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ERVA TOSTÂO
Family: Nyctaginaceae
Genus: Boerhaavia
Species: diffusa, hirsuta
Common Names: Erva Tostão, Erva Toustao, Pega-pinto, Hog Weed, Pig Weed, Atikamaamidi, Biskhapra, Djambo, Etiponia, Fowl's Lice, Ganda'dar, Ghetuli, Katkatud, Mahenshi, Mamauri, Ndandalida, Oulouni Niabo, Paanbalibis, Patal-jarh, Pitasudu-pala, Punar-nava, Punerva, Punnarnava, Purnoi, Samdelma, San, Sant, Santh, Santi, Satadi Thikedi, Satodi, Spreading Hog Weed, Tellaaku, Thazhuthama, Thikri, Touri-touri, Tshrana, Yoegbe
Part Used: Herb, Roots
DESCRIPTION
Properties/Actions:
Anthelmintic, Anticonvulsant, Antifibrinolytic, Antibacterial, Anti-inflammatory, Antispasmodic, Antiviral, Depurative, Diuretic, Choleretic, Hemostatic, Hepatoprotective, Hepatotonic, Hypotensive, Lactagogue, Laxative, Vermifuge
Phytochemicals:
 Alanine, Arachidic Acid, Aspartic Acid, Behenic Acid, Beta-Sitosterol, Boeravinone A - F, Boerhaavic Acid, Borhavine, Borhavone, Campesterol, Daucosterol, Beta-Ecdysone, Flavone,5-7-dihydroxy-3'-4'-dimetho, Xy-6-8-dimethyl, Galactose, Glutamic Acid, Glutamine, Glycerol, Glycine, Hentriacontane,N, Heptadecyclic Acid, Histidine, Hypoxanthine-9-l-arabinofuranoside, Leucine, Liriodendrin, Methionine, Oleaic Acid, Oxalic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Proline, Proline,hydroxy, Punarnavine, Serine, Sitosterol Oleate, Sitosterol Palmitate, Stearic Acid, Stigmasterol, Syringaresinol-mono-beta-d-glucoside, Threonine, Triacontan-1-OL, Tyrosine, Ursolic Acid, Valine, Xylose>
Traditional Remedy:
 One-half cup whole herb decoction 1-2 times daily or 1-2 ml of a 4:1 tincture twice daily. 500 to 1000 mgs of whole herb in tablets or capsules daily can be substituted if desired.
See Traditional Herbal Remedies Preparation Methods page if necessary for definitions.
COUNTRY ETHNOBOTANY: WORLDWIDE USES
Brazil
 Albuminuria, BeriBeri, Blenorrhagia, Calculi, Chologogue, Cystitis, Diuretic, Gallbladder, Hepatitis, Hepatotonic, Hepatoprotective, Hydropsy, Liver, Nephritis, Sclerosis(Liver), Spleen(enlarged), Urinary Disorders
Elsewhere
 Childbirth, Jaundice, Guinea Worms, Sterility, Yaws
Guatemala
 Erysipelas, Guinea Worms
India
 Abdomen, Abdominal Pain, Anemia, Anthelmintic, Anti-inflammatory, Ascites, Asthma, Blood Purifier, Calculi, Cancer(abdominal), Cataract, Childbirth, Cholera, Cough, Debility, Diuretic, Dropsy, Dyspepsia, Edema, Emetic, Expectorant, Eye, Fever, Food, Gonorrhea, Guinea Worms, Heart Disease, Heart Ailments, Hemorrhages(childbirth) Hemorrhages(thoracic) Hemorrhoids, Hepatoprotective, Inflammation(internal), Jaundice, Kidney Disorders, Lactagogue, Laxative, Liver, Menstrual, Ophthalmic, Renal, Rheumatism, Snakebite, Spleen(enlarged), Stomachic, Urinary, Urinary, Urinary Disorders, Weakness
Iran
 Anti-flatulent, Appetite Stimulant, Diuretic, Edema, Expectorant, Gonorrhea, Jaundice, Joint Pain, Lumbago, Nephritis, Tonic, Urticaria
Nigeria
 Abscess, Anti-convulsant, Asthma, Boil, Convulsions, Epilepsy, Emetic, Expectorant, Febrifuge, Guinea Worms, Laxative
West Africa
 Abortifacient, Aphrodisiac, Dysmenorrhagia
Erva Tostão is a vigorous growing weedy vine growing to 70 centimeters in height. It has a large root system and produces yellow and white flowers. It can be found in many tropical and warm-climate countries. Indigenous to Brazil, it is found in abundance along roadsides and in the forests in and near São Paul, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais. Erva Tostão is also indigenous to India where it is found in abundance in the warmer parts of the country.

The roots of Erva Tostão have held an important place in herbal medicine in both Brazil and India for many years. In Brazil, Erva Tostão is considered "a plant medicine of great importance, extraordinarily beneficial in the treatment of liver disorders."(1) It is employed in Brazilian herbal medicine as a chologogue and diuretic, for all types of liver disorders including jaundice and hepatitis, for gallbladder pain and stones, urinary tract and renal disorders and calculi, and for cystitis.(1, 2) Erva Tostão is called Punar-nava or Punarnava in India where it has a long history of use by indigenous and tribal people, and in Aruyvedic or natural/herbal medicine in India. There, the roots are employed for many purposes including liver, gallbladder, kidney, renal and urinary disorders.(3-8) Throughout the tropics, Erva Tostão is considered an excellent natural remedy for Guinea Worms, a bothersome little tropical parasite that lays eggs underneath the skin of humans and livestock, later hatching into larvae or worms which eat the underlying tissues. The roots of the plant are normally softened in boiling water and then mashed up and applied as a paste or poultice to the affected areas to kill and express the worms from the skin.

The diuretic action of Erva Tostão has been studied and validated by scientists in several studies which help to explain its long history of use in various kidney and urinary conditions. Researchers showed in the mid 1950's that low dosages (10mg/kg to 300mg/kg) produced strong diuretic effects while higher dosages (>300mg/kg) produced the opposite effect, reducing urine output.(9) Other researchers who followed, verified these diuretic and anti-diuretic properties as well as the beneficial kidney and renal effects of Erva Tostão roots in animals and humans.(7 - 12) Research indicates that a root extract can increase urine output by as much as 100% in a 24 hour period at dosages as low as 10mg per kilogram of body weight.(7)

The worldwide use of Erva Tostão roots for various liver complaints and disorders were validated when researchers demonstrated in 1980 and again in 1991 that a root extract provided antihepatotoxic properties in animals; protecting the liver from numerous introduced toxins.(12, 13) In other clinical studies with animals, a root extract demonstrated smooth muscle and skeletal muscle stimulant activity in frogs and guinea pigs;(14) hypotensive actions in dogs(14) as well as in-vitro hypotensive actions;(15) antispasmodic actions in frogs and guinea pigs;(14, 16) antiamebic actions in rats;(17) and hemostatic or antihemorrhaging properties in monkeys with IUDs.(18) The traditional use of Erva Tostão for convulsions and epilepsy was verified by scientists in two studies demonstrating that a root extract provided anti-convulsant action in mice.(19, 20) In vitro testing of Erva Tostão root extract show that has antibacterial properties (21, 22) including against gonorrhea,(22) antinematodal(23) and antiviral actions against several viral plant pathogens.(24)

With much of the clinical research validating Erva Tostão's long history of different uses in natural medicine, it is easy to understand why it has played such an important role in the herbal practitioner's medicine chest of natural remedies. It is an important and effective tropical plant resource which is deserving of much more use and interest here in the United States.

Footnotes:
  1. Cruz, G.L. 1995. Dicionario Das Plantas Uteis Do Brasil, 5th ed., Bertrand: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  2. Coimbra, Raul, 1994. Manual de Fitoterapia 2nd Ed., Editora Cejup: Belem, Brazil.
  3. Jain, S.P., et.al., 1984. Ethnomedicinal Plants of Jaunsar-Bawar Hills, Uttar Pradesh, India J Ethnopharmacol 12 2: 213-222 (1984)
  4. Anis, M. et.al., 1994. Medicinal Plantlore of Aligarh, India. Int J Pharmacog 32 1: 59-64
  5. Arseculeratne, S.N., et.al., 1985. Studies on Medicinal Plants of Sri Lanka. Part 14: Toxicity of Some Traditional Medicinal Herbs. J Ethnopharmacol 13 3: 323-335 (1985)
  6. Agarwal,R.R. 1934. Chemical Examination of Punar-nava or Boerhaavia diffusa Linn. Proc Acad Sci 4 : 73-76 (1934)
  7. Mudgal, V., 1975. Studies on Medicinal Properties of Convolvulus Pluricaulis and Boerhaavia Diffusa. Planta Med 28 : 62- (1975)
  8. Gaitonde,B.B., et.al., 1974. Diuretic Activity of Punarnava (Boerhavia diffusa). Bull Haffkine Inst 2 : 24- (1974)
  9. Chowdhury, A. et.al., 1955 Boerhaavia diffusa - Effect on Diuresis and Some Renal Enzymes. Ann Biochem Exp Med 15 : 119-126 (1955)
  10. Singh, R.P., et.al., 1992 Recent Approach in Clinical and Experimental Evaluation of Diuretic Action of Punarnava (B.diffusa) with Special Reference to Nephrotic Syndrome. J Res Edu Ind Med 7 1: 29-35 (1992)
  11. Devi, M.V., et.al., 1986 Effect of Phyllanthus niruri on the Diuretic Activity of Punarnava Tablets. J Res Edu Ind Med 5 1: 11-12 (1986)
  12. Mishra, J.P. et.al., Studies on the Effect of Indigenous Drug Boerhaavia diffusa Rom.on Kidney Regeneration. Indian J Pharmacy 12 : 59-. (1980)
  13. Chandan, B.K. et.al., 1991. Boerhaavia diffusa: A Study of its Hepatoprotective Activity. J Ethnopharmacol 31 3: 299-307 (1991)
  14. Ramabhimaiah, S. et.al., 1984. Pharmacological Investigations on the Water Soluble Fraction of Methanol Extract of Boerhaavia diffusa Root. Indian Drugs 21 8: 343-344 (1984)
  15. Hansen, K., et.al., 1995. In Vitro Screening of Traditional Medicines for Anti-Hypertensive Effect Based on Inhibition of the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (Ace) J Ethnopharmacol48 1: 43-51 (1995)
  16. Dhar, M., et.al., 1968. Screening of Indian Plants for Biological Activity: Part I. Indian J Exp Biol 6 : 232-247 (1968)
  17. Sohni, Y., et.al., 1995 The Antiamoebic Effect of a Crude Drug Formulation of Herbal Extracts Against Entamoeba histolytica in Vitro and in Vivo. J Ethnopharmacol 45 1: 43-52 (1995)
  18. Antifertility Studies on Plants. Anon: Indian Counc Med Res-Ann Rept Director General1978 : 63-64 (1978)
  19. Adesina, S., 1979. Anticonvulsant Properties of the Roots of Boerhaavia diffusa. Q J Crude Drug Res 17 : 84-86 (1979)
  20. Akah, P., et.al., 1993. Nigerian Plants with Anti-convulsant Property. Fitoterapia 64 1: 42-44 (1993)
  21. Olukoya,D., et.al., 1993. Antibacterial Activity of Some Medicinal Plants from Nigeria. J Ethnopharmacol 39 1: 69-72 (1993)
  22. Aynehchi, Y., Screening of Iranian Plants for Antimicrobial Activity. Acta Pharm Suecica19 4: 303-308 (1982)
  23. Vijayalakshimi, K., et.al., 1979. Nematicidal Properties of Some Indigenous Plant Materials Against Second Stage Juveniles of Meloidogyne Incognita (Koffoid and White) Chitwood. Indian J Entomol 41 4: 326-331 (1979)
  24. Verma, H., et.al., 1979. Antiviral Activity of Boerhaavia diffusa Root Extract and Physical Properties of the Virus Inhibitor. Can J Bot 57 : 926-932 (1979)
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