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Compiled from 30 PubMed articles · model: gemma4:31b
Summary
Holarrhena antidysenterica, also known as kurchi or kutaj, is a medicinal plant from the Apocynaceae family used traditionally in Ayurveda for gastrointestinal and inflammatory conditions [PMID:37605416, PMID:42134430].
Background
Holarrhena antidysenterica (L.) Wall. ex A. DC. is a medicinal plant abundantly found in India [PMID:28989249]. It is a member of the Apocynaceae family, and its stem bark, leaves, and seeds are utilized for medicinal purposes [PMID:37605416].
Traditional uses
The plant is used in Ayurveda and folklore for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, parasitic infections, inflammatory conditions, constipation, colic, and diarrhea [PMID:20822397, PMID:42134430]. Its seeds are specifically used as an antidiabetic remedy [PMID:28989249], and it has traditional use in the treatment of urolithiasis [PMID:22622371].
Active compounds
The plant contains steroidal alkaloids, including conessine (the main steroidal alkaloid), holadysenterine, isoconessimine, and kurchessine [PMID:17541193, PMID:42134430]. Other identified compounds include holarrhenanan and various phytochemicals with antibacterial and anti-oxidant properties [PMID:37605416, PMID:28412844].
Mechanism of action
Conessine and other steroidal alkaloids act as resistance-modifying agents by inhibiting multidrug efflux pumps (such as MexB in P. aeruginosa) to restore antibiotic efficacy [PMID:30340578, PMID:33025857, PMID:26745443]. The plant's seed extract also demonstrates acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activity [PMID:22569298]. In the gut, extracts exhibit inhibitory effects on intestinal peristalsis [PMID:28412844] and can cause spasmogenic effects in guinea pig ileum that are pyrilamine-sensitive [PMID:20822397].
Clinical evidence
Evidence DIntestinal Amoebiasis
A clinical study of 40 cases showed a 70% good response in E. histolytica cyst passers treated with Kutaja bark [PMID:22557529].
Evidence DDiarrhea
Ethanolic seed extract significantly reduced the severity of castor oil-induced diarrhea in rats at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg [PMID:27047049].
Evidence BChronic Ulcerative Colitis
A randomized single-blind parallel group study compared a monoherbal formulation of H. antidysenterica with Mesalamine, focusing on side effects and relapse [PMID:28182023].
Evidence DPain/Nociception
Ethanol seed extract showed dose-dependent reduction of writhing in mice (43.94% at 150 mg/kg) and central anti-nociceptive activity [PMID:32426548].
Evidence DUrolithiasis
Crude aqueous-methanolic extract inhibited crystal aggregation and transformed calcium oxalate monohydrate to dehydrate crystals in vitro [PMID:22622371].
Evidence D
Drug interactions
The plant acts as a resistance-modifying agent, showing synergistic activity when combined with antibiotics such as novobiocin, rifampicin, and levofloxacin against resistant bacteria [PMID:24103863, PMID:26745443, PMID:30340578].
Evidence summary
The evidence consists primarily of in vitro studies, animal models (rats, mice, G. mellonella), and small-scale clinical observations. While there is strong preclinical evidence for antimicrobial and antidiarrheal activity, high-level clinical trial data (Level A/B) is limited.
PubMed sources
1.PMID: 37605416 (2024) — Expanded Therapeutic Applications of Holarrhena Antidysenterica: A Review. · Combinatorial chemistry & high throughput screening
2.PMID: 28989249 (2017) — Review of Holarrhena antidysenterica (L.) Wall. ex A. DC.: Pharmacognostic, Pharmacological, and Toxicological Perspective. · Pharmacognosy reviews
3.PMID: 24103863 (2014) — Holarrhena antidysenterica as a resistance modifying agent against Acinetobacter baumannii: Its effects on bacterial outer membrane permeability and efflux pumps. · Microbiological research
4.PMID: 32426548 (2020) — In vivo and in silico evaluation of antinociceptive activities of seed extract from the Holarrhena antidysenterica plant. · Heliyon
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Methanol bark extract inhibited cell viability and induced apoptotic cell death in Ca9-22 and HSC-3 cell lines [PMID:29358968].
(2018)
— Compounds with inhibitory activity on peristalsis from the seeds of Holarrhena antidysenterica.
· Natural product research
6.PMID: 27047049 (2015) — Evaluation of antidiarrheal activity of ethanolic extract of Holarrhena antidysenterica seeds in rats. · Veterinary world
7.PMID: 30340578 (2018) — Steroidal alkaloids and conessine from the medicinal plant Holarrhena antidysenterica restore antibiotic efficacy in a Galleria mellonella model of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. · BMC complementary and alternative medicine
8.PMID: 20822397 (2010) — Pharmacological basis for the medicinal use of Holarrhena antidysenterica in gut motility disorders. · Pharmaceutical biology
9.PMID: 22557529 (1986) — Clinical studies on amoebiasis and giardiasis evaluating the efficacy of kutaja (holarrhena antidysenterica) in entamoeba histolytica cyst passers. · Ancient science of life
10.PMID: 17541193 (2007) — Steroidal alkaloids from Holarrhena antidysenterica (L.) WALL. · Chemical & pharmaceutical bulletin
11.PMID: 29575195 (2018) — Ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, and biotechnological advances of family Apocynaceae: A review. · Phytotherapy research : PTR
12.PMID: 18476345 (2008) — Development and validation of a visible absorption densitometry method for quantitation of conessine in Holarrhena antidysenterica (Kurchi). · Journal of AOAC International
13.PMID: 26745443 (2016) — Holarrhena antidysenterica Extract and Its Steroidal Alkaloid, Conessine, as Resistance-Modifying Agents Against Extensively Drug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. · Microbial drug resistance (Larchmont, N.Y.)
14.PMID: 22622371 (2012) — Studies on the in vitro and in vivo antiurolithic activity of Holarrhena antidysenterica. · Urological research
15.PMID: 42134430 (2026) — Conessine, a steroidal alkaloid from Holarrhena antidysenterica: Ethnomedical roots, pharmacological insights, and formulation strategies for modern drug development. · Steroids
16.PMID: 29358968 (2017) — Methanol Extract of Holarrhena antidysenterica Inhibits the Growth of Human Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells and Osteoclastogenesis of Bone Marrow Macrophages. · Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM
17.PMID: 28182023 (2016) — A Randomized Single Blind Parallel Group Study Comparing Monoherbal Formulation Containing Holarrhena Antidysenterica Extract with Mesalamine in Chronic Ulcerative Colitis Patients. · Ancient science of life
18.PMID: 33025857 (2022) — Atomistic insight and modeled elucidation of conessine towards Pseudomonas aeruginosa efflux pump. · Journal of biomolecular structure & dynamics
19.PMID: 22569298 (2012) — Steroidal alkaloids from Holarrhena antidysenterica as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and the investigation for structure-activity relationships. · Life sciences