Achyranthes

Achyranthes
A. splendens
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Core eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Amaranthaceae
Subfamily:	Amaranthoideae
Genus:	Achyranthes L.
Species
See text

Achyranthes is a genus of medicinal and ornamental plants in the Amaranthaceae family.

Species include:

• Achyranthes arborescens
• Achyranthes aspera (= A. argentea) (sanskrit : apamarg (अपामार्ग))
• Achyranthes atollensis
• Achyranthes bidentata
• Achyranthes canescens
• Achyranthes faureri
• Achyranthes indica
• Achyranthes japonica
• Achyranthes longifolia
• Achyranthes margaretarum
• Achyranthes mutica
• Achyranthes splendens
• Achyranthes talbotii

The herb is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine practice. Achyranthes (Cyathula) has properties that inhibits collagen-induced arthritis and acute edema. Most significantly, two novel triterpene glycosides isolated from achyranthes have been shown to be 1,000 times more potent than Sialyl Lewis X (SleX), an important blood group antigen that inhibits excess recruitment of neutrophils to injured tissues. This property has made it useful for treating arthritis; when too many white blood cells are recruited to an injured joint the neutrophils attack and destroy healthy tissues, leading to conditions such as septic shock and rheumatoid arthritis.^[1]

External links

• Flora of North America: Achyranthes

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