Lesser known adaptogens and their unique properties

By Carolina Brooks, BA, IFMCP

Adaptogens are a group of herbs and natural compounds that enhance adaptive response to resist the harmful effects, and adapt to stress more efficiently. These herbs offer the promise of improving our resilience, capacity, our physical and mental endurance, encouraging a state of balance and enhancing vitality. Many practitioners have heard of and are using formulations containing adaptogens such as ashwagandha, rhodiola, ginkgo, ginseng, bacopa, and gotu kola in their practices, both for themselves and for their patients, usually for improving mental focus, reducing fatigue, balancing immune function, and mitigating the effects of stress.

A 2008 paper published by The European Medicines Agency’s Committee on Herbal Medicine Products (HMPC) describes adaptogens as agents that allow the body to counter adverse physical, chemical, or biological stressors by raising resistance towards such stress, allowing the body to adapt to stressful experience. The most recent functional definition states:

1. A compound must be non-toxic to be classified as an adaptogen
2. It must produce a non-specific response in the body
3. It must have a normalizing influence on physiology

There is no current formal definition of an adaptogen, so the term is widely misused by companies describing their products as adaptogenic, misunderstanding what an adaptogen does, and overexaggerating their often unvalidated claims. Many adaptogens have been used for thousands of years through traditional folk medicine and many are still used as official medicines in Russia. These plants often grown in and adapt to extreme environments, such as China, India, Korea, Russia, and high mountain regions with cold weather, low oxygen, and intense sunlight. Many of these plants can take years to flower or mature.

Many adaptogenic plants contain polysaccharides, which are immunoprotective. Other adaptogens contain triterpenes, which confer immunomodulatory, chemoprotective, anti-inflammatory and adrenal-supportive effects. The adaptogens I have chosen to focus on do not receive the level of attention as the more popular ginsengs, yet contain remarkable and unique compounds which confer a multitude of health benefits.

Jiaogulan

Jiaogulan (Gymnostemma Pentaphyllum) is a member of the cucumber family and is native to China, Korea, and Japan. Often known as a poor man’s ginseng, it has been used in China for many years as a qi (or energy) tonic, for endurance, vitality and for wei qi, or immune system support. A 2016 study in the International Journal of Genomics discovered that Jiaogulan contains five times the number of triterpenoid saponins as Korean ginseng. Jioagulan is considered a calming adaptogen, which makes it a useful tool for anyone with a stressful diagnosis, particularly if they are struggling with anxiety-induced insomnia. When patients call me, telling me they are not allowed to have chemotherapy that week due to their white blood cells being low, this is one of my chosen herbs to use to bring levels back up, due to the plant’s ability to enhance natural killer cell, T cell, and macrophage activity. Jiaogulan increases superoxide dismutase levels, thus protecting cells against oxidative stress, which makes it useful for patients undergoing radiotherapy, and other diseases of oxidative stress, such as hypercholesterolemia and type 2 diabetes mellitus.  

Kapikachu

Kapikachu (Mucuna pruriens), also known as velvet bean or cowage, is a member of the pea family. It is native to South America, where it is traditionally ground and roasted for coffee or cooked as a vegetable. It’s been used in Ayurveda and in Brazil primarily for impotence and fertility issues, but it’s also useful for gastrointestinal infestations such as parasites. I use this plant with all my male infertility patients, due to its action on sperm count, motility, and libido, particularly where stress is a driver. It helps to resolve anorgasmia in both men and women and is useful for anyone struggling with low testosterone levels. It is considered the go-to herb for Parkinson’s and other neurodegenerative diseases as the bean naturally contains high amounts of L-dopa, dopamine’s precursor, which can be converted to epinephrine and helps to reduce fatigue. A 2004 paper in Phytotherapy Research demonstrated that kapikachu can increase dopamine levels in the brain’s cortex, enhancing  mood, motivation and alertness.

Maral Root

Leuzea or Maral root (Rhaponticum carthamoides) is one of the hardest herbs to find in Europe, even though it grows in the alpine regions of Siberia and Kazakhstan. It is, however, widely available in many formulations in the United States. It was historically used in Russia as a treatment for impotence and anemia, and by the 1960s, was included in the Soviet Pharmacopeia as a treatment for improving strength, productivity, endurance, and energy levels. It contains phytoecdysterones, which have anabolic properties, and ecdysterones, which control cell growth and proliferation. A 2014 study in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine demonstrated Maral root’s therapeutic potential in the treatment of metabolic syndrome due to the plant’s ability to improve glucose tolerance and lower basal serum glucose levels, improve dyslipidemia markers, reduce inflammatory markers, restore adrenal corticosterone levels, and improve hepatic steatosis. This is my go-to herb for anyone who is training hard and wants to improve their athletic performance as it helps to increase lean muscle tissue. It also contains tartaric acid which helps to reduce the conversion of carbohydrate to fat, helping to reduce lipogenesis. I also use this herb with cancer patients who have had surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy to expedite repair and recovery.

Ho Shu Wu

Ho Shu Wu (Polygonum multiflorum), also known as Fo ti, is native to China and grows in Japan and Taiwan. Ho Shu Wu and has been used for thousands of years to maintain a healthy head of black hair: Ho Shu Wu’s literal translation ins “Mr. Ho’s Hair is black.” This plant is also considered a liver, muscle, bone, and kidney tonic, and an anti-ageing herb. It has a wide application. In Japanese kampo medicine, it is used for constipation and boils, while in Vietnam, it is used for erectile dysfunction, dizziness, insomnia, and night sweats. I use this in herbal blend I make for anyone who comes in complaining of hair loss, or premature greying. A 2011 study in Journal of Ethnopharmacology demonstrated that Ho Shu Wu causes the hair follicle to switch from its telogen to its anagen phase, so the hair follicle does not shed or go dormant, rather a whole new hair shaft is stimulated. It also acts on α-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) and helps to prevent graying, and is a 5alpha-reductase inhibitor and helps to reduce hair loss. It can be helpful when there is low libido, sperm count, and motility. It is also considered a neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and immune tonic, rich in polyphenols, stilbenes, quinones, and phytosterols, so it’s a great herb to use with an elderly population, concerned with growing cognitive impairment or osteoporosis, as well as hair loss.

Shilajit

Shilajit (Asphaltum), otherwise known as tar pitch or mumie, is a sticky, natural substance formed from centuries of plant decomposition. It contains minerals, di-benzo-alpha-pyrones and fulvic, humic, benzoic, and hippuric organic acids. It is a traditional Himalayan folk medicine, consumed since childhood with milk, although it has also been found in other areas such as Russia and Tibet. It is considered to be a potent adaptogenic tonic which promotes health and longevity, enhances libido, and expedites healing from injuries. It is an anti-inflammatory, blood sugar, insulin and adrenal balancing, cognitive enhancing herb, so important to the Soviets that it is used by the armed forces to enhance performance, prepare athletes for competitions and cosmonauts for space travel. A 2012 review in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease discussed shilajit’s main constituent, fulvic acid, as a tau protein anti-aggregation factor, demonstrating potential therapeutic use in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. I use shilajit with stressed professionals manifesting the signs of metabolic syndrome, or who are struggling with energy and focus, and always include it in formulae for athletes and those working in the music industry, especially if they are crossing time zones and disrupting circadian rhythm.

Cautions

Many of these compounds have side effects and contraindications. As with most herbs with little clinical research during pregnancy, lactation, and with children, and it is essential to avoid during these life stages. Some herbs contain anthraquinones, which can have a laxative effect on the gut in large doses and interfere with absorption of medications, or quinones, which at high doses could lead to hepatotoxicity. 

Due to their normalizing and balancing effects, many of these herbs may interfere with blood-thinning medications, or potentiate the effects of tranquilizers and sedatives. I always caution patients and other practitioners to always start with a slow and low dose, especially Shilajit, which can be extremely stimulating to some. It is also important to use a purified preparation of Shilajit to avoid ingesting mycotoxins, heavy metal ions, and other free radicals.

Lastly, adaptogens are not a panacea for unhealthy lifestyle and dietary habits. It is important to work on getting these foundations in place rather than relying on the herbs to do it for you.

References

Carrasco-Gallardo C., Guzman L., Maccioni R.B. (2012) Shilajit: A Natural Phytocomplex with Potential Procognitive Activity.  International Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease Volume 2012 Article ID 674142.  Retrieved from: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijad/2012/674142/

Chen Q., Ma C., Qian J., Lan X., Chao N., Sun J., Wu Y. (2016) Transcriptome Sequencing of Gynostemma pentaphyllum to Identify Genes and Enzymes Involved in Triterpenoid Biosynthesis. International Journal of Genomics Volume 2016, Article ID 7840914.  Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5206855/pdf/IJG2016-7840914.pdf

Dushkin M., Khrapova M., Kovshik G., Chasovskikh M., Menshchikova E., Trufakin V., Shurlygina A., Vereschagin E. (2014) Effects of Rhaponticum carthamoides vs Glycyrrhiza glabra and Punica granatum Extracts on Metabolic Syndrome Signs in Rats. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2014 14:33. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3905158/pdf/1472-6882-14-33.pdf

European Medicines Agency Committee on Herbal Medicine Products (2008) Reflection Paper on the Adaptogenic Concept. Retrieved from: https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/scientific-guideline/reflection-paper-adaptogenic-concept_en.pdf

Manyam B.V., Dhanasekaran M., Hare T.A. (2004). Effects of Antiparkinson Drug HP-200 (Mucuna pruriens) on the Central Monoaminergic Neurotransmitters. Phytotherapy Research Volume 18 Issue 2. Retrieved from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ptr.1407

Park H., Zhang N., Park D.K. (2011) Topical Application of Polygonum multiflorum Extract Induces Hair Growth of Resting Hair Follicles through Upregulating Shh and β-catenin Expression in C57BL/6 Mice. Journal of Ethnopharmacology Volume 125 Issue 2. Retrieved from:https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378874111001644?via%3Dihub