Ipomoea is a group of flowering plants that belongs to the Convolvulaceae family of plants. This group of plants is dominated by climbing woody pants with heart-shaped leaves and funnel-shaped flowers. Common names for plants belonging to this group include morning glory, bindweed, sweet potato and moonflower. Ipomoea stans (known as Tumbavaquero in Mexico) is one species of Ipomoea plants that may have particular central nervous system effects. In Mexico, Ipomoea stans root extracts are used as part of the traditional medicine to treat a number of conditions including headaches and high blood pressure. Ipomoea stans extracts have also been shown to be an effective treatment for epileptic seizures. Other central nervous system effects for extracts of the Ipomoea stans include use as a sedative and as an anticonvulsant. The central nervous system effects seen with extracts of Ipomoea stans are consistent with modulation of the GABAA receptor in the brain and central nervous system.
Extracts of Ipomoea stans have also been shown to possess significant antioxidant activity. The colours of the flowers of the Ipomoea stans suggests that they might contain polyphenols, particularly flavonoids. However, as the root is generally used medicinally, it is unclear if flavonoids contribute to the medicinal effects of the plant. However, the coumarin scopoletin has been isolated from roots of Ipomoea stans, and coumarins do possess significant biological effects as antioxidants in animals.
Animal studies suggest that Ipomoea stans may have particular mood elevating effects. For example, researchers have investigated the effects of root extracts of Ipomoea stans on mice. Administration of root extracts of Ipomoea stans to the mice had significant sedative and anticonvulsant effects. Researchers also observed significant reductions in the anxious behaviour displayed by the mice when they were exposed to experimental stress and this was shown to occur following increased release of GABA in the brains of the animals. The roots of Ipomoea possess a number of chemicals including tetrasaccharide resin glycosides that may be responsible for their central nervous system activity. One resin glycoside that has been isolated and evaluated for its neuroprotective ability is stansin. Administration of stansin to rats was able to significantly attenuate experimentally induced convulsions, decreased neuronal damage to part of the brain such as the hippocampus and reduced inflammation in the brains of the animals.
Ipomoea plants are characterised by their heart-shaped leaves and funnel shaped colorful flowers.
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