Desmodium (Desmodium adscendens) – also known as beggar’s weed – is a plant that is native to Africa and South America. It has been used in folk medicine there for many years to treat a wide variety of ailments. Scientific studies confirm that the plant is particularly active in protecting the liver. Desmodium can therefore protect the liver from damage caused by chemicals or alcohol. Since desmodium also has a relaxing effect on the bronchi, the medicinal plant can also be used for asthma and bronchitis.
Desmodium protects the liver and helps with asthma
Desmodium adscendens is a perennial plant from the Fabaceae family. It thrives in the tropical regions of Africa, South America, Asia, Australia and Oceania. Desmodium has been used as a medicinal plant for centuries, particularly in West Africa (Ivory Coast, Congo, Senegal and Ghana) and in the rainforests of Peru and Brazil.
There, the plant is still an integral part of folk medicine today – especially for those people who do not have access to medical care.
Desmodium’s hepatoprotective effect, which means that the plant protects the liver, is particularly valued. But desmodium is also a good choice for asthma and bronchitis – as researchers wrote in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in June 2011.
Desmodium adscendens in folk medicine
A decoction made from the leaves and stems was and is used in the traditional medicine of Africa and South America for a wide variety of complaints – from asthma, bronchitis and congestion to gonorrhea, hepatitis, muscle cramps, joint pain and congested sinuses to allergic symptoms and eczema.
In Belize, Desmodium adscendens is even called Strong Back, which may indicate its effectiveness in treating back pain (1).
The Effects
Studies have been carried out in Africa and South America, but also in France, England and Canada. The plant is said to have:
- a bronchial dilating effect,
- the ability to normalize elevated liver values,
- an anti-histamine effect (which is particularly helpful for allergy sufferers) and
- a relaxing effect on smooth muscles.
Smooth muscles line the hollow organs in particular, such as the stomach, intestines, bladder, uterus, bronchi, and even the blood vessels. If the muscles in these organs contract, pain can occur, such as stomach cramps, abdominal pain, or abdominal cramps during menstruation. If the muscles in the bronchi contract, this promotes an asthma attack.
Remedies such as Desmodium adscendens, which are suitable for relaxing these muscles, therefore have an antispasmodic and pain-relieving effect. It is no wonder that Desmodium leaves are given in traditional Brazilian medicine for diarrhea, for pain in general and for excessive urination, for example in cases of cystitis when the bladder is cramped.
Active ingredients in Desmodium
Desmodium adscendens contains – as in any high-quality medicinal plant – many different active ingredients. The main active ingredient is said to be D-pinitol. Using the usual liver values that are usually used to assess liver damage (AST (formerly GOT), ALT (formerly GPT) and AP (alkaline phosphatase)), the liver-protecting effect of both isolated D-pinitol and a Desmodium plant extract was investigated. It was shown that D-pinitol is definitely one of the substances that has such a positive effect on the liver.
According to studies from Ghana and Nigeria, other active ingredients include the flavonoid vitexin and its derivatives vitexin-2”-xyloside and isovitexin, as well as triterpenes, saponins, amines and indole alkaloids (e.g. tryptamine).
Desmodium adscendens: Specialist for the liver
The special area of application of Desmodium adscendens is definitely the liver. No matter what the liver is lacking, Desmodium can be used to support the liver in regeneration and healing and ultimately to improve liver values. It was precisely the impressive effect on the liver that led to Desmodium adscendens being discovered by modern medicine (5).
It was in 1960 when two French doctors were working on a humanitarian project in Africa and allegedly witnessed how desmodium could cure hepatitis in just a few weeks. This is why desmodium has been sold in France for many years as a dietary supplement with liver-protecting effects, while the medicinal plant has only been available in other European countries for a few years.
Desmodium is therefore the drug of choice for many liver diseases – whether caused by viruses, chemicals or toxins such as alcohol or drugs or medicines. Desmodium is an effective adjunctive therapy for symptoms of hepatitis (jaundice, headaches, fatigue, loss of appetite) because the symptoms improve within a short period of time (12).
Studies in England, France and Canada have shown that desmodium can not only treat liver dysfunction, but can also protect the liver during treatment with side effects, such as chemotherapy. At the same time, the plant appears to protect and strengthen the immune system.
Avoid unhealthy foods and take liver medicinal plants
The liver is an incredible organ. Not only does it help our entire organism to recover and regenerate, it also has a strong regenerative power itself. Even if only 25 percent of the liver tissue is still functioning, this miraculous organ can keep the human body healthy and perform all of the liver’s necessary tasks.
For example, the liver is involved in digestion together with the gallbladder. If the liver does not work properly in this area, it leads to a feeling of fullness and loss of appetite. Other typical liver functions include detoxification, regulation of glucose levels, protein formation, storage of nutrients and vital substances, cholesterol production, regulation of hormone levels and over 500 other functions (11).
Poor nutrition, alcohol abuse and excessive sugar consumption damage the liver and leave it in a pitiful state. However, due to its great regenerative capacity, the liver can be supported with just a few measures so that it can recover.
From a naturopathic point of view, these measures primarily include two things:
- Liver-damaging habits are immediately abandoned so that the liver is relieved from now on (no alcohol, no sugar, no processed foods, little fat, less meat, reduce stress, eat foods rich in vital nutrients instead, take more bitter substances, cleanse the intestines, only take the medication that is really necessary, etc.).
- Medicinal plants are used that help regenerate liver cells and at the same time protect the liver from further damage. In addition to the well-known liver plants (milk thistle, dandelion and artichoke leaves), these also include Desmodium adscendens.
Case report: Desmodium adscendens normalizes high liver values
In West Africa, patients with hepatitis or jaundice always receive preparations made from Desmodium adscendens. Doctors there are said to have confirmed that Desmodium can normalize elevated liver values over a period of a few weeks to several months.
The three liver values that are commonly determined include the following:
- GOT: Glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, today: Aspartate aminotransferase AST; normal values below 50 U/l in men and below 35 U/l in women (U/l = unit per liter)
- GPT: serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase, today: alanine aminotransferase ALT; normal values below 50 U/l in men and below 35 U/l in women
- GGT: γ-glutamyltransferase; normal values below 60 U/l in men and below 40 U/l in women (the normal values vary depending on the source).
If these values are increased, this indicates alcohol dependence and/or liver disease, e.g. hepatitis, fatty liver, liver cirrhosis, primary biliary cirrhosis, bile stasis or inflammation of the bile ducts. Liver values can also be increased by some medications.
In a 60-year-old man – according to a case report – these liver values were as follows:
- GOT: 104
- GPT: 64
- GGT: 190
The patient then took 6 capsules of 200 mg Desmodium adscendens daily. Three months later, the values were measured again and were significantly lower:
- GOT: 27
- GPT: 21
- GGT: 58
Desmodium adscendens together with other liver medicinal plants in liver cleansing
If you want to take Desmodium as part of a liver cleanse, i.e. together with other measures that benefit the liver and promote its regeneration and performance, you could proceed as follows:
You can carry out the liver cleanse described here and drink Desmodium tea instead of the chanca piedra tea specified. How this tea is prepared can be read below under “Desmodium adscendens: Tea and capsules – How to use”.
If you want to take desmodium extract capsules, you can take them in combination with milk thistle and/or artichoke liquid over a period of two to four weeks and thus provide your liver with temporary support. Or take a liver support liquid like Liver-Pure.
Desmodium adscendens: Specialist for the lungs and respiratory tract
Studies have shown that Desmodium adscendens can also inhibit allergic (histamine-related) reactions (at least in guinea pigs) and could therefore be of interest for allergies, e.g. allergic asthma (6) (7)
In tests, the relaxing effect of desmodium on the bronchi occurred very quickly – within one to two minutes – which justifies the traditional use of the plant for asthma. In Ghana, for example, the plant is one of the first measures prescribed for acute asthma attacks. Even the risk of anaphylactic shock is said to be reduced with the help of desmodium (3) (4).
Desmodium adscendens also helps to clear the paranasal sinuses and unblock the airways, stop persistent coughs, reduce heavy mucus and even provide relief from snoring, which usually only occurs when the airways are clogged with mucus (9).
Due to all these positive effects on the respiratory tract, the medicinal plant can be used not only for flu infections with a runny nose and cough, but even as an accompaniment to serious lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema.
Desmodium adscendens: Tea and capsules – The application
Desmodium can be bought online, in tea shops or herbal shops, for example dried (for making tea), as a tincture or as an extract in capsule form. The latter makes it much easier to take, as the active ingredients can be easily dosed and taken in higher concentrations.
For example, if it is an extract with a ratio of 2:1, then 200 grams of plants were used to produce 100 grams of extract.
If a capsule containing such an extract contains 250 mg of desmodium extract, then you will be taking in as many active ingredients per capsule as you would with 500 mg of the plant (10).
In the case of liver disease, it is said that 6 to 10 grams of the dried plant (finely powdered or crushed) should be poured into a liter of hot water. After 10 minutes, you can pour the tea off or simply wait until the powder has sunk to the bottom and then drink the liquid. You can also drink some of the powder. This tea is drunk for 2 to 4 weeks for acute problems. For chronic problems, drink for 6 to 8 weeks.
Before, during and after conventional medical therapy, you can always drink a Desmodium tea (6 g of the dried plant per liter of water) to protect the liver.
If you have fatty liver disease, you can make a tea from 10 g of the dried plant and drink it daily for 1 to 3 months. If you suffer from allergies, you can take just 5 g daily and use it to make the tea described.
Drink your daily amount of Desmodium tea in two to three portions throughout the day. If you decide to take capsules, follow the manufacturer’s recommended dosage, which is listed on the packaging.
Desmodium adscendens: Important information
In order to enhance the regenerative properties of Desmodium on the liver, phytotherapists recommend combining the plant with other medicinal plants as part of a liver regeneration treatment (or intestinal cleansing), such as milk thistle or an artichoke extract (e.g. as described above under “Desmodium adscendens together with other liver medicinal plants in liver cleansing”) (8).
Since Desmodium adscendens has a mild laxative effect, the recommended doses should be adhered to. Sensitive people should start with small doses to test their individual tolerance.
If the dose is too high, people who are sensitive to migraines may experience headaches.
Desmodium is not approved as a medicinal product. It is simply a medicinal plant that has been used in folk medicine in South America and Africa for thousands of years. There are a few animal and cell studies, individual case reports and numerous reports of experience. However, large-scale clinical studies are still lacking. If you would like to take Desmodium preparations, it is best to discuss this – as always – with your alternative practitioner who is well versed in herbal medicine.
Further information on holistic measures for the liver can be found here:
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