Health Tips

Common Names:
Buffalo grass,, Luzern,, Purple medic.

Habitat: -

North America, the Mediterranean, West Asia, foothills and mountain areas.

Description:-

A perennial with a smooth, erect stem that grows 2 to 3 feet high. The bear gray-green pinnately trifoliate leaves, with egg-shaped leaflets, it resembles a large clover. The violet-purple flowers grow in clusters from June to August, producing spirally coiled seedpods.

Medicinal Parts:-
Dried whole herb, including flowers, collected at the beginning of the flowering seasons.

FOLKLORE:-
Alfalfa has been extensively studied. Whole plant material contains many important substances, including several saponins, many sterols, flavonoids, coumarins, alkaloids, acids, vitamins, amino acids, sugars, proteins (25% by weight), minerals, trace elements and other nutrients. Whole alfalfa also contains many fibers anticholesterolemic properties.
Alfalfa is one of the most nutritious foods known. Her calcium, chlorophyll, carotene, vitamin K content and an important food supplement alfalfa. Alfalfa root saponins can inhibit increases in blood cholesterol by 25% in the experimental animals a high cholesterol diet. Offsetting this positive effect are findings that the root is hemolytic and may interfere with vitamin E metabolism.
The high concentration of vitamin K found in whole alfalfa has beneficial effects on the various forms of hemolytic disease. Alfalfas also has antibacterial properties and tumoraux. In folk medicine, the herb used as an appetizer and tonic, and as a diuretic to urinary and bowel problems.
Perhaps the most common modern use of alfalfas in the treatment of symptomatic arthritis, but although numerous clinical and anecdotal reports are available, no scientific research on the effects.

METHOD OF ACTION:

• Alfalfa contains vitamin K, an agent antihemolytic:-
  Vitamin K is found in many green plants green, but is especially abundant in alfalfa. The herb has been used so effectively in the treatment of vitamin K disorders in humans. When the supply of bile to the intestine is obstructed, such as obstructive jaundice or biliary fistula, a bleeding disorder can occur. Other bleeding disorders may result from the use of artificial formulas to feed newborns, protracted antibiotic therapy, pancreatic insufficiency, chronic diarrhea and steatorrhea, and the abuse of anticoagulants, aspirin, and anti-epileptic drugs.
  
• Alfalfa has antibiotic properties:-
  The saponins in alfalfa have been shown to be antifungal. This activity is mainly concentrated in the medicagenic acid fraction. Alfalfa has shown some activity against tuberculosis bacteria, while aqueous and volatile extracts of alfalfa are antibacterial against Gram-negative bacteria.
  
• Alfalfa has antitumor action:-
  Basic proteins (histones) display antitumor activity without undesired side effects occur in alfalfa. These materials contain high levels of L-lysine, aspartic acid and glutamic acid. Tumor stimulating fractions were also found, containing large quantities of L-arginine. This basic relationship requires further study.
  
• Other pharmacology of alfalfa:-
  Tricin was isolated from alfalfa and found to relax smooth muscle in guinea pig intestinal tissues, and have a mild estrogenic property.
  
• Alfalfa is highly nutritious:-
  The nutrient content of alfalfa is one of the richest known, making it a useful cattle fodder and a highly recommended herb for food also.
  
• Alfalfa root pharmacology:-
  The hypocholesterolemic effect of alfalfa root saponins has been thoroughly established. Alfalfa root saponins can inhibit increases in blood cholesterol by 25% in the experimental animals a high cholesterol diet.
  
  
• Action Method:-
  Alfalfa root saponins also have a hemolytic effect. It seems that this hemolytic effect is the result of a marked reduction of prothrombin factor concentration. They can also interfere with the metabolism of vitamin E.

DRUG INTERACTIONS:

• Possible interactions:-
  Alfalfa can be increased Hypoprothrombonemic effect by anti-arrhythmic agent, quinidine. In addition, allopurinol has been shown to temporarily increase the half-life of anticoagulants.




• Comments:-
  Alfalfa is rich in iron, which can ensure that interfere with the absorption of tetracyclines. This is particularly true when large quantities are welcome season with two hours after taking tetracyclines.
  
• Drug Interactions:-
  It should also be noted that animal studies indicate that iron and allopurinol may lead to increased liver iron concentration.
  Alfalfa can, because the presence of eugenol in the herb, inhibit certain liver microsomal hydroxylating systems. This provides toxic effects of drugs normally metabolized by those systems.
  It should be noted that while the coumarin content of alfalfa is not high at normal usage levels, coumarins can affect the functioning of almost all drugs.
  The presence of tyramine and / or tryptophan in alfalfa can produce hypertension as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) are also used. This is not likely to interact.
  Common Herb Reference Collection: The following general reference books contain information on specific drug interactions and interactions between classes of drugs. Possible interactions This herb can be made by consulting the chapter on that class in the following quantities, because the herb appears to indicate the class.TOXICITY FACTORS:
  Generally regarded as safe by the FDA.
  Contact dermatitis has occurred in hypersensitive people. Alfalfa root saponins are hemolytic and may also interfere with the metabolism of vitamin E, but above ground parts have just the opposite effects.
  The toxic effects of alfalfa root saponins have been shown to be counteracted by cholesterol and beta-sitosterol.