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

Wednesday, 6 November 2013

Chinese Herbs – Ji Gu Cao (Herba Abri fruticulosi)

Ji Gu Cao is also known as Chinese prayer bead grass. The sweet, slightly bitter and cool herb has been used in TCM as anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, antioxidant, anti-aging, anti-cancer, antibiotic agent and to protect the liver, lower blood sugar, enhance autoimmune function, etc, as it eliminates Blood stasis, treats rheumatic pain, clear Heat and relieves toxicity, soothes the Liver, etc., by enhancing the functions of liver and stomach channels.
Ingredients
1. Abrine
2. Hypaphorine
3. Precatorine
4. Choline
5. Abrin I, II, III
6. Abrus precatorius agglutinin (lectin) I, II
7. Ricin
8. Abricin
9. Abridin
10. Squalene
11. Cycloartenol
12. Campesterol
13. 5β-cholanic acid
14. Abrussic acid
15. Sophoradiol
16. Etc.
Health Benefits
1. Liver cancer
In the investigation of the protective effects of Abrus precatorius L. (Leguminosae) (AP) in HepG2 cells and N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) induced hepatocellular carcinoma in Swiss albino rats, showed that
the AP extract has strong cytotoxic effects on HepG2 cells. The
expression of p53 was markedly increased and maintained at high level from 6-12
hr with 100 μg/ml of AP extract, according to ” Exploring the Protective Effects of Abrus precatorius in HepG2 and N-Nitrosodiethylamine-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Swiss Albino Rats” by Ramaswami Kartika, Chandana Venkateshwara Raoa, Palpu Pushpangadanb, Sunil Prakesh Trivedic, Gaddam Dayanand Reddyd(1)
2. Antimicrobial activity
In the investigation of the in-vitro antimicrobial activities of the extracts of Abrus precatorius on some clinical isolates as resistance to available and affordable antibiotics by these pathogens is on the increase, showed that extract from the stem and seed oil were potent against some of the gram-positive bacteria and Candida albicans but not against S anginosus, E. faecalis and gram-negative bacteria tested. The pH of the extracts ranged between pH5 and pH8 and concluded that Abrus precatorius particularly the seed oil has a potent antimicrobial activity, according to “The in-vitro antimicrobial activity of Abrus precatorius (L) fabaceae extract on some clinical pathogens” by Adelowotan O, Aibinu I, Adenipekun E, Odugbemi T.(2)
3. Antiplatelet, anti-inflammatory and antiallergic effects
In the investigation of the afficacy of five isoflavanquinones isolated from the roots of Abrus precatorius L. (Leguminosae). Three of them are new and designated as abruquinones D, E, and F. The pharmacological activities of the isoflavanquinones, found that abruquinones A, B, and D exhibited remarkable inhibitory effects on the platelet aggregation. The IC50 of abruquinones A and B for the inhibition of the platelet aggregation induced by arachidonic acid (AA) and collagen were less than 5 micrograms/ml, and of abruquinone D, was less than 10 micrograms/ml for that induced by AA. On the other hand, abruquinones A, B, D, and F showed strong anti-inflammatory and antiallergic effects, according to “Potent antiplatelet, anti-inflammatory and antiallergic isoflavanquinones from the roots of Abrus precatorius” by Kuo SC, Chen SC, Chen LH, Wu JB, Wang JP, Teng CM.(3)
4. Etc.

Side Effects
1. The seed of Ji Gu Cao is toxic
2. Do not use the herb in newborn, children or if you are pregnant or breast feeding without consulting first with the related field specialist
3. Etc.