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

Thursday 14 November 2013

Chinese Herbs – Di Gu Pi (Fructus Lycii)

Di Gu Pi is also known as wolfberry bark.

Gou Qi Zi is known as wolfberry fruit and

Gou Qi Ye is known as wolfberry leaves.

The sweet and neutral herb has been used in TCM as anti aging and anti cancer agent and to enhance the immune system, lower blood lipids, elevate level of testosterone, protect the liver function, prevent fatty liver, simulate estrogens, etc., as it nourishes and tonifies the liver, lung and kidney, etc., by enhancing the functions of liver, lung and kidney channels.
Ingredients
1. Betaine
2. β-sitosterol
3. Linoleic acid
4. Physalien
5; Pryptoxanthin
6. Atropine
7. Hyoscyamine
8. Scopoletin
9. Amino acids
10. Zeaxanthin
11. Dipalmitate
12. Carotene
13. Lutein
14. Etc.
Health Benefits
1. Hyperlipidemia
In the determination of the scientific evidence for the efficacy of TCM and attempts to identify potential TCM formulas of more than 50 TCM formulas have been used to treat hyperlipidemia. These herbs can primarily be grouped into three categories: (1) herbs promoting excretions, generally by reducing food retention, enhancing purgative effects, and promoting diuresis and choleretic effects, e.g., Fructus Crataegi (), Radix Polygoni Multiflori (), Semen Cassiae (), and Radix et Rhizoma Rhei (), Rhizoma alismatis (), and Herba Artemisiae Scopariae (); (2) herbs acting on the cardiovascular system, generally by improving blood circulation based on TCM theories, e.g., Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae (), Radix Puerariae (), Rhizoma Chuanxiong (), Flos Carthami (), and Folium Nelumbinis (); and (3) herbs that have tonic effects, e.g., Fructus Lycii (), Radix Ginseng (), and Radix Astragali ().for treating hyperlipidemia, found that Three basic approaches, including excretory function enhancement, cardiovascular system improvement, and tonic effect reinforcement, are emerging among TCM formulas for the treatment of hyperlipidemia. These approaches may be useful in controlling blood lipid levels, preventing cardiovascular complications, and adjusting bodily functions in hyperlipidemic patients, according to “Emerging approaches of traditional Chinese medicine formulas for the treatment of hyperlipidemia” by Xie W, Zhao Y, Du L.(1)
2. Diabetes is an inflammatory disease
In the investigation of Diabetes is usually associated with inflammation. Inflammation contributes to the development of diabetes in Traditional Chinese medicines (TCM),
found that TCM might exert hypoglycaemic effects that are partly mediated by the anti-inflammatory mechanisms. However, small amounts of TCM with potent anti-inflammatory action does not have any hypoglycaemic effect. This indirectly indicates that diabetes may be a low-grade inflammatory disease and potent regulation of inflammatory mediators may not be required. Studies of TCM add new evidences, which indicate that diabetes may be an inflammatory disease and slight or moderate inhibition of inflammation might be useful to prevent the development of diabetes, according to “Diabetes is an inflammatory disease: evidence from traditional Chinese medicines’ By Xie W, Du L.(2)
3. Neuroprotective effect
In the assessment of the neuroprotective effect of Samjunghwan (SJH)(composed of Mori Fructus, Lycii Radicis Cortex, and Atractylodis Rhizoma Alba) in Alzheimer’s disease induced by amyloid-beta (Abeta) and examined the related pathways, found that SJH appears to provide neuroprotection against mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathways in this Abeta(25-35)-induced Alzheimer’s disease model, according to “Evaluation of Samjunghwan, a traditional medicine, for neuroprotection against damage by amyloid-beta in rat cortical neurons” by Kim HG, Ju MS, Park H, Seo Y, Jang YP, Hong J, Oh MS.(3)
4. Oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction
In the study of prevention of a milk-based wolfberry preparation (WP) on cognitive dysfunction in a prenatal stress model with rats and the antioxidant mechanism was tested by in vitro experiments, suggested that dietary supplementation with WP may be an effective strategy for preventing the brain oxidative mitochondrial damage and cognitive dysfunction associated with prenatal stress, according to “A milk-based wolfberry preparation prevents prenatal stress-induced cognitive impairment of offspring rats, and inhibits oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction in vitro” by Feng Z, Jia H, Li X, Bai Z, Liu Z, Sun L, Zhu Z, Bucheli P, Ballèvre O, Wang J, Liu J(4)
5. Anti aging
In the investigation of investigate whether LBP can elicit neuroprotection to neurons stressed by A beta peptides. Furthermore, we planned to isolate and identify the neuroprotective agent from polysaccharide-containing extract (LBP) from L. barbarum, using chromatographic methods, found that pretreatment of LBP effectively protected neurons against A beta-induced apoptosis by reducing the activity of both caspase-3 and -2, but not caspase-8 and -9. A new arabinogalactan-protein (LBP-III) was isolated from LBP and attenuated A beta peptide-activated caspase-3-like activity. LBP-III markedly reduced the phosphorylation of PKR triggered by A beta peptide. Since the phosphorylation state of PKR increased with age, reduction of its phosphorylation triggered by A beta peptide may implicate that LBP-III from Fructus lycii is a potential neuroprotective agent in AD, according to “Characterization of the effects of anti-aging medicine Fructus lycii on beta-amyloid peptide neurotoxicity” by Yu MS, Lai CS, Ho YS, Zee SY, So KF, Yuen WH, Chang RC.(5)
6. Etc.
Side Effects
1. The herb can interact with other medicine, such as warfarin
2. Do not you Di Gu Pi or Gou Qi Zi if you are disgnosed with spleen deficiency with symptoms of loose stool or diarrhea.
3. Do not us the herb to treat diseases caused by external heat
4. Etc.