Indigo plant -- Isatis Indigotica -- Qing Dai
Indigo plant is used in China for infections associated with heat. See a list of Chinese herbs. It appears that indigo plant root has immune stimulating and anti-inflammatory activity.
Composition of the root
Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2013. Chemical consitituents from root of Isatis
indigotica]. Thirty-three compounds were isolated from the root decoction of
Isatis indigotica. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data as
dehydrovomifoliol, abscisic acid, vomifoliol, cyclo (L-Phe-L-Leu), cyclo(L-Phe-L-Tyr), cyclo(L-Tyr-L-Leu), cyclo(L-Pro-L-Tyr), evofolin
B, syringaresinol, dihydroxy-3-methoxy-7,9';7',9-diepoxy-lignan, medioresinol, neo-olivil, 5-methoxyisolariciresinol, 1,3-dihydro-2H-indol-2-one, isalexin
, dihydroneoascorbigen, indican, cyanomethyl-3-hydroxyoxindole, isoformononetein, calycosin, stigamast-5-ene-3beta-ol-7-one, acetovanillone, 3, 5-dimethoxy-4-hydroxyacetophenone, dihydroconiferyl alcohol, dihyroferulic acid,
3-hydroxy-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl) propan-1-one, beta-hydroxypropiovanillone, 4-aminobenzoic acid, 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl) propan-1-ol,
4-(2-hydroxyethyl) phenol, 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, pyrocatechol,
and 4-pentenamide.
Indigo Plant Research trials
Bisindigotin, a TCDD antagonist from the Chinese medicinal herb Isatis
indigotica - indigo plant.
J Nat Prod. 2005.
A new indigoid derivative, bisindigotin with
tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-antagonistic activity was isolated
from the ethanol extract of the Chinese medicinal herb Isatis indigotica. Its
structure was determined by spectroscopic methods. In the human HepG2 hepatoma
cell model, it was found to dose-dependently inhibit TCDD-induced
ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity.
Evaluation on antiendotoxic action and antiviral action in vitro of
tetraploid Isatis indigotica
Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2000.
To evaluate the pharmacological effect of indigo plant. Comparing these actions of tetraploid I.
indigotica with those of the diploid parent. These actions of tetraploid I. indigotica were obviously stronger than those of the diploid
parent. The pharmacological effect of indigo plant leaves was greater than that of
roots with identical ploidy. Tetraploid I. indigotica is a new
line of better quality, deserving to be exploited and utilized on a large
scale.
Studies on the antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory and anti pyretic effects
of Isatis indigotica root.
Phytomedicine. 2002.
The root of indigo plant, popularly known as Ban-Lan-Gen
is used in traditional Chinese medicine for seasonal febrile diseases,
pestilence, mumps, eruptive diseases, inflammatory diseases with redness
of skin, sore throat, etc. In this study, we evaluated the antinociceptive,
antiinflammatory and antipyretic effects of indigo plant root
methanolic extract. The results showed that indigo plant root extract
significantly and dose-dependently inhibited the writhing responses of
mice and decreased the licking time in both the early and late phases of
the formalin test. It also reduced the paw edema induced by carrageenan in
rats. In addition, it potently attenuated pyrexia induced by
lipopolysaccharide.
Experimental studies on immunostimulatory effects of the Isatis
indigotica polysaccharide
Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 1991.
Polysaccharides extracted from the root of indigo plant (IIP, 50 mg/kg.d,
ipx8d) significantly increased the weight of spleen and number of white
blood cell and lymphocyte in peripheral blood in normal ICR mice, and
antagonized the immunosuppressive actions of hydrocortisone. There were
marked potentiating effects on delayed hypersensitivity reaction induced
by 2, 4-dinitrochlorobenzene in normal NIH mice treated with indigo plant as well
as in immunodepressed mice induced by cyclophosphamide. By administration
of IIP, the percentage of ANAE+ lymphocytes stained with acid alpha-naphthyl
acetate esterase method were significantly increased in peripheral blood
of normal ICR mice, and the decreases in number of ANAE+ lymphocytes in
mice induced by hydrocortisone were prevented to a certain extent. But
indigo plant root polysaccharide
could not enhance Con A-induced lymphocyte proliferation of C57BL mouse
spleen cells in vitro measured with MTT colorimetric assay. In addition,
the plaque forming cells in splenocytes of NIH mice treated with
IIP were higher than that of the control group. IIP
could also elevate the clearance rate of intra-venous charcoal particles
in normal mice, i.e., stimulated the phagocytic activity of macrophages.
The result indicates that indigo plant root polysaccharide is capable of increasing humoral and
cellular immune functions and enhancing the functions of
reticuloendothelial system, and might be a good immunopotentiator.
Applied topically on mucous membranes for cold sores -- indigo plus borneol (Bing Pian - ice slice)