East Indian globe thistle

East Globe Indian Thistle, the most pronounceable name given to Sphaeranthus Indicus, is a medicine from Ayurveda that appears to have a wide variety of claims attributed to it. It appears remarkably potent at a few claims, but a huge limitation of the science behind this herb is that the mechanisms of actions and the actual molecules in the plant that exert these actions are currently not well known at all. Many studies use particular extracts of the plant to concentrate a certain class of nutrients (such as petroleum ether extracts to concentrate the nonpolar compounds like sequiterpenes), and this is as far as the evidence is currently.

It has at least once demonstrated remarkable anti-allergic effects in vitro in preventing mast cell degranulation, and has once been shown to increase testosterone levels (secondary to inhibiting conversion to DHT) with a similar potency of Finasteride. Three times it has shown efficacy in controlling blood glucose, with two of these studies showing similar potency to Glibenclamide (a reference drug used in the treatment of type II diabetes). One study that was in vitro on cancer cell lines noted astonishing anti-proliferative effects in the range of 80-100% inhibition, which competed with many reference drugs used in cancer therapy.

However, all of these studies are highly preliminary. East Globe Indian Thistle is at a crossroads of being amazingly promising yet not having sufficient evidence to support its usage. The lack of side-effects attributed to it may merely be secondary to it not having a large usage in society or sufficient testing.