Lagundi

Lagundi (Vitex negundo) powd leaves
Indications
For relief of mild to moderate cough due to common colds and flu; cough of bacterial origin; mild to moderate acute bronchitis.

For relief of reversible, mild to moderate bronchospasm in adults and children ≥2 years and patients with obstructive airway disease eg, asthma, chronic bronchitis and other bronchopulmonary disorders.
Dosage
Ascof: Adults: 2 tabs 3-4 times a day. Children 7-12 years: 1 tab 3-4 times a day or as prescribed by the physician.

Ascof Forte: Caplet: Adults: 1 tab 3-4 times a day. Children 7-12 years: ½ tab 3-4 times a day or as prescribed by the physician; 2-6 years: Dosage is maintained at 15 mg/kg of body weight 3 times a day. The dosage should not exceed 250 mg 3 times a day. The tablets may be crushed and mixed with desired amount of juice prior to administration.

Syrup: Adults: 10 mL (2 tsp) 3-4 times daily. Dose may be increased as needed.

Children: 15 mg/kg/dose (or 0.25 mL/kg/dose) administered 3 times daily; 40 kg body weight: 2 tsp 3 times daily; 6-12 years (20-40 kg): 1 ½ tsp 3 times daily; 4-6 years (15.5-20 kg): 1 tsp 3 times daily, 2-4 years (10-15.5 kg): ½ tsp 3 times daily.

Administration
May be taken with or without food (Take before or after meals.).
Contraindications
There are no known contraindications.
Precautions
Patients with allergy to lagundi plant.

Use in pregnancy & lactation: Possibility of adverse effects on pregnant and lactating women has not been studied.
Side Effects
Tablet: Only mild side effects on a few patients eg, itchiness, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea without a predominating complaint have been reported.

Syrup: None were reported in the clinical trials for the syrup.
Description
Ascof: Each tablet contains powdered lagundi 300 mg

Ascof Forte: Each caplet contains powdered lagundi 600 mg. Each 5 mL of syrup contains 300 mg extract of lagundi dried leaves.

Morphology: Lagundi is an erect-branched shrub that grows up to 5 meters high and is found in all regions of the Philippines. Its leaves are green, palmate and composed of 5 leaflets which are pointed at both ends. The middle leaflets are larger than the others. It has small violet flowers (6 mm) and bears tiny black succulent fruits. The herbs are nurtured organically in farms untainted by synthetic chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

Ascof/Ascof Forte tablets consist purely of dried mature leaves of lagundi, without any synthetic chemicals. These leaves are processed and manufactured into tablet form.

Phytochemical Analysis: Lagundi extract contains the following naturally-occurring pharmacologically active ingredients: Chrysoplenol-D, a smooth muscle relaxant; the antihistamines casticin, luteolin, isoorientin ; and lagundinin, a newly identified iridoid.

Lagundi is also known as Vitex negundo (Family Verbenaceae).
Actions
Cough remedy and antiasthma.

Pharmacology: In a study conducted at the UP College of Pharmacy, lagundi extract has been proven to inhibit the release of leukotrienes (a mediator in the inflamed process) from mast cells.

Lagundi is the only extensively studied cough remedy and antiasthma herbal preparation in the Philippines. The National Integrated Research Program on Medicinal Plants (NIRPOMP) has established in both animal and human studies, the wide margin of safety and efficacy of lagundi as a cough remedy and antiasthma medicine.

Clinical Studies: Tablet: Phase III double-blind placebo-controlled trial has shown bronchodilator and antitussive effects.

Syrup: Numerous randomized double-blind, controlled clinical trials conducted at the PGH, UST and health centers showed that lagundi syrup is effective in relieving acute cough of moderate severity.

A meta-analysis of clinical trials on lagundi vs placebo among pediatric patients with acute cough of moderate severity demonstrated that lagundi syrup resulted in better clinical improvement compared to placebo with a Peto odds ratio of 0.05 significance level.