Ewa Dobrowolska, Sara Motyka, Agnieszka Szopa, Halina Ekiert

Achyranthes bidentata (ox knee) – botanical, ecological, phytochemical characteristics, and use in medicine
2022-02-25

The latest, XIIth edition of the Polish Pharmacopoeia, which is a translation of the European Pharmacopoeia (European Pharmacopoeia 10th ed.), contains several raw materials introduced for the first time to the official European medicine. One of them is the Achyranthis bidentatae radix. The source of the raw material is an exotic species – Achyranthes bidentata from the Amaranthaceae family, naturally occurring in the tropical regions of eastern and central-eastern Africa (Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, and Nigeria) and Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Philippines), as well as in temperate areas of Asia (China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan).

A. bidentata is also officially approved as a safe food ingredient for alimentary use by the American Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). In addition, the root of A. bidentata is approved by the European CosIng (Cosmetic Ingredient) database for use in cosmetics.

A. bidentata is a popular medicinal and food plant in China, Nepal, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and India. Achyranthis bidentatae radix has long been known and used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), mainly as a tonic, bone-strengthening, anti-arthritic, circulation-stimulating, diuretic, anticancer, and immune-boosting agent.

Professional modern scientific research has confirmed its osteo-protective, anti-inflammatory, and immunostimulating effects. Moreover, they proved its neuroprotective, nephroprotective, anticancer, cardioprotective, lipolytic, and antiviral effects.

Current scientific research focuses not only on A. bidentata root extracts but also on leaf extracts and isolated compounds.

Ecdysterones, saponins, polysaccharides, and polypeptides present in the raw material are mainly responsible for the proven valuable directions of the biological activity of A. bidentata. The raw material is standardized to contain the sum of ecdysterones per -ecdysone (-ecdysterone) not less than 0.1%.

The aim of this article is to present professional data on the biology, chemistry, and biological activities of A. bidentata, the knowledge of which is necessary for professional contacts of pharmacists, physicians, and physiotherapists with patients.

Keywords: ox knee, steroid raw material, botanical and ecological characteristics, chemistry, pharmacological studies.

© Farm Pol, 2021, 77(12): 717–732