-IBIS-1.7.6-
rx
herb
Baptisia tinctoria (Wild Indigo)
Botanicals

definition

botanical name(s): Baptisia tinctoria
synonyms: wild indigo, indigo weed, American indigo, horsefly weed, indigo broom, false indigo, yellow broom, yellow indigo
part(s) used: root, leaves
qualities: bitter, pungent, cold, dry
affinities:
actions: antimicrobial, antipyretic, antiseptic, cathartic, cholagogue, emetic, laxative, astringent
dosage:
» tincture: 1 - 3 ml.
specific indications: fullness of tissue, with dusky, leaden, purplish or livid discoloration; tendency to ulceration and decay (gangrene); sepsis, with enfeebled circulation; fetid discharges with atony; stools resembling "prune juice" or fetid "meat washings" face swollen, bluish, and resembling one having been frozen or long exposed to cold; typhoid conditions (Felter, p. 237)
therapy:
» external: as a wash and dressing for indolent, fetid, irritable, or painful ulcers; inflammations with full or swollen and dusky tissues; aphthous and nursing sore mouth; sore nipples; cervix with foul or purulent odor internal: pathological conditions characterized by feeble vitality, suppressed or vitiated secretions, and sepsis with a disposition to disintegration and death of tissues; indolent ulcers; typhoid; putrid sore throat; angina of scarlet fever, tonsillitis; diphtheria; putrid ulcerations of the nasal passages. Baptisia should be given internally as well as applied locally for the local disorders (Felter, pp. 237-238)
» internal: pharyngitis; acute catarrhal infection; lymphadenitis; furunculosis; aphthous ulcers; stomatitis; gingivitis; fevers (British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, p. 39)
AHPA Botanical Safety Rating: 2b, 2d (not for long-term use except under the supervision of a qualified practitioner; large doses are toxic and may cause vomiting and diarrhea) (McGuffin)
toxicity: 2; see alkaloid toxidrome
» contraindications: hyperemia due to alkaloid (baptitoxine) and phenolic glycoside (baptin) gastrointestinal irritants (Brinker)
» Questionable changes in serum calcium may occur due to alkaloid-induced effects upon absorption.
constituents: isoflavones, flavonoids, alkaloids, coumarins, polysaccharides


footnotes

Brinker F. 1996. The Toxicology of Botanical Medicines, rev. 2nd ed., Sandy, Oregon: Eclectic Medical Publications.

British Herbal Medical Association. 1983. British Herbal Pharmacopoeia. West Yorks, England: The British Herbal Medical Association.

Beuscher N, Scheit KH, Bodinet C, Kopanski L. [Immunologically active glycoproteins of Baptisia tinctoria]. Planta Med. 1989 Aug;55(4):358-363. [Article in German]
Abstract: Chromatographically purified fractions of aqueous-ethanolic extracts from Baptisia tinctoria roots contained a strong lymphocyte DNA synthesis-stimulating activity. Electrophoretic analysis of these fractions revealed four distinct protein bands with molecular masses of P1 = 58 kD; P4 = 31 kD; P5 = 26 kD; and P6 = 14 kD. They contained carbohydrate as determined by periodic acid Schiff staining. An estimation of the approximate amount of sugar was done by using human transferrin as a reference, this method revealed the following values: P1 = 27%; P4 = 12%; P5 = 14%; and P6 = 8%. The mixture of proteins and every single band were immunoreactive with a polyclonal antiserum against Baptisia proteins determined in immune and dot blots, respectively. Electrophoretically purified proteins were characterized by tryptic cleavage and determination of their amino acid content. They contained several common amino acids, predominantly aspartic acid, glutamic acid, threonine, and alanine. The content of glucosamine and/or galactosamine was less than 0.2 Mol-per cent. The four proteins revealed pI values between 5.3 and 4.7. Protein P 4 was immunochemically related to phytohemagglutinin but, in contrast to PHA-P, it exhibited no hemagglutinating activity and no leucagglutinating activity like PHA-L.

Beuscher N, Kopanski L. [Stimulation of immunity by the contents of Baptisia tinctoria]. Planta Med. 1985 Oct;(5):381-384. [Article in German].

Egert D, Beuscher N. Studies on antigen specifity of immunoreactive arabinogalactan proteins extracted from Baptisia tinctoria and Echinacea purpurea. Planta Med. 1992 Apr;58(2):163-165.
Abstract: In a series of experiments the cross-reactivity of antibodies raised against arabinogalactan proteins from Baptisia tinctoria and Echinacea purpurea was studied in order to prove the antigen specificity of the extracted glycoproteins/polysaccharides. Using the antigen-antibody reaction in a competitive ELISA it was evident that antibodies against glycoproteins from Baptisia tinctoria were specific because none of the other antigens like those from Echinacea purpurea, Thuja occidentalis, arabinogalactan from larch, LPS from E. coli 055:B5, and from Salmonella typhimurium were able to inhibit the antigen-antibody reaction. The same results were obtained from ELISA experiments with Echinacea purpurea. From these studies it was concluded that the antigenic regions of immunoreactive proteins from both medicinal plants show structural differences.

Felter HW, Scudder JK. 1922. The Eclectic Materia Medica, Pharmacology and Therapeutics. Cincinnati, Ohio. Reprinted in 1985 by Eclectic Medical Publications, Portland, OR.

McGuffin M. 1997. American Herbal Products Association’s Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: The CRC Press.