HERBAL MONOGRAPHS BLACK CATNIP/91Black Catnip
Phyllanthus amarusDESCRIPTION
^jf Medicinal Parts: The whole, dried herb is the medicinal part.Flower and Fruit: The flowers are axillary. The male flower
has 5, 0.5 mm long, acute, pale-green sepals with a white
margin. There are 3 stamens with the filaments forming a 0.2
mm high column. The female flowers have an apically
thickened pedicle and 5 ovate-elongate, up to 1 mm long,
yellowish-green sepals. The ovary is 0.3 mm in diameter and
3-chambered. The fruit is ochre to olive with 3 pressed lobes,
2 mm in diameter and 1 mm long.Leaves and Stem: Black catnip is a monoecious, occasionally
dioecious, upright or ascending herb, which grows up to 60
cm high, or occasionally higher. The bracts and stipules are
linear-lanceolate, 1 mm long, cream with a brownish middle
rib. The stem is round, greenish or reddish, glabrous and
woody at the base.Habitat: Africa, Asia and America.
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Production: Black catnip herb is the aerial part of Phyllan-
thus amarus. The harvested herb is dried.Not to be Confused With: May be confused with Phyllanthus
urinaria, P, niruri, P. debilis and P. fraternus.ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY
COMPOUNDS
Tannins: gallotannins, including amarine, phyllanthusin D,
geraniine, corilagin, elaecarpusinFlavonoids: including rutin, quercetin-3-O-glucosideLignans: phyllantin (0.8%, extremely bitter), hypo-
phyllanthinEFFECTS
The drug, which contains tannins and lignans, is antiviral and
antimicrobial in effect.INDICATIONS AND USAGE
^fr Unproven Uses: The herb is used for fever (Cuba, Nigeria),
for malaria (Cuba, Bahamas), diarrhea, tachycardia and
female sterility (Congo), constipation with spasms and colic,
as a diuretic (Nigeria) and for diabetes (Dominican
Republic).
Indian Medicine: Black catnip is used for stomach condi-
tions, ascites, jaundice, diarrhea, dysentery, intermittent
fever, conditions of the urogenital tract, eye disease, scabies,
ulcers and wounds.PRECAUTIONS AND ADVERSE REACTIONS "
No health hazards are known in conjunction with the proper
administration of designated therapeutic dosages.
DOSAGE
Mode of Administration: Whole herb preparations for
internal and external use.
Preparation: Decoction: 10 plants to 1-liter water
Daily Dosage: No exact doses are known.
LITERATURE
Blaschek W, Hansel R, Keller K. Reichling J, Rimpler G.
Schneider G (Eds). Hagers Handbuch der Pharmazeutischen
Praxis. Folgebande 1 und 2. Drogen A-Z. Springer. Berlin,
Heidelberg 1998.
Blumberg BS, Millman I, Venkateswaran PS, Thyagarajan SP,
Hepatitis B virus and hepatocellular carcinoma - treatment of
HBV carriers with Phyllanthus amarus. Cancer Detect Prev,
14:195-201, 1989.
Blumberg BS, Millman I, Venkateswaran PS, Thyagarajan SP,
Hepatitis B virus and primary hepatocellular carcinoma:
treatment of HBV carriers with Phyllanthus amarus. Vaccine, 8
Suppl: 86-92, 1990 Mar.
Lee CD, Ott M, Thyagarajan SP, Shafritz DA, Burk RD, Gupta
S, Phyllanthus amarus down-regulates hepatitis B virus mRNA
transcription and replication. Eur J Clin Invest, 26:1069-76,
1996 Dec.
Leelarasamee A, Trakulsomboon S, Maunwongyathi P,
Somanabandhu A, Pidetcha P, Matrakool B, Lebnak T,
Ridthimat W, Chandanayingyong D, Failure of Phyllanthus
amarus to eradicate hepatitis B surface antigen from
symptomless carriers. Lancet, 2:1600-1, 1990 Jun 30.
Niu JZ, Wang YY, Qiao M, Gowans E, Edwards P,
Thyagarajan SP, Gust I, Locarnini S, Effect of Phyllanthus
amarus on duck hepatitis B virus replication in vivo. J Med
Virol, 32:212-8, 1990 Dec.
Ott M, Thyagarajan SP, Gupta S, Phyllanthus amarus
suppresses hepatitis B virus by interrupting interactions between
HBV enhancer I and cellular transcription factors. Eur J Clin
Invest, 27:908-15, 1997 Nov.
Srividya N, Periwal S, Diuretic, hypotensive and hypoglycaemic
effect of Phyllanthus amarus. Indian J Exp Biol, 74:861-4, 1995
Nov.
Thamlikitkul V, Wasuwat S, Kanchanapee P, Efficacy of
Phyllanthus amarus for eradication of hepatitis B virus in
chronic carriers. J Med Assoc Thai, 74:381-5, 1991 Sep.
Thyagarajan SP, Jayaram S, Valliammai T, Madanagopalan N,
Pal VG, Jayaraman K, Phyllanthus amarus and hepatitis B.
Lancet, 2:949-50, 1990 Oct 13.
Thyagarajan SP, Subramanian S, Thirunalasundari T,
Venkateswaran PS, Blumberg BS, Beneficial effects of
Phyllanthus amarus for chronic hepatitis B. J Hepatol, 2:405-6,
1991 May.