Supplement
Convolvulus pluricaulis is a small creeping herb long used in Ayurvedic medicine, and its extracts appear to influence brain signaling and antioxidant defenses. People mostly look at it for memory, and rodent studies found better learning and memory, while one small human study of 30 people reported gains in auditory and visual memory. The evidence is limited, though, since most work was in animals and the human study had no placebo group.
Sources: PMID 22021993; PMID 20795365
- Updated
- How we grade
- 15 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade C
- Conditions studied
- 4
- Outcomes
- 7
- Graded outcomes
- 0034
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
Anxiety Disorders (Other)
- Anxiety Reduction: changes; see studies
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anxiety Reduction Multiple animal studies demonstrate anxiolytic effects comparable to benzodiazepines in elevated plus maze and other behavioral models. Mechanism appears to involve GABA-A receptor modulation. Dose-dependent CNS depressant and anxiolytic effects confirmed across hydroalcoholic, ethanolic, and chloroform extracts in mice at 100-300 mg/kg. | Changes; see studies | Moderate effect | 4 studies | |||
Studies that measured anxiety reduction
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Antioxidant Status
- Antioxidant Status: improves
General
- Antidepressant Effects: improves
- Anticonvulsant Activity: changes; see studies
- Thyroid Hormone Modulation: improves
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antidepressant Effects In mouse forced swim and tail suspension tests, chloroform fraction (50-100 mg/kg) produced antidepressant effects comparable to imipramine and fluoxetine, mediated through adrenergic, dopaminergic, and serotonergic systems. In a chronic unpredictable mild stress rat model, methanolic extract reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α) and restored hippocampal serotonin and noradrenaline levels. | Improves (the measure goes down) | Moderate effect | 3 studies | |||
Studies that measured antidepressant effects
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| Anticonvulsant Activity In rodent models, ethanolic and aqueous extracts provided significant protection against pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures (p<0.001) and potentiated pentobarbital-induced sleep. Mechanism proposed involves GABAergic enhancement. Traditional Ayurvedic use for epilepsy has some preclinical support. | Changes; see studies | Moderate effect | 3 studies | |||
Studies that measured anticonvulsant activity
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| Thyroid Hormone Modulation Traditional Ayurvedic use for hyperthyroidism is supported by limited animal data suggesting reduction of thyroid hormone levels. Mechanism remains unclear and clinical evidence is absent. Caution advised in individuals with thyroid disorders. | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 1 study | |||
Studies that measured thyroid hormone modulation | ||||||
Key findings
- Memory & Cognitive FunctionImproves (the measure goes up)
- NeuroprotectionImproves (the measure goes up)
- Anxiety ReductionChanges; see studies
Safety notes in the studies
- Caution advised in individuals with thyroid disorders.
Studies cited
15 studies from PubMed
- Evaluation of CNS Depressant and Anti-anxiety Activities of Leaves of Convolvulus pluricaulis
- Role of Shankhpushpi (Convolvulus pluricaulis) in neurological disorders: An umbrella review covering evidence from ethnopharmacology to clinical studies
- Protective Mechanisms of Nootropic Herb Shankhpushpi (Convolvulus pluricaulis) against Dementia: Network Pharmacology and Computational Approach
- Convolvulus pluricaulis extract can modulate synaptic plasticity in rat brain hippocampus
- Neuroprotective effect of Convolvulus pluricaulis Choisy in oxidative stress model of cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury and assessment of MAP2 in rats
- Protective effect of Convolvulus pluricaulis against neuroinflammation associated depressive behavior induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress in rat
- Convolvulus pluricaulis (Shankhapushpi) ameliorates human microtubule-associated protein tau (hMAPt) induced neurotoxicity in Alzheimer's disease Drosophila model
- Protective effect of Convolvulus pluricaulis standardized extract and its fractions against 3-nitropropionic acid-induced neurotoxicity in rats
- Nootropic (medhya) effect of Bhavita Shankhapushpi tablets: A clinical appraisal
- Supplementation of Convolvulus pluricaulis attenuates scopolamine-induced increased tau and Amyloid precursor protein (AβPP) expression in rat brain
- In vivo investigation of the neuroprotective property of Convolvulus pluricaulis in scopolamine-induced cognitive impairments in Wistar rats
- Neuropharmacological Profile of Extracts of Aerial Parts of Convolvulus pluricaulis Choisy in Mice Model
- Effect of Convolvulus pluricaulis Choisy and Asparagus racemosus Willd on learning and memory in young and old mice: a comparative evaluation
- An update on Shankhpushpi, a cognition-boosting Ayurvedic medicine
- Evaluation of the antidepressant-like activity of Convolvulus pluricaulis Choisy in the mouse forced swim and tail suspension tests