I was just doing some reading on red root, and I'm not finding anything on how it's metabolized and what it does to liver detoxification pathways like cytochrome p450 (which is of interest to me in looking up 'drug interactions' and learning how it affects dosage of drugs and other herbs). It seems that since it affects the liver, there must be some material on that 'out there'. I'm not reading any journal databases, just did an internet search, but i'm surprised at how little there is on this important herb. Anyone know?
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Since it is recommend in alcohol tincture, from what I've read and been told, it would be best avoided by anyone with any type of porphyria as even a tiny amount of alcohol clearly stresses the C P-450 pathway.
You could add hot water and swirl in a shallow dish to help dissipate the alcohol but I'm not sure of the effectiveness of that. (You'd never want to add hot water to tinctures from flowers or leaves but this is from a root.)
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Red root (as noted below) is said to help reduce inflammation in the liver -- I have not used red root but I usually find things that help to reduce inflammation work very well for me (and I have 2 kinds of porphyria). I do avoid alcohol tinctures, though, for the most part or dissipate the alcohol for tinctures I find essential (such as with lomatium when I have a cold).
I looked at PubMed and nothing is listed in a cross check with either "liver" or "P-450"
I'm guessing that you've read Buhner's book (Healing Lyme . . .) and his descriptions of it but, for others who may also be interested:
p. 172 notes no side effects. "However, red root is contratindicated in people using blood coagulants or anticoagulants and in pregnancy.
Also on that page: " . . . red root was found to be a powerful coagulant . . . " However, he explains that in the dosage suggested it is usually not a problem . . . and considering that other herbs balance this out when one is on a full program.
and . . . "Nineteenth-century western botanic medicine used the herb to reduce inflammations in the liver and spleen." . . .
Excerpt: . . . Herbs that may improve liver congestion:
Silybum marianum (milk thistle seed)
Curcuma longa (turmeric)
Ceanothus americanus (red root) -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- As I've done with artemisinin (which clearly uses the C P-450 pathway) I just make sure my liver support is in place and I do okay with it.
If you can't find a definitive answer and still think the benefits of this are important to you, just be sure liver support is there (especially beta carotene as that can help to prevent excess porphryins) and you may do well. Specific liver support regarding porphyria is in this thread:
Topic: PORPHYRIA LINKS - Re: Cytochrome P-450 liver detox pathway -
Posted by MariaA (Member # 9128) on :
well, I'm mostly trying to learn more about liver support that doesn't upregulate the cytochrome p450 (I think that's the right term?), meaning cause some drugs like mepron to be removed from the body faster.
red root is usually taken for lymphatic spport, but it also has positive effects on the liver, and I'm curious as to the mechanism.
Herbalist David Hoffman, whose books I recommend very much as a great introduction to the science of herbal medicine, has supposedly done some research on red root. I'm going to write him an email and see what he's got to say about it and drug interation possibilities with it.
I've also sent Buhner a message on Planet Thrive (it usually takes a few weeks for a response ) to see what he thinks.
Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
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My doc has me on a proprietary blend of Artichoke and Sarsaparilla for my liver. It's 420 mg total, but I don't know the breakdown.
It costs maybe $28 for a bottle of 90 caps, and I take 4 per day (2 twice daily).
Not sure if either of those affects the P450 or not. Something to look into.
If you would like the name of the product, PM me. It is a blend that a certain ND from out west sells, so it's not in stores.