Alkanna Root

Generic name: Alkanna Tinctoria (L.)
Brand names: Alkanet, Alkannawurzel, Alkermeswurzel, Anchusa Tinctoria, Dyers's Bugloss, Henna, Orchanet, Racine D'alcanna, Racine D'orcanette, Radix Anchusea, Rote Ochsenzungenwurzel, Schminkwurzel

Usage of Alkanna Root

Cancer cell effects

Anti-proliferative activity against human cancer cell lines has been reported.Tung 2013

Potential antiaging effects

Alkanna root has demonstrated antioxidant effects. One study found that both monomeric and oligomeric alkannin exhibited high radical scavenging activity. Additionally, an olive oil extract containing A. tinctoria possessed radical scavenging activity at room temperature; however, when it was heated, this activity was decreased.Assimopoulou 2005

Wound healing/Antimicrobial activity

Animal data

Crude extracts of A. tinctoria, demonstarte antimicrobial activity in screening.Sengul 2009, Khan 2015 Alkannin has been shown to exert activity against gram-positive bacteria, gram-negative bacteria, and fungi. Additionally, alkannin may exert bactericidal action on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacteria that forms biofilms against wound healing.Papageorgiou 2008

A. tinctoria has been studied in male rabbits with partial thickness, severe, and olive oil burns. A solution of A. tinctoria 16% was applied twice daily to the left side of the animal. The right side served as a control. Partial thickness burn wounds were completely healed in 7 to 10 days, and olive oil burn wounds were healed in 26 days. However, severe burn wounds were unresponsive to A. tinctoria.Ogurtan 2002

Clinical data

The esteric pigments displayed antibiotic and wound-healing properties in an older clinical study enrolling 72 patients with ulcus cruris (indolent leg ulcers).Papageorgiou 1978

More recently, a clinical study (n=60) demonstrated improved wound healing rates with application of topical A. tinctoria ointment.Kheiri 2017

Alkanna Root side effects

Alkanna root may cause acute liver failure, cirrhosis, pneumonitis, pulmonary hypertension, or heart failure. Toxic byproducts from the hepatic metabolism of pyrrolizidine alkaloids are transported to the lungs where they may cause pulmonary toxicity. Sinusoidal-obstruction syndrome, also known as venoocclusive disease, is a hepatic complication associated with bone marrow transplantation that may occur in patients consuming products containing pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids have been shown to be carcinogenic in animals, specifically associated with hepatocellular and squamous cell carcinomas and liver angiosarcomas.Chojkier 2003

Before taking Alkanna Root

Documented adverse effects. Contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Avoid use.McGuffin 1997 Animal studies in rats have shown that pyrrolizidine alkaloid-induced toxicity can affect offspring, with suckling young rats more likely to develop pyrrolizidine alkaloid-induced hepatotoxicity than their mothers.Roeder 1995, Schoental 1968

How to use Alkanna Root

No recent clinical data justify human dosage.

Warnings

The pyrrolizidine alkaloid components in alkanna root may cause liver and/or lung toxicity. The most hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids include the cyclic diesters, such as retrorsine and senecionine. Fulvine and monocrotaline have been implicated in causing liver and pulmonary toxicities.Chojkier 2003 Specifically, pyrrolizidine alkaloids cause liver cell enlargement, disturbances in liver cell metabolism with functional losses, and fatty degeneration in the liver.Roeder 1995

What other drugs will affect Alkanna Root

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids are substrates for the cytochrome P450 3A4 isoenzyme. Inducers of this enzyme, including rifampin, St. John's wort, and phenobarbital, may increase the conversion of pyrrolizidine alkaloids to toxic metabolites.Chojkier 2003

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