You probably have seen goose grass a countless time but never thought it could be any thing other than making our environment bushy and unkept. The truth however, is that goose grass possesses several health benefits, which made it a popular remedy in Philippines.
Paragis grass (Eleusine indica) has proved to be more than just a public and environmental nuisance. The plant which grows in tropical regions and better during rainy season, has its origin in Philippine, from where its name is derived. It is however found cross tropical regions of Africa, including Nigeria.
In Philippine, Goose grass has been made into various herbal based products such as paragis tea sachet, dried paragis powder, paragis capsule food supplements. The products vary in their prices depending on the product formation and selling brand. And these products are been sold under the product categories of immunity, pregnancy care, herbs and traditional medicine, multivitamins, nutritional foods and drinks, herbal tea, women’s health, and detoxification. These go a long way to show us how valuable Elusine indica is as a herbal home remedy for various health complications.
What Are The Chemical Constitutions Of Goose Grass?
Goose grass contains several nutritional and mineral contents, including secondary metabolites. It contains protein, sugars and fiber. The mineral constituents include Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Potassium, Sodium, Sulfur, Manganese, Zinc, Copper, and Iron.
The Presence of Zinc in goose grass may be one the many reasons goose grass is used extensively in treating various ailments such as inflammatory and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, cancers and viral diseases, as Zinc regulates the enzymes in the pathways of these diseases. Iron is useful for the production of hemoglobin and transport of oxygenated red blood cells to various parts of the body.
Manganese is another essential element in the body. It helps the body to form connective tissues, bones, blood clothing factors and in the formation of sex hormones. In fat and carbohydrate metabolism as well as in calcium absorption and blood sugar regulation, manganese plays important roles.
It may be classified as an antioxidant agent since it is an important component of the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD), which helps fight free radicals.
Sulfur in goose grass would be required by your body to build and fix your DNA as well as protect your cells from damages that can lead to serious diseases like cancers. It is present as essential element in amino acid synthesis, and assists in food metabolism. Sulfur protects your skin from invading diseases and improves your skin as well as your tendons and ligaments health.
What Are The Health Benefits of Goose Grass?
Goose grass tea possesses several secondary metabolites that protect the body from both autoimmune diseases and invasive infections. Some of the health benefits of goose grass tea shall be discussed in details in the following section.
Goose Grass Tea Boosts Immunity
Herbal remedies are known for boosting the immunity of our body systems against various forms of diseases, and goose grass is not left out in this. In Philippines, as you read above, goose grass are being sold under the product names of Paragis tea, Paragis powder and in categories which differs, including immunity due to its great benefits. The mineral elements and secondary metabolites will boost your immune system.
It Is Used In The Treatment Of Epilepsy
Goose grass has been used in traditional medicine in both Philippines and India to cure epilepsy and neurologic disorders. Epilepsy is a progressive chronic disorder that is characterized by an abnormal and synchronous neuronal firing associated with recurrent and unpredictable seizures.
Patients who suffer from different types of epilepsy are usually affected by psychiatric and behavioral comorbidities such as mood disorders, anxiety, psychoses, motor disorders, cognitive deficits, and social dysfunctions.
The good news is that goose grass possesses vixetin, which scientific studies have demonstrated to possess anticonvulsant and antiepileptic properties. It is this bioactive compound which modulates the GABAergic neurotransmission and other related pathways, which are the causes of epilepsy.
Goose Grass Is Beneficial For Treating Viral Diseases
One of the traditional employments of paragis or goose grass is in the treatment of viral diseases. Several studies have suggested that eleusine indica could be used as an alternative medicine against Herpes virus and para 3 virus. These antiviral properties may be attributed to the presence of the bioactive compound, Orienthin.
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May Be Used In Treating Bacteria Infections
The presence of vitexin and Orienthin makes Paragis grass an active herb against bacterial infections such as Staphylococcus and Trollius, and Klebsiella. To enjoy this benefit, make a paragis tea by boiling the whole plant in water for 10 minutes, strain and drink the tea.
Paragis tea Possesses Antioxidants
Goose grass possesses strong antioxidants which protects it from herbicides. These strong antioxidants have been shown to slow down the cellular processes of aging, especially the effects of free radicals on cellular apoptosis. Free radicals are the underlying causes of several autoimmune diseases and infertility among men. With the strong antioxidants present in eleusine indica, paragis tea would detoxify your body systems and scavenge free radicals.
Paragis Tea Is Used In Treating Kidney Diseases
The anti-urolithiasis and diuretic properties of goose grass make eleusine indica an effective herbal remedy for treating kidney stone and other kidney diseases. Goose grass root extract enhance the excretion of urinary nitrite, protein, and calcium oxalate crystals. It prevents nitriuria, proteinuria and oxaluria in treated objects.
Besides these activities, the extract of the root prevents the disruption of the normal structure of the glomeruli and tubules in rats treated with it, and contributes to the restoration of the already disrupted glomeruli and renal tubules to normal structure.
It Possesses Anti-Inflammatory Compounds
In traditional medicine, the whole weed is used in the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and skin edema. It is also used in treating general body pains. The weed also possesses antipyretic properties and is used in treating various forms of fever.
Goose grass is beneficial for treating diabetes
The paragis extract possesses strong activity against diabetes. This is through the inhibition of pancreatic lipase, which plays a major role in the absorption of dietary fats. The administration of the plant extract resulted in a decrease of total cholesterol level, triacylglycerides and low density lipoproteins, while increasing the level of high density lipoproteins. The grass also was shown in another study to possess hypoglycemic properties. These combined properties make paragis tea a great home remedy for treating diabetes and obesity, and for lowering cholesterol levels.
It Is An Excellent Remedy For Trypanosomiasis.
The methanolic extract of eleusine indica has shown 90% inhibition rate on trypanosoma bruccei. This makes it an interesting home remedy for treating sleeping sickness.
Goose grass is beneficial for hair growth
The minced stem and leaves of Paragis grass are mixed with coconut oil and applied on scalps to remove dandruff. To remove dandruff, use the mixed Paragis grass and coconut oil as a shampoo, and gently massage your scalp. This would remove dandruff, stop hair breakage and fall, and improve your hair growth.
Paragis Grass for Ovarian Cyst?
There are some speculations pointing to the fact that the weed possesses cytotoxicity against ovarian cyst and has been used in traditional medicine in the treatment of ovarian cyst and fibroids. The leaves and stems of Paragis grass is boiled and the tea taken on a daily basis. However, this claim lack scientific backings and may require thorough investigations.
Does Eleuisine Indica Possess Anticancer Property?
Contrary to several claims, the extracts of eleusine indica showed low cytotoxicity against several cancer cell lines. Thus, goose grass cannot be used in the treatment of cancer, as this does not correlate with scientific findigs.
REFERENCES
Al-Zubairi AS, Abdul AB, Abdelwahab SI, Peng CY, Mohan S, Elhassan MM. Eleusine indica Possesses Antioxidant, Antibacterial, and Cytotoxic Properties. Evidence-based Compl. Alternat Med, 2011. doi: 10.1093/ ecam/nep091. Retrieved on 26 October 2016 from NCBI website: https://www. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3137868/
Ogbole OO, Segun PA, Fasinu PS. Antimicrobial and antiprotozoal activities of twenty-four Nigerian medicinal plant extracts. South Afr J Bot. 2018;117:240-6.
Ong, S. L., Nalamolu, K. R., & Lai, H. Y. (2017). Potential Lipid-Lowering Effects of Eleusine indica (L) Gaertn. Extract on High-Fat-Diet-Induced Hyperlipidemic Rats. Pharmacognosy magazine, 13(Suppl 1), S1–S9. https://doi.org/10.4103/0973-1296.203986
Sagnia B, Fedeli D, Casetti R, Montesano C, Falcioni G, Colizzi V. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of extracts from Cassia alata, Eleusine indica, Eremomastax speciosa, Carica papaya and Polyscias fulva medicinal plants collected in Cameroon. PloS One. 2014;9:e103999.
