Holistic Health Articles and Research Related to Herbal Medicines, Foods and Phytochemicals : Chinese Herbs

Saturday, 16 November 2013

Chinese Herbs – Bai Qu Cai (Herba Chelidonii)

Bai Qu Cai is also known as greater celandine. The bitter, cool and toxic herb has been used in TCM to treat pain, coughing, gastritis, ulcer of stomach, abdomen pain, diarrhe, jaundice, chronic bronchitis, irregular menses, pain during menses, etc, as it alleviates pain, reduces swelling, removes toxin and blood stasis by enhancing the functions of Lung, Heart, Kidney channels.
Ingredients

1. Chelidonine，
2. Chelerythrine
3. Sanguinarine
4. α-, β-homochelidonine
5. Protopine
6. Berberine
7. Coptisine
8. Chelidonic acid
9. Choline
10. Rutoside
11. Celidoniol
12. Etc.
Health benefits 1. Anti-retroviral activity
Purified substance from the aqueous extract of Chelidonium majus L significantly prevented splenomegaly and the enlargement of cervical lymph nodes in C57Bl/6 mice chronically infected with the pool of murine leukemia retroviruses, according to the study of “In vitro and in vivo anti-retroviral activity of the substance purified from the aqueous extract of Chelidonium majus L.” by Gerencer M, Turecek PL, Kistner O, Mitterer A, Savidis-Dacho H, Barrett NP.(1)
2. Anti Cancer
Alkaloids sanguinarine and chelerythrine, chelidonine of Chelidonium majus L. were identified as major components of Ukrain, an anti cancer semisynthetic derivative of the Chelidonium majus L. alkaloid chelidonine and the alkylans thiotepa, have exerted the activity as a potent inducer of apoptosis triggering cell death at concentrations of 0.001 mM, according to the study of “Proapoptotic activity of Ukrain is based on Chelidonium majus L. alkaloids and mediated via a mitochondrial death pathway” by Habermehl D, Kammerer B, Handrick R, Eldh T, Gruber C, Cordes N, Daniel PT, Plasswilm L, Bamberg M, Belka C, Jendrossek V.(2)
3. Anti inflammation
Stylopine is a major component of the leaf of Chelidonium majus L. has domctrated the anti inflammatory effect due to suppress the NO and PGE2 production in macrophages by inhibiting the iNOS and COX-2 expressions, according to the study of “Stylopine from Chelidonium majus inhibits LPS-induced inflammatory mediators in RAW 264.7 cells” by Jang SI, Kim BH, Lee WY, An SJ, Choi HG, Jeon BH, Chung HT, Rho JR, Kim YJ, Chai KY.(3)
4. Liver cancer
Chelidonium-30 (Ch-30) and Chelidonium-200 (Ch-200) of Bai Qu Cai have showed anti-tumor activity and also favorably modulated genotoxic damages produced by an azo dye in mice, according to the study of “Evaluation of protective potentials of a potentized homeopathic drug, Chelidonium majus, during azo dye induced hepatocarcinogenesis in mice” by Biswas SJ, Khuda-Bukhsh AR.(4)
5. Antifungal activity
Six compounds determined, 8-hydroxydihydrosanguinarine (1) and 8-hydroxydihydrochelerythrine (2) demonstrated potent activity with the MIC ranges of 2-80 and 4-100 microg/mL, respectively. Dihydrosanguinarine (3), dihydrochelerythrine (4), sanguinarine (5) and chelerythrine (6) had exerted some degree of antifungal activity, according to the study of “Antifungal activity of the benzo[c]phenanthridine alkaloids from Chelidonium majus Linn against resistant clinical yeast isolates” by Meng F, Zuo G, Hao X, Wang G, Xiao H, Zhang J, Xu G.(5)
6. Antibacterial activity
8-hydroxylated benzo[c]phenanthridine-type alkaloids isolated from C.majus has exerted selective antibacterial activity against MRSA strains, according to the study of “Antibacterial alkaloids from chelidonium majus linn (papaveraceae) against clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus” by Zuo GY, Meng FY, Hao XY, Zhang YL, Wang GC, Xu GL.(6)
7. Breast cancer
Peptides from Hypericum perforatum and a mixture of Chelidonium majus L., Inula helenium L., Equisetum arvense L., and Inonotus obliquus exhibited maximum activity against slowly growing mammary adenocarcinoma in mice, according to the study of “Evaluation of antitumor activity of peptide extracts from medicinal plants on the model of transplanted breast cancer in CBRB-Rb(8.17)1Iem mice” by Tepkeeva II, Moiseeva EV, Chaadaeva AV, Zhavoronkova EV, Kessler YV, Semushina SG, Demushkin VP.(7)
8. Antioxidant activity
Extract of C. majus L. had found to have a strong antioxidant potential and exerted the antiproliferative activity via apoptosis on leukemia cells, according to the study of “Potential antioxidant activity, cytotoxic and apoptosis-inducing effects of Chelidonium majus L. extract on leukemia cells” by Nadova S, Miadokova E, Alfoldiova L, Kopaskova M, Hasplova K, Hudecova A, Vaculcikova D, Gregan F, Cipak L.(8)
9. Cervical cancer
Milky sap isolated from Chelidonium majus L. (Greater Celandine), including alkaloids, flavonoids and phenolic acids has exhibited apoptotic activity in HeLa tumour cell line, but not in Chinese Hamster Ovary cells, without inflammatory reaction, according to the study of “Nucleases isolated from Chelidonium majus L. milky sap can induce apoptosis in human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells but not in Chinese Hamster Ovary CHO cells” by Nawrot R, Wołuń-Cholewa M, Goździcka-Józefiak A.(9)
10. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
Chelidonium majus methanol extract has significantly suppressed the progression of CIA and inhibited the production of TNF-alpha and IL-6 in spleen and lymph node. The erosion of cartilage was dramatically reduced in mouse knees after treatment with CME, according to the study of “Suppressive effects of Chelidonium majus methanol extract in knee joint, regional lymph nodes, and spleen on collagen-induced arthritis in mice” by Lee YC, Kim SH, Roh SS, Choi HY, Seo YB.(10)
11. Radiation protective effect
CM-AIa of Chelidonium majus treatment 24 hours before irradiation found to be protective mice with 80% survival at lethal dose 100/15. according to the study of ‘Radiation protective effect of an extract from Chelidonium majus” by Song JY, Yang HO, Shim JY, Ji-Yeon-Ahn, Han YS, Jung IS, Yun YS.(11)
12. Etc.
Side effects
1. Bai Qu Cai may cause acute hepatitis, according to the study of “Hepatitis from Greater celandine (Chelidonium majus L.): review of literature and report of a new case” by Moro PA, Cassetti F, Giugliano G, Falce MT, Mazzanti G, Menniti-Ippolito F, Raschetti R, Santuccio C.(a)
2. Bai Qu Cai is toxic, it may cause abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.
3. Do not use if you are pregnant or breast feeding without approval of your doctor or related field specialist.
4. Etc.