The nutritional profile of the bugleweed

Bugleweed (Ajuga bracteosa), a perennial plant widely distributed in Kashmir, has been traditionally used for treating many diseases. The study, published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, provided scientific evidence on the medicinal uses of bugleweed.

• Researchers from The University of Poonch, Capital University of Science and Technology, Quaid-i-Azam University, and the University of Gujrat in Pakistan assessed the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antidepressant, and anticoagulant activities of various extracts of bugleweed using in vitro and in vivo assays.
• They extracted the aerial (stems, leaves, petioles, flowers, fruit, and seeds) and root parts of bugleweed separately with chloroform and the residue was again extracted with methanol.
• For the in vitro assay, mice were given chloroform and methanol extracts of the aerial and root parts of bugleweed.
• Bugleweed methanolic extract had the highest values of flavonoids and phenolic contents. It also exhibited significant antioxidant and anticoagulant activities.
• It also significantly decreased edema and reduced ferric ions.
• The bugleweed methanolic root extract demonstrated the highest total antioxidant capacity.
• All extracts were found to be potent antioxidants and antidepressants.
• These beneficial effects of the bugleweed extracts can be attributed to the plant’s polyphenols and phytoecdysteroids contents.

Overall, the methanolic extract of aerial parts of bugleweed showed promising antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antidepressant, and anticoagulant properties and can potentially be used as a powerful elixir.

Read the full text of the study at this link.

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Journal Reference:

Kayani WK, Dilshad E, Ahmed T, Ismail H, Mirza B. EVALUATION OF AJUGA BRACTEOSA FOR ANTIOXIDANT, ANTI-INFLAMMATORY, ANALGESIC, ANTIDEPRESSANT AND ANTICOAGULANT ACTIVITIES. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 27 September 2016; 16(375). DOI: 10.1186/s12906-016-1363-y