Omnia SanaSymptom → Plant Sources
Birch (Betula pendula) and Back pain: evidence and sources
inferred from anti-rheumatic action
For educational purposes only, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using medicinal plants, especially alongside prescribed medication, during pregnancy, or for a serious condition.
3 sources supporting Birch for Back pain. Includes scientific publications, books, monographs and traditional-use references.
Mechanistic basis
This use is associated with the plant's anti-rheumatic / anti-arthritic action. Further evidence for that pharmacology:
Ethnopharmacological relevance Leaf extracts of Betula pendula have been traditionally used for the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or osteoarthritis. Aim of the study We investigated the anti-proliferative capacity of an aqueous leaf extract of Betula pendula (BPE) on human primary lymphocytes in vitro, because activated lymphocytes play a major role in the initiation and maintenance of RA. Materials and methods Lymphocyte proliferation and cell division was measured by the activity of mitochondrial dehydrogenases and by using the membrane-permeable dye carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE), respectively. Apoptosis was analyzed by surface staining of phosphatidylserine and intracellular activation of effector caspases 3 and 7 in comparison to the drug methotrexate using flow cytometric and photometrical analysis. In addition, the impact of the extract on cell cycle distribution was investigated by propidium iodide staining of DNA. For the bioassays BPE concentrations of 10-160 μg/mL were investigated. A phytochemical analysis, using LC-MS and HPLC, was conducted to identify the polyphenolic constituents of the birch leaf extract. Results Leaf extracts of Betula pendula inhibited the growth and cell division (CD8(+): 40 μg/mL: 45%; 80 μg/mL: 60%; 160 μg/mL: 87%) (CD4(+): 40 μg/mL: 33%; 80 μg/mL: 54%; 160 μg/mL: 79%) of activated, but not of resting T lymphocytes in a significant dose-dependent manner. The inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation due to apoptosis induction (compared to untreated control: 40 μg/mL: 163%; 80 μg/mL: 240%; 160 μg/mL: 348%) and cell cycle arrest was comparable to that of methotrexate. LC-MS analyses showed that the extract contains different quercetin-glycosides. Conclusion Our results give a rational basis for the use of Betula pendula leaf extract for the treatment of immune disorders, like rheumatoid arthritis, by diminishing proliferating inflammatory lymphocytes.