Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria) and Indigestion: evidence and sources

Agrimonia eupatoria commonly utilized in traditional medicine in treating various ailments has not been investigated for its impact on gastric ulceration in rats. This study aims to examine the gastroprotective effects of A. eupatoria leaf extract on acute gastric mucosal damage induced by absolute ethanol in Sprague Dawley rats. Thirty rats were randomly assigned to five groups: negative control, ulcer control, omeprazole, and two experimental groups. Macroscopic examination revealed severe stomach mucosal injuries and reduced stomach mucus secretion and stomach pH in the ulcer control rats. Rats pre-treated with A. eupatoria extract exhibited a significant reduction in ulcer area, increased mucus production, and an increase in stomach pH compared to the ulcer control group. Histology of rats pre-nourished with A. eupatoria extract using hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) stains importantly decreased gastric lesions, ulcer areas, edema, and white blood cell permeation of the submucosal stratum. Likewise, treated groups showed increased intensity of periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining in the stomach epithelium compared to the ulcer control group, indicating enhanced mucosal protection. In stomach homogenate, A. eupatoria established a significant increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities as well as significantly reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. In conclusion, A. eupatoria extract documented gastroprotective influence, reduction in ulcer area, rise in pH, and mucus excretion, increased SOD and CAT, and reduced MDA level.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Agrimonia eupatoria L., a plant which belongs to the Rosaceae family, is widespread in temperate regions, particularly throughout the northern hemisphere. In folk medicine, this plant species has been used for its astringent, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and hypotensive properties as well as in gastrointestinal disorders. As these biological properties have been linked to its phenolic composition, this plant species could be an interesting source of bioactive compounds with therapeutic potential. Aim of the study The aim of the present review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the scientific literature on A. eupatoria, particularly in regard to its ethnobotanics and ethnomedicinal uses, phenolic composition and biological and pharmacological activities. Material and methods Literature was retrieved from several bibliographic sources, namely PubMed, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar, since the first report on A. eupatoria in 1993. Results Regarding the phytochemical composition, A. eupatoria is rich in phenolic acids, flavonoids and tannins. The most commonly reported compounds are astragalin, cynaroside, hyperoside, isoquercitrin, isovitexin, rutin, catechin, procyanidin B3 and agrimoniin. In terms of bioactivity, extracts or fractions obtained from this plant species have shown antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties, among others. So far, two clinical studies with the infusion of A. eupatoria have shown hepatoprotective properties as well as a protective role in cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders and diabetes. Conclusions In this review, an integrative perspective on ethnomedicinal use, phenolic composition and pharmacological activity of A. eupatoria has been provided. As can be seen, this plant species exhibits several potential applications, including those beyond its traditional ethnomedicinal uses, as the safety of its consumption has been shown clinically. There still is limited pharmacological evidence that corroborates the ethnomedicinal uses of this plant species as well as regarding the specific bioactive compounds.