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

Saturday 16 November 2013

Chinese Herbs – Bo Ye (Cacumen Biotae Orientalis)

Bo Ye (Ce Bai Ye, Bai Ye) is also known as biota orientalis leaves. The bitter and cool herb has been used in TCM to stop bleeding, harmonize blood, inhibit cough ad as an anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory agent. The seed is laxative and sedative and used to treat palpitations, insomnia, nervous disorders and constipation in the seniors as it cleans heat, stops bleeding, harmonizes blood, etc. by promoting the function of heart, liver, large intestine channels.
Ingredients
1. Fenchone

2. Bornyl
3. Bronyl acetate
4. Juniperic acid
5. Quercetin
6. Myricetin
7. Kaempferol
8. Hinokiflavone
9. Etc.

Health benefits 1. Liver fibrosis
Totarol and isopimara-8(14),15-dien-19-oic acid from the 90% methanolic fraction of Biota orientalis leaves have exerted the dramatically reduced cell proliferation of liver fibrosis, according to the study of ” Antifibrotic activity of diterpenes from Biota orientalis leaves on hepatic stellate cell” by Mi Kyeong Lee, Hyekyung Yang, Jeong Seon Yoon, Eun Ju Jeong, Do Yoon Kim, Na Ry Ha, Sang Hyun Sung and Young Choong Kim(1)
2. Anti-allergic effect
Lambertianic acid, a bioactive diterpene found in the leaves of Thuja orientalis has exerted its effect on the allergic mediatorsthe by inhibiting the production of interleukin-6 (IL-6), PGD(2) and LTC(4), the expression of COX-2 and the degranulation of β-hexosaminidase in the (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate) PMA plus calcimycin-induced bone marrow-derived mast cell (BMMCs), according to the study of “Anti-allergic effect of lambertianic acid from Thuja orientalis in mouse bone marrow-derived mast cells” by Chae HS, Chin YW.(1)
3. Anti-inflammatory effect
15-methoxypinusolidic acid (15-MPA) isolated from Biota orientalis has demonstrated anti-inflammatory effect of the compound on microglial cells by inhibiting LPS-induced (inducible nitric oxide synthase)iNOS expression and (nitric oxide)NO production, independent on MAPK and NF-kappaB, according to the study of “A pinusolide derivative, 15-methoxypinusolidic acid from Biota orientalis inhibits inducible nitric oxide synthase in microglial cells: implication for a potential anti-inflammatory effect” byChoi Y, Moon A, Kim YC.(3)
4. Neuronal damage
Water extract, pinusolidic acid of Biota orientalis has shown a potent inhibitory effect on platelet activating factor (PAF) binding to rabbit platelets using [ (3)H]PAF, rsutling in lessening the risk of neuronal damage, according to the study of “Pinusolidic acid: a platelet-activating factor inhibitor from Biota orientalis” by Yang HO, Han BH.(4)
5. Coagulation
Quercitrin of Bo Ye has exerted the activity of promotes hemostasis or stop bleeding, according to the study of “Studies on the antihemostatic substances in herbs classified as hemostatics in traditional Chinese medicine. I. On the antihemostatic principles in Sophora japonica L” byH Ishida, T Umino, K Tsuji, T Kosuge(5)
6. Gout and hyperuricemia
Biota orientalis (BO) extract and its flavonoid constituents quercetin and rutin has exerted inhibitory actions on the xanthine dehydrogenase/xanthine oxidase (XDH/XO) activities, according to the study of “Effects of Biota orientalis extract and its flavonoid constituents, quercetin and rutin on serum uric acid levels in oxonate-induced mice and xanthine dehydrogenase and xanthine oxidase activities in mouse liver” by Ji Xiao Zhu, Ying Wang, Ling Dong Kong , Cheng Yang, Xin Zhang(6)
7. Etc.
Side effects
1. Long term intake and overdoses can cause dizziness, nausea, vomiting. etc.
2. Do not use the herb, if you are pregnant or breast feeding with no permission of related field specialist.
3. Etc.