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Asteracantha longifolia

Asteracantha longifolia (Kokilaaksha) is an ayurvedic aphrodisiac and liver protective agent. Currently, research on this plant is preliminary with limited information on both components of the plant and toxicology.

Our evidence-based analysis on asteracantha longifolia features 20 unique references to scientific papers.

Kamal Patel
Research analysis led by Kamal Patel.
All content reviewed by the Examine.com Team. Published: Sep 2, 2013
Last Updated:

Summary of Asteracantha longifolia

Primary Information, Benefits, Effects, and Important Facts

Asteracantha longifolia (synonymous with quite a few other plant and traditional names) is a traditional Indian medicine that is reported to be beneficial against glucose disturbances (Diabetes) and against liver problems; in addition to these two therapeutic claims, it is reported to be a diuretic and an aphrodisiac.

At this moment in time there is not much information on this herb, but it appears to have some interactions with glucose metabolism in the sense that it can augment glycogen synthesis in the liver and muscle tissue (mechanism unknown) and it appears to protect the liver and brain from lipid peroxidation with a potency somewhat comparable to Vitamin E.

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Things To Know & Note

Is a Form Of

Primary Function:

Also Known As

Hygrophila longifolia, Barleria auriculata, Barleria spinosa, Ikshura, Ikshugandha, Hygrophila spinosa, Hygrophila auriculata, Kokilaaksha, Talimakhana, gokulakanta, marsh barbel

Caution Notice

Examine.com Medical Disclaimer

How to Take Asteracantha longifolia

Recommended dosage, active amounts, other details

There is currently not enough information available at this moment in time to recommend an oral dose of any medicinal component of this herb.

Human Effect Matrix

The Human Effect Matrix looks at human studies (it excludes animal and in vitro studies) to tell you what effects asteracantha longifolia has on your body, and how strong these effects are.
Grade Level of Evidence
Robust research conducted with repeated double-blind clinical trials
Multiple studies where at least two are double-blind and placebo controlled
Single double-blind study or multiple cohort studies
Uncontrolled or observational studies only
Level of Evidence
? The amount of high quality evidence. The more evidence, the more we can trust the results.
Outcome Magnitude of effect
? The direction and size of the supplement's impact on each outcome. Some supplements can have an increasing effect, others have a decreasing effect, and others have no effect.
Consistency of research results
? Scientific research does not always agree. HIGH or VERY HIGH means that most of the scientific research agrees.
Notes
grade-d
Blood Glucose
Minor - See study
Appears to reduce the spike and overall exposure to glucose following an oral glucose tolerance test in both healthy and diabetic adults

Scientific Research on Asteracantha longifolia

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1Sources and Composition

1.1Sources

Asteracantha longifolia (of the family Acanthaceae, synonymous the Hygrophila genera (auriculata and spinosa) as well as the Barleria genera (auriculata and spinosa)[1]) is a traditional Indian medicine[2] named either Kokilaaksha or Talimakhana (Ayurvedic and Unani medicine, respectively[1]) and some lesser known names of Ikshura, Ikshugandha,[3] and Ikkirie.[4]

Asteracantha longifolia belongs to the Ayurveda class of 'Vajikaran' for enhancement of sexual performance, and also has uses as a general tonic, sedative,[1] asthma, jaundice, liver ailments, and diuretic[5][6] as well as various 'diseases of the blood' and inflammatory diseases such as rheumatism and edema.[3][4] Traditional usage seems to recommend one ounce of the root (boiled in a pint of water until fourteen ounces remain) or two ounces of the dried leaves extracted with vinegar or water.[4]

The plant Asteracantha longifolia appears to be a traditionally recommended blood tonic and aphrodisiac from Indian medicine, and it is also known for its supposed liver benefits

1.2Composition

The leaves of Asteracantha longifolia contain:

  • The aliphatic esters 25-oxo-hentriacontanyl acetate and methyl 8-n-hexyltetracosanoate[7]

  • Butelin[7]

  • Lupeol[7] at 0.051%[6]

  • Stigmasterol[7] and β-sitosterol (0.069%)[6]

The stems contain:

  • Lupeol (0.121%)[6]

  • β-sitosterol (0.029%)[6]

The seeds contain:

  • A seed oil containing linoleic acid (11%), palmitic acid (8%) and stearic acid (0.6%)[5]

  • Asterol I-IV[8]

  • Asteracanthine and asteracanthinine (alkaloids)[1][8]

  • Lupeol at 0.044%[6]

  • β-sitosterol (0.031%)[6]

The roots contain:

  • Lupeol (0.25% dry weight)[6]

  • β-sitosterol (0.06%)[6]

In a preliminary qualitative analysis of the compounds in Asteracantha longifolia leaves the classes of steroids, saponins (0.68+/-0.12%), tannins (4.92+/-0.18%), phenolics (0.16+/-0.10%), and cardiac glycosides were found while terpenoids, alkaloids, and flavonoids were absent.[2] Despite this, in the quantitative analysis there was a detectable alkaloid (1.14+/-0.14%) and flavonoid (0.24+/-0.19%) content.[2]

The composition of asteracantha longifolia is not very well known at this moment in time

2Neurology

2.1Neurprotection

The terpenoid fraction of asteracantha longifolia (100-200mg/kg) orally for seven days in rats then subject to transient global cerebral ischemia, supplementation was associated with improvements in cognitive testing and reductions in brain lipid peroxidation with a potency comparable to 500mg/kg Vitamin E.[9]

May be slightly neuroprotective, which is thought to be associated with its antioxidative properties

2.2Aphrodisia

An ethanolic extract of the seeds (100-200mg/kg) to rats over 28 days caused dose-dependent increaes in mounting frequency (380-472% of control) and similar reductions in mounting, intromission, and post-ejaculatory latencies; all doses were nonsignificantly more libido enhancing than the active control of 0.5mg/kg testosterone injections.[1]

Appears to have some aphrodisiac properties with prolonged ingestion, although it appears to be of comparable potency to other libido enhancing herbs in rats

3Cardiovascular Health

3.1Blood

The chloroform extract of the leaves of asteracantha longifolia (250-500mg/kg intraperitoneal injections in mice) given for 22 days after cyclophosphamide-induced anemia was able to restore levels of blood cells (normalization after 15 days) indicative of haematopoietic potential.[10] The suppression in bone marrow cell count was also normalized by treatment with asteracantha longifolia[10] and elsewhere in haloperidol-induced anemic rats an ethanolic extract of the aerial parts (100-200mg/kg) given via intraperitoneal injections was able to almost normalize blood cell parameters (hematocrit, RBC count, hemoglobin) after 19 days.[11]

In rats that are not anemic and given 200mg/kg of the ethanolic extract (injections), administration of the supplement does not appear to stimulate erythropoesis and is met with a small (possibly clinically irrelevant) decline relative to untreated control.[11]

In instances of anemia where administered chemicals can reduce red blood cell count and functionality, it appears that asteracantha longifolia can stimulate erythropoesis and normalize the differences within a few weeks. This does not work in non-anemic animals, and no studies have used oral supplemental dosages yet

4Interactions with Glucose Metabolism

4.1Absorption

Large oral doses of the water extract of the aerial parts of the plant (leaf and stem, dosed at 5g/kg bodyweight in rats) has failed to modify the absorption of glucose.[12]

Does not appear to inhibit glucose absorption

4.2Glycogen

Oral ingestion of the water extract has failed to modify gluconeogenesis in the rat liver following an oral glucose tolerance test.[12]

In rats, administration of a water extract (at 5g/kg bodyweight) prior to glucose loading has resulted in increased glycogen storage in both the liver (108.5+/-9.5%) and skeletal muscle (57.8+/-4.2%) although an increase in triglyceride storage of adipose tissue (10.2+/-1.8%) was also noted.[12]

While the water extract of astercantha longifolia does not appear to promote nor hinder gluconeogensis, it appears that preloading this herb before carbohydrates augments the amount of glycogen that is stored in the liver and muscle tissue

4.3Diabetes

100-250mg/kg of the ethanolic leaf extract for three weeks in diabetic rats is able to reduce fasting blood glucose associated with a normalization of antioxidant enzymes (glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and glutathione-S-transferase) and lipid peroxidation.[13]

Oral ingestion of 10mL/kg of a hot water leaf extract (where each mL is equivalent to 1g of plant material) in normal humans is able to reduce exposure to glucose following an oral glucose tolerance test by 25%; the drink was slightly more effective in diabetics since it reduced exposure by 36%.[14]

There appears to be a hypoglycemic effect when this herb is coingested with dietary carbohydrates, and this is thought to be related to the deposition of carbohydrates into muscle and the liver as glycogen

5Interactions with Oxidation

5.1In vitro

As assessed by FTC method (used to assess peroxide formation at the initial stages), the water extract of the roots of asteracantha longifolia inhibited 55.29% of peroxide formation and appears to be nonsignificantly more potent than both Vitamin E and Vitamin C as reference compounds.[15] This potency carried over to the TBS assay where the water extract inhibited 60% of MDA formation, showing another effective anti-lipid peroxidation measurement.[15]

The water extract of the roots appears to have somewhat respectable antioxidative properties against lipid peroxidation, which nonsignificantly outperform the references of vitamins C and E

6Interactions with Organ Systems

6.1Sexual Organs

An ethanolic extract of the seeds (100-200mg/kg) to rats over 28 days caused a dose-dependent increase in the weight of sexual organs (testicles, seminal vesicles, and epididymus) with a increase in prostatic weight that was not dose dependent.[1] This same dose caused increases in semen count associated with increased spermatogenesis.[1]

There may be a small increase in male sex organ weight that occurs alongside prolonged usage of the herb and its libidoo enhancing effects

6.2Liver

In vitro, the isolated alkaloids of asteracantha longifolia appear to be protective against CCL4 in liver cells in the concentration range of 40-80µg/mL with the highest tested concentration having a potency comparable to 250µg/mL Silymarins.[16]

The alkaloids appear to be the main active component

A methanolic extract of the seeds of asteracantha longifolia appears to have hepatoprotective properties against both thioacetamide and paracetamol[17] as well as acetominophen in rats.[18] Protection against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) has been noted in both mouse[19] and rat[20] models of hepatotoxicity.

A basic water extract of the roots (50-150mg/kg) alongside CCL4 in a rat model of hepatotoxicity was able to reduce the increase in liver enzymes (ALT, AST, ALP, and LDH) as well as bilirubin; the highest dose of the root extract (150mg/kg) was comparable to the reference drug of 50mg/kg Silymarins (from Milk thistle).[15] Elsewhere, the total alkaloid fraction of the leaves at 80mg/kg has been found to be comparable to 250mg/kg Silmyarins.[16]

Appears to have general liver protective properties in animal studies against hepatotoxins, and the potency of this plant is either comparable or lesser than that of other reference drugs such as Milk thistle although the isolated alkaloids may be more protective

7Interactions with Cancer Metabolism

7.1Hepatocarcinoma

A methanolic extract of the seeds (200-400mg/kg) every other day for eight weeks in rats given hepatic tumors appears to be able to reduce subsequent foci development by up to 51% (relative to control) associated with an attenuation of the toxin-induced declinein glutathione peroxidase and catalase.[5]

8Safety and Toxicology

8.1General

Both the alkaloidal[16] and terpenoid[9] fractions of the plant have been found to have no acute toxicity below 2000mg/kg oral ingestion in rats.

Preliminary and short term evidence in rats does not suggest any form of toxicity with single doses

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Chauhan NS, Sharma V, Dixit VK. Effect of Asteracantha longifolia seeds on the sexual behaviour of male rats. Nat Prod Res. (2011)
  2. ^ a b c Doss A. Preliminary phytochemical screening of some Indian Medicinal Plants. Anc Sci Life. (2009)
  3. ^ a b Asteracantha longifolia (L.) Nees, Acanthaceae: chemistry, traditional, medicinal uses and its pharmacological activities - a review.
  4. ^ a b c Jayesingha WA. On Hygrophila Spinosa (Vel Asteracantha Longifolia). Br Med J. (1887)
  5. ^ a b c Ahmed S, et al. Anti-tumor promoting activity of Asteracantha longifolia against experimental hepatocarcinogenesis in rats. Food Chem Toxicol. (2001)
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i A Comparative Evaluation of Phytochemical Fingerprints of Asteracantha Longifolia Nees. Using HPTLC.
  7. ^ a b c d Misra TN, et al. Constituents of Asteracantha longifolia. Fitoterapia. (2001)
  8. ^ a b Thankamma A. Rheumatoid arthritis and astercantha longifolia. Anc Sci Life. (1999)
  9. ^ a b Kanhere R, et al. Neuroprotective and antioxidant potential of terpenoid fraction from Hygrophila auriculata against transient global cerebral ischemia in rats. Pharm Biol. (2013)
  10. ^ a b Haematopoietic activity of Asteracantha longifolia on cyclophosphamide-induced bone marrow suppression.
  11. ^ a b Pawar RS, et al. Erythropoietic activity of Asteracantha longifolia (Nees.) in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. (2010)
  12. ^ a b c Extra Pancreatic Actions of Hygrophila longifolia.
  13. ^ Vijayakumar M, et al. Action of Hygrophila auriculata against streptozotocin-induced oxidative stress. J Ethnopharmacol. (2006)
  14. ^ Fernando MR, et al. Effect of Artocarpus heterophyllus and Asteracanthus longifolia on glucose tolerance in normal human subjects and in maturity-onset diabetic patients. J Ethnopharmacol. (1991)
  15. ^ a b c Shanmugasundaram P, Venkataraman S. Hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of Hygrophila auriculata (K. Schum) Heine Acanthaceae root extract. J Ethnopharmacol. (2006)
  16. ^ a b c Raj VP, et al. In vitro and in vivo hepatoprotective effects of the total alkaloid fraction of Hygrophila auriculata leaves. Indian J Pharmacol. (2010)
  17. ^ Singh A, Handa SS. Hepatoprotective activity of Apium graveolens and Hygrophila auriculata against paracetamol and thioacetamide intoxication in rats. J Ethnopharmacol. (1995)
  18. ^ Shivashangari KS, Ravikumar V, Devaki T. Evaluation of the protective efficacy of Asteracantha longifolia on acetaminophen-induced liver damage in rats. J Med Food. (2004)
  19. ^ Hewawasam RP, et al. Protective effect of Asteracantha longifolia extract in mouse liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride and paracetamol. J Pharm Pharmacol. (2003)
  20. ^ Shailajan S, et al. Effect of Asteracantha longifolia Nees. against CCl4 induced liver dysfunction in rat. Indian J Exp Biol. (2005)

This page is regularly updated, to include the most recently available clinical trial evidence.

Each member of our research team is required to have no conflicts of interest, including with supplement manufacturers, food companies, and industry funders. The team includes nutrition researchers, registered dietitians, physicians, and pharmacists. We have a strict editorial process.

This page features 20 references. All factual claims are followed by specifically-applicable references. Click here to see the full set of references for this page.

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