Nannari

Tamil Name - நன்னாரி

Sarsaparilla is a plant of the Smilax species. Sarsaparilla is a woody vine that produces small flowers and either red, black, or blue berry like fruit. Sarsaparilla is native to South America and the Caribbean where the Jamaican or Honduran Smilax ornata and Mexican Smilax aristolochiifolia originate.

Sarsaparilla fruit was once used to make popular sarsaparilla soft drinks, which has a taste similar to root beer. Sarsaparilla has also been used by herbalists in traditional medicine for hundreds of years because of its medicinal properties. Herbalists have used sarsaparilla’s anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and toxin binding properties to purify the blood and treat skin conditions. Sarsaparilla is also nutritious and contains vitamins A, B-complex, C and D, and minerals iron, manganese, sodium, silicon, sulfur, copper, Zinc, and iodine.

Sarsaparilla has been used in traditional medicine to treat skin conditions like psoriasis and leprosy, rheumatoid arthritis and joint pain, headaches, colds, and sexual impotence. Scientific studies done on sarsaparilla have isolated compounds responsible for its medicinal properties.

1. Contains Anti-Tumor and Cancer-Preventative Properties

Certain studies have found evidence of at least 24 extracts obtained within the roots, stems, leaves and fruits of wild sarsaparilla plants that help naturally treat or prevent cancer. (3) The majority of the pharmacological benefits are attributed to its concentration of natural steroids and saponins, which help with the absorption of other drugs or herbs, reduce inflammatory effects, and have other anti-aging properties.

According to research done at the University of Queensland in Australia, sarsaparilla contains at least five steroidal saponins, including two newly discovered furostanol saponins known as sarsaparilloside B and sarsaparilloside C. These saponins have been found to have antiproliferative activities that help to kill cancer cells, especially those that affect the lining of the colon. (4)

Sarsaparilla also contains dozens of other anti-inflammatory, antioxidant acids, oils and chemicals that lower oxidative stress and have anti-aging effects. Studies conducted at Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute in China found that flavonoids, alkaloids and phenylpropanoids were some of the major bioactive components identified within wild sarsaparilla that induce apoptosis and have growth-inhibitory effects without damaging healthy cells. (5)

2. Protects the Liver and Has Natural Diuretic, Detoxifying Abilities

Because sarsaparilla helps promote urine production and improve perspiration, it can be helpful for relieving fluid retention, puffiness, or swelling and stomach bloating. Traditionally, teas made from sarsaparilla root were also used to “clean the blood,” improve liver function and remove toxins from the body.

Research shows that one way sarsaparilla might help improve detoxification is through binding to “endotoxins” within the GI tract, which are chemicals stored inside cells (especially bacterial cells) that are released into the bloodstream and contribute to problems like liver disease, psoriasis, fevers and inflammatory processes. Studies have found that sarsaparilla has hepatoprotective effects (fighting liver damage and liver disease) due to its antioxidants, acids and plant sterols. (6)

These compounds found within medicinal herbs can serve as important therapeutic agents for ridding the body of endotoxins by making them less absorbable within the gut. This ultimately helps with controlling tissue damage caused by free radical damage and inflammatory responses. (7) Certain studies have found that chemical compounds called astilbin (types of flavonoids) and smilagenin (types of saponin) help protect liver cells and are useful in preventing liver disease, growth of cancer cells and other problems associated with toxicity.