Wild Indigo
Botanical Description & Habitat
Baptisia tinctoria
Family
Leguminosae (Fabaceae)
Common Names
| American indigo | False indigo |
| Horsefly weed | Indigo broom |
| Yellow broom | Yellow indigo |
Habitat
Found in dry soil in the eastern and central part of the United States and Canada.
Medicinal Parts
The whole plant, collected in autumn
Historical Properties & Uses
Wild indigo is used mainly for external applications to treat sores, wounds, skin ulcers, abrasions, eczema, and similar problems.
Internally, indigo tincture can be poisonous, and caution must be exercised in their use. The whole plant, but especially the root, can be purgative and emetic.
In small doses, the plant is stimulant, but still possesses emetic and purgative potential. Internally, indigo is seldom used by itself, but in very small amounts, it is often combined with immune-enhancing antibiotic kinds of plants, such as thuja and echinacea.
Method of Action
Wild Indigo Immune Enhancing and Estrogenic Actions
Wild indigo contains a variety of flavonoids (flavones and isoflavones), coumarins and the chinolizidine alkaloids cytisine, n-methylcytisine, anagyrine and sparteine. These chemicals are responsible for several related properties, including the ability to raise white blood cell counts, anti-inflammatory action, and moderate estrogenic-like action (from the isoflavonoids).
The immune stimulation properties of baptisia have been the subject of considerable research. Baptisia belongs to a class of compounds containing water soluble, acidic branched-chain heteroglycans, normally just called immunostimulating polysaccharides.
These polysaccharides have molecular weights between 25,000 and 500,000 and even higher. It is an exclusive class whose membership also includes echinacea, calendula, chamomile, arnica, saw palmetto and Siberian ginseng. These agents have been shown effective in several tests related to non-specific immune stimulation. All of these plants protect against infectious diseases, they all have direct antiviral or antibacterial, action, and they all stimulate phagocytosis.
The British Pharmacopoeia recognizes the use of wild indigo as an antimicrobial, antipyretic, antiseptic and mild cardioactive agent, for use in the treatment of tonsillitis, pharyngitis, acute catarrhal infection, lymphadenitis, furunculosis, aphthous ulcers, stomatitis, gingivitis, fevers. Topically for indolent ulcers, applied as an ointment for sore nipples, and as a douche for leucorrhea. Used in combination with myrrh, capsicum, and echinacea to fight infections, and with phytolacca, violets and burdock root to treat lymph-node inflammation and furunculosis. Combined with Ipecac to treat aphthous ulcer and stomatitis.
Baptisia is a homeopathic remedy for multiple sclerosis.
Drug Interactions & Precautions
Known Interactions
In sub-laxative and sub-emetic doses wild indigo should have no drug interactions. At higher doses, interactions similar to those involving diuretics and cathartics may occur.
Possible Interactions
The presence of estrogen-like substances may increase the production of procoagulant factors which, in turn, may inhibit the anticoagulant action of heparin or coumarin.
The estrogenic constituents of the plant may potentiate oral antidiabetics, folic acid antagonists, and some corticosteroids.
The presence of estrogen can inhibit antihypercholesterolemics by inducing hyperlipidemia. It can also inhibit the activity of most parenteral medications by reducing the rate of spreading.
The estrogenic activity of wild indigo may be inhibited by meprobamate and phenobarbital.
Due to the presence of estrogenic substance, oxytocin may augment the electrical and contractile activity of uterine smooth muscle. The estrogen in wild indigo may raise blood glucose levels enough to alter insulin requirements in the diabetic.
Wild indigo and sparteine may have synergistic oxytocic activity.
Cyclopropane or halogenated hydrocarbon anesthetics may sensitize the myocardium to the cardiotonic effects of this herb, although the chances are few of this happening.
This herb is synergistic with parenteral calcium salts, pancuronium, succinylcholine, rauwolfia alkaloids, ephedrine, epinephrine, and other adrenergic agents.
Comments
There is evidence combining bactericidal and bacteriostatic agents will lower the effectiveness of the '-static' variety. How this finding applies to herbal antibiotics is not known.
Although the coumarin content of this herb is not high at normal usage levels, it is important to note coumarins can affect the action of almost any drug.
Safety Factors & Toxicity
Wild indigo is non-toxic in therapeutic doses, but caution should be used in using whole plant material, as overdoses can produce vomiting and diarrhea.
Preparation & Administration
Infusion
Steep 1 tsp in 1 pint water
Take 1 tsp at a time as required
Use the following preparations three times daily
Decoction
use .5-1.0g of dried root
Liquid Extract
use 0.3-1.3ml of 1:1 in 60% alcohol
Tincture
use 2-5ml; use with caution
Note: This Herbal Preparation information is a summary of data from books and articles by various authors. It is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health care professionals.
References
Beuscher, N. & L. Kopanski. Stimulation of immunity by the contents of Baptisia tinctoria. Lang:German. Planta Medica, 5, 381-384, 1985.
Braun, H. & D. Frohne. Heilplanzen-Lexikon Fuer Aerzte und Apotheker. Gustav Fisher Verlag, Stuttgart, New York, 1987.
British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, British Herbal Medicine Association, 1983.
Lewis, D.A. Anti-inflammatory Drugs for Plant and Marine Sources, Birkhouse Verlag, Berlin, 1989.
Mowrey, Daniel B., Ph.D. Exper. Psych., Brigham Young University. Director of Nebo Institute of Herbal Sciences. Director of Behavior Change Agent Training Institute. Director of Research, Nova Corp.
Wagner, H. Immunprophylaxe und -therapie durch pflanzenpraeparte. Zhurnal der Allgemein Medizin. 59, 1282-1289, 1983.
Wagner, H., A. Proksch, I. Riess-Maurer, A. Vollmar, S. Odenthal, et.al. Immunstimulierend wirkende polysaccharide (heteroglykane) aus hoeheren pflanzen. Arzneimittel Forschung, 35(II), #7, 1069-1075, 1985.
Multimedia
Baptisia tinctoria
© Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
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