Mark J. S. Miller1,2, Wallace K. MacNaughton3, Xiao-Jing Zhang1,2, Jane H. Thompson1,2, Randi M. Charbonnet1,2, Paul Bobrowski1,2, Juan Lao4, Ann Marie Trentacosti5, and Manuel Sandoval1,21 Department of Pediatrics and Center for Cardiovascular Sciences, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York 12208;
2 Department of Pediatrics, Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112;
3 Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Gastrointestinal Research Group, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4N1;
4 Universidad Nacional Agraria de la Selva, Tingo Maria, Peru; and
5 Rainforest Phytoceuticals, Delmar, New York 12054
Sangre de grado is an Amazonian herbal medicine used to facilitate the healing of gastric ulcers and to treat gastritis, diarrhea, skin lesions, and insect stings. This study was designed to evaluate the gastrointestinal applications. Gastric ulcers were induced in rats by brief serosal exposure of the fundus to acetic acid (80%). Sangre de grado was administered in drinking water at 1:1,000 and 1:10,000 dilutions from the postoperative period to
day 7. Guinea pig ileum secretory responses to capsaicin, electrical field stimulation, and the neurokinin-1 (NK-1) agonist [Sar9,Met(O2)11]substance P were examined in Ussing chambers. Sangre de grado facilitated the healing of experimental gastric ulcer, reducing myeloperoxidase activity, ulcer size, and bacterial content of the ulcer. The expression of proinflammatory genes tumor necrosis factor-, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, and cyclooxygenase-2 was upregulated by ulcer induction but reduced by sangre de grado treatment, particularly iNOS and IL-6. In Ussing chambers, sangre de grado impaired the secretory response to capsaicin but not to electrical field stimulation or the NK-1 agonist. We conclude that sangre de grado is a potent, cost-effective treatment for gastrointestinal ulcers and distress via antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and sensory afferent-dependent actions.
Chen ZP, Cai Y, Phillipson JD.
Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, University of London, U.K.
Three in-vitro assays have been adopted to examine the cytotoxicity and anti-bacterial activity of the blood-red sap of Croton lechleri from Ecuador, and to examine its effect upon the proliferation of endothelial cells. The sap was found not to be cytotoxic. Several simple phenolic compounds and diterpenes showed a potent anti-bacterial activity. The sap has little effect upon the proliferation of endothelial cells, and no single active ingredient was identified. A mechanism for the wound-healing property of the sap has been proposed.
PMID: 7809208 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Author: Vaisberg, A J : Milla, M : Planas, M C : Cordova, J L : de : Agusti, E R : Ferreyra, R : Mustiga, M C : Carlin, L : Hammond, G B
Abstract: Sangre de Grado extract used by Peruvian natives as a cicatrizant agent, was collected from trees of the species Croton lechleri growing in the Peruvian jungle. The Sangre de Grado was found to contain one alkaloid identified as taspine and which was shown to be the active cicatrizant principle by an in vivo test in mice. This alkaloid exhibited a dose-related cicatrizant effect and an ED50 of 0.375 mg/kg. Experiments with taspine hydrochloride in order to study its mechanism of action in cell culture systems showed that the alkaloid was non-toxic to human foreskin fibroblasts at concentrations below 150 ng/ml and that it had no effect on cell proliferation. On the other hand, taspine hydrochloride was found to increase the migration of human foreskin fibroblasts. This effect on the migration of fibroblasts is probably the mechanism by which Sangre de Grado and taspine hydrochloride accelerate the wound healing process. Using the two-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis system, we have been able to show that neither Sangre de Grado nor taspine hydrochloride had carcinogenic or tumour promoter activity after 17 months of treatment.