Wednesday 30 October 2013

Chinese Herbs– Yuan Zhi (Radix Polygalae Tenuifoliae)

Yuan Zhi is also known as Thinleaf Milkwort Root. The sweet and slightly cool herb has been used in TCM as antibiotic property, anti-viral property, and anti-tumor agent and to treat hepatitis B, tumors in the digestive system, respiratory system and in the uterus, etc., as it calms the Heart, transforms Phlegm,  resolves furuncle and oedema, expel toxin, etc. by enhancing the functions of spleen, lung and liver channels.

Ingredients
1. Protein-bound polysaccharide (PSK)
2. Polysaccharopeptides (PSP)
3. Etc.

Health Benefits
1. Alzheimer’s disease
In the study to test the effects of water extracts of six medicinal herbs (Radix polygalae tenuifoliae, Radix salviae miltiorrhizae, Rhizoma acori graminei, Rhizoma pinelliae ternatae, Tuber curcumae and Scletrotium poriae cocos) on the cytotoxic action of Abeta(1-40) with PC-12 cells, showed that eugenol may act by blocking Abeta-induced-Ca(2+) intake and provide a strong case for further pursuit of the therapeutic and prophylactic potentials of RAG and its active principles for the management of Alzheimer’s disease(1).
2. Anti cancers
In the study to examine the protein-bound polysaccharide of Coriolus versicolor QUEL (PS-K) anti cancer effect, showed that The SOD activity of LLC-WRC-256 (Walker 256 fibrosarcoma) cell lines was less than that of NRK-49F (rat normal kidney fibroblast), H4-II-E (rat hepatoma) and H4-II-E-C3 (rat hepatoma) cell lines. This activity in Walker 256 fibrosarcoma cells increased by 3.6 times and H2O2 concentration, by 2.56 times by PS-K 500 micrograms/ml. Cell proliferation was consequently suppressed and living cells decreased to less than 50% of the cells cultured without PS-K. Catalase and glutathione peroxidase activity changed little by PS-K. The sensitivity of cancer cells to PS-K can be predetermined based on SOD activity in tumor tissue(2).
3. Immunopotentiation activity 
In the study to investigate the protein-bound polysaccharide, PSK, extracted from the mycelium of Coriolus versicolor (Fr.) Quel, for its host-mediated induction of antitumor and antimicrobial activities in mice, showed that  PSK, F4 or Fr. 4 additively or synergistically stimulated TNF-induced cytotoxicity against L-929 cells, differentiation of human myelogenous leukemia cell lines toward monocytes/macrophages, and iodination of human peripheral blood PMN. The active PSK subfractions significantly reduced the down regulation of specific 125I-TNF or 125I-IFN-gamma binding to cellular receptors. These data suggest that (i) immunopotentiation activity of PSK might be ascribed, at least in part, to stimulation of cytokine action and production, and (ii) PSK might have some unique structural features(3).
4. Reduction of  hematological suppression
In the study to nvestigate the effects of PSK, a protein-bound polysaccharide derived from the cultured mycelium of CM101, Coriolus versicolor (Fr.) Quél in Basidiomycetes, on human hemopoietic progenitors, shpwed that PSK alone did not stimulate colony formation by human bone marrow progenitors. Although 1-100 micrograms/ml of PSK had no effects on colony formation stimulated by erythropoietin and medium conditioned by phytohemagglutinin-stimulated leukocytes, more than 1 mg/ml of PSK inhibited all types of colony formation. In contrast, medium conditioned by PSK-stimulated leukocytes significantly stimulated formation of various types of colonies including erythroid bursts, granulocyte and/or macrophage colonies, eosinophil colonies, megakaryocyte colonies and mixed hemopoietic colonies. It is speculated that administration of the optimal dose of PSK can reduce the hematological suppression of antitumor drugs(4).
5. Etc.

Side Effects
1. Do not use the herb in newborn, children or if you are pregnant or breast feeding without first consulting with the related field specialist.
2. Etc.



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Sources
(1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12560134
(2) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7812358
(3) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2064356
(4) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2618537

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