Hydrilla Verticillata herb benefit as supplement and side effects

Hydrilla verticillata is a submerged aquatic plant.

Esthwaite Waterweed or Hydrilla) is an aquatic plant genus, usually treated as containing just one species, Hydrilla verticillata, though some botanists divide it into several species. Synonyms include H. asiatica, Hydrilla japonica, Hydrilla lithuanica, and Hydrilla ovalifolica.

Hydrilla verticillata is an efficient metal accumulator.

An extract of Hydrilla verticillata and associated epiphytes induces avian vacuolar myelinopathy in laboratory mallards.
Environ Toxicol. 2008 September. Wiley FE, Twiner MJ, Leighfield TA, Wilde SB, Van Dolah FM, Fischer JR, Bowerman WW. Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Clemson University, 261 Lehotsky Hall Clemson, South Carolina 29634, USA.
Avian vacuolar myelinopathy (AVM) is a neurological disease affecting bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), American coots (Fulica americana), waterfowl, and other birds in the southeastern United States. The cause of the disease is unknown, but is thought to be a naturally produced toxin. AVM is associated with aquatic macrophytes, most frequently hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata), and researchers have linked the disease to an epiphytic cyanobacterial species associated with the macrophytes. Our findings indicate that the methanol extracts of hydrilla collected from the AVM-affected site induced the disease in laboratory mallards. This study provides the first data documenting for an "extractable" AVM-inducing agent.

Effects of ammonium on the antioxidative response in Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle plants.
Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2010 Feb; Wang C, Zhang SH, Wang PF, Li W, Lu J. Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China.
To investigate ammonium toxicity, the submerged plant Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle was treated with 0.1-3.0mM ammonium for 12h and 4d. After exposure to ammonium for 4d, content of O2(-) and H2O2 increased in leaves of H. verticillata exposed to 3mM ammonium compared with control (0mM NH4Cl), while the malondialdehyde content decreased. The chlorophyll (a+b) and carotenoid concentrations decreased in H. verticillata plants exposed to 1.5-3mM ammonium for 12h and 4d. Compared with controls, the activity of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, glutathione reductase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione S-transferase increased in plants treated with ammonium for 12h, and the activity of most enzymes was further enhanced at 4d. The changes in nonprotein thiols, total glutathione, ascorbic acid, and dehydroascorbate content were also assayed. Our results suggest that ammonium induced the oxidative stress and the heated antioxidant response in H. verticillata.

Hydrilla Powder is available as a dietary supplement

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