Indigofera tinctora  木 蓝 Mù lán  Indigo  Family: Leguminosae    
A blue dying powder is also extracted from Baphicacanthus cusia, Persicaria tinctoria, Isatis tinctoria.
This is a species of plant from the bean family that was one of the original sources of indigo dye. It has been naturalized to tropical and temperate Asia, as well as parts of Africa and has been in cultivation worldwide for many centuries. Today a natural blue dye from I. tinctoria is marketed as natural coloring where it is known as tarum in Indonesia and nila in Malaysia. The plant is also widely grown as a soil-improving groundcover. 




 PART USED: Roots and Leaves
Nature: Cold    FLAVOR: Salty
FUNCTIONS
1. Clears the Liver to dispel depression.[1]
2. Cools the blood and detoxifies, reduces inflammation and alleviated pain.[1]
INDICATIONS
1. Acute laryngitis, lymphadenitis, mumps.[1]
2. Sudden high fevers.[1]
3. Swellings that are inflamed, scabies, heat rash.[1]
PREPARATIONS: Decoction. Roots and leaves 15-30 g for each dose. Fresh leaves in suitable amount, crushed and used externally.[1]
 青黛 Qīng Dài  Indigo flower    
Nature: Cold    FLAVOR: Salty
FUNCTIONS
1. Clears fevers, cools blood, detoxifies.[1]
INDICATIONS
1. Fevers, rashes, hematemesis, hemoptysis, infantile convulsions, abscesses, erysipelas.[1]
PREPARATIONS: Decoction. Flower 1.5-3 g for each dose. Suitable amount may be used for external purposes.[1]

NOTE: Qīng dài is also a blue residue obtained from boiling Indigofera.

HABITAT: Grows mostly on hilly slopes, wild areas, and among weed patches along roadsides. Also found cultivated.
DESCRIPTION: Erect standing shrub. Stems; erect, anoted, small branches covered by fine silvery white hairs. Leaves; alternate, oddly pinnate compound, leaflets 7-15, opposite, long elliptical or obovate, apexes acute, bases cuneate, margins intact, back surfaces greyish-white and pubescent. Flowers; reddish-yellow, appearing in spring, forming racemic inflorescences. Legume slender and long, containing 5-12 seeds.
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Research

Comparative and quantitative analysis of antioxidant and scavenging potential of Indigofera tinctoria Linn. extracts.
Singh R, Sharma S, Sharma V.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
To compare and elucidate the antioxidant efficacy of ethanolic and hydroethanolic extracts of Indigofera tinctoria Linn. (Fabaceae family).
METHODS:
Various in-vitro antioxidant assays and free radical-scavenging assays were done. Quantitative measurements of various phytoconstituents, reductive abilities and chelating potential were carried out along with standard compounds. Half inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for ethanol and hydroethanol extracts were analyzed and compared with respective standards.
RESULTS:
Hydroethanolic extracts showed considerably more potent antioxidant activity in comparison to ethanol extracts. Hydroethanolic extracts had lower IC50 values than ethanol extracts in the case of DPPH, metal chelation and hydroxyl radical-scavenging capacity (829, 659 and 26.7 μg/mL) but had slightly higher values than ethanol in case of SO2- and NO2-scavenging activity (P<0.001 vs standard). Quantitative measurements also showed that the abundance of phenolic and flavonoid bioactive phytoconstituents were significantly (P<0.001) greater in hydroethanol extracts (212.920 and 149.770 mg GAE and rutin/g of plant extract respectively) than in ethanol extracts (211.691 and 132.603 mg GAE and rutin/g of plant extract respectively). Karl Pearson's correlation analysis (r2) between various antioxidant parameters and bioactive components also associated the antioxidant potential of I. tinctoria with various phytoconstituents, especially phenolics, flavonoids, saponins and tannins.
CONCLUSION:
This study may be helpful to draw the attention of researchers towards the hydroethanol extracts of I. tinctoria, which has a high yield, and great prospects in herbal industries to produce inexpensive and powerful herbal products.
J Integr Med. 2015 Jul;13(4):269-78. doi: 10.1016/S2095-4964(15)60183-2. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of Indigofera tinctoria Linn on liver antioxidant defense system during D-galactosamine/endotoxin-induced acute hepatitis in rodents.
Sreepriya M, Devaki T, Balakrishna K, Apparanantham T.
Abstract
Effects of pre-treatment with the alcoholic extract of I. tinctoria (500 mg/kg body wt/day, p.o. for 21 days) on liver antioxidant defense system during acute hepatitis induced by D-galactosamine (D-GalN)/endotoxin (LPS extracted by phenol water method from E. coli serotype 0111.B4; 300 mg and 30 micrograms/kg body wt/day, i.p., 18 hr before the assay) were investigated on the activities of enzymic antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-s-transferase, and levels of total reduced glutathione in the liver of normal and experimental groups of male albino rats. Since lipid peroxidation and associated membrane damage is a key feature of D-galN/LPS-induced liver injury, the levels of lipid peroxides, was estimated and used as an index of oxidative stress. D-GalN/endotoxin-induced hepatic damage was manifested by a significant decrease in the activities of antioxidant enzymes, decreased glutathione levels and increased levels of lipid peroxides. I. tinctoria pre-treated rats showed considerable protection against D-galN/endotoxin, induced oxidative stress as evidenced by a significant increase in the activities of all the antioxidant enzymes studied and significant decrease in the levels of lipid peroxides. Results indicate that pretreatment with I. tinctoria extract in rats is very effective in reducing D-GalN/endotoxin-induced oxidative stress suggesting an antioxidant effect. Indian J Exp Biol. 2001 Feb;39(2):181-4. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov