It is probably native to India or Sri Lanka, but is also found in Africa, Arabia, and Southeast Asia. It has been imported to Brazil and the southern United States. It is very commonly known as asthisamharaka. As per Dr Jyotiraditya Agarwal (Chief Ayurvedic Consultant of Nidanam Clinic), Cissus has been used in various ayurvedic classical medicines to heal broken bones and injured ligaments and tendons.
Cissus quadrangularis reaches a height of 1.5 m and has quadrangular-sectioned branches with internodes 8 to 10 cm long and 1.2 to 1.5 cm wide. Along each angle is a leathery edge. Toothed trilobe leaves 2 to 5 cm wide appear at the nodes. Each has a tendril emerging from the opposite side of the node. Racemes of small white, yellowish, or greenish flowers; globular berries are red when ripe.Cissus quadrangularis' has been used as a medicinal plant since antiquity.
In siddha medicine it is considered a tonic and analgesic, and is believed to help heal broken bones, thus its name asthisamharaka (that which prevents the destruction of bones).
It is said to have antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anthelmintic, antihemorrhoidal and analgesic activities. It contains a rich source of carotenoids, triterpenoids and ascorbic acid. In a study in Cameroon, high doses of the extracts have been shown to have beneficial effects against obesity and associated oxidative stress. Its bactericidal effects on Helicobacter pylori hold promise as a potential treatment of gastric ulcers in conjunction with NSAIDtherapy. A weight loss supplement containing Cissus quadrangularis and other ingredients including green tea, soy, selenium, chromium, and B vitamins was evaluated in an 8-week trial. The supplement helped reduce body weight by 4-8% ( placebo 2.4%) a clinically significant weight loss.
[edit]Experimental studies on CQ
A study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of methanolic extract of Cissus quadrangularis Linn (CQ) on the healing process of experimentally fractured radius-ulna of dog. CQ treated animals revealed faster initiation of healing process than the control animals on radiological and histopathological examinations. The treated group also revealed a decrease in serum calcium level to a greater extent than the control group. Healing was almost complete on 21 st day of fracture in the treated animals and remained incomplete in the control animals. No significant alteration of serum calcium level was observed on 21 st day of fracture in both the groups.Thanks wikipedia
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