Argyreia nervosa

Argyreia nervosa is a perennial climbing vine native to the Indian subcontinent and introduced to numerous areas worldwide, including Hawaii, Africa, and the Caribbean. Though it can be invasive, it is often prized for its aesthetic and medicinal value.<ref name="MedVal">Template:Cite journal</ref> Common names include Hawaiian baby woodrose, adhoguda अधोगुडा or vidhara विधारा (Sanskrit), elephant creeper and woolly morning glory. Its seeds are known for their powerful entheogenic properties, greater or similar to those of Ipomoea species, with users reporting significant psychedelic and spiritual experiences.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="ResPaper">Template:Cite journal</ref> The two botanical varieties are Argyreia nervosa var. nervosa described here, and Argyreia nervosa var. speciosa, the roots of which are used in Ayurvedic medicine.<ref name= MedVal /><ref>The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India, part 1, vol. 5. Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of Ayush. http://www.ayurveda.hu/api/API-Vol-5.pdf
A. nervosa entry: page 16
“T.L.C. of methanolic extract of the roots on precoated silica gel G plate using methanol - chloroform (20 : 80) showed a blue fluorescent spot under UV (365nm) along with number of other spots of very weak intensity. Due to the presence of very negligible amount of alkaloids in the roots these could not be isolated.” (p. 17)</ref>

Argyreia nervosa contains various ergoline alkaloids such as ergine.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> A study reported stereoisomers of ergine to be found in the seeds at a concentration of 0.325% of dry weight.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Two modern studies from a team of researchers also revealed lysergic acid,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> methylergometrine (syn. lysergic acid butanolamide), methysergide, lysergylalanine, and suspected, unidentifed ergopeptines.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> A study of the related Ipomoea tricolor showed that ergoline concentrations in the leaves are 12-fold lower than that of the seeds.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

History

While seeds of other Convolvulaceae, specifically Ipomoea corymbosa (ololiuhqui) and Ipomoea tricolor (tlitliltzin), were used in shamanic rituals of Latin America for centuries, A. nervosa was not traditionally used for this purpose. Its properties were first brought to attention in the 1960s.Template:Citation needed

Cultivation

Where temperatures fall below 13 °C (55 °F), Argyreia nervosa is grown in a warm greenhouse. Elsewhere, it is grown on arbours, pergolas, walls, or trees. It is often grown professionally under glass in a loam-based potting compost (John Innes No. 3) in full light, and watered freely from spring to autumn, with a balanced liquid fertilizer applied monthly and reduced water in winter. It is grown outdoors in moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun. Pruning is done in late winter.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Glycosides

Argyroside

• Argyroside, (24R)-ergost-5-en-11-oxo-3β-ol-α-D-glucopyranoside, a steroidal glycoside unique to Argyreia nervosa<ref name="RahmanAli2003">Template:Cite journal</ref>

Ergolines

Argyreia nervosa contains a variety of ergolines and lysergamides, which are shown in the tables below.<ref name="ChenDeWitBos2020">Template:Cite report</ref> It has also been reported to contain methylergometrine and methysergide, which were previously believed to be exclusively synthetic compounds.<ref name="ChenDeWitBos2020" /><ref name="PaulkeKremerWunder2015">Template:Cite journal</ref>

Ergoline alkaloids of known percentage
Compound name	Percentage of dry seed weight constituted	Chemical structure
Isoergine	0.188%
Ergine	0.136%
Ergometrine	0.049%
Lysergic acid hydroxyethylamide	0.035%
Isolysergic acid hydroxyethylamide	0.024%
Elymoclavine	0.022%
Ergometrinine	0.011%
Chanoclavine	0.016%

Ergoline alkaloids of unknown percentage
Compound name	Chemical structure
Agroclavine
Festuclavine
Chanoclavine II
Lysergene
Lysergol
Isolysergol
Setoclavine
Isosetoclavine

Hydroxycinnamic acids

Hydroxycinnamic acids
Compound name	Chemical structure
Caffeic acid
Ethyl caffeate

Fatty acids

Fatty acids
Compound name	Chemical structure
Myristoleic acid
Myristic acid
Palmitic acid
Linoleic acid
Linolenic acid
Oleic acid
Stearic acid
Nonadecylic acid
Eicosenoic acid
Heneicosylic acid
Behenic acid
12-methylmyristic acid
15-methylstearic acid

Glycosides of fatty acids
Fatty acid	Chemical structure
Palmitic acid
Oleic acid
Stearic acid
Behenic acid
Linoleic acid
Linolenic acid

Entheogen

Hawaiian baby woodrose seeds

The seeds of A. nervosa contain ergot alkaloids varying considerably in concentration with LSA weight ranging between exactly similar looking seeds from 3 μg to 34 μg (avg 17 μg).<ref name="Dose">Template:Cite journal</ref> However, in its effects, LSA is about one tenth as potent as its cousin LSD, making a threshold dose level for LSA (D-Lysergic Acid Amide) about 500 μg.<ref>Template:Cite book
“The effective dose of lysergic acid amide is 1 to 2 mg by oral application.” Albert Hofmann. 2. A Challenging Question and My Answer, p. 40</ref> The psychoactive effects of the seeds may therefore be due to other alkaloids present in them and the safe and effective dose may be difficult to predict.

Speculations

Certain New Age sources claim that, according to 'various oral histories' Huna shamans used the powdered seeds to prepare an entheogenic drink.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This is unlikely to reflect an authentic practice having once formed a part of traditional Hawaiian Religion,<ref name="encyclopedia">Template:Cite book</ref> given that Huna has been widely discredited as a culturally appropriative New Age religion invented by Max Freedom Long.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The seeds of Argyreia nervosa can produce psychoactive effects, but it has not yet been demonstrated satisfactorily that their use as an entheogen predates the various countercultural movements of the 1960s.<ref name="encyclopedia"/> Given that A. nervosa is not native to Hawaii, having been introduced there from India, any Hawaiian practices involving it are unlikely to be of any antiquity. It cannot, however, be ruled out that the plant may have been utilised as an intoxicant in its native India at some time in the past, although evidence for this (if present) has not yet come to light.<ref name="encyclopedia"/>

Uses in the traditional medicine of India

While he does not claim there to be any evidence for the use of the seeds of A. nervosa as a traditional entheogen in its native India, Christian Rätsch does describe some interesting traditional uses of the root of the plant in Ayurveda somewhat suggestive of effects upon the CNS:<ref name="encyclopedia"/>

The root is regarded as a tonic for the nerves and brain and is ingested as a rejuvenation tonic and aphrodisiac to increase intelligence.<ref name="encyclopedia"/>

Other traditional uses are in the treatment of gonorrhea, strangury, chronic ulcers, diabetes, anemia, and cerebral disorders. The plant is also used as appetizer, brain tonic, cardiotonic, and aphrodisiac. It possesses anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal activities. <ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Claims that alternative medicines including Ayuverdic possess proven medical qualities, such as having widespread beneficial effects such as antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal activities are not claims that satisfy the scientific requirement of medical claims. Further, since the plant is partially toxic even if there were medical benefit, which is not established, this would have to be weighed against the potential poisoning impact of the substance.

External links

• PLANTS database entry
• Template:AfricanPlants