Sanskrit

:

Pushkarmula, Paushkar

Latin name

:

Inula racemosa

Family

:

Asteraceae

Home remedies:

1. Its paste should be applied on the chest to reduse chest pain.
2. In dyspnoea with cough, 1 gm root powder of Pushkarmula should be taken with honey.
3. Daily intake of pushkarmula provides you a healthy heart.

Recent studies:

1: Fitoterapia. 2007 Apr 11; [Epub ahead of print] Inhibition of pro-inflammatory enzymes by inuviscolide, a sesquiterpene lactone from Inula viscosa. Manez S, Hernandez V, Giner RM, Rios JL, Recio MD. Departament de Farmacologia, Facultat de Farmacia, Universitat de Valencia, Avinguda Vicent Andres Estelles s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Spain.
This work concerns the pharmacological activity of inuviscolide, a sesquiterpenoid from Inula viscosa. It exerts inhibitory effects on elastase, cyclooxygenase 1 and secretory phospholipase A(2). Furthermore, it reduces the skin leukocyte infiltration in a murine model of dermatitis induced by repeated application of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate. PMID: 17490829 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
2: J Herb Pharmacother. 2006;6(3-4):81-8. Cardiac activity of isolated constituents of Inula racemosa. Lokhande PD, Dhaware BS, Jagdale SC, Chabukswar AR, Mulkalwar SA. The Center for Advanced Studies, Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Pune, India. pdlokhande@rediffmail.com

Roots of the plant Inula racemosa are used as folk medicine in east Asia and Europe. Inula racemosa in combination with Commiphora mukul was reported to cure myocardial ischemia. However, systematic investigation of the plant for its specific role in heart diseases has not been conducted so far. In the present study, we have reported the isolation of four major constituents A, B, C and D along with some minor constituents from the plant Inula racemosa. Among the major constituent, constituent Dhas been selected first from spectral data and studied for its cardiac activity on isolated frog heart. The experimental data show that constituent D decreases heart rate and force of contraction at 40 mcg/ml. Actions of Adrenaline are blocked by constituent D and it also acts as an agonist for Propranolol. The studies indicate that constituent D produces a negative ionotropic and negative chronotropic effect on frog's heart. These studies can be utilized as a cardiac marker for exploring the cardiac activity of the plant Inula racemosa. PMID: 17317650 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
3: J Ethnopharmacol. 2006 Nov 24;108(2):223-7. Epub 2006 May 17. Study of hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic effects of Inula viscosa L. aqueous extract in normal and diabetic rats. Zeggwagh NA, Ouahidi ML, Lemhadri A, Eddouks M. PNPE, BP 21, Errachidia 52000, Morocco.
The present study was designed to examine the hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic activity of Inula viscsa aqueous extract on normal and diabetic rats. In normal rats, a significant reduction in blood glucose levels 2 h was observed after a single oral administration (p<0.001). Repeated daily oral administration significantly reduced blood glucose levels after 4 days of treatment (p<0.01). In diabetic rats, a significant reduction in blood glucose levels was observed 1 h after a single oral administration (p<0.001). Repeated oral administration reduced blood glucose levels at the 4th day (p<0.001). No change in total plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels was observed after both a single and repeated oral administration in both normal and diabetic rats. In addition, plasma insulin levels and body weight remained unchanged after 15 days of repeated oral administration in normal and diabetic rats. We conclude that Inula viscosa possess a hypoglycaemic but not hypolipidemic activity in normal and diabetic rats. The observed hypoglycaemic activity seems to be independent of insulin secretion. PMID: 16787724 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
4: Fitoterapia. 2005 Dec;76(7-8):687-90. Epub 2005 Oct 19. Antimicrobial activity of 10-isobutyryloxy-8,9-epoxythymol isobutyrate. Stojakowska A, Kedzia B, Kisiel W. Department of Phytochemistry, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smetna 12, PL 31-343 Krakow, Poland. stoja@if-pan.krakow.pl

10-Isobutyryloxy-8,9-epoxythymol isobutyrate was found to be a major constituent of Inula helenium and Inula royleana root cultures. The compound showed moderate antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherischia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans. PMID: 16242268 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
 
5: Bull Exp Biol Med. 2005 Apr;139(4):414-7. Stress-inducing effect of hypoxia of different origin and its correction with Inula Helenium L. tincture. Zelenskaya KL, Povet'eva TN, Pashinskii VG, Fomina TN, Timina EA, Perova AV. Institute of Pharmacology, Tomsk Research Center, Siberian Division of Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Russia. ilz@pharm.tsu.ru

In order to evaluate the severity of stress, the effects of single and repeated exposure to hypoxia of different origin (hemic, tissue, and circulatory) on the classical parameters of the Selye triad, cytological characteristics of lymphoid organs, and karyometric parameters (nucleus diameters) were studied in all adrenal zones, and analysis of correlations was carried out. The corrective effect of Inula helenium L. tincture manifested in prolongation of the life-span and normalization of somatic and morphological parameters. PMID: 16027868 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

6: Eur J Pharm Sci. 2005 Oct;26(2):162-9. Anti-inflammatory profile of dehydrocostic acid, a novel sesquiterpene acid with a pharmacophoric conjugated diene. Hernandez V, Manez S, Recio MC, Giner RM, Rios JL. Departament de Farmacologia, Facultat de Farmacia, Universitat de Valencia, Av. Vicent Andres Estelles s/n, 46100 Burjassot, Spain.

Sesquiterpene acids are natural products that, in contrast with the thoroughly studied sesquiterpene lactones, have received little pharmacological attention. A good source of this class of compounds is Inula viscosa (Asteraceae), a plant with documented anti-inflammatory effects. The present paper gives the results of our investigations on the biochemical mechanisms involved in the anti-inflammatory activity of one such compound, dehydrocostic acid. The most salient findings were that in vitro dehydrocostic acid inhibits leukotriene B(4) production (IC(50)=22 microM), elastase activity (IC(50)=43 microM) and bee venom phospholipase A(2) activity (IC(50)=17 microM). Furthermore, this sesquiterpenoid was effective on some models of acute edema induced by PLA(2) and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) Comparison of these data with that known for ilicic acid firmly suggests that the presence of a semiplanar ring A is essential for an improved inhibitory activity on inflammatory mediators. PMID: 15982859 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

7: Anticancer Res. 2005 Jan-Feb;25(1A):313-8. A sesquiterpenelactone from Inula britannica induces anti-tumor effects dependent on Bcl-2 phosphorylation. Rafi MM, Bai NS, Chi-Tang-Ho, Rosen RT, White E, Perez D, Dipaola RS. Department of Food Science, New Jersey Agricultural Experimentation Station, Cook College, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901-8520, USA. rafi@aesop.rutgers.edu
OODABL and OABL induced phosphorylation of Bcl-2 in breast, ovary and prostate cancer cell lines and induced G2/M cell cycle arrest. Using the BRK cells with mutant Bcl-2 (BRK-Bcl-2-mt) and control (BRK-Bcl-2-wt), we found that OODABL induced phosphorylation of Bcl-2 at sites similar to paclitaxel. Phosphorylation of Bcl-2 was important for OODABL-induced cytotoxicity, since the abrogation of phosphorylation in BRK-Bcl-2-mt cells decreased OODABL-induced cytotoxicity. CONCLUSION: We concluded that OODABL is cytotoxic in multiple tumor cell lines, and the cytotoxicity is dependent, at least in part, on the phosphorylation of Bcl-2. PMID: 15816553 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Summary:
In ayurveda it is widely used for various disorders, it is mostly used in heart and respiratory disorders. Recent clinical studies also show that Pushkamula is a potent coronary vasodialator agent and also has anti-inflammatory, antianginal and anti ischaemic properties.
It is also evaluated for hypoglycemic, hypolipidaemic and cardiac activity with highly positive results. It is also acts as antimicrobial agent.