Scientists find bone healing qualities in herb.

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area of bone fractures as an aid to bone healing. Cissus quadrangularis grows

in both northern and peninsular India. “We wanted to find out whether there

was anything worthwhile in this popular, traditional recipe,” Murali Sastry, a

senior scientist at the laboratory told The Telegraph. In an independent

research effort two years ago, biochemists at the University of Nigeria in

Nsukka had analysed the chemical composition of the plant and shown that it

contains a high proportion of calcium and phosphorus. Now, Sastry and his

colleagues have shown that bubbling carbon dioxide gas into a watery paste from

crushed and boiled stems of the plant leads to formation of calcium carbonate

crystals, the mineral found in seashells. “From what we’ve observed, it appears

that the use of the stem and root

paste to speed up bone healing makes good scientific sense,” Sastry said. The

NCL scientists have presented these findings in the latest issue of the

journal, Current Science. The carbonate crystal formation demonstrates that

calcium in the plant is available for synthesis of inorganic chemicals. By

extrapolation, the scientists said, this calcium may also be used in the

formation of calcium hydroxyapatite, the major component of bones and teeth.

The presence of phosphorus in the plant may be exploited for the synthesis of

hydroxyapatite. In some parts of India, the plant is popularly known as

haddi-joade. Sastry, who has since moved to Tata Chemicals in Mumbai, said the

exact mechanism through which the plant extract influences bone healing remains

unknown.

It is possible that calcium and phosphorus ions may migrate through skin towards

the bone. “Those are studies for the future,” he said. More than 30 years ago,

Indian medical researchers had reported observing the ability of the paste of

this plant to accelerate bone healing. But, until now, there have been no

studies investigating the chemical reactions underlying this process.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1051128/asp/nation/story_5530593.asp

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