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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)
Clincal Abstracts
Hepatoprotective activity of Boerhaavia diffusa L. roots--a popular Indian ethnomedicine.
Rawat AK, Mehrotra S, Tripathi SC, Shome U
Pharmacognosy Laboratory, National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow, India.
J Ethnopharmacol 1997 Mar;56(1):61-6
The roots of Boerhaavia diffusa L., commonly known as 'Punarnava', are used by a large number of tribes in India for the treatment of various hepatic disorders. In the present study the effect of seasons, thickness of roots and form of dose (either aqueous or powder) were studied for their hepatoprotective action to prove the claims made by the different tribes of India. The hepatoprotective activity of roots of different diameters collected in three seasons, rainy, summer and winter, was examined in thioacetamide intoxicated rats. The results showed that an aqueous extract (2 ml/kg) of roots of diameter 1-3 cm, collected in the month of May (Summer), exhibited marked protection of a majority of serum parameters, i.e. GOT, GPT, ACP and ALP, but not GLDH and bilirubin, thereby suggesting the proper size and time of collection of B. diffusa L. roots for the most desirable results. Further, the studies also proved that the aqueous form of drug (2 ml/kg) administration has more hepatoprotective activity than the powder form; this is probably due to the better absorbtion of the liquid form through the intestinal tract.
An experimental evaluation of possible teratogenic potential in Boerhaavia diffusa in Albino rats.
Singh A, Singh RG, Singh RH, Mishra N, Singh N
Department of Nephrology and Kayachikitsa, Banaras University, Varanasi, India.
Planta Med 1991 Aug;57(4):315-6
The present study was undertaken to evaluate any possibility of teratogenic effects in Boerhaavia diffusa (Punarnava), a widely used herbal medicine for renal and urinary tract diseases by Ayurvedic physicians in India. The ethanolic extract of Boerhaavia diffusa (BDE) was administered daily in a dose of 250 mg/kg, body weight p.o., to pregnant albino female rats during the entire period of gestation. BDE was found to be devoid of any teratogenic effect as litter size and survival rate of foetuses were the same as for the normal control group and no foetal anomaly could be detected.
Constituents of the roots of Boerhaavia diffusa L. III. Identification of Ca2+ channel antagonistic compound from the methanol extract.
Lami N, Kadota S, Kikuchi T, Momose Y
Research Institute for Wakan-Yaku (Oriental Medicines), Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Japan. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 1991 Jun;39(6):1551-5
Two known lignans, liriodendrin and syringaresinol mono-beta-D-glucoside, have been isolated from the methanol extract of the roots of Boerhaavia diffusa L. (Nyctaginaceae), and the former compound was found to exhibit a significant calcium (Ca2+) channel antagonistic effect in frog heart single cells using the whole-cell voltage clamp method. Reexamination of the carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (13C-NMR) spectra of these compounds was also carried out by the use of two-dimensional NMR techniques including a 1H-detected heteronuclear multiple bond connectivity (HMBC) experiment, and it was found that the previous signal assignments for C-1' and C-4' have to be revised.
Boerhaavia diffusa: a study of its hepatoprotective activity.
Chandan BK, Sharma AK, Anand KK
Department of Pharmacology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Jammu Tawi, India.
J Ethnopharmacol 1991 Mar;31(3):299-307
An alcoholic extract of whole plant Boerhaavia diffusa given orally exhibited hepatoprotective activity against experimentally induced carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxicity in rats and mice. The extract also produced an increase in normal bile flow in rats suggesting a strong choleretic activity. The extract does not show any signs of toxicity up to an oral dose of 2 g/kg in mice.
Management of IUD-associated menorrhagia in female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).
Barthwal M, Srivastava K
Division of Endocrinology, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India.
Adv Contracept 1991 Mar;7(1):67-76
The study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of antifibrinolytic agents (epsilon-aminocaproic acid, EACA; tranexamic acid, AMCA), anti-inflammatory drugs (indomethacin, IND; ibuprofen, IBU; naproxen, NAP) and root extract of the plant Boerhaavia diffusa (BD) on menstrual cycle length (MCL), duration of menstrual flow (DMF), menstrual iron loss (MIL) and activity of uterine tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) in IUD-fitted monkeys. Premature onset of menstruation was observed in IUD-fitted monkeys (26.0 +/- 0.7 days, mean +/- SE) as compared to controls (28.7 +/- 0.4 days). No noteworthy change was observed in the MCL of drug treated monkeys as compared to IUD-fitted monkeys. An increase of 155%, 123.2%, and 288% was observed in the DMF, MIL and tPA activity after IUD insertion as compared to controls. Antifibrinolytic agents reduced the DMF, MIL and activity of tPA in IUD-fitted monkeys up to 117.4%, 116.4%, and 254%, whereas anti-inflammatory drugs caused a decrease only up to 69%, 95.1%, and 138%, respectively. Conclusively, root extract of B. diffusa treated IUD-fitted monkeys showed noticeable reduction in their DMF (124%), MIL (120.8%) and tPA activity (272%).
Histologic studies on endometrium of menstruating monkeys wearing IUDs: comparative evaluation of drugs.
Barthwal M, Srivastava K
Division of Endocrinology, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow, India.
Adv Contracept 1990 Jun;6(2):113-24
A comparative study was performed to evaluate the effects of antifibrinolytic agents; epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA) and tranexamic acid (AMCA); anti-inflammatory drugs (indomethacin, ibuprofen, naproxen); and plant extract (root extract of Boerhaavia diffusa) on the endometrial histology of IUD-fitted menstruating monkeys. A high degree of stromal edema, heavy infiltration of inflammatory cells, long, tortuous endometrial glands, and thin-walled empty blood vessels were observed in IUD endometrium. B. diffusa was found most effective in reducing stromal edema, inflammation, and tortuosity of glands, and in increasing the degree of deposition of fibrin and platelets in the vessel lumen. Antifibrinolytic agents caused partial to complete occlusion of the vessel lumen and anti-inflammatory drugs thickened the vessel wall. Indomethacin reduced inflammation effectively. Conclusively, B. diffusa appears to be a potent antifibrinolytic and anti-inflammatory agent and is, thus, recommended for the treatment of IUD menorrhagia.
Effect of root extract from Boerhaavia diffusa L., containing an antiviral principle upon plaque formation of RNA bacteriophages.
Awasthi LP, Menzel G
Zentralbl Mikrobiol 1986;141(5):415-9
An extract obtained from the roots of Boerhaavia diffusa plants, which inhibits the infection of several plant viruses, was tested by the agar diffusion hole method for its action on RNA-containing bacterial viruses. Plaque formation of the phages was only partially and non-uniformly influenced by the extract so that a uniform principle of action was not realized for the RNA viruses of prokaryotic and eukaryotic host organisms.
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