The balloon pea (Sutherlandia frutescens), is a plant type from the (Faboideae) in the family of the (Fabaceae, Leguminosae), (to the same family also the peanut or the soy bean belongs).

Suterhlandia frutescens is a traditional South African welfare plant, which arouses an increasing scientific and public interest in the last years due to its successful employment as Tonikum with AIDS and cancer patients.

Appearance and location requirements

With Sutherlandia frutescens ssp. microphylla it concerns an evergreen half bush of up to 1 m height, which exclusively in the deserts of the southern Africa (South Africa, Namibia, Botswana) is common. The narrow, easily behaarten, appearing silvery and the remarkable red butterfly blooms, in numerous arranged, wise on the affiliation to the family of the Fabaceen. At the balloon-like blown up, red overflowed Fruchtschoten is easy the plant to recognize. Sutherlandia is a pioneer plant; i.e. it can bear extreme conditions and grows as the first kind in places, where still no other plants can prosper. If other plants penetrate into these areas, Sutherlandia disappears.

The balloon pea as welfare plant

Traditional use

The native ones use Sutherlandia already for centuries as variously applicable cure. The plant is used from traditional Heilern to the stabilization of the body-own defense system with the most diverse diseases. Thus the people of the Sotho calls the plant "„Lerumo lamadi "“- "„Speer of the blood "“, because Sutherlandia is to clean the blood and strengthen so the body. "“CAN cerium Bush"” (on German: Cancer shrubs, on Africaans: kankerbos) is another name, under which the plant in South Africa admits is.

Scientific analyses

A team of scientists and biologists analyzed and wants meanwhile the contents materials of the plant partially a whole set of antivirally working substances therein to have discovered: for example the substance L-Canavanine, which works against flu and other viruses, or which active substance Pinitol, which has also a antidiabetische effect.

Contents materials and pharmacology

As main content materials Sutherlandia e.g. contains numerous amino acids, like L-Canavanin, besides Pinitol and GABA, mixtures of bitter Triterpenglykosiden and several Flavanoide.

L-Canavanin, a nichtproteinogene amino acid, functioned as L-arginin an antagonist, reduces the admission of essential amino acids from the intestine and disturbs the protein biosynthesis. Antiviral one (among other things against flu viruses), [[antimikrobiell|anitmikrobielle, antifugale and anti-tumor eye characteristics could be proven and explained the successful use of Sutherlandia in the cancer therapy.

Pinitol is responsible for the antidiabetische effect and can be used for the therapy of the force purge with cancer and AIDS patients.

The inhibitorische neurotransmitter GABA works against mental and emotional stress, anxieties, Panikattaken, depressions and sleeplessness. Thus the tendency-lightening and the well-being feeling increasing effect of Sutherlandia can be justified.

The Triterpenoide works bitterly tonisierend and has possibly corticomimetische characteristics.

If one summarizes the research results and clinical experiences, numerous pharmakologischen effects can be attributed to the plant: work immune, antiinflammatorisch, vasodilatorisch, analgetisch, anitfungal, anitviral, antibacterially, and TNF restraining (tumor necrosis factor).

Medical application

From this specific combination of impacts result a set of indications: Internally Sutherlandia is used fever and Tuberkulose for the treatment by cancer, dyspeptischen complaints, ulcers, Reflux Oesophagitis, diabetes, liver suffering, illnesses, urinary passage infections, rheumatism, edemas, flu, cold, as well as as bitter Tonikum and Umstimmungsmittel. Outwardly excerpts are used when eye infections, wounds, burns and inflammatory skin suffering.

Special attention finds the successful use of Sutherlandia in the therapy of AIDS and cancer patients. It is to be emphasized however that only symptoms of these diseases, as the attenuation of the immune system, the decrease in weight and Antriebslosigkeit are gelindert. The general state of health and the well-being of the patients are improved. The success of Sutherlandia lies not in the healing of the diseases, but in the increase of the life agonyty.

Security

In accordance with the WHO guidelines for the evaluation of vegetable medicaments Sutherlandia is classified as safe, since the history of safe application goes back in South Africa far into the past. No heavy unwanted side effects documented. Only isolated reports exist over an easy diuretischen effect, failure, a blockage and a dry mouth mucous membrane after income of Sutherlandia. Although Sutherlandia is used traditionally also in the pregnancy, application is today contraindicated with pregnant women due to proofs lacking for the safety.

The only examinable study for the security of Sutherlandia accomplished the South African "„Medical Research Council "“, the officially responsible inspection station of the government, in the year 2001: In a three-month bioassay on green long-tailed monkeys no toxicity - at least during this short period - could be determined.

Meaning

The Sutherlandia tablets, which at present are on the market, are pressed directly from the cut up, dried herb. This simple production makes it possible that a patient for converted approx. two euro can be supplied one month long with the medicine. For the numerous AIDS-gotten sick in South Africa Sutherlandia tablets do not represent the only possibility of treatment, there them the expensive, modern medicaments to often afford can.

The international Pharmaindustrie shows so far no interest to these South African Heilplanze. Likewise it behaves with the South African authorities. Despite the immense AIDS problem in their country this so far no funds made available for the systematic research.

Due to insufficient pharmakologischer and clinical studies Sutherlandia preparations cannot fulfill the European standards of medicament security. The products offered in the Internet are often not examinable on their contents materials.

So that Sutherlandia creates the jump of the traditional into the morderne medicine, still very much work must be carried out.

Related links

• Very comprehensive information from sutherlandia.org.
• medicinal plant monographie - SUTHERLANDIA FRUTESCENS HERBA.
• Second Channel of German Television - Secret treasures from the desert.

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