Research Archive

Ancient Chinese preparation methods, that involved either soaking and wringing, or pounding and squeezing the fresh herb Qing Hao (Artemesiae Annuaeare Herba) are more effective than the current method of preparing herbal teas from the dried herb for producing artemisinin-rich extracts. A study by UK investigators has show that concentrations of artemisinin (the active anti-malarial component) in ...

Salvianolic acid B (Sal B), a major active component of Dan Shen (Salviae miltiorrhizae Radix) may exert a neuroprotective effect by activating anti-inflammatory pathways in microglia (the resident macrophages of the brain and spinal cord). The results of the Chinese study showed that Sal B significantly reduced the production of inflammatory mediators - nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor-al ...

A Hong Kong team has evaluated Twenty Chinese herbs for their antimicrobial activity against four common oral bacteria, using an in vitro assay. Thirteen herbs demonstrated activity against Porphyromonas gingivalis, including Hou Po (Magnoliae Cortex) Huang Bai (Phellodendri Cortex), Ding Xiang (Caryophylli Flos), Jin Yin Hua (Flos Lonicerae Japonicae), Wu Mei (Mume Fructus), Lian Qiao (Forsythiae ...

Chinese scientists recently performed a comprehensive metabonomic analysis to reveal potential mechanisms of berberine action in the treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes and dyslipidemia. Berberine is an alkaloid with a bright yellow color whose primary sources among Chinese herbs are Huang Bai (Phellodendri Cortex) and Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma). Serum samples were collected from 60 pati ...

Metabonomics is an emerging technology that enables rapid in vivo screening of the metabolic responses of living systems to pathophysiological stimuli. It combines the power of high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy with multivariate statistical analysis methods to rapidly provide a comprehensive metabolic profile of an organism. It can therefore provide extensive systems-le ...

American scientists have developed a biological method of testing the effects of herbal formulae using a laboratory model based on the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. This worm shares genes for aging and other traits with humans and other organisms. The researchers tested Shi Quan Da Bu Tang (SQDB), a mixture of ten herbs used to combat fatigue, and an 11-herb formula, Huo Luo Xiao Ling Dan (HLXL ...

Baicalein is a flavonoid extracted from Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix) and is found in a wide range of Chinese herbal medicines that have been used historically for their anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and anti-tumor action. Recent Chinese studies are revealing the molecular mechanisms responsible for these activities. In one study, baicalin was found to have an inhibitory activity on chlamydia inf ...

Bi-Qi capsules, which are prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis and other osteoarticular diseases, have been found to suppress inflammation via several molecular pathways. The capsules contents include Ma Qian Zi (Strychni Semen), Dang Shen (Codonopsis Radix) Fu Ling (Poriae Cocos Sclerotium), Bai Zhu (Atractylodes Macrocephalae Radix), Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix), Chuan Xiong (Chuanxiong Rhizoma) ...

Consumption of ephedra (Ma Huang, Ephedrae Herba) extract has both acute and chronic effects on autonomic nervous activity. Twenty healthy Taiwanese subjects were given 1g of ephedra dry extract or placebo once per day for 14 days in a crossover fashion with a seven-day washout period between treatments. Analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) showed that ingestion of ephedra caused the sympathov ...

American scientists using atomic force microscopy (AFM) have discovered nano-scale fibres in Yunnan Baiyao, the traditional Chinese herbal medicine used to treat wounds. AFM images revealed an abundance of uniform nanofibres, about 25nm in diameter and 86-726nm in length, in a solution of Yunnan Baiyao powder. The authors suggest that the unique adhesive and structural properties of nanofibres may ...

A compound extracted from a Chinese herb traditionally used in the treatment of cancer has been shown to have potent neuroprotective activity. Gambogic amide, derived from the resin of the Garcinia hanburryii tree (known as gamboge or tom rong), provides protection by mimicking the behavior of nerve growth factor (NGF). Both molecules bind to neuronal TrkA receptors and trigger activation of numer ...

Researchers in China have identified the active ingredients of 'dragon's blood', a resin derived from the herb Xue Jie (Draconis Sanguis), which are responsible for its beneficial effects on peptic ulcers and ability to stop bleeding. Twenty-two different compounds identified from the powdered stems of the plant were tested for effects on Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), the bacterium known to cau ...

Acupuncture can improve absorption of baicalin, one of the active components of Huang Qin (Radix Scutellariae). Chinese scientists divided twenty rats randomly into two groups. Group A was treated with a combination of oral administration of Scutellaria baicalensis extracts and acupuncture at the acupoints Jizhong DU-6, Dazhui DU-14 and Zhongwan REN-12  Group B was treated with oral Scutellar ...

Huang Qin (Radix Scutellariae) is a popular multi-purpose Chinese medicinal herb traditionally used to treat inflammation, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and bacterial and viral infections. Accumulating evidence is now demonstrating that Scutellaria also possesses potent anticancer activities. The flavone baicalin, which can be extracted from Scutellaria, has been found by German scientist ...

Cell culture experiments carried out by Chinese researchers have revealed an anti-inflammatory action of ginseng (Ren Shen). They identified nine separate compounds called ginsenosides in ginseng extract. By testing the effects of individual ginsenosides on cell cultures, they showed that seven of them could inhibit the expression of inflammatory markers and suppress cellular pathways associated w ...

Extracts of the root of Astragalus membranaceus (Huang Qi) have been observed to significantly accelerate cutaneous wound healing. According to a Korean team who observed the process of wound healing at a microscopic level, topically applied Astragalus extract achieves this by suppressing inflammation and stimulating cell growth and angiogenesis (formation of blood vessels) in the wound area. Use ...

Cinnamon extract, which has been used in Chinese medicine to improve blood circulation, can induce angiogenesis (formation of blood vessels). Korean researchers observed the effect of ethanol extract of Cinnamomum cassia (Gui Zhi) on angiogenic processes and found that it induced endothelial cell proliferation, migration and the formation of tubule-like structures in vitro. In in vivo studies, the ...

In vivo studies have shown that anti-oxidant phytochemicals from Gou Qi Zi (Lycium barbarum fructus, aka Chinese wolfberry or goji berry) can protect eye tissues from oxidative damage. American researchers studying type-2 diabetic mice observed that wolfberry extract could protect retinal pigment epithelial cells from the oxidative stress caused by hyperglycaemia. The researchers have previously s ...

Extracts of Bu Gu Zhi (Psoralea corylifolia fructus), a plant known as a Kidney yang tonic in Chinese medicine, can increase bone growth in vivo. The plant, whose Chinese name means 'tonify bone resin' is considered a common weed in Asia and is known colloquially as 'scruffy pea'. Studies in rabbits showed that a total of 275% more new bone was present in bone defects grafted with Bu Gu Zhi extrac ...

Antiviral compounds extracted from the foul-smelling herb Ferula assafoetida (Chinese name: A Wei, aka Devil's Dung) show greater activity against the H1N1 swine flu virus than the drug amantadine. Taiwanese scientists found that the roots of the plant, used as a remedy during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, contain nine phytochemicals that show more potent cytotoxic activity against the H1N1 influ ...