HERBAL MONOGRAPHS PSYLLIUM/613DESCRIPTION
Medicinal Parts: The medicinal parts are the ripe and dried
seeds, the epidermis, the adjacent, broken-down layers of the
Indian variety and the fresh plant.
Flower and Fruit: The flowers are on cylindrical, glabrous
or finely pubescent scapes, which are only slightly longer
than the leaves. They form 0.5 to 3.5 cm long spikes. The
bracts are about 3 mm, suborbicular to ovate and sometimes
shortly pubescent. The sepals are about 2.5 mm, similarly
shaped, almost free, keeled at the apex with wide scarious
margins. The anterior ones are usually pubescent. The
xorolla-tube is 1.5 to 2 mm long and glabrous. The lobes are
2.5 mm, ovate-orbicular, subobtuse to very shortly acumi-
nate. The stamens are exserted up to 1 mm and the capsule is
about 3 mm. The seeds are 2.2 to 2.5 mm and cymbiform.
Leaves, Stem and Root: The plant is an annual almost
stemless, softly pubescent plant. The plant may have one or
several rosettes. The leaves are 2.5 to 12 cm by 0.1 to 0.8
cm, linear to linear-lanceolate. The leaves are entire-mar-
gined or slightly denticulate and sparsely to densely villous-
lanate.
Habitat: The plant grows in India, Afghanistan, Iran, Israel,
northern Africa, Spain and the Canary Islands. The plant is
cultivated in India and neighboring countries, Arizona and
southern Brazil.
Production: Psyllium consists of the ripe seeds or epidermis
of Plantago ovata (synonym: Plantago isphagula).
Other Names: Blood Plantago, Indian Plantago, Ispaghula,
Sand Plantain, Spogel, Blond Psyllium, Black Psyllium
ACTIONS AND PHARMACOLOGY
COMPOUNDS: PSYLLIUM SEED
Mucilages (20-30%): chiefly arabinoxylans and
glacturonosidorhamnoses
Fatty oil
Iridoids: aucubin
Proteic Substances
COMPOUNDS: PSYLLIUM SEED EPIDERMIS
Mucilages (parent substances arabinoxylans)EFFECTS
The drug is rich in mucins with swelling properties that exert
laxative and anti-diarrheal effects. Psyllium also lowers
serum cholesterol levels, reduces postprandial blood glucose,
decreases gallstone formation, and decreases the feeling of
fullness.
Antidiarrheal: When used for diarrhea, psyllium absorbs
water to increase the bowel content viscosity and delay
gastric emptying (Washington, 1998).
Decreases Hypercholesterolemia: Psyllium increases choles-
terol and bile acid fecal excretion but does not affect
cholesterol synthesis (Miettinen, 1989). Psyllium may lower
serum cholesterol levels by replacing dietary fats, thereby
reducing the amount available for absorption, and not
directly affecting cholesterol (Swain, 1990). A decrease in
low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels and total
cholesterol with the herb have been seen in many studies
(Davidson, 1998; MacMahon, 1998; Rodriguez-Moran,
1998; Romero, 1998). Although one study indicated an
increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and a
decrease in serum triglycerides (TG) with Psyllium, other
studies have reported no change in these parameters (Ander-
son, 1988; Bell, 1989; Davidson, 1998; Rodriguez-Moran,
1998).Glucose Control: Postprandial glucose and fasting plasma
glucose significantly improved in type 2 diabetic patients
taking psyllium (Anderson, 1999; Rodriguez-Moran, 1998).
Inhibition of Gallstones: Psyllium hydrocolloid exerts bile
acid sequestrant properties determined by a rise in the cholic/
chenodeoxycholic acid ratio. This activity protects against
cholesterol gallstone formation (Berman, 1975). Psyllium
also protects against cholesterol - gallstone formation by
reducing biliary cholesterol saturation index. The protective
effect is associated with a selective decrease in biliary
cholesterol and chenodeoxycholic acid (Schwesinger, 1999).
Irritable Bowel Syndrome/Ulcerative Colitis: Stool frequen-
cy and consistency, abdominal pain and abdominal disten-
tion have shown improvement in irritable bowel syndrome
patients taking psyllium (Hotz, 1994; Prior, 1987). A
decrease in transit time of bowel content may also be seen
with the herb (Prior, 1987).Laxative Effects: Psyllium decreases the passage time of the
bowel content by increasing the volume of the stool, thus
exerting a laxative effect. The herb acts as stool softener by
increasing stool water content. Psyllium was superior to
docusate sodium in subjects with chronic idiopathic consti-
pation (McRorie, 1998).
Weight Reduction: Psyllium may be a useful supplement in
weight control diets as it decreases fat intake, and increases
the subjective feeling of fullness (Turnbull, 1995). The herb
exerts these actions by increasing the time for intestinal
absorption by inhibition of pancreatic enzymes such as
amylase (Hansen, 1982; Hansen, 1987; Rigaud, 1998).CLINICAL TRIALS
Hypercholesterolemia/HyperglycemiaA randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was
conducted to determine the lipid and glucose lowering
effects of Psyllium in type 2 diabetic patients. One hundred