Isatis radix

Medicinal drug (Ph.Eur.8) from the dried root of the woad plant, which is mainly used in traditional Chinese medicine .

Woad extract (Isatis Tinctoria Leaf Extract) is used as an additive in finished preparations for the treatment of atopic dermatitis.

Glucosinolates such as epigoitrin, epiprogoitrin, gluconapin. The mustard oil glycoside glucobrassicin can also be obtained from woad. The root extracts also contain various organ. The root extracts also contain various organic acids such as benzoic acid and salicylic acid, as well as the colourless glycoside indican, which oxidizes in the air to form indigo, the blue dye. Indican can also oxidize to indirubin, a structural isomer of indigo.

Antibacterial, antiviral and antiphlogistic.

Internal: Crushed drug for tea preparations.

Extracts of woad are used externally for dry skin, skin irritations and atopic eczema.

Little is known about this. Reference should be made to the package leaflet for the finished preparations.

Isatidis Radix is a traditional Chinese remedy with antiviral effect: used for influenza infections, measles and mumps.

A topical preparation (Dermasence Vitop forte®) with extracts from woad, green tea and aloe vera is recommended for inflammatory skin (e.g. atopic eczema).

The woad bitter liqueur is made from Isatidis Radix.

1. Brattström A et al (2010) The plantextract Isatis tinctoria L. extract (ITE) inhibits allergen-induced airway inflammation and hyperreactivity in mice. Phytomedicine 17(8-9):551-556.
2. Wang Y et al (2009) Synergistic effects of Isatis tinctoria L. and tacrolimus in the prevention of acute heart rejection in mice. Transpl Immunol 22(1-2):5-11.
3. Recio MC et al (2006) Anti-arthritic activity of a lipophilic woad (Isatis tinctoria) extract. Planta Med 72:715-720.
4. Recio MC et al.(2006) Anti-inflammatory and antiallergic activity in vivo of lipophilic Isatis tinctoria extracts andtryptanthrin. Planta Med 72:539-546.
5. Zhou J et al (2011)Analysis of the extracts of Isatis tinctoria by new analytical approaches of HPLC, MS and NMR. Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med 8(5 Suppl):33-45.