Evaluation of adverse events reported in Traditional Iranian Medicine following administration of aqueous extract of Herba Portulacae Oleraceae seed

Abstract

ObjectiveTo find scientific reasons for adverse events reported in traditional Iranian medicine (TIM) following administration of aqueous extract of Portulaca oleracea L. seed including itching and tingling of whole body, tachycardia, anxiety, dyspnea and severe nausea. MethodsElectronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched up to April 2013 to find papers focused on phytochemistry and biological activities of this plant. ResultsAmong chemical constituents present in Portulaca oleracea, catecholamines, adenosine and niacin can cause adverse events similar to those reported in TIM. ConclusionBecause of the short duration of action of adenosine, catecholamines and niacin seems to be the major role in appearance of adverse events reported in TIM for Portula oleracea seed. Mechanisms with consideration of receptor types and pharmacokinetics of catecholamine and niacin are warranted to confirm this hypothesis.