Supplement
Massularia acuminata is a West African shrub whose twigs are traditionally chewed as natural toothbrushes. In one small six-week trial of 60 Nigerian schoolchildren, gum health improved slightly with the chewing sticks compared with toothbrushes, but the differences were not statistically significant. Other findings come mostly from rats, where testosterone and libido-related behavior rose, though liver damage appeared too, and no human studies exist.
Sources: PMID 11372148
- Updated
- How we grade
- 1 study cited
- Best evidence
- Grade D
- Conditions studied
- 0
- Outcomes
- 4
- Graded outcomes
- 0004
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
General
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gingival Health A small RCT in 60 Nigerian schoolchildren compared Massularia acuminata chewing sticks to toothbrushes over six weeks. Slight improvements in gingival health were observed in the chewing stick group, but differences were not statistically significant. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 1 study | 60 people | ||
Studies that measured gingival health | ||||||
| Testosterone In rat studies, Massularia acuminata aqueous extract at lower doses (50 mg/kg) increased serum testosterone levels. No human studies exist, and higher doses (1000 mg/kg) caused liver toxicity in the same animal models, suggesting a narrow therapeutic window. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | ||||
| Libido Rat studies observed increased sexual behavior and libido-related endpoints following administration of Massularia acuminata extract at lower doses. These findings have not been replicated in humans and must be interpreted cautiously given concurrent hepatotoxicity findings at higher doses. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | ||||
| Liver Enzyme Levels In rat studies, Massularia acuminata at higher doses (1000 mg/kg) produced significant hepatotoxicity with elevated liver enzymes, indicating dose-dependent liver damage. This adverse effect represents a serious safety concern and narrows the potential therapeutic window considerably. | Worsens (the measure goes down) | Large effect | ||||
Key findings
- Gingival HealthImproves (the measure goes up)
- TestosteroneImproves (the measure goes up)
- LibidoImproves (the measure goes up)
Safety notes in the studies
- No human studies exist, and higher doses (1000 mg/kg) caused liver toxicity in the same animal models, suggesting a narrow therapeutic window.
- This adverse effect represents a serious safety concern and narrows the potential therapeutic window considerably.
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- Grade D
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Studies cited
1 study from PubMed