The benefits of the blackberry herb

Written By The HealthMeth Team - Updated On Saturday, March 13, 2021 6:00 PM

The Blackberry

The blackberry plant, also known as Ephedra is considered a perennial herbaceous plant, which originates from the subtropics of Asia, Europe, North America , and Central America countries. One of the oldest medicinal herbs known to man, as several types of this plant were used in Chinese, Indian and Roman medicine, and despite the popularity of this herb in ancient folk medicine, its uses declined in the previous centuries until it returned and spread at the beginning of the twentieth century as a support for weight loss and improvement Athletic performance, but after several risks of misuse of it were proven, the use of this herb in the past two decades has been restricted under a lot of supervision and precautions, [1] and it is not currently considered a safe plant to use and should be avoided.[2]


The benefits of the blackberry herb

Despite the therapeutic benefits of the blackberry herb, it is not recommended to consume it or eat products containing it in abundance because of the toxicity it carries, and the side effects it causes that can be dangerous, and the benefits and therapeutic effects of this herb include the following:

  • The blackberry herb works to expand the airways , which explains the popular use of this herb in cases of asthma, and in relieving nasal congestion, [1] but its use for these purposes needs more scientific research to clarify its effectiveness. [2]
  • Working herb blackberries to stimulate the nervous system, which explains the current uses , which recently appeared in support of weight loss, and improve athletic performance in both exercises endurance and building objects, in addition to increasing the rate of metabolism in fat tissue and curb appetite, [1] has This herb has been scientifically proven effective in losing weight, especially when used with a weight loss diet in addition to exercise, but its use may cause dangerous side effects even in healthy people who adhere to the instructions for use, and therefore it should be avoided. As for its effectiveness in improving athletic performance, it is not scientifically proven, and research has found that taking it with caffeine was not more effective than taking caffeine alone in improving athletic performance. [2]
  • The blackberry herb has anti-inflammatory effects. [1]
  • Compounds isolated from the roots of the blackberry herb were found to have antihypertensive effects in experimental animals, which is opposite to the effect of the herb known to raise blood pressure, and these results are consistent with the Chinese belief that the roots of the blackberry plant have an opposite effect to the upper parts of it. [1]
  • Some scientific research has found that the blackberry herb has blood glucose lowering effects in diabetes cases , [1] but taking this herb may interfere with controlling blood sugar in diabetics and those taking other treatments, and therefore it should be avoided.
  • Nutritional supplements made from this herb are popularly used in China for treating asthma, coughing, cold, flu, fever, chills, headache, edema or edema, nasal congestion , and joint pain. [1]
  • Supplements made from this herb are popularly used in Western countries, alone or with caffeine, as stimulants for the central nervous system and for mood enhancement. [1]
  • The blackberry herb is used by cancer patients, which started in Palestine and then spread in the Middle East, and it is believed that it is a miraculous herb in treating cancer, but in a study that examined the effect of this herb on cancer cells using cell lines , no Toxic effect on breast cancer cells , while it was found to reduce the efficiency of some chemotherapy treatments against these cells. [3]


Side effects and precautions for use

During the past years, many cases of poisoning have appeared after the use of the blackberry herb or ephedrine, and the reason is generally due to misuse, or use in cases in which its use is prohibited, or sensitivity to this herb, and poisoning cases include symptoms related to the cardiovascular or nervous system. Where the most common symptom was high blood pressure followed by palpitations or arrhythmias, or both, then stroke, then seizures, and poisoning in some cases ended with death (10 cases), or permanent disability (13 cases), [1] ] The use of this herb has been banned in the United States of AmericaBecause of the health risks related to their use, it is not recommended to use them or use products containing them; As it is considered unsafe in adults and children, and the chance of serious side effects from this herb increases in cases of using high doses or consuming it for long periods of time, or consuming it with other stimuli, such as caffeine and drinks containing it such as tea, coffee and others, and this herb can cause symptoms Less serious side effects, such as dizziness, irritability, anxiety and tension, a feeling of heart palpitations, headache, poor appetite , nausea, vomiting, etc. [2]


Blackberry herb is prohibited for patients with hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases and disorders, [1] such as angina, heart arrhythmias, and long QT syndrome , [2] and glaucoma patients . , diabetes, and people with excessive activity of the thyroid gland , [1] and anxiety, and the syndrome of basic Shiver , and kidney stones, and pheochromocytoma , disorders of seizures convulsions , are also prohibited eating this herb by pregnant and lactating Blackberry interacts with many medications, which increases the risk of side effects. [2]


Note : This article is not a health reference, please check with your doctor before using any herbal or alternative remedies.


References

  1. ^ A b t w c h x d y t g by Ehab A. The Aburashed, Abir El-Alfy T . , Ikhlas A. The Lhan, Et al . . (2003), “Ephedra in Perspective- a Current Review” , Phytotherpay Research , Folder 17, Page 703-712. Edited.
  2. ^ A b t w c h "Ephedra" , of WebMD , 2009, Retrieved 10-10-2016. Edited.
  3. Eran Ben-Arye, Jamal Mahajna, Radi Aly, et al. (2016), “Exploring an herbal“ wonder cure ”for cancer: a multidisciplinary approach , Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology , Issue 7, Folder 142, Page 1499-1508. Edited.