Crataeva nurvala, known in Indian medicine as Varuna, is a small tree which grows wild along river banks throughout the Indian subcontinent, where it is also widely cultivated. The stem and root bark of this plant are the parts most often used medicinally. Crataeva has been used for centuries in eastern herbal traditions to treat a variety of health disorders. It is especially valued for its therapeutic effect on the urinary organs.
Crataeva’s active ingredient is believed to be Lupeol, a powerful alkaloid that has received much attention in recent years for its potential in fighting cancer. Lupeol is also widely used to treat urinary disorders, including kidney stones. Laboratory research has verified Lupeol’s capacity to prevent the formation of kidney stones, apparently by lowering excess concentrations of oxalate, phosphorus and magnesium in renal tissue. An herbal preparation combining Crataeva with three other herbs is used traditionally in India to treat inflammation of the liver, which often leads to impaired urinary function.
Research on Crataeva and Kidney Stones
Craetava nurvala has been studied clinically to determine its antilithic effect in patients with kidney stones caused by calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate nephrolithiasis. Treatment with the herb provided relief from pain and dysuria and the disappearance of urinary crystals in 65-70% of patients with stones caused by calcium oxalate group and in 50-70% of those with stones caused by calcium phosphate. Radiological examination revealed a reduction in the size of kidney stones.
Crataeva’s action against kidney stones was also verified in animal studies. In one animal study, the effect of Lupeol on calcium oxalate stones was measured. Lupeol, at a dose of 25 mg/kg, reduced the levels of urinary marker enzymes, suggesting a significant reduction in the deposition of stone-forming agents in the kidneys.
In another experiment, the effects of Crataeva were studied in rats predisposed to calcium oxalate stone formation. Control animals showed significant increases in the activity of the major oxalate-synthesising enzymes in the liver, while significant decreases were seen in animals treated with a Crataeva bark decoction.
Research on Crataeva and Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is an extremely aggressive disease which is very difficult to treat. Pancreatic cancer cells notoriously resist conventional cancer treatments including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Recent research has targeted the potential of Lupeol to combat this disease, by inhibiting pancreatic cancer cell growth and making cancer cells more responsive to death signals.
In a study using human pancreatic carcinoma cells, the effect of Lupeol on cell growth was investigated. The results of this research indicated that Lupeol caused adose-dependent inhibition in pancreatic cancer cell growth. These data suggest that Lupeol may act by targeting multiple signaling pathways,leading to increased apoptosis (cell death) and inhibition in the growth of pancreatic cancer cells.
References:
Malini MM, Bhaskar R,Varalakshmi P 1995 Effect of lupeol, a pentacyclic triterpene, on urinary enzymes in hyperoxaluric rats. Japanese Journal of Medical Science and Biology 48(5-6):211
Varalakshmi P, Shamila Y, Latha E 1990 Effect of Crataeva nurvala in experimental urolithiasis. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 28(3):313
Saleem, Kaur, Kweon, Adhami, Afaq, Mukhtar. 2005: Lupeol, a fruit and vegetable based triterpene, induces apoptotic death of human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells via inhibition of Ras signaling pathway. Molecular Epidemiology and Cancer – Oxford University Press.
Lucy Tashman - As a writer, I draw on my background in environmental studies, natural history, botany, and herbal medicine, combined with a lifelong ...
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