Coleus

Coleus forskohlii is a perennial member of the mint family, which originated in the lower elevations of India. It is now grown around the world as an ornamental plant. The root is used medicinally. It has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine to treat heart and lung diseases, intestinal spasms, insomnia, and convulsions. The active ingredient is forskolin.

Clinical Applications

Coleus is indicated for a wide variety of conditions, including:

• Asthma
• Menstrual cramps
• Hypertension
• Urinary bladder spasmosis
• Intestinal colic
• Congestive heart failure
• Cerebrovascular insufficiency and post-stroke recovery
• Hypothyroidism
• Cancer therapy adjunct
• Malabsorption.

The clinical applications of coleus forskohlii are:

• Allergy and hypersensitivity (e.g., asthma)
  • These conditions are associated with high levels of PAF and low levels of cAMP in smooth muscle and mast cells.
  • Conventional pharmaceuticals alleviate symptoms via:
    • Activation of adenylate cyclase through receptor binding (e.g., cortcicosteroids)
    • Inhibition of cAMP breakdown by the enzyme phosphodiesterase (e.g., methylxanthines)
  • Forskolin in Coleus enhances cAMP and inhibits PAF, thereby decreasing histamine release and tissue edema.
• Smooth muscle hypertonicity
  • Increasing cAMP induces relaxation in smooth muscle.
  • Applicable conditions
    • Asthma
    • Menstrual cramps
    • Hypertension
    • Urinary bladder spasmosis.
• Cardiovascular disorders
  • Coleus increases cAMP levels throughout the cardiovascular system
    • Increases cardiac contractile force.
    • Lowers blood pressure by relaxing arterial smooth muscle.
    • Dilates cerebral arteries.
    • Inhibits platelet aggregation. (Coleus is superior to forskolin in this effect.
  • Applicable conditions
    • Hypertension
    • Congestive heart failure (best used with other cardioactive botanicals, such as Crataegus species)
    • Cerebrovascular insufficiency and post-stroke recovery.

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How the Forskolin in Coleus Works

Forskolin has demonstrated the ability to:

• Activate, independent of cell membrane receptors, the catalytic sub-unit of adenylate cyclase resulting in a 100-fold increase in intracellular cAMP.
• Lower blood pressure in hypertensive lab animals by relaxing arterial smooth muscle.
• Exert a positive ionotropic effect on heart tissue, increasing contractile force, when external calcium is available.
• Increase left ventricular output in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy by reducing preload and increasing contractile force.
• Increase lipolysis.
• Manifest in vitro and in vivo relaxing effects on lab animal tracheal smooth muscle, stimulated to contract by histamine and leukotrienes, in a fashion independent of beta-adrenoreceprors.
• Inhibit IgE –mediated release of histamine from human basophils and mast cells in vitro by inhibitong the “first stage” of antigen-induced histamine release.
• Inhibit platelet aggregation and degradation.
• Inhibit binding of platelet-activating factor (PAF) to platelet receptors.
  • PAF mediates inflammatory and allergic processes by:
    • Binding to membrane receptors that activate phospholipases, thereby degrading phospholipids.
    • Activating neutrophils and alveolar macrophages to generate superoxide radicals.
    • Increasing vascular permeability leading to pulmonary edema
    • Increasing smooth muscle contractility (including broncho-constriction)
    • Decreasing coronary blood flow.
• Stimulate gastric acid and pepsinogen secretion in vitro.
• Demonstrate anti-metastatic activity in lab animals.
• Decrease intra-ocular pressure with topical eye application by decreasing aqueous in-flow.
• Stimulate the release of insulin and glucagon from the pancreatic islet cells, an increase in blood glucose and free fatty acids, and the degradation of liver glycogen in diabetic lab animals.
• Mimic thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) by inducing an increase in the enzyme thyroid peroxidase (TPO), which plays a central role in thyroid hormone synthesis.
• Inhibit cancer metastasis in lab animals.
• Enhance the intestinal mucosal transport of amino acids in lab animals.

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Dosage

A standardized extract is the preferred form to use. Take sufficient extract to provide 9mg of forskolin, 2 to 3 times a day.

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Feverfew Side Effects and Drug Interactions

• Toxicity is low, based on animal studies.
• Contraindicated in hypotensive patients due to blood pressure lowering effects.
• Contraindicated in patients with peptic ulcers due to effect of stimulating gastric acid secretion.
• Caution should be exercised in diabetic patients due to the effects of forskolin on the release of insulin and glucagons, as well as the effect increasing blood glucose and triglycerides.
• Caution should be exercised for patients on anti-asthmatic and / or anti-hypertensive medicines due to the ability of Coleus to increase the effect of these agents.

To order coleus forskohlii by phone, please call toll-free 877-347-8600.