The yellow, star-shaped blossoms of Agrimonia eupatoria have long been used for medicinal purposes. Substances in Agrimonia eupatoria have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. However, due to a lack of adequate human research in Western countries, it is difficult to know the ideal uses of this herb.
Human studies
As of Feb 2010, we could not find human studies to indicate how Agrimonia eupatoria
herb would be
useful in health conditions.
Chemical composition of Agrimonia eupatoria
herb
The agrimony herb has a number of polyphenols: Proanthocyanidins, flavan-3-ols (catechin and
procyanidins B1, B2, B3, B6, B7, C1, C2 and epicatechin-epicatechin-catechin), quercetin 3-O-glucoside,
quercetin 3-O-galactoside, kaempferol 3-O-glucoside,
kaempferol 3-O-(6''-O-p-coumaroyl)-glucoside, apigenin 6-C-glucoside and various phenolic acids have been identified. Many of these compounds have
anti-inflammatory activity.
Antioxidant potential
Radical scavenging capacity of Agrimonia eupatoria and Agrimonia procera.
Fitoterapia. 2007 Feb; Venskutonis PR, Skemaite M, Ragazinskiene O.
Department of Food Technology, Kaunas University of Technology, Radvilenu pl.
19, Kaunas, LT-50015, Lithuania.
The antioxidant activity of Agrimonia eupatoria (Agrimony) and Agrimonia procera
(Fragrant agrimony) extracts was assessed by measuring in DPPH radical
scavenging and ABTS(+) radical decolourisation reaction systems. Radical
scavenging capacity of agrimony extracts varied in a wide range depending on the
polarity of the solvent used to obtain the extract.
Agrimonia eupatoria for
hepatitis
Inhibition of hepatitis B virus by an aqueous extract of Agrimonia eupatoria -
Agrimony.
Phytother Res. 2005 Apr;19(4):355-8.
Cell Biology Laboratory, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and
Biotechnology, Daejon 305-333, Republic of Korea.
Inhibition of hepatitis B surface antigen - HBsAg - release against hepatitis B virus (HBV) was investigated in
an aqueous extract prepared from the aerial parts (stems and leaves) of
Agrimony. This inhibitory activity was also shown
with the aqueous extracts of two other species of the genus Agrimonia: A. pilosa
and A. coreana pilosella. These results suggest that some plants of the genus
Agrimony contain potential antiviral activity against hepatitis B virus.
Agrimonia eupatoria for
diabetes
Actions of the traditional anti-diabetic plant, Agrimony eupatoria (agrimony):
effects on hyperglycaemia, cellular glucose metabolism and insulin secretion.
Br J Nutr. 1998 Jul;80(1):109-14.
Agrimony eupatoria ( agrimony ) has been documented as a traditional treatment
of diabetes. Here, the effects of dietary administration of agrimony on
streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic mice and on in vitro glucose uptake and glucose
metabolism, and on insulin secretion by BRIN-BD11 cells were investigated.
Agrimony incorporated into the diet (62.5 g/kg) and drinking water (2.5 g/l)
countered the weight loss, polydipsia, hyperphagia and hyperglycaemia of STZ-diabetic
mice. Conclusion: These results demonstrate the presence of antihyperglycaemic,
insulin-releasing and insulin-like activity in Agrimony eupatoria.
Antioxidant activity of agrimonia
eupatoria herb
The activity of an extract and fraction of Agrimonia eupatoria L. against
reactive species.
Biofactors. 2007. Laboratório de Farmacognosia, Faculdade de Farmácia and
Centro de Estudos Farmacêuticos, Universidade de Coimbra, 3000-295 Coimbra,
Portugal.
Agrimonia eupatoria L. (agrimony) is a medicinal plant largely used in
traditional medicine. Recently, phytochemical studies on an agrimony
hydro-alcoholic extract and a polyphenol-enriched fraction obtained from it were
carried out. The fraction was found to possess a high concentration of
flavan-3-ols, flavonols, flavones and phenolic acids. So, the main purpose of
this study was to search out, the extract and fraction antioxidant potential and
scavenging activity against the reactive species formed during inflammation and
to establish a relationship between such activity and the phenolic composition.
Results showed that both the extract and the fraction promptly reacted with DPPH
denoting a general radical scavenger activity and a potential antioxidant
capacity. They also reacted with superoxide anion, peroxyl and hydroxyl radicals
as well as with the oxidant species, hydrogen peroxide, hypochlorous acid and
peroxynitrite, strengthening their radical scavenger and antioxidant activities.
Our data suggest that the significant scavenging capacity of reactive species by
polyphenols from Agrimonia eupatoria L., could be a mechanism of its
anti-inflammatory activity.
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