Mirabilis himalaica, Ba spru བ་སྤྲུ

Four o’Clock
Ba spru, Thal bras (Tibetan)
Xi Ma La Ya Zi Mo Li, Ba Zhu (TCM)
Kuth mitha (Sanskrit)
Picture Picture Photo from the research paper: Xiaozhong, Lan et al. “Establishment of hairy root cultures and analysis of rotenoid in Tibetan medicinal plant Mirabilis himalaica.” Plant Omics 8 (2015): 335-339.

Botanical name:


Mirabilis himalaica (syn. Oxybaphus himalaicus, Allionia himalaica), M. himalaica var. chinensis
Three varieties are mentioned in Tibetan Medical texts, differentiated based on the color of their flowers:
  1. White-flowered (superior)
  2. Red-flowered (Intermediate)
  3. Dark-red flowered (Inferior)
Only the first two are used in medicine. (Kletter)

Parts used:


Root
Some sources use the whole plant, and the whole plant is commonly available on the market, presumably due to its rarity.

Temperature & Taste:


Very Warm, dry. Sweet

Uses:


1. Warms and Strengthens the Kidneys:
-Cold-type Edema, especially first stages
-Kidney disorders from Yang deficiency; Impotence
-Debility associated with Coldness and Yang deficiency
-Cold and weakness in the lower back, sacrum and lower limbs
-warms and strengthens the Uterus
-regarded as Aphrodisiac

2. Clears Cold-Wind-Damp:
-Damp accumulation in the joints; arthritis, rheumatism
-pain, rigidity, shaking or numbness from Cold-Wind-Damp obstructing the channels
-Tumors; anti-cancer effects have been demonstrated.

3. Warms the Stomach:
-lowered digestive heat with poor appetite and digestion

4. Purges Phlegm and Damp:
-purgative in Cold, Phlegm and Damp disorders, especially with Yang deficiency


Dose:


It is often prepared into medicated Ghee (clarified Butter) preparations in Tibetan Medicine.
Decoction: 3–9 grams
Powder: 1–3 grams

Substitute:


1. Paeonia anomala (Unani)
2. Russian physicians often use Withania in place of Mirabilis
3. Another Yang tonic such as Curculigo Xian Mao or Morinda Ba Ji Tian may be suitable.

Main Combinations:


It is one of the ‘Five Roots’ of Tibetan Medicine, used as a strengthening tonic, especially for the Kidneys. It is combined with Soloman’s Seal, Gymnadenia, Asparagus root and Angelica glauca. For Wind disorders, the Five Roots are made into a medicinal Ghee preparation.

1. Impotence, Mirabilis with Soloman’s Seal, Asparagus root, Tribulus, Shilajit and Lesser Cardamon (as in Betel Immense Pleasure Giver)
2. Wind-Damp with Kidney weakness, Paralysis, ridigity of the limbs, rheumatoid arthritis, Mirabilis with Catechu, Soloman’s Seal, Tribulus, Asparagus root, Frankincense, Psoralea seed, Sesame seed and purified Aconitum ferox (as in Catechu 25 of Tibetan Medicine)
3. Pain of the cerebral nerves, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Shaking of the hands, Mirabilis with Turmeric, Caraway, Safflower, Long Pepper, Tinospora, Nutmeg, Clove, Asparagus root, Soloman’s Seal, Angelica glauca (as in Formula of Wealth of Tibetan Medicine)
4. Warm the Kidneys, regulates menstruation, ease lumbar pain, Mirabilis with Safflower, Madder, Lacca, Red Sandalwood, Juniper, Green Cardamon (as in Antelope Horn 14 of Tibetan Medicine)

Major Formulas:


Antelope Horn 14 (Rgya ru bcu bzhi) (Tibetan) 
Betel Immense Pleasure Giver (Gu yu bde dpags) (Tibetan)
Catechu 25
Essence Pills (Bcud len ril bu) (Tibetan)
Lygodium 8 (Gser bye brgyad pa) (Tibetan)
Paraquilegia 6 (Mde’u ‘byin drug pa) (Tibetan)
Podophyllum 25 (‘Ol se nyer lnga) (Tibetan)
Selinum 6 (Tang kug drug thang) (Tibetan)
The Melting Solar Disk (Ju byed nyi mai dkyil khor) (Tibetan)
Women’s Universal Decoction (Mo nad spyi thang) (Tibetan)

Cautions:


Toxic in large doses.

Main Preparations used:



GENERAL / REVIEW:
–Physicochemical properties, immunostimulatory and antioxidant activities of a novel polysaccharide isolated from Mirabilis himalaica (Edgew) Heim.

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY:
–Benzofuran ε-caprolactam glucosides, amides and phenylpropanoid derivatives with anti-inflammatory activity from Oxybaphus himalaicus.

RENOPROTECTIVE:
–Oxybaphus himalaicus Mitigates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Kidney Injury by Inhibiting TLR4/MD2 Complex Formation.

CANCER:
–Mirabijalone E: a novel rotenoid from Mirabilis himalaica inhibited A549 cell growth in vitro and in vivo.
–A natural phenylpropionate derivative from Mirabilis himalaica inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in HepG2 cells.