Baptisia tintoria
(Wild indigo)

Therapeutic Actions:

• Antimicrobial
• Antiseptic
• Cholagogue
• Focused infection especially the ear, nose and throat
• Immunomodulator, it activates macrophages and increases interleukin-1 production
• Induces apoptosis (genistein)
• Induces differentiation in 5 human melanoma cell lines, human medulloblastoma and neuroblastoma cell lines, mouse embryonal carcinoma cells, mouse leukemia cells, HL-60 and human erythroid K-562 clones (genistein)
• Inhibits differentiation in human leukemia HL-60 cells, B16 melanoma cells and HL-60 cells (daidzein)
• Inhibits mitosis in vitro in rat ovarian granulosa, human neuroblastoma cells, Jurkat T-leukemia, rat lymphoma, human gastric carcinoma, human myelogenous leukemia, human lymphocytic leukemia, human prostate cancer and ER-positive and ER-negative human breast cancer cell lines (genistein)
• Inhibits ten human gastrointestinal cell lines (genistein and biochanin A )
• Lymphagogue
• Promotes normal cellular metabolism that supports healthy tissues

Clinical Indications:

• Aphthous stomatitis
• Cancer prevention
• Ulcerative colitis
• Amebic dysentery
• Cellulitis
• Gingivitis
• Inflammation of the lymph glands
• Laryngitis
• Local cervical erosion
• Pharyngitis
• Tonsilitis
• Ulcers, externally
• Vaginitis

Contraindications:

• Hyperemia due to the alkaloid baptitoxine
• Pregnancy

Drug/Nutrient Interaction:

• Limited data

Chemical Constituents:

• Alkaloids:
  
  Baptitoxine
  Cytisine
• Coumarins
• Flavonoids
• Isoflavones:
  
  Biochanin A
  Daidzein
  Genistein
• Polysaccharides

Toxicity:

• Symptoms:
  
  Anorexia
  Diarrhea
  Quickened respiration and heart beat
  Vomiting
  Death by respiratory paralysis
• Treatment:
  
  Activated charcoal
  Emesis or gastric lavage
  Phenylephrine or dopamine for hypotension
  IV diazepam for seizures

Copyright 1998 - 2008 by L. Vicky Crouse, ND and James S. Reiley, ND. All rights reserved (ISSN 1527-0661).