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

Saturday, 16 November 2013

Chinese Herbs – Bai Shou Wu (Radix Cynanchi bungei)

Bai Shou Wu is also known as Bunge Auriculate Root, the bitter, sweet and astringe herb has been used in TCM to regulate the immune system, Promotes hair growth, Protects liver, Lowering blood lipids and also as anti injury caused by oxidation and anti aging medicine as it promote the functions of enhancing the liver, kidney, spleen and stomach channels.

Ingredients

1. Phospholipid
2. C21 steroid ester glycoside
3. Wilfoside
4. Cynauricuoside
5. Gagamine
6. Metaplexigenin
7. Kidiolanin
8. Baishouwubenzophenone
9. Glutamic acid
10. Aspartic acid
11. Argi-nine
12. Cynanchum bungei Decne
13. Bungeisid
14. 4-hydroxy-acetophenone
15. 2，4-dihydroxyacetophenone
16. Blumenol
17. Leucanthemitol
18. 7-O- glucosylliquiritigenin
19. β-sitosterol glucoside
20. Etc.
Health Benefits
1. Immune system
Component PRCB1a of polysaccharides from Radix Cynanchi Bungei ahs exerted the property of enhancing the ability of T lymphocytes proliferation, improving the thymus and spleen index, celiac macrophage ability and delaying hypersensitivity ability, according to the stuydy of ” [Studies on immunoregulation of polysaccharides-la from Radix Cynanchi Bungei].[Article in Chinese]” by Gao LJ, Wang JH, Cui JH, Wang HZ.(1)
2. Gastroprotective activity
Oral administration of ethanol extract and chloroform fraction of Cynoctonum wilfordii (Bai Shou Wu)Has inhibited the development of ethanol- and indomethacin-induced gastric lesions and also caused significant decrease of gastric acid secretion after histamine-induced gastric lesion, according to the study of “Gastroprotective effect of a traditional Chinese herbal drug “Baishouwu” on experimental gastric lesions in rats”, by Shan L, Liu RH, Shen YH, Zhang WD, Zhang C, Wu DZ, Min L, Su J, Xu XK.(2)
3. Liver cancer
Caudatin-2,6-dideoxy-3-O-methy-β-D-cymaropyranoside (CDMC), the C-21 steroidal glycoside recently extracted from Bai Shou Wu had exerted the anticancer activity of CDMC by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing of apoptosis associated with caspase 3 activation, according to the study of “Caudatin-2,6-dideoxy-3-O-methy-β-D-cymaropyranoside 1 induced apoptosis through caspase 3-dependent pathway in human hepatoma cell line SMMC7721″ by Peng YR, Ding YF, Wei YJ, Shu B, Li YB, Liu XD.(3)
4. Antitumor effects
Wilfoside C3N, one of the two most abundant and active C21 steroidal glycoside (C21) of Baishouwu, has inhibited the proliferation of ECA109 cells moderately in a dose and time-dependent manner and induced apoptosis in the ECA109 cell line through a mitochondrial pathway, according to the study of “Antitumor effects by Wilfoside C3N treatment in ECA109 cells” by Liu K, Chen F, Zhang H.(4)
5. Lung cancer
Three C2 steroidal saponins from Cynanchum auriculatum have exhibited on the cell growth and cell cycle of human lung cancer A549 cells, according to the study of “[Effects of three C21 steroidal saponins from Cynanchum auriculatum on cell growth and cell cycle of human lung cancer A549 cells].[Article in Chinese]” by Yao N, Gu X, Li Y.(5)
6. Antioxidants
Sijunzi decoction and Siwu decoction can increase the vitality of SOD, accelerate the elimination of free-radical and inhibit the growth of LPO and MAO-B, according to the study of “[Comparative study on the anti-free-radical damage by vital energy-reinforcing method and blood-tonifying method].[Article in Chinese]” by Gong YX, Sun Y, Lin AP.(6)
7. Hair growth
The water diluted juice of bai shou wu, after 6 weeks has exhibited the function of turning the 70% of gray hair of 70% of the patients to black and enhancing hair regrowth of 50 % of bald head patient, according to the study of “Bai Shou Wu” by Joe Hing kwok Chu(7)
8. Etc.
Side Effects
1. Although bai shou wu is not toxic, do not use the herb without approval of related field specialist, if you are pregnant or breast feeding
2. No side effect is known?