Habitat:

Apamarg consists of dried whole plant of Achyranthes aspera Linn. (Fam. Amaranthaceae); a stiff, erect, 0.3-0.9 m high herb, found commonly as a weed throughout India up to 900 m.1

Morphology Description (Habit):

Root - Cylindrical tap root, slightly ribbed, 0.1-1.0 cm in thickness, gradually tapering, rough due to presence of some root scars, secondary and tertiary roots present, yellowish-brown; odour, not distinct.

Stem - 0.3 - 0.5 cm in cut pieces, yellowish-brown, erect, branched, cylindrical, hairy, solid, hollow when dry.

Leaf - Simple, subsessile, exstipulate, opposite, decussate, wavy margin, obovate, slightly acuminate and pubescent due to the presence of thick coat of long simple hairs.

Flower - Arranged in inflorescence of long spikes, greenish-white, numerous, sessile, bracteate with two bracteoles, one spine lipped, bisexual, actinomorphic, hypogynous; perianth segments 5,free, membranous, contorted or quincuncial, stamens 5, opposite, the perianth lobes, connate forming a membranous tube-like structure, alternating with truncate and fimbriate staminodes, filament short; anther, two celled, dorsifixed; gynoecium bicarpellary, syncarpous; ovary superior, unilocular with single ovule; style, single; stigma, capitate.

Fruit - An indehiscent dry utricle enclosed within persistent, perianth and bracteoles,

Seed - Sub-cylindric, truncate at the apex, round at the base, endospermic, brown.1

Parts Used:

Whole Plant, Root

Phytochemistry:

Saponins

As per Ayurveda:

           Rasa (Taste)                 : Pungent, bitter

           Guna (Property)           : Sharp

           Veerya (Potency)         : Hot

           Vipaka (End Result)      : Pungent

Pharmacological Actions:

As per Ayurveda, Apamarg is Vatakaphahara; its primary pharmacological actions are summarized as under:

Central Nervous System:

i. Exerts anxiolytic effect.2

Digestive System:

i. Exhibits significant gastroprotective activity, which may be due to presence of phyto-constituents like flavanoids, saponins and tannins.3

Endocrinal System: 

i. Exerts antioxidant and antihyperglycemic activities.4

ii. Achyranthes aspera leaf extract is both prothyroidic and antiperoxidative in nature.5

Cardiovascular System: 

i. The seeds have been observed to significantly suppress the increase in body, retroperitoneal adipose tissue, liver weights, and serum parameters, namely; total cholesterol, total triglyceride, and LDL-cholesterol level post high-fat diet. The anti obesity effects may be partly mediated through delaying the intestinal absorption of dietary fat by inhibiting pancreatic amylase and lipase activity.6

Urinary System: 

i. Exerts renoprotective effect; helps prevent and reduce the growth of urinary calculi; maintains renal functions and reduces renal injury.7

Skin and Hair: 

i. The leaves exhibit significant antifungal activity.8

ii. The leaves accelerate the process of wound healing.9

iii. Exerts anti-nociceptive activity.10

Others: 

i. Possesses anti-HSV (herpes simplex virus) activity.11

Indications:

Urinary tract Calculi

Renal (Kidney) disorders

Seeds - Obesity

Leaves - Skin ulcers and infections

References:

1. The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, Part-1, Vol-2.

2. Barua CC, Talukdar A, Begum SA, Borah P, Lahkar M. Anxiolytic activity of methanol leaf extract of Achyranthes aspera Linn in mice using experimental models of anxiety. Indian J Pharmacol. 2012 Jan;44(1):63-7.

3. Das AK, Bigoniya P, Verma NK, Rana AC. Gastroprotective effect of Achyranthes aspera Linn. leaf on rats. Asian Pac J Trop Med. 2012 Mar;5(3):197-201.

4. Talukder FZ, Khan KA, Uddin R, et al. In vitro free radical scavenging and anti-hyperglycemic activities of Achyranthes aspera extract in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. Drug Discov Ther. 2012 Dec;6(6):298-305.

5. Tahiliani P, Kar A. Achyranthes aspera elevates thyroid hormone levels and decreases hepatic lipid peroxidation in male rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2000 Aug;71(3):527-32.

6. Rani N, Sharma SK, Vasudeva N. Assessment of Antiobesity Potential of Achyranthes aspera Linn. Seed. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:715912.

7. Aggarwal A, Singla SK, Gandhi M, Tandon C. Preventive and curative effects of Achyranthes aspera Linn. extract in experimentally induced nephrolithiasis. Indian J Exp Biol. 2012 Mar;50(3):201-8.

8. Kalaivanan C, Chandrasekaran M, Venkatesalu V. Screening of selected medicinal plants for in vitro antidermatophytic activity. J Mycol Med. 2013 Dec;23(4):247-54.

9. Fikru A, Makonnen E, Eguale T, et al. Evaluation of in vivo wound healing activity of methanol extract of Achyranthes aspera L. J Ethnopharmacol. 2012 Sep 28;143(2):469-74.

10. Barua CC, Talukdar A, Begum SA, et al. Antinociceptive activity of methanolic extract of leaves of Achyranthes aspera Linn. (Amaranthaceae) in animal models of nociception. Indian J Exp Biol. 2010 Aug;48(8):817-21.

11. Mukherjee H, Ojha D, Bag P, et al. Anti-herpes virus activities of Achyranthes aspera: an indian ethnomedicine, and its triterpene acid. Microbiol Res. 2013 May 6;168(4):238-44.

Product Range:

Eurinex Capsule