Chinese Herbs – Lu Tou (Semen Phaseoli radiati)

Lu Tou is also known as Mung bean or Rice bean. The sweet, cold and non toxic herb has been used in TCM as antipyretic, diuretic and antidote for toxicity of arsenic, and poisons from plants or minerals agent and to treat edema, headache, etc., as it clears Heat, expels toxins, disperses Summer-Heat, etc., by enhancing the functions of heart and spleen channels

Ingredients
1. Protein
2. Fat
3. Carbohydrate
4. Fiber
5. Calcium
6. Iron
7. Magnesium
8. Phosphorus
9. Potassium
10. Selenium
11. Vitamin C
12. Phytosterols
13. Amino acids
14. Tryptophan
15. Threonine
16. Isoleucine
17. Leucine
18. Lysine
19. Methionine
20. Cystine
21. Phenylalanine
22. Tyrosine
23.  Valine
24. Arginine
25. Histidine
26. Alanine
27. Aspartic acid
28.  Glutamic acid
29. Glycine
30. Proline
31. Serine
32. Etc.

Health Benefits
1. Antioxidants
In the study to evaluate the AOA of cereals, millets, pulses and legumes, commonly consumed in India and assessed the relationship with their total phenolic content (TPC). AOA was assessed by DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl) radical scavenging assay, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay and reducing power. Among cereals and legumes, Finger millet (Ragi) and black gram dhal (Phaseolus mungo Roxb) had the highest TPC, the values being 373 and 418 mg/100 g respectively, while rice (Oryza sativa) and green gram dhal (Phaseolus aureus Roxb) showed the least (47.6 and 62.4 mg/100 g). In the present study, FRAP (r = 0.91) and reducing power (r = 0.90) showed significant correlation with TPC in cereals and millets, but not in pulses and legumes(1)
2. Oxidative properties 
In the investiagtion of the effects of kaempferol on the oxidative and phosphorylative properties of plant mitochondria from potato tubers and etiolated mung bean (Phaseolus aureus Roxb.) hypocotyls, showed that Kaempferol inhibited the state 3 oxidation rate of malate, NADH, and succinate, but was without effect on the ascorbate-tetramethyl p-phenylenediamine oxidation rate. The inhibition was almost the same whether the mitochondria were in state 3 or in an uncoupled state 3. When 180 micromolar kaempferol was added during state 4, the tight coupling of succinate or NADH oxidation was not released(2)
3. Etc.

Side Effects
1. Do not use the herb in Patient with weak digestion, chronic pain in the lower back with kidney deficiency
2. Do not use the herb in case of spleen deficiency
3. Etc.

For other Chinese herbs in western view, visit http://chineseherbsinnutrientsperspective.blogspot.com/2011/10/chinese-herbs-in-western-view-health.html

 For other health articles, please visit http://medicaladvisorjournals.blogspot.ca/

Sources
(1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19374263
(2) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16662212