Indigo

April 24th, 2008

Botanical Name: Indigofera tinctoria

Family: N.O. Leguminosae/Fabaceae

Subfamily: Faboideae

Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Tribe: Indigofereae
Genus: Indigofera
Synonyms: Pigmentum Indicum
Part Used: The plant.
Habitat: India; cultivated in sub-tropical countries. They occur throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, with a few species reaching the temperate zone in eastern Asia.

Description:The species are mostly shrubs, though some are herbaceous, and a few can become small trees up to 5-6 m tall; most are dry-season or winter deciduous. The leaves are pinnate with 5-31 leaflets, the terminal leaflet present; leaf size varies from 3-25 cm long. The flowers are small, produced on racemes 2-15 cm long.

……………………

A blue dyestuff is obtained from the various species of Indigofera. It does not exist ready formed, but is produced during fermentation from another agent existing in the plant. This is called Indocan, and is yellow, amorphous, of a nauseous bitter taste with an acid reaction; readily soluble in water, alcohol and ether.
Indigofera is a large genus of about 700 species of flowering plants:
Selected species
Indigofera adenocarpa
Indigofera adenoides
Indigofera alopecuroides
Indigofera alpina
Indigofera alternans
Indigofera amblyantha
Indigofera amoena
Indigofera angustata
Indigofera angustifolia
Indigofera antunesiana
Indigofera aquae-nitensis
Indigofera arenophila
Indigofera argentea
Indigofera arrecta
Indigofera articulata
Indigofera aspalathoides
Indigofera aspera
Indigofera asperifolia
Indigofera astragalina
Indigofera atriceps
Indigofera atropurpurea
Indigofera auricoma
Indigofera australis
Indigofera bainesii
Indigofera boviperda
Indigofera brachynema
Indigofera brachyodon
Indigofera brachystachya
Indigofera brevicalyx
Indigofera brevidens
Indigofera brevipes
Indigofera bungeana
Indigofera burchellii
Indigofera candicans
Indigofera candolleana
Indigofera capillaris
Indigofera carlesii
Indigofera caroliniana
Indigofera cassioides
Indigofera cecili
Indigofera charlierana
Indigofera chuniana
Indigofera circinella
Indigofera circinnata
Indigofera colutea
Indigofera comosa
Indigofera cooperi
Indigofera cordifolia
Indigofera cryptantha
Indigofera cuneata
Indigofera cuneifolia
Indigofera cylindracea
Indigofera cylindrica
Indigofera cytisoides
Indigofera daleoides
Indigofera decora
Indigofera delagoaensis
Indigofera demissa
Indigofera dendroides
Indigofera denudata
Indigofera dielsiana
Indigofera digitata
Indigofera dimidiata
Indigofera diphylla
Indigofera disjuncta
Indigofera dosua
Indigofera dregeana
Indigofera dyeri
Indigofera egens
Indigofera emarginella
Indigofera erecta
Indigofera eriocarpa
Indigofera erythrogramma
Indigofera evansiana
Indigofera eylesiana
Indigofera fanshawei
Indigofera filicaulis
Indigofera filifolia
Indigofera filiformis
Indigofera filipes
Indigofera flabellata
Indigofera flavicans
Indigofera foliosa
Indigofera fortunei
Indigofera frutescens
Indigofera fulvopilosa
Indigofera gairdnerae
Indigofera galegoides
Indigofera garckeana
Indigofera glandulosa
Indigofera glaucescens
Indigofera glomerata
Indigofera griseoides
Indigofera hamiltonii
Indigofera hebepetala
Indigofera hedyantha
Indigofera hendecaphylla
Indigofera heterantha
Indigofera heterophylla
Indigofera heterotricha
Indigofera heudelotii
Indigofera hewittii
Indigofera hilaris
Indigofera himalayensis
Indigofera hirsuta
Indigofera hispida
Indigofera hochstetteri
Indigofera holubii
Indigofera humifusa
Indigofera ichangensis
Indigofera incana
Indigofera ingrata
Indigofera inhambanensis
Indigofera kirilowii
Indigofera langebergensis
Indigofera laxeracemosa
Indigofera lespedezioides
Indigofera leucotricha
Indigofera lindheimeriana
Indigofera linifolia
Indigofera linnaei
Indigofera litoralis
Indigofera livingstoniana
Indigofera longebarbata
Indigofera longepedicellata
Indigofera longeracemosa
Indigofera lupatana
Indigofera lyallii
Indigofera macrophylla
Indigofera maritima
Indigofera marmorata
Indigofera mauritanica
Indigofera melanadenia
Indigofera meyeriana
Indigofera microcarpa
Indigofera mimosoides
Indigofera miniata
Indigofera mischocarpa
Indigofera mollicoma
Indigofera monantha
Indigofera montana
Indigofera nebrowniana
Indigofera nephrocarpoides
Indigofera nigrescens
Indigofera nigromontana
Indigofera nummulariifolia
Indigofera oblongifolia
Indigofera omissa
Indigofera ormocarpoides
Indigofera ovata
Indigofera oxalidea
Indigofera oxytropis
Indigofera oxytropoides
Indigofera paniculata
Indigofera parkesii
Indigofera parodiana
Indigofera pascuorum
Indigofera pendula
Indigofera pilosa
Indigofera podophylla
Indigofera poliotes
Indigofera pongolana
Indigofera porrecta
Indigofera potaninii
Indigofera pratensis
Indigofera praticola
Indigofera pretoriana
Indigofera procumbens
Indigofera prostrata
Indigofera pseudotinctoria
Indigofera psoraloides
Indigofera pulchra
Indigofera purpurea
Indigofera rautanenii
Indigofera reducta
Indigofera rehmannii
Indigofera reticulata
Indigofera rhynchocarpa
Indigofera rhytidocarpa
Indigofera ripae
Indigofera rostrata
Indigofera rothii
Indigofera sabulicola
Indigofera sanguinea
Indigofera saxicola
Indigofera schimperi
Indigofera schinzii
Indigofera secundiflora
Indigofera semitrijuga
Indigofera senegalensis
Indigofera sessiliflora
Indigofera sessilifolia
Indigofera setiflora
Indigofera simplicifolia
Indigofera sokotrana
Indigofera sordida
Indigofera sphaerocarpa
Indigofera spicata
Indigofera splendens
Indigofera stachyoides
Indigofera stenophylla
Indigofera strobilifera
Indigofera suaveolens
Indigofera subcorymbosa
Indigofera subulifera
Indigofera suffruticosa
Indigofera sulcata
Indigofera swaziensis
Indigofera tenuis
Indigofera tenuissima
Indigofera tinctoria
Indigofera tomentosa
Indigofera torulosa
Indigofera trifoliata
Indigofera tristis
Indigofera tristoides
Indigofera trita
Indigofera velutina
Indigofera vicioides
Indigofera viscidissima
Indigofera vohemarensis
Indigofera volkensii
Indigofera wildiana
Indigofera williamsonii
Indigofera woodii
Indigofera zeyheri
Indigofera zollingeriana

Medicinal Action and Uses:
Indigo was at one time much used in medicine, but now is rarely employed. It is said to produce nausea and vomiting.

It is a very well-known and highly important dye, millions of pounds being exported from India annually.

An artificial product, Indigotine, is manufactured chemically and used as a substitute.
Several of them and especially Indigofera tinctoria and Indigofera suffruticosa are used to produce the dye indigo.

The chemical aniline, from which many important dyes are derived, was first synthesized from I. suffruticosa (syn. I. anil, whence the name aniline).

Several species of this group are used to alleviate pain. The herbs are generally regarded as an analgesic with anti-inflammatory activity, rather than an anodyne. Indigofera articulata Gouan (arabic Khedaish) was used for toothache, and Indigofera oblongifolia Forsskal (arabic “Hasr”) was used as an anti-inflammatory for insect stings, snakebites, and swellings. Indigofera suffruticosa and Indigofera aspalthoides have also been used as anti-inflammatories. A patent was granted for use of Indigofera arrecta extract to relieve ulcer pain.

.
Indigofera species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Turnip Moth.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/i/indigo05.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigofera