→ View Product Details

Introduction

Indigo Naturalis (Qing Dai) is a natural botanical substance derived from plants traditionally used in East Asian herbal practices. For centuries, it has been referenced in historical medical texts and traditional herbal preparations.

In recent years, Indigo Naturalis has also attracted academic interest, and several scientific studies have explored its properties, traditional applications, and biological mechanisms.

This page provides an overview of selected research related to Indigo Naturalis.

Traditional Background

Indigo Naturalis has a long history in traditional East Asian herbal traditions, particularly in Chinese herbal medicine and Japanese Kampo medicine.

Historically, it has been derived from indigo-containing plants and processed into a powdered botanical substance. Traditional practitioners have referenced Indigo Naturalis in various herbal preparations for centuries.

Today, interest in traditional botanical ingredients has grown globally, leading to further scientific investigation into their properties and historical use.

Overview of Scientific Research

A number of academic studies have investigated Indigo Naturalis in different contexts. These include:

Clinical studies involving patients

Laboratory research exploring biological pathways

Experimental studies in controlled research environments

Researchers have explored the chemical compounds found in Indigo Naturalis and their potential interactions with biological systems.

Selected Research Studies

(1)

Maintenance Therapy Study

Title
Maintenance Efficacy of Oral Indigo Naturalis for Ulcerative Colitis: A Single-Center, Open-Label, Randomized, Controlled Study

Journal
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (2024)

Study Design

-Single-center clinical study

-Open-label randomized controlled trial

-Maintenance therapy evaluation

Overview

This study investigated whether continued administration of Indigo Naturalis could help maintain remission in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Participants had previously received Indigo Naturalis during induction therapy and had achieved mucosal healing confirmed by endoscopic evaluation.

Patients were then randomly assigned to one of two groups:

-Continue Indigo Naturalis therapy

-Discontinue Indigo Naturalis therapy

The primary endpoint of the study was the remission rate 52 weeks after discontinuation.

Study Results

A total of 20 patients participated in the study.

Remission rates at 52 weeks were:

-90% in the group that continued Indigo Naturalis

-20% in the group that discontinued treatment

The remission rate was significantly higher in the group that continued therapy.

Among patients who experienced relapse after discontinuation, several were treated again with Indigo Naturalis.
In those cases, remission was successfully re-induced.

No serious adverse events were reported during the observation period.

Research Context

Researchers noted that Indigo Naturalis has been investigated in multiple clinical studies for ulcerative colitis, including randomized controlled trials and observational research.

These studies contribute to ongoing scientific interest in traditional botanical ingredients and their biological properties.

Further research continues to explore long-term safety and clinical outcomes.

Reference

Matsuno Y. et al.
Maintenance Efficacy of Oral Indigo Naturalis for Ulcerative Colitis:
A Single-Center, Open-Label, Randomized, Controlled Study.
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. 2024.

Research Disclaimer

The information provided on this page is for educational and informational purposes only.

It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Individuals should consult qualified healthcare professionals regarding medical conditions or treatment decisions.

(2)

Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial (Japan)

Title
Efficacy of Indigo Naturalis in a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial of Patients With Ulcerative Colitis

Journal
Gastroenterology (2018)

Study design

-Multicenter

-Randomized

-Double-blind

-Placebo-controlled clinical trial

A total of 86 patients with active ulcerative colitis were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive Indigo Naturalis at daily doses of 0.5 g, 1.0 g, or 2.0 g, or a placebo for 8 weeks.

Study Outcomes

The study evaluated several clinical indicators commonly used in ulcerative colitis research.

Primary outcome

-Clinical response based on the Mayo score

Secondary outcomes included

-Clinical remission

-Endoscopic mucosal healing

The results showed a dose-dependent increase in clinical response rates among the Indigo Naturalis groups compared with the placebo group.

Clinical response rates reported in the study:

Placebo: 13.6%

-0.5 g group: 69.6%

-1.0 g group: 75.0%

-2.0 g group: 81.0%

Clinical remission at week 8 was also reported more frequently in some Indigo Naturalis groups compared with placebo.

Safety Observations

The study reported that mild liver dysfunction occurred in some participants.
The trial was also terminated early following an external report of pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with long-term use of self-purchased Indigo Naturalis.

Researchers concluded that while the results were notable, further research is necessary to better understand safety considerations.

Reference

Naganuma M. et al.
Efficacy of Indigo Naturalis in a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial of Patients With Ulcerative Colitis
Gastroenterology, 2018.

Research Disclaimer

Research discussed on this page is presented for educational and informational purposes only.
It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Individuals should consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding medical conditions.

Interested in Indigo Naturalis?

Explore our Indigo Naturalis product sourced from natural materials and shipped worldwide from Japan.

→ View Product Details