIMOS AVANCES EN LA QUÍMICA Y ACTIVIDADES BACTERIOLÓGICAS EN LAS PLANTAS MEDICINALES= Medicinal plants, last advances on chemistry and bacteria activities on the medicinal herbs

1) The chloroform and hexane fractions and their sub-fractions of Polygonum bistorta (Polygonaceae) were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against P338 (Murine lymphocytic leukemia), HepG2 (Hepatocellular carcinoma), J82 (Bladder transitional carcinoma), HL60 (Human leukemia), MCF7 (Human breast cancer), and LL2 (Lewis lung carcinoma) cancer cell lines in culture.  Both the chloroform and hexane fractions and a few of their sub-fractions showed moderate to very good activity against P388, HL60, and LL2 cancer cell lines.  Both active and non-active fractions were further investigated for their chem. constituents.  A total of 9 compds., viz. 24(E)-ethylidenecycloartanone (1), 24(E)-ethylidenecycloartan-3a-ol (2), cycloartane-3,24-dione (3), 24-methylenecycloartanone (4), friedelin (5), 3b-friedelinol (6), b-sitosterol (7), g-sitosterol (8), and b-sitosterone (9) were isolated.  One of the pure compds., 24(E)-ethylidenecycloartanone 1, which was obtained in sufficient quantity, was tested for its cytotoxicity against P388, LL2, HL60, and WEHI164 (Murine fibrosarcoma) cancer cell lines but was found to have no activity even at a concn. of 100 mg/mL.

2) A bioassay-guided technique was used to isolate anti-inflammatory compds. from the dried rhizomes of Polygonum bistorta, for structural identification.  Anti-inflammatory activity was detected using the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema.  Two compds. were isolated which significantly suppressed the inflammatory response.  Spectral data from mass spectrometry and NMR together with phys. properties revealed the identities of the active compds. as 5-glutinen-3-one and friedelanol.  The results indicate that these compds. largely account for the anti-inflammatory actions of the rhizomes of P. bistorta.
 
3) Aq. ethanolic exts. of Polygonum bistorta L. Polygonaceae, Guaiacum officinale L. Zygophyllaceae and Hamamelis virginiana L. Hamamelidaceae were screened for anti-inflammatory activity.  Administered (100 and 200 mg kg-1, p.o.) before the induction of carrageenan rat paw edema, exts. of P. bistorta significantly suppressed both the maximal edema response and the total edema response (monitored as area under the time course curve).  H. virginiana was inactive and G. officinale was only active at 200 mg kg-1.  At 200 mg kg-1 administered before the induction of adjuvant arthritis, P. bistorta significantly inhibited both the acute and chronic phases of the adjuvant-induced rat paw swelling, while G. officinale and H. virginiana were only active against the chronic phase.  Further studies of P. bistorta (100-800 mg kg-1) revealed a dose-dependent inhibition of the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema over the dose range 100-400 mg kg-1, the E50 value being approx. 158.5 mg kg-1.  The ext. (200 mg kg-1), administered after the onset of the inflammatory responses reversed the course of both the carrageenan- and adjuvant- induced rat paw swelling.  The results confirm that the exts. of P. bistorta, G. officinale and H. virginiana contain anti-inflammatory substances.

Patente extraída del Chemical Abstracts= Patent extrated from the Database Chemical Abstracts
 
 Topical use of vasoconstrictors for treatment of cancer.      Zachar, Oron.  (Israel).    U.S. Pat. Appl. Publ.  (2011),     23pp., Cont.-in-part of Appl. No. PCT/US2009/066124.  CODEN: USXXCO  US  20110144209  A1  20110616  Patent  written in English.    Application: US  2010-982117  20101230.  Priority: US  2008-77056P  20080630; US  2008-79816P  20080711; US  2008-118612P  20081130; WO  2009-IL652  20090630; WO  2009-US66124  20091130.  CAN 155:60223    AN 2011:755102    CAPLUS   (Copyright (C) 2011 ACS on SciFinder (R))  

There is disclosed the topical dermal use of vasoconstrictor substances for regulating body temp. to treat cancer by inducing hyperthermia and treat, prevent or delay the onset of anesthetic induced hypothermia.  Kits contg. appropriate materials and instructions, and other embodiments, are also disclosed.  In some embodiments, the at least one vasoconstrictor is selected from the group consisting of (i) vasoactive agonists, vasopressor agents and vasoconstrictor drugs; [ii] an agent that acts on vasopressin receptors or adrenoreceptors; [iii] a calcium channel agonist; (iv) an agonist of the a1 adrenergic receptor etc.

Origin

The Himalayas from Kashmir to Sikkim and the hills of Assam.

Action:

Anti-inflammatory, haemostatic, astringent, demulcent, anticatarrhal, antidiarrhoeal. Used for internal haemorrhages, irritable bowel, diverticulosis, urinary and uterine affections. Used as a mouth wash and gargle for ulceratedmouth and bleeding gums.

1) Fitoterapia : vademecum de prescripción. 4ª  ed. Barcelona : Masson, 2003, p.142

2) MANOHARAN, Karuppiah Pillai, et al. Evaluation of Polygonum bistorta for anticancer potential using selected cancer cell lines.  Medicinal Chemistry. 2007, vol.3, nº2, p.121-126.
 
3) DUWIEJUA, Mahama, et al. The anti-inflammatory compounds of Polygonum bistorta. Isolation and characterization. Planta Medica. 1999, vol.65, nº4, p.371-374.
 
4) DUWIEJUA, M., et al. Anti-inflammatory activity of Polygonum bistorta, Guaiacum officinale and Hamamelis virginiana in rats. Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology. 1994, vol.46, nº4, p.286-290.

5) Khare, C.P./ Indian Medicinal Plants. -- Nueva Dheli: Springer, 2007 . - p  510.