Holistic Health Articles and Research Related to Herbal Medicines, Foods and Phytochemicals : Chinese Herbs– Ma Ren or Huo Ma Ren (Semen Cannabis Sativae)

Wednesday, 6 November 2013

Chinese Herbs– Ma Ren or Huo Ma Ren (Semen Cannabis Sativae)

Ma Ren or Huo Ma Ren is also known as hemp seed. The sweet and neutral herb has been used in TCM to treat constipation, acute infection of urinary tract, rheumatoid arthritis, diarrhea, irregular menses, etc., as it moistens the Intestines, promotes bowel movement, etc., by enhancing the functions of spleen, stomach, large intestine channels.
Ingredients
1. Dietary fiber
2. Fat
3. Saturated fat
4. Palmitic
5. Stearic
6. Monounsaturated fat
7. Oleic
8. Polyunsaturated fat
9. Linoleic
10. Linolenic
11. Gamma-Linolenic
12. Etc.
Health Benefits
1. Antidepressant-like effect
In the assessment of the antidepressant-like activity of Delta(9)-THC and other cannabinoids showed that Delta(9)-THC exhibited the same U-shaped dose response with significant antidepressant-like action at 2.5 mg/kg (p<0.05) while CBC resulted in a significant dose-dependent decrease in immobility at 40 and 80 mg/kg doses (p<0.01). Results of this study show that Delta(9)-THC and other cannabinoids exert antidepressant-like actions, and thus may contribute to the overall mood-elevating properties of cannabis, according to “Antidepressant-like effect of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol and other cannabinoids isolated from Cannabis sativa L.” by El-Alfy AT, Ivey K, Robinson K, Ahmed S, Radwan M, Slade D, Khan I, ElSohly M, Ross S.(1)
2. Atherogenesis and contractile function
In the determination of if determine if hempseed ingestion over an 8-week period may provide protection to rabbits against the deleterious effects associated with dietary cholesterol supplementation, revealed that dietary hempseed provides mildly beneficial effects against contractile dysfunction associated with atherosclerotic vessels in the cholesterol-fed rabbit, according to “The effect of dietary hempseed on atherogenesis and contractile function in aortae from hypercholesterolemic rabbits” by Gavel NT, Edel AL, Bassett CM, Weber AM, Merchant M, Rodriguez-Leyva D, Pierce GN.(2)
3. Complications of menopause
In the determination of the effects of hamp seed in protect ing against complications of menopause, suggest that hempseed may improve post-ovariectomy complications in rats, according to “The effects of Cannabis sativa L. seed (hempseed) in the ovariectomized rat model of menopause” by Saberivand A, Karimi I, Becker LA, Moghaddam A, Azizi-Mahmoodjigh S, Yousefi M, Zavareh S.(3)
4. Functional constipation
In the assessment with a rigidly designed studyof the efficacy and safety of a CHM proprietary medicine, Hemp Seed Pill (HSP), in optimal dosage for treating FC, found that The dose of 7.5 g b.i.d. showed better therapeutic effect than that of 2.5 and 5.0 g b.i.d. among 96 subjects (32 per arm) in trial I and was therefore selected for comparison with placebo in trial II. In trial II, 120 subjects were randomized into two arms (60 per arm). Responder rates for the HSP and placebo groups were 43.3 and 8.3% during treatment and 30.0 and 15.0% in the follow-up period, respectively (P<0.05), according to “Efficacy of a Chinese herbal proprietary medicine (Hemp Seed Pill) for functional constipation” by Cheng CW, Bian ZX, Zhu LX, Wu JC, Sung JJ.(4)
5. Anti-neoplastic chemotherapy, nausea, vomitting and analgesic effects
In the review of the use of traditional medicine and the identification of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and the cloning of two receptors; CB1 that is primarily present in the central nervous system, and CB2 that is present on the cells of the immune system,
found that The effectiveness of the cannabinoids in the treatment of nausea and vomit due to anti-neoplastic chemotherapy and in the wasting-syndrome during AIDS is recognized. Moreover, the cannabinoids are analgesic, and their activity is comparable to the weak opioids. Furthermore, parallels exist between opioid and cannabinoid receptors, and evidence is accumulating that the two systems sometimes may operate synergistically. The interest of the pharmaceutical companies led to the production of various drugs, whether synthetic or natural derived. The good ratio between the polyunsatured fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6 of the oil of Cannabis seeds led to reduction of the phlogosis and an improvement of the pain symptoms in patients with chronic musculo-skeletal inflammation, according to “[Cannabinoids in the control of pain].[Article in Italian]” by Shaladi AM, Crestani F, Tartari S, Piva B.(5)
6. Immunomodulation effect and anti fatigue
In the study of the effects of Hemp seeds protein (HSP) on antifatigue and immunnomodulation effect in mice, revealed that HSP could have the ability of antifatigue and improve the immunomodulation effect in mice, according to “[Initial study of Hemp seeds protein on antifatigue and the immunomodulation effects in mice].[Article in Chinese]“ by Li Y, Yang R, Hu X, Long Z, et al.(6)
7. Hypercholesterolemia
In the valuation of whether dietary hempseed, a rich source of PUFAs, inhibits platelet aggregation under normal and hypercholesterolemic conditions, showed that when hempseed is added to a cholesterol-enriched diet, cholesterol-induced platelet aggregation returns to control levels. This normalization is not due to a reduction in plasma cholesterol levels, but may be partly due to increased levels of plasma GLA, according to “Cholesterol-induced stimulation of platelet aggregation is prevented by a hempseed-enriched diet” by Prociuk MA, Edel AL, Richard MN, Gavel NT, Ander BP, Dupasquier CM, Pierce GN.(7)
8. Etc.
Side effects
1. Overdoses and prolonged period of use can damage circulation and cause impotence
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. Overdoses can also cause caused nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, numbness in the limbs, antsy and anxiety, confusion.
4. Etc.