Manayupa

1. Manayupa (Desmodium molliculum) Classification

Kingdom: Plantae (Plants)
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta (Vascular plants)
Superdivision: Spermatophyta (Seed plants)
Division: Magnoliophyta (Flowering plants)
Class: Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)
Subclass: Rosidae
Order: Rosales
Family: Leguminosae = Fabaceae
Subfamily: Papilionoideae
Tribe: Hedysareae or Desmodieae
Genus: Desmodium Desvaux
Species: Desmodium molliculum (Kunth) DC
Synonyms:

• Hedysarum molliculum Kunth
• Heteroloma lanatum Desv. ex Kunth
• · Desmodium mexicanum S.Watson
• · Meibomia mollicula (Kunth) Kuntze

Related Species:

• Desmodium adscendens (Sw.) DC
• Desmodium barbatum (L.) Benth.
• Desmodium gangeticum (L.) DC
• Desmodium incanum DC
• Desmodium styracifolium (Osbeck) Merr.
• Desmodium triflorum (L.) DC

The active chemical compounds of most plant species in the genus Desmodium are known to be similar; there exist only few variations relative to the proportion of each specific active chemical compound. Because of this fact, pharmacologic variations among the several extracts produced from different species within the genus Desmodium are known to be significantly similar (Ghosal S. & al, 1965, 1972a, 1972b, 1972c, 1973).

Common Names: “manayupa”, “beggar lice”, “hard man”, “hard stick”, “strong back”. Castilian/Spanish: “manayupa”, “margarita”, “pega-pega”. Peru “manayupa”, “manayupana”. Mexico “amor seco”, “escobilla”, Purépecha: “Uekaku K'arhiri”. Portuguese: “barba de boi”, “carrapicho”. Others: “burbur”, “dipinda dimukuyi”, “dusa karnira”, “mundurana”, “owono-bocon”.

2. Manayupa Description

Habit: Creeping herb up to 1 meter long, perennial, branching, with a thin stem that raises up to 50 centimeters from the ground level.

Leaves: Three-foliated, with stipules.

Flowers: Small, papilionaceous (butterfly-shaped), light-purple colored, and arranged in clusters.

The calyx is campanulate, five-dented, and fairly bilabiate due to the two upper semi-fused teeth.

The corolla is papilionaceous (butterfly-shaped); its standard is oblong-obovate or orbicular; its wings are obliquely oblong. Ten diadelphous (9 fused, forming a tube, and 1 free) stamens are present. The anthers are elliptic and uniform. The ovary is linear and pubescent. The style is short, incurved, and glabrous; the stigma is terminal and capitate.

Fruit: Legume (loment) green-colored, linear, indehiscent, compressed. The seeds are reniform (kidney-shaped).

3. Manayupa Origin, Distribution and Ecology

Origin: An American plant species, probably native to the central region in the Peruvian Andean Mountain Range.

Distribution: Desmodium molliculum (Kunth) DC grows spontaneously in Central and South America, in the equatorial zone and neighborhoods. It has been reported in Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Panama, Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico.

In Peru, Desmodium molliculum has been reported between 1 000 m and 3 500 m asl. It seems that Desmodium molliculum has also been naturalized in Africa.

Ecology: This is a creeping plant species. In South America, Desmodium molliculum commonly grows up in regions at a moderate altitude. In Mexico, Desmodium molliculum is commonly found in pine-oak woods.

4. Manayupa History

Little is known about this plant species. In spite of that, since many years ago, in several countries in North, Central, and South America, as well as Asia and Africa, various preparations from this plant species are being used. In folk medicine throughout the Andean region, Desmodium molliculum is used since much time ago because of its purifying properties for the body. This plant species is believed to eliminate noxious substances that reach our blood torrent through a bad alimentation.

In the United States, Desmodium molliculum is being increasingly used, and registered products now exist. The same way as in South America occurs, several species related to the South American species Desmodium molliculum are used as energizing drinks in order to quench thirst. These drinks are also used in order to remove the inflammation of mucous membranes, especially the digestive, renal and pulmonary ones.

Recently, several clinical studies are being carried out at the Centre for Scientific Research in Plant Medicine, in Ghana. These scientific studies are mainly focused in the anti-anaphylactic and anti-spasmodic properties on the smooth musculature of the respiratory tract. These studies are being performed principally in Desmodium adscendens (Sw.) DC (Gyamfi M.A. & al., 1999).

5. Manayupa Uses

Parts Used

· Leaves: Traditionally, the leaves are used in order to cure diseases. In Peru and other parts of South America, the leaves are used in order to purify blood. In Mexico, a macerate from them is used in order to treat deafness, and a tea is prepared also from the leaves in order to control diarrhea. In the United States, a water extract prepared from the leaves is used as an invigorating drink. On the other hand, the leaves are good forage for cattle.

· Flowers: The flowers are a good source of nectar for honey bees.

Properties

Desmodium molliculum is used as/for/against:

• against gastritis (acute and chronic)
• against renal calculi (kidney stones of oxalate)
• anti malarial
• anti-allergic
• anti-anaphylactic
• anti-asthmatic
• anti-inflammatory
• anti-microbial
• anti-parasitic (Ascaris lumbricoides)
• anti-spasmodic (moderate)
• antitumor
• antiviral
• aperitif (slightly increases appetite)
• blood purifier
• chronotropic (regulates hart beats)
• depurative
• digestive (excites the activity of the digestive tract)
• diuretic
• hepatoprotector
• hypertensor (soyasaponins, hordenin)
• hypolipidemic
• immune-modulator
• improves kidney functions
• inotropic (contractile strength of the myocardium)
• moderate hypotensive (astragalin)
• sedative

Traditionally, natives of the Peruvian Andes accustom to use the leaves of Desmodium molliculum as a blood depurative. Modernly, these leaves are used in order to eliminate from blood remnants of chemical products introduced into the blood when medicines or other chemical substances (artificial colorants, preservatives, prescription drugs, insecticides, etc.) are ingested. In order to do this, Desmodium molliculum is commonly administered independently. The leaves are also used as a sedative.

According to some ethnobotanic studies (Brandao M.G.L. & al., 1992), in the Amazonia, an extract prepared from Desmodium adscendens (Sw.) DC is widely used as antimalarial medicine; in spite of that, there exist no clinic studies confirming its efficacy.

Desmodium molliculum is a good anti-inflammatory. In order to get this, the leaves of Desmodium molliculum are prepared as an infusion, the same way tea is prepared. This infusion is believed to be helpful in order to alleviate inflammations of the respiratory tract, persistent dermal infections, skin mycosis and acne. This effect could be explained because of the capacity of this infusion to potentiate metabolism.

Desmodium molliculum favors urine excretion; it means that this plant species is diuretic. Thanks to this property, Desmodium molliculum stimulates elimination of deposits retained in the urinary tract. Urination and defecation are mechanisms by which the organism eliminates residues and toxic substances; hence, constipation is one of the most frequent causes of chronic intoxication. In spite of that, Desmodium molliculum is said to have the benefit of no promoting much potassium losing by the organism, as occurs with other purifying medicines.

Anti-asthmatic and anti-allergic properties are also attributed to Desmodium molliculum. Studies performed on guinea pigs have shown that Desmodium molliculum significantly diminishes manifestations proper to anaphylactic shocks.

According to McMagnus O.B. & al. (1993), the water extract of Desmodium adscendens (Sw.) DC –a related species— as well as the saponins isolated from this plant species (dehydrosoyasaponin I, soyasaponin I, soyasaponin II, and soyasaponin III) have the ability to activate the potassium channels activated by calcium ions. Dehydrosoyasaponin is one of the most powerful natural activators for these channels (McMagnus O.B. & al., 1993) and one of the most important instruments for investigating the specific structure and functions of these channels (Giangiacomo K.M. & al., 1998). The activation of these channels plays a significant role in the relaxation of the smooth muscle layer of the respiratory tract and inhibits the activity of the bronchoconstrictor substances (McManus O.B. & al., 1993). Soyasapogenol lacks these properties (McManus ob. & al., 1993).

Soyasaponins I, II, and III (Ikeda T. & al., 1998; Kinjo J. & al., 1998) and soyasapogenol B (Ikeda T. & al., 1998) have, in vitro, the same hepatoprotective effect proper of damage to hepatocytes immunologically induced in cellular culture, having soyasaponin III and soyasapogenol B the main effect (Ikeda T. & al., 1998; Kinjo J. & al., 1998).

In trials with living rats, Miyao H. & al. (1998), showed that soyasaponin I protects the hepatic tissue against toxic factors (such as carbon tetrachloride). As some other saponins isolated from soybean, soyasaponin I, which is present in several Desmodium species, has the maximum protective effect on cellular lipidic membranes (Tsujino Y. & al., 1994) and cells under the influence of dangerous oxidative factors (Yiang Y & al., 1993; Yoshikoshi M. & al., 1996).

Soyasaponin I also has an inhibitory effect not exactly specific on calcium channels (Yiang Y. & al., 1993). Soyasaponin I is also a factor that strongly inhibits, during promoting induction stage, skin tumors in mice (Konoshima T. & al., 1992) and, as other soybean saponins, soyasaponin I is also a hypolipidemic factor (Gao G. Q., 1984).

Soyasaponin II, and at a lesser extent also soyasaponin I, show in vitro antiviral activity against replication of type I herpes simplex virus (HSV I), where the activity of soyasaponin II acts synergistically with acyclovir (Hayashi K., & al., 1997). Soyasaponins inhibit the absorption of HIV virus by target cells; hence, soyasaponins result a potential antiviral agent (Vlietinck A.J. & al., 1998).

Frequently, this type of saponins present antiviral (Simoes C.M. & al., 1999), anti-inflammatory (Kim S.Y. & al., 1999), immuno-modulating (Plohmann B. & al., 1997), inhibitory of the secretion of histamine (Yoshikawa M. & al., 1997), positive chronotropic and hypertensive (Guo J.h. & al., 1996), and hepatoprotective (Arao T. & al, 1997) properties.

A triterpenoid saponin isolated from Desmodium styracifolium (Osbeck) Merr. has in vitro the property to inhibit formation of renal calculi (kidney stones) of oxalate induced through the administration of ethilenglycol and vitamin D3 in rats (Hirayama H. & al., 1993).

Astragalin, other chemical compound found in several species within the genus Desmodium, is a flavonoid that is commonly present in many plant species. In Asia, astragalin is used in folk medicine as a mild hypotensive agent (Kameda K. & al., 1987). This chemical compound presents certain dose-dependent inhibitory properties for the conversion of angiotensin. Kameda K. & al. (1987) found that astragalin inhibits in vitro the activity of this enzyme in 67% with a density of 300 µg/ml (with IC50 = 180 µg/ml). Astragalin does not show inhibitory properties for the complementary system (Jung K.Y. & al., 1998) or posses the activity of tannins (Kameda K. & al., 1987).

Beta-phenylarethylamine and its derivatives constitute a group of biogenic amines widely present among mammals and numerous plant species (Bentley K.W., 1997); among these plant species, the ones within genus Desmodium, such as Desmodium gangeticum (L.) DC (Ghosal S. & al., 1972b, Iwu M.M. & al., 1992) and Desmodium triflorum (L.) DC (Ghosal S. & al., 1973) are found.

This chemical compound has many pharmacologic effects similar to its numerous analogues, such as the high-endurance amphetamine derivatives. Beta-phenylarethylamine is a preferential substrate for type B-monoamine oxidase, which is connected with pharmacologic interactions of that compound, and influences in the metabolism of other biogenic amines, including dopamine (Karoum F. & al., 1997; Nakamura M. & al., 1998; Yamada S & al., 1998; Yamada H. & al., 1999; Satoi M., 1999).

Furthermore, beta-phenylethylamines are the compounds that interact with the adrenergic receptors and influence excretion and metabolism of catecholamines in many ways, depending on the shape of its positioning (e.g. Knoll J., 1998; Belloli C. & al., 1999). Both the continuous decreasing and increasing of betaphenylethylamines in the central nervous system seem to be involved, however, in several pathologic conditions (Buckland P.R. & al., 1997; Zhou G. & al., 1997; Grimsby J. & al., 1997).

In spite of their multiple activities, several betaphenylethylamines contained in animal and vegetal tissues (in big amounts in soybean, for example) do not have toxic effect when used daily by most of people and cattle (Bermudez A.J. and Firman J.D., 1998).

Cosmosiin is a flavonoid present in a great number of plant species that can also be produced artificially (Nogradi M. & al., 1967a, 1967b). This is one of the several anti-inflammatory components of some plants, such as Buddleia officinalis Maxim (Li J.S. & al., 1996). In vitro studies have revealed an inhibitory effect of cosmosiin on the activity of interleukin 5, which is the chemotactic factor for eosinophylia and plays a principal role in inflammatory processes related to eosinophylia, especially the allergic one (Park K.Y., 1999).

Hordenin (N, N-dimethyltyramine) is the tertiary biogenic amine contained in numerous plant species, such as barley (Singh A.K. & al., 1992) and some fodder plants and directly influences on the activity of the adrenergic system (Hapke H.J. & Strathmann W., 1995).

In very high dose and taken for a very short period of time, hordenin has an in vivo positive inotropic effect, an hypertensive activity, a capacity to increase flux of blood circulation and inhibit motor activity of the digestive tract, without affecting psychomotor activity in experiments with animals (Hapke H.J. and Strathmann W., 1995). Hordenin seems to have no significance for the MAO activity when administered during meals (Barwell C.J., 1989). The main external sources of hordenin for humans are products obtained from barley, especially beer (Singh A.K. & al., 1992).

Salsolin is a tetraisoquinolonic alkaloid, a biogenic derivative of dopamine with insignificant activity on the dopaminergic system (Bembenek M.E. & al., 1990). The influence of phytoestrogens seems to be of scarce importance (Stammel w. & al., 1991).

Tectorigenin is a natural flavonoid that has a weak anti-inflammatory effect (Kim H.K. & al., 1999; You K.M. & al., 1999) and an in vitro inhibitory effect for the production of prostanoids (Kim Y.P. & al., 1999), the activity of phospholipase C (Imoto M. & al., 1991) and the metabolism of phosphatidylinositol (Makishima M. & al., 1991). According to these results, tectorigenin seems to have an antitumor effect (Imoto M. & al., 1991; Makishima M. & al., 1991).

Tyramine is a bioamine with multiple functions that are principally connected with the metabolism of catecholamine and other biogenic amines (Shulman K.I. & Walker S.E., 1999; Bitsios P. & al., 1996). According to this, the interaction with MAO inhibitors is a factor commonly known (the cheese effect: the high content of tyramine in cheeses and soybean products, Shulman K.I. & Walker S.E., 1999).

Because of the low content of tyramine in the species Desmodium adscendens (Sw.) DC, this would not have any practical significance. Moreover, in vitro, tyramine activates cyclooxigenase and increases synthesis of prostaglandins in the microsomes of the seminal vesicle, revealing after isolation a greater activity than an n-butanol extract of Desmodium adscendens (Sw.) DC (Addy M.E. & Schwartzman M.L., 1995).

The same results have been obtained, although with a minor intensity, by the same authors using an n-butanol extract of a water extract of Desmodium adscendens (Sw.). This same extract also inhibits NADPH- and cytochrome P450- dependent oxygenation of arachidonic acid by human kidney cortical microsomes, depending on the administered dose (Addy M.E. & Schwartzman M.L., 1992). Under the same conditions, tyramine, hordenin, and triterpenoid saponins contained in Desmodium adscendens (Sw.) DC do not show inhibitory activity, so that it must depend on other active compounds contained in the extract (Addy M.E. & Schwartzman M.L., 1992).

One of the fractions of the liquid chromatographic division of the water extract of Desmodium adscendens (Sw.) DC inhibits in vitro both the early and the final phases of the tracheal ring contraction and the fascicular contraction of smooth muscle of the pulmonary connective tissue induced by contact with antigens and histamine or carbachol; however, it lacks effect on contraction if the contraction is induced directly by arachydonic acid, which, in connection with the activity measurements, indicates that the fraction can prevent excretion of free arachydonic acid as a response to excretion factors (Addy M.E. & Burka J.F., 1990).

Other similar studies carried out in respiratory tissue of guinea pigs point out that the other three fractions isolated from the water extract of Desmodium adscendens (Sw.) DC contain a series of other pharmacologically active substances that can inhibit contraction of smooth musculature in several points of metabolic paths of the respiratory apparatus as a response to several antigens (Addy M.E. & Burka J.F., 1988).

These other pharmacologically active substances also have anti-anaphylactic (Addy M.E. & Awumey E.M., 1984; Addy M.E. & Dzandu W.K., 1986) and intestine smooth muscle relaxant properties (Addy M.E. & Dzandu W.K., 1986). Respect to these activities, in Ghana and most of the African countries, extracts from Desmodium adscendens (Sw.) DC are applied both in folk medicine and clinic experiments, as an agent in therapies against asthma, including asthmatic conditions (Addy M.E. & Dzandu W.K., 1986; Gyamfi M.A. & al., 1999).

Ethanol extracts of Desmodium adscendens (Sw.) DC used in mice at high doses have the particularity to induce hypothermia, in addition to have an analgesic effect (N'gouemo P. & al., 1996). Simultaneously, these ethanol extracts inhibit the tonic phase and diminish the death rate of pentylenetetrazola-induced convulsions, and delay chronic contractions of the upper members induced by that substance and convulsions of the members induced by cainic acid (N'gouemo P. & al., 1996). These same extracts neither affect electroshock-induced tonic convulsions in mice nor influence the promotion of member convulsions in rats with epilepsy (N'gouemo P. & al., 1996).

In vitro, water extracts of Desmodium adscendens (Sw.) DC do not manifest too marked antioxidant properties (Gyamfi M.A. & al., 1996). Other plant species related to Desmodium adscendens (Sw.) DC have also been studied several times both, in vivo and in vitro. Water, alcohol, and acetone extracts obtained from Desmodium barbatum (L.) Benth., a species native to Cuba, present strong antibacterial properties (Jimenez Misas C.A. & al., 1979). Isoflavones isolated from Desmodium incanum DC also showed antimicrobial properties (Monache G.D. & al., 1996).

Water extracts of Desmodium styracifolium (Osbeck) Merr. have hypotensive effect in vivo, probably as a result of the activation of cholinergic receptors and blocking of alpha-adrenoreceptors (Ho C.S. & al., 1989). Furthermore, the water extract has a relaxant effect on isolated pieces of aorta and induce positive chronotropism in the isolated vestibules (Ho C.S. & al., 1989).

Water extracts obtained from Desmodium gangeticum (L.) DC show a very high activity against leishmania in viscera (Iwu M.M. & al., 1992).

In vitro, an alcoholic extract obtained from Desmodium triflorum (L.) DC has a high activity against Ascaris lumbricoides, a human distome parasite (Raj R.K., 1975).

Chemical Compounds

• organic acids
• steroids
• saponins
  • dehydrosoyasaponin I
  • soyasaponin I
  • soyasaponin II
  • soyasaponin III
  • soyasapogenol B (common aglycone of soyasaponins I-IV)
  • other triterpenoid saponins
• astragalin
• beta-phenylarethylamine
• cosmosiin
• cyanidin-3-orthosophoroside
• hordenine
• pelargonidin-3-ortho-ramnoside
• salsoline
• tectorigenin
• tetrahydroisoquinolones
• tyramine

6. Manayupa Dosage and Contraindications

Doses

• Dry leaves and pulverized leaves are commonly marketed in capsules; they are also commercialized as 100% dry leaf water extracts.
• As a preventive, a revitalizing drink is commonly used alone. In order to obtain better results, current dose for this extract consists of one cup per day, as a manner of tea.
• When administered as part of a treatment, it is recommended an infusion prepared from 3 tablespoons of dry leaves per liter of water. This infusion is drunk 3 times per day during 14 days. This treatment can be improved with a natural diuretic, such as corn styles.
• Desmodium molliculum can also be prepared as a decoction. In order to do this, a handful (20 g, approximately) of dry material is boiled in 1 liter of water. Boil during 5 minutes. Drink two cups per day.

Contraindications

• Although according to folk beliefs and in opinion of producers and sellers Desmodium molliculum is nontoxic at current dosages, there exists no clinic information about toxicity of this plant species applied at current dose that can confirm these beliefs.
• There exists very few information with respect to the possible side effects of the active compounds of this plant species. Because of the lack of information relative to its administration in infants and pregnant women, it is advisable not to administer Desmodium molliculum to pregnant women and children under 3 years old.
• In vitro tests (Ames test) for Desmodium incanum DC, a species closely related to Desmodium molliculum (Kunth) DC, have never shown any mutagenic property (Vargas V. M. et al., 1991). Other studies (Czeczot H. & al., 1994) performed in Poland have shown the same result. There has only been reported one potential damage in very high doses, the same way that occurs with many tannin-rich extracts, related to an antinutrient activity; it is, the inhibition of protein assimilation by the digestive tract (Barahona R. & al, 1997) (Perez-Maldonado R.A. & Norton B.W., 1996).
• On the other hand, many of the triterpenoid saponins present in the species within the genus Desmodium are also present in many other plant species, soy plant among them, which would prove, indirectly, its innocuousness.

7. Manayupa Agronomical Practices

This species is not commonly cultivated. Its agronomical requirements are unknown.

8. Manayupa Bibliography and References

1. Macbride, J. Francis. Leguminosae, Flora of Peru. Publications of the Field Museum of Natural History, Botanical Series 13(3/1): 1-506. 1943.
2. Montalvo de Maldonado, Dora: “La Medicina Tradicional en el Perú”, 1990.
3. Moscoso Castillo, Mariano: "Secretos Medicinales de la Flora Peruana", Cusco 1997
4. Sagástegui, Abundio: “Diversidad Florística de Contumazá”. 1995.
5. Vargas Lita- Naccarato Paola: “De Salvia y Toronjil”. 1995
6. Vásquez Núñez L.: “Plantas Medicinales de la Costa Peruana”. 1988
7. Villavicencio Vargas, Oscar: Curso Internacional “Uso Médico de las Plantas Medicinales”