Uses
Principal Proposed Uses
- · There are no well-documented uses for Indigo
Other Proposed Uses
- Liver Protection
- Antiseptic
The leaflets and branches of the indigo plant yield an exquisite blue dye; people around the globe have used it to color textiles and clothing for centuries. Before the development of synthetic blue dyes, indigo was cultivated for this pigment rather than for medicinal use.
In the traditional medicine of India and China, indigo was used in the treatment of conditions we would now call epilepsy, bronchitis, liver disease, and psychiatric illness.
1
However, there is no real scientific evidence for any of these uses.
Warning
: Several species of indigo are poisonous. See Safety Issues for more information.
What Is Indigo Used for Today?
Based on its traditional use for liver problems, researchers have investigated whether indigo might protect the liver against chemically induced injury. Animal studies do suggest that extracts of the indigo species
Indigofera tinctoria
protect the liver from damage by toxic chemicals.
2,3
No human trials, however, have been performed to examine indigo's effects on the liver.
The species
Indigofera oblongifolia
has been tested for its antibacterial and antifungal activity.
4
In a test tube trial, this plant showed significant activity against certain types of bacteria and fungi. This research is still in its preliminary stages, so it is too early to tell whether
Indigofera oblongifolia
will prove useful for the treatment of any infectious diseases.
Note
: A different plant called wild indigo (
Baptisia tinctoria
), in combination with
echinacea
and white cedar, has been studied as a possible immune stimulant.
5
However, wild indigo is not part of the
Indigofera
family of plants and is not discussed here.
Dosage
No standard dosage of indigo has been established.
Safety Issues
The indigo species
Indigofera tinctoria
has a history of use in traditional medical systems, and is regarded by herbalists as safe, other than the occasional allergic reactions that have been reported.
6
However, comprehensive safety tests have not been performed. For this reason, indigo should not be used by pregnant or nursing women, young children, or individuals with severe liver or kidney disease. Safety in other individuals is unknown.
The species
Indigofera spicata
(formerly
Indigofera endecaphylla
), however,is poisonous: it has killed cattle and other animals
7,8
and has caused birth defects in rats.
9
Other indigo species have also been found to be lethal.
10,11
For this reason, it is important to avoid ingesting indigo internally unless you are absolutely certain that it has been harvested and processed by expert, reliable individuals.
References
1
Anand KK, Chand D, Ghatak BJR. Protective effect of alcoholic extract of
Indigofera tinctoria
Linn. in experimental liver injury.
Indian J Exp Biol
. 1979;17:685–687.
2
Anand KK, Chand D, Ghatak BJR. Protective effect of alcoholic extract of
Indigofera tinctoria
Linn. in experimental liver injury.
Indian J Exp Biol
. 1979;17:685–687.
3
Anand KK, Chand D, Ghatak BJR. Histological evidence of protection by
Indigofera tinctoria
Linn. against carbontetrachloride induced hepatotoxicity—an experimental study.
Indian J Exp Biol
. 1981;19:298–300.
4
Dahot MU. Antibacterial and antifungal activity of small protein of
Indigofera oblongifolia
leaves.
J Ethnopharmacol
. 1999;64:277–282.
5
Wustenberg P, Henneicke-von Zepelin H-H, Kohler G, et al
.
Efficacy and mode of action of an immunomodulator herbal preparation containing
Echinacea,
wild indigo, and white cedar.
Adv Ther.
1999;16:51–70.
6
Review of Natural Products
. St. Louis, Mo: Facts and Comparisons; 1993: Indigo monograph.
7
Miller R, Smith CR. Seeds of
Indigofera
species: their content of amino acids that may be deleterious.
J Agric Food Chem.
1973;21:909–912.
8
Finnegan RA, Mueller WH. Chemical examination of a toxic extract of
Indigofera endecaphylla. The endecaphyllins. J Pharm Sci
. 1965;54:1136–1144.
9
Pearn JH, Hegarty MP. Indospicine—the teratogenic factor from
Indigoferaspicata
extract causing cleft palate.
Br J Exp Path.
1970;51:34–36.
10
Hegarty MP, Kelly WR, McEwan D, et al. Hepatotoxicity to dogs of horse meat contaminated with indospicine.
Aust Vet J
. 1988;65:337–340.
11
Miller R, Smith CR. Seeds of
Indigofera
species: their content of amino acids that may be deleterious.
J Agric Food Chem.
1973;21:909–912.
Digg
Del.icio.us
Yahoo
Google
Newsvine