Alocasia macrorrhiza (White taro) : medicinal properties in alcoholic extraction

Alocasia macrorrhiza (White taro) — family Aracées.

This database documents alcoholic (ethanol) extractions of active substances. Our monograph currently lists 22 indications in alcoholic extraction for this species. The monograph draws on 72 scientific references recorded for the species.

Therapeutic indications in alcoholic extraction:

Note: scientific reference excerpts are kept in their original language (most often English), without translation, to respect the source text of publications.

1. Type II diabetes mellitus : Plant part used: TUBER rhizome. Documented pharmacological profile: Glibenclamide-like.
   According to Jawaid T (2015): The investigate the antidiabetic & antihyperlipidemic effect of ethanolic extract of Alocasia indica (EEAI) rhizomes in high-fat diet/streptozotocin (HFD/STZ) & STZ/nicotinamide-induced Type 2 diabetic rats. All these effects were compared with glibenclamide (5 mg/kg b.w., p.o.) as a reference antidiabetic drug. According to Karim R (2014): Diabetes was induced by single intraperitoneal injection of Streptozotocin (60 mg/kg) and doses of test extracts 200 and 400mg/kg were studied in Streptozotocin induced diabetic rats for the period of 21 days.
2. Cancer : Plant part used: TUBER rhizome. Documented pharmacological profile: Etoposide-like.
   According to Fang S (2012): Fang S et al, Anticancer potential of aqueous extract of alocasia macrorrhiza against hepatic cancer in vitro & in vivo. According to Huang W (n.d.): All purified compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 cells, & the antiproliferative activities against human nasopharyngeal carcinoma epithelial (CNE-1), human gastric carcinoma (MGC-803), & human breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines by MTT method. The results suggested the lignanamides & monoindoles might be responsible for the anti-inflammatory activity of giant taro & might be potential anti-inflammatory candidates.
3. Liver diseases : Plant part used: TUBER rhizome. Documented pharmacological profile: Silymarine-like.
   According to Mulla WA (n.d.): Hepatic steatosis, fatty infiltration, hydropic degeneration & necrosis observed in CCl4 & paracetamol-treated groups were completely absent in histology of the liver sections of the animals treated with the extracts. The results suggests that the hydroalcoholic extract of leaves of AI possess significant potential as hepatoprotective agent. According to -Pal S (n.d.): Treatment of rats with alcohol (3 g ethanol per kg body weight per day for 15 days intraperitoneally) produced marked elevation of liver biomarkers such as serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), -glutamyl transpeptidase (-GT), & total bilirubin levels which were reduced by EEAIT in a dose-dependent manner.

Further indications (including other extraction modes where applicable), dosages, precautions for use and full scientific references are available in the complete monograph.

Photo credit : Photo by Daramlagon without modification (CC BY 4.0). License : CC BY 4.0.