Coleus Forskohlii
Coleus Forskohlii - the only plant source of forskohlin
- Coleus forskohlii Briq. (synonyms, C. barbatus Benth., Plectranthus forskohlii Willd., P. barbatus Andr. and P. comosus Willemse) a member of the mint family (fam. Lamiaceae), is indigenous to Ayurvedic Medicine.
- This species is a perennial herb with fleshy, fibrous roots that grows wild in the warm subtropical temperate areas in India, Burma and Thailand.
- In India, it is cultivated for use as a condiment1.
- In recent years, Coleus forskohlii has gained recognition As the only known plant source of the diterpene, Forskohlin2.
- forskohlin is valued as an adenylate cyclase activator.
- Adenylate cyclase is the enzyme involved in the production of Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate (cAMP), (a significant biochemical agent involved in metabolic processes), from the high energy molecule, ATP (Adenosine triphosphate).
- Nicknamed in literature as a "second messenger," cyclic AMP facilitates the action of "primary messengers" or various hormonal and bioactive substances in the body.
- The role of cyclic AMP is indispensable to many body functions.
- Cyclic AMP induces a chain of biochemical events that trigger metabolic processes and diet induced thermogenesis3, thereby providing the means to maintain a healthy body composition and lean body mass levels.
References
1.Bruneton, Jean. (1995) Coleus forskohlii in Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants, Lavoisier Publishing Company, 521.
2.de Souza, N.J. (1991) Coleus forskohlii Briq.- The Indian plant source for forskohlin. Recent Advances in Medicinal, Aromatic & Spice crops, (ed: S..P. Raychaudhuri.) Today and Tomorrow's printers and Publishers, New Delhi, India, Vol I: 83-91.
3.Palou, A. , et al. (1998) The uncoupling protein, thermogenin. Int. J. Biochem. Cell Biol., 30(1):7-11.
