Supplement
Punarnava, also called Boerhaavia diffusa, is a herb used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine, and its plant compounds are thought to act on fluid balance, the liver and immune cells. People mostly look at it for swelling and fluid retention, and rodent studies found extracts increased urine output, though the evidence is very limited. No human trials have tested this, and the other findings, on liver markers, immune activity and cancer cells, came from animal or lab work.
Sources: PMID 38033469
- Updated
- How we grade
- 1 study cited
- Best evidence
- Grade D
- Conditions studied
- 1
- Outcomes
- 4
- Graded outcomes
- 0004
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
General
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diuretic Effect In rodent models, Boerhaavia diffusa extracts consistently demonstrate diuretic activity with increased urine output. This aligns with its long traditional Ayurvedic use for edema and ascites. No human clinical trials have been conducted to validate this effect. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Moderate effect | 1 study | |||
Studies that measured diuretic effect | ||||||
| Liver Protection Animal studies show hepatoprotective effects of Boerhaavia diffusa extracts, with reductions in liver enzyme markers of damage. Traditional use for jaundice supports this application. No human data available. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect | 1 study | |||
Studies that measured liver protection | ||||||
| Anti-Proliferative Effects (Cancer Cell Lines) Isolated boeravinone compounds from Boerhaavia diffusa show anti-proliferative activity against cancer cell lines in vitro. This is very preliminary evidence — in vitro effects frequently fail to translate to clinical benefit in humans. | Changes; see studies | Small effect | 1 study | |||
Studies that measured anti-proliferative effects (cancer cell lines) | ||||||
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Immunosuppression In animal and in vitro studies, Boerhaavia diffusa suppresses T-cell proliferation and immune cell activity. This immunosuppressive effect could theoretically benefit autoimmune conditions but poses risk during infections. No human trials exist. | Changes; see studies | Moderate effect | 1 study | |||
Studies that measured immunosuppression | ||||||
Key findings
- Diuretic EffectImproves (the measure goes up)
- Liver ProtectionImproves (the measure goes up)
- ImmunosuppressionChanges; see studies
Safety notes in the studies
- This immunosuppressive effect could theoretically benefit autoimmune conditions but poses risk during infections.
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- Grade D
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Studies cited
1 study from PubMed