Khazi Kareem
A plant species known as Suma (Hebantheeriantha), sometimes known as Brazilian ginseng, belongs to the Amaranthaceae family. This Suma plant’s roots are frequently utilized to create pharmaceuticals. Suma has a long history of use by native tribes mostly in the Amazon jungle for several ailments, along with an energy booster, a sexual enhancer, a cure for anxiety with ulcers, and more. Suma is still utilized as a traditional tribal medicine to cure several illnesses in places like Equador today.
Suma seems to be a tropical wandering ground vine that is indigenous to countries inside the Amazon rainforest, including Peru, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, and many others. It produces a complicated root system.
Nutrients
Pfaffic acid as well as saponin pfaffosides are present in Suma root. This same significant amount of study and business interest in Suma root is mostly due to these two chemicals, which are recognized for their potential anti-cancer capabilities. Pfaffia Glomerata and other herbs that are frequently sold as Brazilian ginseng have some of the same elements that Suma root does, but neither Pfaffic acid nor Pfaffosides.
Additionally abundant in vitamins and nutrients include germanium, another trace element lauded for its immune-boosting qualities, as well as iron, magnesium, zinc, some B vitamins, vitamins A, E, plus K, and certain B vitamins. The root also contains a lot of alkaloids and polyphenols. The above two categories of antioxidant substances are thought to shield your system from a variety of ailments and prevent cell damage.
About Suma:
One of the many therapeutic plants that some people have referred to each other as adaptogens is Suma. According to practitioners of alternative medicine, adaptogens could help the body deal with stress by adjusting to accommodate the body’s imbalances, no matter what they may be. Research does not clearly show that chemicals function in this way, and indeed the majority of conventional doctors do not agree with the idea.
However, those who practice alternative medicine think these adaptogens could assist the body manage with aging-related illnesses like:
- persistent inflammation
- high cortisol concentrations (the stress hormone)
- impaired mental capacity
Adaptogens may indeed encourage healthy brain aging and aid overall immune system boosting. Researchers have been very interested in Suma because of its potential for treating cancer. This same cultivation and commercial usage of both the plant’s roots for their anti-tumor action may be the most significant potential medical uses for Suma.
The following ailments are frequently treated with Suma:
Utility
Phytochemicals (biologically active substances present in plants considered to support the therapeutic effects of suma include
- Saponins (pfaffosides)- are believed to lower cholesterol levels, slow down the blood glucose response, plus strengthen the immune response to safeguard the body against several varieties of cancer helping to combat diabetes).
- Beta-ecdysterone- believed to increase lean body mass
- Glycosides- Flavonoids have been proven to work to maintain the liver as well as reduce inflammation. They also have substantial antioxidant, anticancer, antitumor, plus anti-diabetes potential.
Possible Health Benefits:
Although Suma root is said to have several health advantages, only a small number of these benefits seem to be currently supported by science.
Suma root is regarded as an adaptogen, which would be a term used to describe a herbal medication that increases your body’s capacity to adjust to and prevent injury from physical, chemical, or biological stressors.
Environmental deterioration, global warming, radiation, and contagious diseases are a few examples of stressors. Adaptogens are thought to better prepare your system to handle these stressors without interfering with any of its regular processes. This hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, sometimes referred to as your primary stress response system is assumed to be the mechanism by which adaptogens work to control the stress response among your body’s cells.
As a result, scientists think that adaptogens may be used to treat or prevent a variety of illnesses, including those of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and even irritable bowel syndrome, in which stress plays a significant role (IBD). Even though this sounds encouraging, more studies are necessary to support Suma root’s adaptogenic qualities and alleged ability to fight disease.
Alkaloids plus polyphenols, two substances are known for their antioxidant qualities, are found in suma root.
Antioxidants are helpful substances that aid in scavenging dangerous free radicals. Free radicals could harm cells and eventually contribute to several chronic diseases, including cancer, diabetes, including heart disease if they are allowed to accumulate in the body.
Suma root’s polyphenols are indeed praised because of their ability to reduce inflammation. This is significant since another element is thought to contribute to the origin of so many chronic diseases including inflammation. Suma root is frequently believed to improve general health and lower the risk of disease because of its anti-inflammatory as well as antioxidant characteristics. More studies connecting regular consumption of it to lowered illness risk are nevertheless required, despite these encouraging advantages.
Pfaffic acid plus saponin pfaffosides and Suma root might help destroy cancer cells as well as stop them from spreading, according to test-tube as well as animal studies (1Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source). The adaptogenic qualities of the root also imply that this herbal medicine can assist in triggering the body’s immune system. As a result, this can encourage the body to remove malignant cells and stop their growth.
Several studies also imply that adaptogens may work in conjunction with cancer medications. There is speculation that they can lessen adverse effects including fatigue and increase the cancer-killing benefits of radiotherapy as well as chemotherapy. For instance, studies on mice indicate that adaptogens may aid in preventing the emergence of sensitivity to cancer therapy therapies, hence increasing the animal’s lifespan.
Suma root might even assist in the destruction of cancer cells and the prevention of their spread, according to animal studies. Human research is still limited, though. Therefore, additional studies are required to establish the anti-cancer effects of Suma root in people.
Suma roots have been utilized as a natural aphrodisiac for ages. Nevertheless, there is scant scientific support for its application. Another older animal research suggests that perhaps the extract from the root may stimulate ejaculation with sexual activity among male rats who are sexually inactive or impotent.
According to a different study, these extracts might raise the levels of sex hormones across both male and female mice, including estradiol, progesterone, as well as testosterone. During libido, ovulation, sperm production, and especially erectile function, several sex hormones are crucial. Therefore, higher levels of such hormones might well be associated with enhanced fertility. But no studies have verified these effects in people, and additional investigation is required before definitive conclusions can be drawn.
Added potential advantages
Additionally, studies have connected suma root to the following health advantages:
More study is required to verify these advantages in people, similar to the situation with several root health claims.
Studies
- As an Anti-Tumor Agent, Suma
In a 2006 study involving animals, 200 mice with various ailments were given Suma supplements to see how they affected tumor control and inflammation. Their study concluded that Suma root decreased fluid buildup and boosted tumor cell engulfment (macrophage activity)—a standard strategy for reducing the formation of a particular kind of tumor (known as an Ehrlich tumor) in mice.
This study’s authors speculated that one of the impacts inhibiting the Ehrlich ascitic tumor growth for mice might well be enhanced macrophage activity.
- For the treatment of Crohn’s disease, Suma (IBD)
IBD is a chronic disorder that causes inflammation of the digestive system. Conditions like Crohn’s disease as well as ulcerative colitis might be included under IBD. Numerous variables, particularly genetics, immune function, and environmental circumstances, contribute to the illness (like diet and stress).
Suma was examined for its effects on IBD in an animal study conducted in 2015 since it is thought to act as an adaptogen to relieve stress. This research found that giving Brazilian ginseng (Suma) at a dose of 200 mg/kg decreased the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (involved in the inflammation process). These authors of the study concluded that P. paniculate (Suma) has immunomodulatory properties that were associated with a decrease in oxidative stress.2. Tumor growth can often be controlled with immunomodulation.
- Suma for Conditions of the Hormone
In a 2003 experiment on animals, researchers looked at how P. paniculate root (suma) supplementation affected the levels of progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone in both females as well as male mice.
Among mice that drank water supplemented with suma root, the study’s conclusions showed that suma boosted the blood levels of both the sex hormones estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. After suma was administered for 30 days, no negative effects were noticed. “Consumption of P. paniculate [suma] over lengthy periods seems safe,” the study’s authors concluded.
Contraindications:
In the context of medicine, a medication that is contraindicated refers to a certain circumstance and condition (such as a course of therapy, medication, or herbal supplement) that shouldn’t be used. Suma is not recommended for:
- Women who are expecting or nursing: Neither enough clinical study has been done to establish the efficacy for use throughout pregnancy or nursing.
- Those who suffer from severe liver and kidney disease: It is unclear whether suma is appropriate to use in these patients.
Another 2005 study discovered that Brazilian ginseng (suma), which is contraindicated when used in conjunction with Lanoxin (digoxin), a medication that reduces and strengthens your heartbeat, does not affect serum digoxin levels.
Dosing
The right amount of suma to take depends on several variables, including the user’s age, health, and various other situations. A suitable dosing range for suma cannot yet be determined based on the available scientific data. Take into consideration that dosages could be crucial and that natural products aren’t always safe. Before use, make sure to read and follow all applicable instructions on product labels and speak with your pharmacist, doctor, or another healthcare expert.
Picking, Getting Ready, and Storing
Some experts claim that the traditional use of suma comprises drinking one glass of suma tea once a day or taking 500 mg of suma root powdered capsules twice daily, even though there are never enough clinical scientific study data to support recommendations for a safe intake of the herb. 6
Whenever consuming suma (or any other medical plant), always adhere to the label’s directions and get advice from a qualified healthcare professional concerning the suggested dosage.
What to Look For
Bear in mind that apart from commercial pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter medicines, which also are closely regulated by the U.S. Food as well as Drug Administration, herbal preparations are not strictly monitored by a government agency (FDA). This implies that it is the consumer’s responsibility to discover a service that is both reliable and efficient.
Take a glance at organic, wild-harvested herbs that have received certification from independent organizations like the U.S. Pharmacopeia, NSF International, and ConsumerLab.com. These organizations assess a product’s degree of potency, purity, and safety, and then report their findings. Herbal medicines should be kept outside from direct sunlight in a warm, dry location.
FAQs:
No, it has never yet been determined whether Suma is safe to use in children including infants.
Brazilian ginseng is the common name given to suma because it is widely used as an adaptogen and also because its roots resemble those of Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng)8. However, ginseng and Suma belong to distinct plant families, therefore they have different chemical compositions and health advantages.
Despite the paucity of studies, many scientists think that the Suma plant’s root contains compounds that reduce inflammation, ease pain, and possibly aid in the prevention of some cancers.
Conclusion
Thus Gomphrena paniculata, Hebanthe paniculata, Pfaffia, as well as Pfaffiapaniculata are some of the other labels for suma. Even though Suma is frequently referred regarded as Brazilian ginseng, it belongs regarded as a separate plant family (the Amaranthaceae family) from some other varieties of ginseng, which are members of the Araliaceae family.
