Agrimonia eupatoria herb, also known as Agrimony

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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