Psyllium husk extract has varying degrees of growth inhibition against amoebic species, indicating its role in the treatment of amoebic dysentery. - GreenMedInfo Summary
The presence of antiamoebic constituents in psyllium husk.
Phytother Res. 2002 Feb;16(1):78-9. PMID: 11807972
The crude extract of psyllium husk (ispaghula) and its active constituent (petroleum fraction) caused varying degrees of growth inhibition in three different species of Entamoeba, i.e. Entamoeba histolytica, E. invadens and E. dispar. The inhibitory effect of the crude extract was in the dose range of 1-10 mg/mL, whereas a similar inhibitory effect was obtained with the petroleum fraction at a much lower dose (0.1-1.0 mg/mL), indicating that the active chemical(s) is/are concentrated in the petroleum fraction. These data support the traditional use of psyllium husk in amoebic dysentery. Copyright 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.