Portulaca oleracea / Postelein
Postelein is een kruipende, dikbladige eenjarige plant met kleine gele bloemen en opvallend rode stengels. die bij mij tussen de steentjes van de oprit groeit. Een echte cultuurvolger die graag bij de mensen groeit, op wegen, in tuintjes en bij wijngaarden.
De naam Portulaca komt waarschijnlijk van het latijnse portula, kleine deur, omdat de vrucht zich als een deurtje opent, om de zwarte, glimmende zaadjes hun verspreidend werk te laten doen. Of van porta, dragen en lac ‘melk’ melkdragend omwille van het witte melksap.De Postelein hoort samen met de Winterpostelein en de Montia tot de kleine familie van de Portulacaceae.
Namen
Frans: Pourpier; Pourcellaine, Pourpie potager. [Boulos, 1983].
Duits: Gartenportulak.
Engels: Garden purslane, pigweed, pursley, pusley, wild purslane
Spanish: Verdolaja.
Postelein in de oude kruidenboeken
Herbarius in Dyetsche; ‘Porcelleyne of Portulaca verkoelt tot in de derde en maakt nat in de tweede graad. (2) Het heeft kracht om de kamergang te verzachten of te vermurwen, vochtig te maken en te verkoelen. (3) Het is een goed voedsel tegen koorts van rode gal en zwarte gal. Ook als je het rouw of gekookt eet is het zeer goed, ook is het goed tegen hitte in het lichaam en tegen verstopping van de buik: ‘Neem water waar postelein, sla, pruimen en rozijnen in gekookt zijn’. Hetzelfde is ook goed om de hitte van de koorts te verkoelen. Ook tegen aandrang tot waterlozing en de dysurie, maar dan stopt het de buik want al die zaken die naar toilet laten gaan die stoppen de plas. Als ze naar toilet laten gaan werkt het tegenovergesteld met plasgang en als ze veel laten plassen dan stoppen ze net zoveel als het naar toilet gaan, volgens Platearius. Maar als postelein goed gebruikt wordt dan verdrijft het verstoppingen van het lichaam want het bevochtigt en ontbindt.
Tegen kloven en de zweren van de lippen verbrand je de wortel van postelein in een koperen vat of pan en maak er een poeder van, meng dat met honing en strijk het er op. Hetzelfde bedekt of voorkomt iets de kloven van de melaatsen.
(4) Tegen beginnende hete blaren: ‘Neem postelein, breek het en meng het met azijn’.
Tegen darmzweren eet je het sap en ook het kruid want dat verzacht het. (5) Ook is het goed tegen overdadige loop van de baarmoeder, maar het sap daarvan is krachtiger.
(6) Als je postelein teveel eet verkrampt dit het gezicht, het verkoelt het lichaam. Het voorkomt het overgeven en beneemt onkuisheid.
(7) Als je postelein met wat azijn kauwt voorkomt dit het bloeden van de neus. Ook als je het eet voorkomt het verbranding van de maag vanwege rode gal. Daarom is het zeer goed tegen causam (dat is een zeer hete koorts rond het hart) en tegen andere koortsen.
Als je een pleister ervan op maag maakt dat met wat azijn gemengd is doet ‘t hetzelfde. Gekauwd geneest het de dofheid van de tanden.
Soms heeft het een bittere smaak, daarom is het goed als je het in eten gebruikt tegen rode loop.
Als je de wratten met postelein inwrijft dan verdwijnen de wratten, niet vanwege haar kwaliteit, maar vanwege haar eigenschappen. Het sap van postelein geneest hete hoestzweer, ook pijn van de nieren en van de blaas.
Het is goed tegen pijn van de nieren en van de blaas en is goed tegen haar zweren, het stopt de loop van de stonden en is goed tegen zweren van de baarmoeder.
Het water van postelein is goed tegen bloedige aambeien. Pandecta’.
Herbarijs; ‘Pertulaca of porceleyne is koud en vochtig en heeft grote kracht te verzachten en vochtig te maken en te verkoelen. En het is goede spijs al rouw gegeten die de koorts hebben. En is het dat ze de loop vast hebben dan zal men poeder van Portulaca en van pruimen van Damascus nemen en het in water koken. En de zieke zal dat kruid eten en de pruimen en dat sap zal hij drinken’.
Het kapittel werd letterlijk uit Platearius vertaald.
Dodonaeus; ‘‘Men eet ze dikwijls rouw, hetzij alleen, hetzij met andere kruiden in salade met olie, azijn en zout. Die postelein in de mond gehouden en gekauwd beneemt de bruinheid, stroefheid of vadsigheid van de tanden. Hetzelfde doet het sap ook of het gedistilleerd water als men dat drinkt of de mond daarmee spoelt.
Tamme en wilde postelein wordt meest in alle landen als sla in de spijs gebruikt, maar men doet er gewoonlijk wat kers, raket of enig ander heet kruid bij om haar koude eigenschap te matigen of te bedwingen waardoor ze sommige magen al te lastig en te hard om te verteren vallen, anders hebben ze geen merkelijke schadelijkheid in zich dan alleen deze dat het te lang gebruik er van de het gezicht wat verduistert.
Postelein op alle manieren in spijs of anders ingenomen stopt alle vrouwelijke vloeden en belet alle zinkingen van rijzende vochtigheden die op enig deel van het lichaam mogen vallen en is goed tegen de pijn en weedom van de blaas en nieren en geneest de gebreken er van al was het dat ze verergerd waren. Ze verdrijft de kwade wellustige dromen en de lust van bijslapen.
Postelein gekookt en ingenomen geneest de vallende ziekte en stelpt de rode loop en de vloed van de spenen of aambeien en allerhande bloedgang. Zelfs postelein rouw gekauwd geneest diegene die dikwijls uit de neus bloeden. Hetzelfde kruid in spijs gegeten of gekookt beneemt de zweren van het geslacht en van de schaamdelen.
Postelein gekauwd maakt de losse tanden vast en laat de zwellingen van het tandvlees vergaan en is nuttig tegen allerhande zweren van de mond.
In het kort, postelein verkoelt al hetgeen dat verhit is en verslaat de dorst zeer krachtig en daarom houden sommige reizende lieden altijd een blad of twee van dit kruid onder of op hun tong om de dorst minder te voelen. Tot dat doel geeft men dit kruid de koortsige mensen in de mond om hun de dorst te verslaan, gemerkt dat het dikwijls drinken voor hun zeer schadelijk is.
Van buiten het lichaam wordt postelein ook zeer veel gebruikt om alle verhitting en ontstekingen te verkoelen, want ze belet door haar koelte dat het vuur in de wonden niet komt als ze er opgelegd wordt, alleen of met meel van gerstemout vermengt.
Die bladeren op het voorhoofd gelegd verzoeten de pijn en weedom van het hoofd en onder het hoofdkussen gelegd beletten alle kwade en vervaarlijke dromen, zoals sommige verzekeren.
Een zalfje gemaakt van honig en poeder van postelein wortel gedroogd geneest de kloven van de lippen en handen’.
http://mens-en-gezondheid.infonu.nl/gezonde-voeding/27996-postelein-een-poortje-naar-gezondheid.html
Portulaca oleracea / Purslane / Postelein monograph
Botany
The purslane family includes several fleshy plants. P. oleracea is an herbaceous, succulent annual growing 10 to 30 cm tall and preferring sandy soil and warmer conditions. It is sometimes considered a weed because of its invasive growth patterns. It has reddish-brown stems, alternate wedge-shaped leaves, clusters of yellow flowers containing 4 to 6 petals that bloom in summer, and numerous black, shiny, and rough seeds. The botanical name is derived from the Latin potare , meaning to “carry,” and lac or “milk,” referring to the milky sap of the plant. Synonyms are Portulaca neglecta Mack. & Bush and Portulaca retusa Engelm. This plant (also known as little hogweed) should not be confused with giant hogweed ( Heracleum mantegazzianum ). 1 , 2 , 3
History
In ancient times, purslane was used to protect against evil spirits. Purslane's medicinal use dates back at least 2,000 years, but it was used as food well before this period. Traditional medicinal uses for purslane are broad. Ancient Romans used purslane to treat dysentery, intestinal worms, headache, and stomachache. The Chinese, French, Italians, and English also used purslane as a food source. 2 , 4
Chemistry
Purslane is considered a rich vegetable source of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, including tocopherol, ascorbic acid, beta carotene, and glutathione. 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 The alpha-linolenic acid content varies with cultivar, geography, and environmental factors, with leaves having a greater percentage than seeds and stems. 8 , 10 The plant's bright yellow flowers are of interest in the food industry because of the nitrogen-containing betalain pigments. 11 , 12
Purslane also contains carbohydrates, lipids, glycosides, alkaloids (including oleraceins), sterols, coumarins, triterpenes, and flavonoids. 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 Phenolic constituents of the plant include scopoletin, bergapten, isopimpinellin, lonchocarpic acid, robustin, genistein, and others. 17 Amino acids in the leaves of the Portulaca species include phenylalanine, alanine, tyrosine, and aspartate. 18 Plant acids include citric, malic, ascorbic, succinic, fumaric, and acetic acids. 19 The volatile oil of P. oleracea has also been studied and contains mainly linalool and 3,7,11,15-tetramethyl-2-hexadecen-1-ol. 20
Purslane is a rich source of vitamins A, B, C, and E and is high in carotenoid content, including beta-carotene. Calcium, magnesium, potassium, folate, lithium, and melatonin are also present. 2 , 6 , 7 , 9
Uses and Pharmacology
CNS effects
Effects of both ethanol and aqueous extracts of purslane are attributed in part to observed antioxidant activity. Both histological and biochemical studies have shown free-radical scavenging activity, as well as reduced lipid peroxidation, lactate dehydrogenase, and consequent reduced oxidative stress. 13 , 21 , 22 , 23 Reduced inflammation consequent to hypoxic injury has been demonstrated with administration of purslane extracts. 24 Other proposed mechanisms include increased glycolysis and adenosine triphosphate levels and promotion of endogenous erythropoietin. 25 , 26 Experimental studies report levels of noradrenaline and dopamine in the leaves, stems, and seeds of less than 1%, but no anticholinesterase activity for either ethanol or water extracts. 22 , 27
Animal data
Limited experiments conducted in mice have demonstrated neuroprotective effects against induced hypoxic injury by ethanol extracts and betacyanins. Cognition improved and anxiety was reduced in behavioral tests, and histology and biochemical measurements showed neuroprotective properties. 24 , 25 , 28 , 29
Clinical data
Research reveals no clinical data regarding the use of purslane for neuroprotective effects or other CNS conditions.
Other animal or laboratory experiments
In vitro studies demonstrated hepatoprotective effects against cisplatin-induced injury, 30 activity against human hepatoma and cervical cancer cell lines, 15 and increased proliferation of thymocytes and splenic lymphocytes. 21 Purslane has been reported to possess antifungal, vermicidal, and antiviral effects. 16 , 17 , 31 Experiments in mice showed increased wound-healing rates with topical applications of crude fresh plant extracts 3 and reduced severity of induced-gastric ulcers with ethanol and aqueous leaf extracts. 32 Studies in chickens fed purslane have shown improved feed efficiency with reduced body weight and increased egg production. There was no change in the cholesterol content of the eggs, but there was an increase in omega-3 fatty acid content. 33 Circulating levels of melatonin have been increased in chickens and rats fed purslane. 9
Other clinical studies
Abnormal uterine bleeding
A small clinical study (N = 10) evaluated the efficacy of purslane seeds and found reductions in duration and volume of uterine bleeding. 34
Asthma
A small clinical trial (N = 13) evaluated the bronchodilatory effect of oral purslane extract compared with that of oral theophylline and inhaled salbutamol. Purslane extract showed improvements in pulmonary function tests similar to those of theophylline. 35
Diabetes
A small clinical trial (N = 30) evaluated the effect of purslane seeds in type 2 diabetes. At 8 weeks, improvements in serum insulin and triglycerides were noted, as well as improvements in liver function tests. 36
Oral lichen planus
Oral purslane performed better than placebo in treating oral lichen planus when administered daily at 235 mg of purslane extract. 37
Dosage
Dosing
100 g of fresh purslane leaves yields approximately 300 to 400 mg of alpha linolenic acid. 9
Limited clinical studies are available to provide dosage guidelines; however, the following dosages have been used: one clinical study used 0.25 mL/kg body weight of a 5% aqueous extract for bronchodilatory effect 35 ; in type 2 diabetes, 5 g of powdered seeds were taken twice daily over 8 weeks 36 ; a daily dose of 235 mg ethanol extract of purslane was used to treat oral lichen planus 37 ; in abnormal uterine bleeding, powdered seeds were taken at a dose of 5 g every 4 hours for 3 days. 34
Pregnancy/Lactation
Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking. Effects on uterine contractions are contradictory and poorly evaluated; judicious use is warranted. 34 , 36
Interactions
None well documented.
Adverse Reactions
Clinical studies are limited; however, no clinically important adverse events have been reported in these trials. 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 Older references suggest increases in kidney filtration rates and increased urine production, but these have not been further evaluated. 36
Toxicology
Studies are lacking; however, a toxicology study of Portulaca grandiflora Hook, a related species, found no evidence of toxicity on histology, hematology, or biochemistry. 38
Bibliography
1. Portulaca L. USDA, NRCS. 2007. The PLANTS database ( http://plants.usda.gov , 13 December 2011). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro, NC 27401–4901 USA.
2. Chevallier A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants . New York, NY: DK Publishing; 1996:253.
3. Rashed AN, Afifi FU, Disi AM. Simple evaluation of the wound healing activity of a crude extract of Portulaca oleracea L. (growing in Jordan) in Mus musculus JVI-1. J Ethnopharmacol . 2003;88(2-3):131-136.
4. D'Amelio, F. Botanicals: A Phytocosmetic Desk Reference . Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press; 1999:245-246.
5. Ezekwe MO, Omara-Alwala TR, Membrahtu T. Nutritive characterization of purslane accessions as influenced by planting date. Plant Foods Hum Nutr . 1999;54(3):183-191.
6. Guil-Guerrero J, Rodríguez-Garcia I. Lipids classes, fatty acids, and carotenes of the leaves of six edible wild plants. Z Lebensm Unters Forsch A . 1999;209(5):313-316.
7. Liu L, Howe P, Zhou YF, Xu ZQ, Hocart C, Zhan R. Fatty acids and beta-carotene in Australian purslane ( Portulaca oleracea ) varieties. J Chromatogr A . 2000;893(1):207-213.
8. Teixeira MC, Carvalho IS, Brodelius M. Omega-3 fatty acid desaturase genes isolated from purslane ( Portulaca oleracea L.): expression in different tissues and response to cold and wound stress. J Agric Food Chem . 2010;58(3):1870-1877.
9. Simopoulos AP, Tan DX, Manchester LC, Reiter RJ. Purslane: a plant source of omega-3 fatty acids and melatonin. J Pineal Res . 2005;39(3):331-332.
10. Palaniswamy U, et al. Omega-3 fatty acid concentration in Portulaca oleracea is altered by nitrogen source in hydroponic solution. J Am Soc Hortic Sci . 2000;125:190-194.
11. Gandía-Herrero F, Jiménez-Atiénzar M, Cabanes J, Escribano J, García-Carmona F. Fluorescence detection of tyrosinase activity on dopamine-betaxanthin purified from Portulaca oleracea (common purslane) flowers. J Agric Food Chem . 2009;57(6):2523-2528.
12. Wang CQ, Yang GQ. Betacyanins from Portulaca oleracea L. ameliorate cognition deficits and attenuate oxidative damage induced by D-galactose in the brains of senescent mice. Phytomedicine . 2010;17(7):527-532.
13. Yang Z, Liu C, Xiang L, Zheng Y. Phenolic alkaloids as a new class of antioxidants in Portulaca oleracea . Phytother Res . 2009;23(7):1032-1035.
14. Xiang L, Xing D, Wang W, Wang R, Ding Y, Du L. Alkaloids from Portulaca oleracea L. Phytochemistry . 2005;66(21):2595-2601.
15. Chen T, Wang J, Li Y, Shen J, Zhao T, Zhang H. Sulfated modification and cytotoxicity of Portulaca oleracea L. polysaccharides. Glycoconj J . 2010;27(6):635-642.
16. Dong CX, Hayashi K, Lee JB, Hayashi T. Characterization of structures and antiviral effects of polysaccharides from Portulaca oleracea L. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) . 2010;58(4):507-510.
17. Awad N. Lipid content and antimicrobial activity of phenolic constituents of cultivated Portulaca oleracea L. Bull Fac Pharm . 1994;32:137-142.
18. Mirajkar P, et al. Studies on leaf protein of Portulaca species and other leafy vegetables. Curr Trends Life Sci . 1984;11(Prog. Leaf Protein res.):95-98.
19. Gao Z, et al. Determination of low molecular carboxylic acids in Portulaca oleracea L. by ion exclusion chromatography. Sepu . 1996;14:50-52.
20. Liu P, et al. GC-MS analysis of volatile oil of Portulaca oleracea . L. Ziran Kexueban 1994;14:72-74.
21. YouGuo C, ZongJi S, XiaoPing C. Evaluation of free radicals scavenging and immunity-modulatory activities of Purslane polysaccharides. Int J Biol Macromol . 2009;45(5):448-452.
22. Boğa M, Hacíbekiroğlu I, Kolak U. Antioxidant and anticholinesterase activities of eleven edible plants. Pharm Biol . 2011;49(3):290-295.
23. Arruda SF, Siqueira EM, Souza EM. Malanga ( Xanthosoma sagittifolium ) and purslane ( Portulaca oleracea ) leaves reduce oxidative stress in vitamin A-deficient rats. Ann Nutr Metab . 2004;48(4):288-295.
24. Wang W, Gu L, Dong L, Wang X, Ling C, Li M. Protective effect of Portulaca oleracea extracts on hypoxic nerve tissue and its mechanism. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr . 2007;16(suppl 1):227-233.
25. Wanyin W, Liwei D, Lin J, Hailiang X, Changquan L, Min L. Ethanol extract of Portulaca oleracea L. protects against hypoxia-induced neuro damage through modulating endogenous erythropoietin expression. J Nutr Biochem . 2011 May 2. [Epub ahead of print].
26. Chen CJ, Wang WY, Wang XL, et al. Anti-hypoxic activity of the ethanol extract from Portulaca oleracea in mice. J Ethnopharmacol . 2009;124(2):246-250.
27. Chen J, Shi YP, Liu JY. Determination of noradrenaline and dopamine in Chinese herbal extracts from Portulaca oleracea L. by high-performance liquid chromatography. J Chromatogr A . 2003;1003(1-2):127-132.
28. Wang CQ, Yang GQ. Betacyanins from Portulaca oleracea L. ameliorate cognition deficits and attenuate oxidative damage induced by D-galactose in the brains of senescent mice. Phytomedicine . 2010;17(7):527-532.
29. Hongxing Z, Nancai Y, Guofu H, et al. Neuroprotective effects of purslane herb aquenous extracts against D-galactose induced neurotoxicity. Chem Biol Interact . 2007;170(3):145-152.
30. Sudhakar D, Krishna Kishore R, Parthasarathy PR. Portulaca oleracea L. extract ameliorates the cisplatin-induced toxicity in chick embryonic liver. Indian J Biochem Biophys . 2010;47(3):185-189.
31. Oh K, Chang IM, Hwang KJ, Mar W. Detection of antifungal activity in Portulaca oleracea by a single-cell bioassay system. Phytother Res . 2000;14(5):329-332.
32. Karimi G, Hosseinzadeh H, Ettehad N. Evaluation of the gastric antiulcerogenic effects of Portulaca oleracea L. extracts in mice. Phytother Res . 2004;18(6):484-487.
33. Aydin R, Dogan I. Fatty acid profile and cholesterol content of egg yolk from chickens fed diets supplemented with purslane ( Portulaca oleracea L.). J Sci Food Agric . 2010;90(10):1759-1763.
34. Shobeiri SF, Sharei S, Heidari A, Kianbakht S. Portulaca oleracea L. in the treatment of patients with abnormal uterine bleeding: a pilot clinical trial. Phytother Res . 2009;23(10):1411-1414.
35. Malek F, Boskabady MH, Borushaki MT, Tohidi M. Bronchodilatory effect of Portulaca oleracea in airways of asthmatic patients. J Ethnopharmacol . 2004;93(1):57-62.
36. El-Sayed MI. Effects of Portulaca oleracea L. seeds in treatment of type-2 diabetes mellitus patients as adjunctive and alternative therapy. J Ethnopharmacol . 2011;137(1):643-651.
37. Agha-Hosseini F, Borhan-Mojabi K, Monsef-Esfahani HR, Mirzaii-Dizgah I, Etemad-Moghadam S, Karagah A. Efficacy of purslane in the treatment of oral lichen planus. Phytother Res . 2010;24(2):240-244.
38. Chavalittumrong P, Chivapat S, Attawish A, et al. Chronic toxicity study of Portulaca grandiflora Hook. J Ethnopharmacol . 2004;90(2-3):375-380.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2000 Dec;73(3):445-51. The analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of Portulaca oleracea L. subsp. Sativa (Haw.) Celak. Chan K1, Islam MW, Kamil M, Radhakrishnan R, Zakaria MN, Habibullah M, Attas A.
Many ethnic groups have used different species of Portulaca oleracea L., a member of the Family Portulacaceae, as vegetable and also herbal medicine against several diseases for many centuries. A review of the records in both folkloric and scientific literature indicates that Portulaca has many medicinal uses. After our previous preliminary screening of three species of the family for analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, Portulaca oleracea L. subsp. sativa (Haw.) Celak. (a cultivar) was chosen for further work due to its abundant availability from reliable sources. The 10% ethanolic extract of the aerial parts (dried leaves and stem) showed significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic after intraperitoneal and topical but not oral administration when compared with the synthetic drug, diclofenac sodium as the active control. Results indicate this cultivar species of Portulaca also possesses some of the claimed traditional uses of the wild species in the relief of pain and inflammation.
Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2007;16 Suppl 1:227-33. Protective effect of Portulaca oleracea extracts on hypoxic nerve tissue and its mechanism.
Wang W1, Gu L, Dong L, Wang X, Ling C, Li M.
The aim of this study was to investigate whether Portulaca oleracea (PO) extracts have hypoxic neuroprotective effects and if so, by what mechanism. After being orally administrated with the PO extracts or distilled water for seven days, adult male BALB/c mice were adapted to a normobaric low oxygen environment (10% oxygen and 90% nitrogen) for different time and then were sacrificed. The mouse cortices were used for histological analysis by hematoxylin and eosin (H-E staining). The activities of pyruvate kinase (PK), phosphofructokinase (PFK), lactic acid (LD) and the level of lactate dehydroenase (LDH) and ATP were detected, and the mRNA and protein levels of EPO in the cortices were analyzed. PC-12 cells and primarily cultured nerve cells were used for 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl) 2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The degree of LDH in the cell culture medium was tested. The results showed that the PO extracts enhanced the EPO mRNA and protein expression in the mouse cortices. Compared to the control group, the mouse in the group treated with the PO extracts by 1 g/d had significantly higher activities of PF, PFK, LDH and higher levels of ATP in the cortices, especially under the hypoxic environment for 24 hours. Histological analysis indicated that the extracts lessened the inflammation damage of the mouse brain. MTT assay results showed the PO extracts or the herb-containing serum raised the viability of the cells under the tested hypoxic conditions and decreased the degree of LDH in the culture medium in a dose-dependent manner. We thus demonstrated that the PO extracts had protective effects on hypoxic nerve tissue.
CNS Neurol Disord Drug Targets. 2013 Sep;12(6):830-41. The neuroprotective effects of purslane (Portulaca oleracea) on rotenone-induced biochemical changes and apoptosis in brain of rat. Abdel Moneim AE.
Purslane (Portulaca oleraceae L.), a member of the Portulacaceae family, is widespread as a weed and has been ranked as the eighth most common plant in the world. In order to evaluate purslane herbal aqueous juice as a neuroprotective agent, the antioxidant activity of purslane juice was assessed in vitro and the neuroprotective effects of purslane (1.5 mL/Kg bwt) on rotenone (12 mg/Kg bwt for 12 days) induced biochemical changes and apoptosis in striatum of rats were also examined. The repeated administration of rotenone produced dramatic increases in intercellular content of calcium, dopamine metabolites and apoptosis in the striatum. In addition, rotenone administration caused significant decrease in complex I activity. These biochemical changes and apoptosis inductions were effectively counteracted by administration of purslane. Overall, the present study demonstrated the neuroprotective role of purslane in the striatum and proposes its prophylactic potential against developing brain damage and Parkinson's disease induction followed by rotenone administration, and that purslane may be considered as a potential neuroprotective agent against environmental factors affecting the function of the dopaminergic system.
Phytother Res. 2009 Oct;23(10):1411-4. doi: 10.1002/ptr.2790. Portulaca oleracea L. in the treatment of patients with abnormal uterine bleeding: a pilot clinical trial.Shobeiri SF1, Sharei S, Heidari A, Kianbakht S.
Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is a common cause of referral to the gynecology clinic. Portulaca oleracea L., commonly named purslane, is used in Iranian folk medicine to treat AUB. To verify this use, ten premenopausal women with AUB comprising menorrhagia, metrorrhagia, polymenorrhea and intermenstrual bleeding who had not responded to standard drugs and were candidates for hysterectomy participated in the clinical trial. Endometrial biopsies demonstrated the etiologies of AUB in six (60%) patients, fibroma; one (10%) patient, endometrial hyperplasia and one (10%) patient, endometrial cyst. Endometrial biopsies of two (20%) subjects were normal. The subjects took 5 g of purslane seeds powder in a glass of water every 4 h orally 48 h after the onset of menstruation for 3 days. The participants were requested to report the effects of seeds powder on the volume, duration and pattern of bleeding. Eight (80%) patients reported that the duration and volume of bleeding had reduced and their patterns of periods had normalized. The seeds powder was ineffective in two (20%) patients. One of the patients had endometrial hyperplasia and the other had fibroma. No adverse effects were reported. AUB did not recur in the patients responding to treatment for the duration of a 3 months follow-up. The results suggest that purslane seeds could be effective and safe in the treatment of AUB.