Chinese Herbs (A-L)
Chinese Herb Ingredients
All new vita products are made from 100% premium natural Chinese herbs harvested in America and Asia. For more information about Chinese herbs and their usage, please see below.
Acanthopanax Root Bark
Traditional Uses: Removes wind and dampness, supplements liver and kidneys, strengthens tendons and bones, invigorates blood circulation, good for tendons and bones. weakness in the loins and legs, due to scrotum dampness Scientific Research:
Albizzia Flower
Traditional Uses Relieves stress, invigorates blood circulation, sets muscle and bone, for restlessness, mood, sleep, lung muscle. Scientific Research - animal (1) It has tonifying purposes. (2) Oxytocic purposes: Animal studies have indicated that it has oxytocic action
Alisma Rhizome
Traditional Uses Promotes diuresis, dispels dampness, cleanses heat, Damp-heat ,retention of phlegm, stagnant water in the stomach, thirst... Scientific Research - animals (1) Diuretic purpose:.Intravenous injection of the aqueous extract into the rabbitís ear will increase its potassium salt secretion, thus increasing urination. (2) Purpose on fat storage in the liver: When rats were fed with 5 percent alisma powder, storage of lipid in the liver was inhibited, probably by the choline, lecithin, and aristol-monoacetate content in alisma.
American Burdock Root
Common Names: Bardana, burr seed, clotbur, cocklebur, grass burdock, hardock, hareburr, hurr-burr, turkey burrseed. Parts: Root, seed, leaves. Properties and Uses: The decoction or infusion of burdock root is aperient, but not for all individuals; for some it may even be constipate. Both the tea and the tincture can be used for stomach. Burdock is also said to neutralize and eliminate poisons in the system. The leaves are not generally used but do contain a substance that stimulates the secretion of bile. If they are to be used for liver, use fresh leaves only. A decoction of leaves also makes a good wash for sores and may be helpful for skin. The fresh, bruised leaves are sometimes used as a remedy for poison oak or poison ivy, The seeds contain an oil that is used by medical supervision.
American Caraway Seed
Part Seed. Caraway is a biennial or perennial plant cultivated and found in the northern and northwestern U.S., Europe, and Asia. The hollow, furrowed, angular, branched stem grows in the second year from a white, carrot-shaped root. The leaves are bi- or tripinnate and deeply incised, the upper ones on a sheath-like petiole. The small white or yellow flowers appear in May and June, forming a compound umbel with rays of unequal length. The fruit is dark brown, oblong, flattened, and two-seeded. Properties and Uses Antispasmodic, appetizer, carminative, em-menagogue, expectorant, galactagogue, stomachic. Like a number of other common kitchen spices, caraway has a beneficial purpose on the appetite and digestion. It also promotes the onset of menstruation, relieves uterine cramps, promotes the secretion of milk, and is mildly expectorant. Use caraway for flatulent colic, particularly in infants, and also as a stomach settler after takin nauseous medicines.
American Chives Leaves
Part: Leaves. Chive grows to a height of 8 to 12 inches from a small, elongated, bulbous root. The leaves are hollow, cylindrical, closed at the top and dilated to surround the stem at the bottom. The otherwise naked stem bears a terminal globose cluster of reddish-blue or purple flowers in June and July. The fruit is a three-sided black seed. Properties and Uses: Chive grows to a height of 8 to 12 inches from a small, elongated, bulbous root. The leaves are hollow, cylindrical, closed at the top and dilated to surround the stem at the bottom. The otherwise naked stem bears a terminal globose cluster of reddish-blue or purple flowers in June and July. The fruit is a three-sided black seed.
American Cranesbill Root
Common Names Alum root, cranesbill, crowfoot, geranium, spotted geranium, wild cranesbill, wild geranium. Part Rootstock. Description Cranesbill is growing from 1 to 2 feet high, as well as long-petioled basal leaves. Both basal and stem leaves are deeply 5- to 7-parted, with coarsely toothed, pointed lobes. The rose-purple flowers grow in pairs on axillary peduncles from April to July. Properties and Uses Astringent, styptic. Spotted cranebill root is a strong astringent for both internal and external use. Internally, it is helpful for bowel. It also makes a good mouthwash and gargle for throat, gum .One tribe of American Indians used a decoction of wild grape and spotted cranebill root as a mouthwash for children . The powdered root is an purposive blood .
American Loquat Seed
Traditional Uses Cleanses lungs, harmonizes stomach, causes chi to descend, resolves phlegm, for Lung-heat, retention of p ileum and water, stomach-heat, retching Scientific Research - animals (1) Antitussive and expectorant purposes: Amygadalin, after being hydrolyzed, yields hydrocyanic acid which calms the sensory nerves of the bronchi. It stimulates the respiration center of the central nervous system.
American Witch Hazel
Common Names Hazel nut, pistachio, snapping hazel, spotted alder, striped alder, tobacco wood, winterbloom. Parts Bark, leaves. Description Witch hazel is a deciduous shrub or small tree which grows in damp woods from Nova Scotia to Georgia and Nebraska; it is also cultivated elsewhere for its autumn-blooming flowers. Growing to a height of up to 15 feet, the stems and branches are covered with scaly gray to brown bark. The alternate, elliptic to obovate leaves are coarsely toothed and often are finely hairy on the veins underneath. The yellow flowers have 4 strap-shaped petals and grow in nodding, axillary clusters, blooming in autumn when the leaves are falling. The fruit is a woody capsule which ejects two shining black seeds when they ripen during the summer or autumn following the flowers. Properties and Uses Astringent, homeostatic, sedative, tonic. Witch hazel leaves and bark have served mostly to make astringent preparations, which have been taken internally for bowel and used externally as a rinse or gargle for mouth and throat irritations and as a vaginal douche for... For skin irritations, bruises, insect bites and stings, minor burns, and poison ivy, an ointment made from the fluid extract or a poultice can be applied. A poultice made from the inner bark is said to be purposive for anus and for eye. The inner bark also has sedative and homeostatic properties.
American Yellow Dock
Common Names Curled dock, garden patience, narrow dock, sour dock, rumex. Part The root. Description Yellow dock is a perennial plant found as a trouble-some weed in fields and waste places in Europe, the U.S. and southern Canada. Its spindle-shaped, yellow taproot sends up a smooth, rather slender stem, 1 to 3 feet high. Lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate in shape, the pointed light green leaves have predominantly wavy margins. The lower leaves are larger and longer-petioled than the upper. Blooming from June to July, the numerous pale green, drooping flowers are loosely whorled in panicled racemes. The fruit is a pointed, three-angled and heart-shaped nut. Properties and Uses Astringent, tonic. Known as plant since ancient times, yellow dock has been used as mild astringent tonic. In the nineteenth century, it was considered a "blood purifier" and was prescribed for eruptive .., and skin. The ointment is valuable for skin. American Indians applied crushed yellow dock leaves to boils and the pulverized roots to cuts.
Amomum Seed
Traditional Uses Moves and regulates chi, smoothes muscles of body, opens stomach, distributes food,good for stomach, stagnation of chi, stagnancy of undigested food dull stomach, lack of appetite... Scientific Research - animals (1) Aromatic stomachic purpose: The essential oil contains aromatics which possess stomachic actions. (2) Purpose; on the intestines: The 0.254.75% extract of Amomum villosum or A. xanthioides stimulates extirpated intestines, while the 1.00-1.25% saturated solution, inhibits intestinal functioning.
Angelica Sinensis Root (Tang-Kuci Root)
Traditional Uses Supplements and moves blood, moistens intestines, regulates women' function, for weak head, chest and abdominal functions due to deficiency of blood. Scientific Research - animals (1) Uterus-regulating purpose: Tang-kuei has both stimulating and inhibiting actions on uterine muscles. Experiments indicate that its non-volatile water-soluble compounds stimulate uterine muscle, while its volatile oil inhibits uterine muscle, producing a relaxing action. Therefore, to cause the uterus to contract the herb should be decocted for a long period of time to get rid of the volatile oil. If the uterus is to be relaxed then the herb should be put into the decoction later (that is, the other herbs should be decocted first for some time before tang-kuei is added and it should be boiled over a low flame to prevent loss of the volatile oil). Animal studies show that the uterus upon being pressed will exhibit irregular contractions, but after ad-mirristration of tang-kuei the uterus will contract regularly. This means that tang-kuei can regulate the function of the uterus and that is most probably the mechanism of tang-kueiís ability to help…. Mice given feed containing 5% tang-kuei have higher DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) content in their uteri, have higher glucose metabolism, and thus have a higher multiplication rate of uterine tissue. (2) Purpose on metabolism and secretion: Mice fed with 5% tang-kuei feed have a higher metabolic rate, and show an increase in oxygen consumption by the liver. Though the vitamin B12, content is low in tang kuei, the vitamins may nevertheless be responsible for its hematinic action. The extract protects the liver and prevents a decrease in mice liver with …induced by carbon tetrachloride. In experiments with mice, the herb acts against vitamin E deficiency, which may be related to its fetus-stabilizing purpose. (3) Sedative purpose: The volatile oil inhibits brain activity, thus having the purpose of sedation.
Arctium Fruit
Traditional Uses Disperses wind-heat, cleanses and benefits the throat, ventilates the lungs, promotes eruptions, dissolves toxins, for lung due to wind-heat... Scientific Research - animals (1) Diuretic purpose: Arctiin produces diuresis in experimental studies using frogs, mice, and rabbits.
Artemisia
Traditional Uses Removes heat, dispels dampness... Scientific Research - animals (1) Antipyretic purpose: The aqueous extract possesses a strong antipyretic purpose but its decoctionís action is weaker. (2)Purpose on the gallbladder: It stimulates bile secretion, the components responsible for this action being esculetin-6, 7-dimethyl ether and caffeic acid; capillarisin also is quite weak. (3) Other purposes: The essential oil inhibits spontaneous motor activities and reflexes in mice.
Asarum Root
Traditional Uses Dispels cold and wind, warms the lungs to resolve accumulated fluids, retention of phlegm and fluid. Scientific Research - animals (1) Antipyretic purpose: The essential oil lowers the body temperature of rabbits differing from excess temperature induced by typhoid vaccine. (2) Analgesic purpose: It shows a local anesthetic purpose and analgesic purposes.
Astragalus Root
Traditional Uses Supplements chi, increases yang, consolidates surface, delivers water, disperses for Exterior deficiency...deficiency of chi, blood prostration, deficiency of the spleen,... caused by insufficient chi Scientific Research - animals (1) Tonifying purposes: Continuous administration of the decoction to mice for three weeks increases their body weight- and prolongs swimming time. The herb is considered a chi tonic. (2) Diuretic purpose: In animal studies, oral ingestion or injection of the extract induces diuresis. (3) Vasodilation purpose: It improves blood circulation of the skin, and enhances nutrition.
Atractylodes Ovata Rhizome
Traditional Uses Supplements spleen, tonifies chi, dries dampness, delivers water, harmonizes stomach and spleen, for Deficiency of the spleen, tired, loss of appetite, mental energy and retention of phlegm Scientific Research - animals (1) Diuretic purpose: The herb inhibits re-absorption by the renal tubules and increases secretion of potassium salts. The action is not only pronounced but also lasts for a long time. (2) Sedative purpose: Animal studies show that the essential oil possesses sedative action.
Atractylodes Rhizome
Traditional Uses Supplements spleen, Dries dampness, strengthens spleen, removes wind-dampness. Scientific Research - animals (1) Stomach enhance. (2) Diuretic and diaphoretic effects: The diuretic mechanism is still not clear; however, it increases the secretion of sodium and potassium in the urine. (3) Tranquilizing effect: Its volatile oil at low doses tranquilizes frogs, while at high doses it inhibits the frog's central nervous system and leads to death from paralysis
Biota Leaf
Traditional Uses Cools blood, control...due to wind-damp Scientific Research (1)Homeostatic purpose.
Biota Seed
Traditional Uses Tranquilizes the heart, calms the spirit, moistens intestines, promotes bowel movement. Scientific Research - animals The fatty oil possesses a laxative action.
Bitter Ginseng Root
Traditional Uses Dispels heat, dries dampness, expels wind...due to dampness Scientific Research
Bletilla Tuber
Traditional Uses Nourishes the lungs, promotes tissue, resolves phlegm, enhance lungs. Scientific Research - animals (1) Hemostatic purpose: The mucilage content possesses hemostatic and antionco-tic actions; its hemostatic action is probably due to its ability to agglutinate blood cells forming thrombi.
Bupleurum Root
Traditional Uses Revolves surface, disperses heat, dissolves liver chi congestion, disperses stagnancy, raises yang chi, for chest, bitter taste in the mouth Scientific Research - animals (1) Antipyretic purpose: The extract when given orally to artificially-induced fever in rabbits exerts a notable hypothermic purpose. It also to some extent relieves fever induced by TTG (a polysaccharide produced by the bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens). However, it is still doubtful whether it can relieve fever induced by malaria. (2) Anti-hepatosis purpose: The extract has a moderate to extreme purpose on hepatosis induced by typhoid vaccines.
Chinese Date
Traditional Uses Supplements and tonifies spleen and stomach, moistens heart and lungs, nourishes and pacifies spirit, smooths herbal action. Scientific Research - animals (1) Antiallergic purpose: It has this action because of the presence of cyclic AMP in its aqueous extract.
Cinnamon Bark
Traditional Uses Reinforces vital yang, warms the spleen and stomach, dispels accumulated chi, and invigorates blood vessels, for Deficient kidney function, limb chi and feeble pulse, debilitation and collapse of yang. Scientific Research - animals (1) Stimulation of the circulation: It dilates blood vessels, thus promoting blood circulation. It also possesses diaphoretic action. Because of its ability to improve circulation, it can enhance the purposes of other herbs. Experience indicates that cinnamon bark can be used as a guide to enable other herbs to reach where they could not otherwise. (2) Stomachic purpose: The essential oil stimulates the gastrointestinal tract, promoting digestion and absorption. It eliminates gas in the digestive tract, and inhibits abnormal fermentation processes in the intestines.
Citrus Peel
Traditional Uses Disperses stagnant chi, dissolves phlegm, dissipates fullness, disperses accumulations, for Accumulation and obstruction of phlegm in the chest, chi formation in epigastrium, food stagnation, promote digestion Scientific Research - animals (1) Stomachic purpose: In animal studies the extract increased and regulated gastrointestinal activities. In modern-medicine it is used as an aromatic bitter stomachic. (2) Contraction of the uterus: The extract stimulates rabbit uterus and rabbit extirpated uterus by increasing the tonicity and contraction of the uterine muscle.
Clematis Root
Traditional Uses Removes wind-dampness, promotes meridian flow, regulates urination, promote the loins, knees and limbs, abdomen. Scientific Research - animals (1) Softening purpose: The acetic acid extract softens the bones of fish. (2) Other purposes: It stimulates the intestines of mice.
Clove Flower Buds
Traditional Uses Warms middle warmer and kidneys, supplements yang, promotes digestive function, expels wind, for Deficiency-cold of the spleen and kidneys, hiccup. It is also used as a spice for food and in the manufacture of cosmetics. Scientific Research - animals (1) Stomachic purpose: The essential oil stimulates gastric secretion and thus promotes digestion. (2) Tranquilizing purpose: Intraperitoneal injection of the extract produces a sedating action in mice after a few hours. (3) Other purposes: The ethanol or aqueous extract stimulates the uterus and its contraction; it also paralyzes roundworms in pigs.
Codonopsis Root
Traditional Uses Invigorates the spleen and stomach, replenishes chi, harmonizes spleen and stomach, increases the secretion of fluids, for Spleen and gastric weakness, insufficient chi, tired, poor appetite and thirst. Chinese physicians use it as a ginseng substitute. Scientific Research - animals (1) Tonifying and stomachic purpose: The herb stimulates the nervous system, increases body resistance, and promotes digestion, absorption, and metabolism. (2) Hemopoietic purpose: Experiments show that it increases the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin content in rabbits. The hemopoietic actions are thought to be the result of the interaction between tang-shen and the spleen. (3) Animal studies show it dilates peripheral blood vessels and inhibits adrenal cortex activity, causing a lowering of blood pressure.
Coptis Rhizome
Traditional Uses Dispels heat, dries dampness, purges fire, removes toxin, for Fidgets due to extreme heat, sensation of fullness in the chest and abdomen, thirst, due to heat. Scientific Research - animals (1) Stomachic purpose: The bitter taste possesses a stomachic purpose, and helps in digestion. It also stimulates the secretion of saliva, gastric juices, pancreatic juice, bile juice, and the activities of the gastrointestinal tract. (2) Other purposes: prolongs sleeping
Cordyceps
Traditional Uses Supplements lungs and kidneys , loins and knees Scientific Research - animals (1) Bronchial purpose: It dramatically dilates extirpated animal bronchi. (2) It sedates and induces sleeping in mice. (4) In vitro it inhibits to varying degrees several kinds of fungi. (5) Other purpose, inhibits the activity of intestinal tract, uterus, and heart.
Costus Root
Traditional Uses Promotes chi circulation, relieves distention, harmonizes the stomach, due to perverted flow of liver chi. Scientific Research - animals (1) Regulating the intestine.The extract of A. lappa acts on the nervus, vagus, stimulates the large intestine, increases peristalsis of the large intestine, an inside the gastrointestinal tract.
Cratagus Fruit
Traditional Uses Promotes food digestion and resolves accumulation, expels phlegm and eliminates food stagnancy, for Dyspepsia, stagnancy of undigested food, fullness in the chest and abdomen, acid regurgitation, poor digestion in infants due to improper nursing. Scientific Research - animals (1) Digestive purpose: Crataegolic acid increases gastric secretion of digestive enzymes, thus helping in digestion.
Cyperus Rhizome
Traditional Uses Restores the normal functioning of the liver, regulates menses. Scientific Research - animals (1)The ethanol extract increases rabbits threshold. (2) The extract inhibits contraction of smooth muscles and decreases the tonicity of extirpated uteri, but its purpose is weaker than that of tang-kuei.
Dioscorea Rhizome
Traditional Uses Supplements spleen and stomach, tonifies lungs and kidneys, astringes sperm, for bowel condition and urinary frequency due to spleen deficiency. Scientific Research - animals Nutritive purpose: This action is probably due to its mucilage and nutrient content
Epimedium
Traditional Uses Supplements kidneys and strengthens yang, dispels wind-damp, for weakness in the loins and knees. Scientific Research - animals (1) It has an aphrodisiac action mainly because it stimulates secretion of semen, causing the filling up of the scrotum,and indirectly promoting sexual desire. The leaf and the root are most potent in this action, the fruit is intermediate, and the stem the least potent. (2) It acts mainly on dilating the peripheral blood vessels and inhibiting.the vasomotor center in the brain.
Eyebright
Common Names Euphrasy, eye-bright. Medicinal Part: The herb. Description Red eyebright is a small, downy, annual herb very common in meadows, pastures, and other grassy areas of Europe and western Asia and probably naturalized locally in various places in the U.S. Its square, leafy stem grows up to 12 inches high and bears opposite, stiff, ovate leaves. The two-lipped, red or purple and white flowers grow in axillary leafy spikes from June to September. Properties and Uses Astringent, tonic. As the name suggests, red eyebright has been used to help eye and eyestrain. A weak infusion of the fresh herb is used for these purposes, either as an eyewash or as fomentation. In addition, an infusion or poultice of red eyebright has been used for colds, In Europe it has sometimes been taken for hay fever.
Flowery Knotweed Root
Traditional Uses Nourishes yin, replenishes sperm and blood. tonifies liver and kidneys, for Deficiency of liver and kidney yin, prematurely white hair, weak in the loins and knees, involuntary emission, functional intestinal wind Scientific Research - animals (1) Purgative purpose: It stimulates peristaltic movements of the intestine to induce defecation. (2) Cholesterol level-lowering purpose: In experiments with rabbits, it inhibits the increase of serum cholesterol and also decreases the absorption of cholesterol by the alimentary canal. This action is probably due to the ability of its constituents to combine with cholesterol to inhibit increase in cholesterol. (3) Purpose on arteriosclerosis: for animal, It prevents the retention of lipid in the serum or inhibits the deposition of lipoid on the inner membrane of arteries, probably because of its lecithin content. (5) Other animal purposes: It is cardiotonic, especially to exhausted hearts; it stimulates extirpated frog heart and also causes blood sugar to first rise and then fall.
Forsythia Fruit
Traditional Uses Dispels heat, removes toxin. Scientific Research - animals (1) Antibacterial purpose in animal test: In vitro it inhibits Shigella dysenteriae, Salmonella typhosa, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other gram-negative bacteria. It also inhibits Staphylococus aureus, Streptococcus hemolyticus, Diplococcus pneumoniae, and Hemophilus pertussis and other gram-positive bacteria. (2) Antiviral purpose for animals. It inhibits influenza virus
Fritillaria Bulb
Traditional Uses Moistens dryness to resolve phlegm, clears heat, for … due to heat in the lungs, malfunction of the lungs. Fritillaria Bulb /Chuan-bei is purposive for ... Scientific Research - animals (1) Antitussive and expectorant purposes for animal: The alkaloids of the herb possess atro pinelike activities, stop contraction of the bronchial smooth muscle, decrease secretion, and dilate the pupil of the eye. (2) Central nervous system inhibiting purpose for animals: In warm-blooded animals it paralyzes the central nervous system, stimulates heart muscles, causes dysfunction, of breathing and spontaneous, motor movements, decreases heart rate, and causes incomplete heart contraction thus leading to a lowering of blood pressure. It increases extirpated uterine contractions but inhibits peristalsis of extirpated rabbit intestines.
Gardenia Fruit
Traditional Uses Dispels heat and purges fire, cools blood, removes toxin... Scientific Research - animals (1) Purpose on the gallbladder for animals test: The aqueous or ethanol extracts when injected into rabbits stimulates their bile secretion. The extract also lowers the blood bilirubin level in rabbits after their bile ducts have been tied off and they have been injected with crocin and crocetin. Geniposide after being degraded in the intestine yields geni-pin, which stimulates bile secretion after being absorbed. (2)Hypotensive purpose: The aqueous or ethanol extracts will continuously lower blood pressure in cats. (3) Antibacterial purpose: In vitro, it inhibits the growth of Shigella dysenteriae, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus hemolyticus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. (4) Antifungal purpose for animals: Its aqueous extract inhibits white ringworm. (5) Tranquilizing purpose: Its aqueous extract exhibits a tranquilizing purpose in mice. (6) Antipyretic purpose for animals: It inhibits center-controlling fever, its action being vary similar to that of coptis and scute. (7) Other purposes for mice: It inhibits ascitic carcinoma and suppresses diarrhea when given orally to mice.
Ginger Root
Traditional Uses Warms middle warmer, reinvigorates yang, arms lungs, and resolves phlegm, for cold limbs, minute pulse due to retention of cold and moisture Scientific Research - animals (1) Hypertensive purpose for animals: It reflexively stimulates the vasomotor center and stimulates' the sympathetic nervous system thereby increasing the blood pressure. (2) Stomachic and antiemetic purposes for animals: It stimulates blood circulation. Ingestion of it warms the stomach and intestines, thus improving digestion and absorption by the gastrointestinal tract, which results in antiemetic and anti diarrheal actions.
Gleditsia Thorn
Traditional Uses Opens cavities, resolves phlegm Scientific Research - animals (1) Hemolytic purpose for animals: It possesses strong hemolytic action. (2) Antibacterial purpose in animals: The aqueous extract inhibits Escherichia coli, Eberthel-la typhos, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus vulgaris, and gram-negative bacteria in vito (3) Expectorant purpose for animals: Its saponin content,stimulates gastric mucosa reflexively, causing an increase in secretions of the respiratory tract to aid in expelling phlegm
Hocquartia Stem
Traditional Uses Clears heat, promotes water metabolism,facilitates lactation,promotes blood circulation, for Irritability and heat sensation in the chest Scientific Research - animals (1) Diuretic purpose: Its diuretic action is weaker than polyporus but stronger than lophatherum. (2) Cardiotonic purpose: A. manshuriensis action like that of digitalis, stimulates extirpated toad heart. (3) Antibacterial purpose: In vitro, it inhibits grampositive bacteria, Eberthella dysenteriae, and dermatophytes. (4) Anticancer purpose: Aristolochic acid inhibits the growth of carcinoma.
Huo-Shan Dendrobium Stem
Traditional Uses Increases fluids, benefits stomach, nourishes yin, moistens lungs, expels heat, quenches thirst, for Impairment of body fluids ... dry mouth... Scientific Research - animals (1) Antipyretic and analgesic purpose: Its purpose is slight. Dendrobine is the purposeive constituent and acts on the spinal column. (2) Stomachic purpose: The extract stimulates smooth muscle contraction of the small intestine, increases its tonicity, and promotes peristalsis and gastric secretion to help in digestion. (3) Other purposes: The extract of D nobble cannot relieve fever induced by Escherichia coli in rabbits. In higher dosages the extract paralyzes smooth muscles and inhibits heartbeat. At suitable dosages, it inhibits the actions of pilocarpine, atropine, and adrenaline on hearts and small intestines. Its inhibiting purpose is slightest with atropine.
Japanese Honeysuckle Flower
Traditional Uses Removes toxic heat, for Fever, dermal eruption Scientific Research - animals (1) Antibacterial purpose: In vitro the extract dramatically inhibits Shigella dy-senteriae, Salmo.
Japanese Quince Fruit
Traditional Uses Quenches liver fire, relaxes muscles and meridians, harmonizes the stomach, removes dampness, for Beriberi swelling, contortion of arm and leg, due to dampness Scientific Research - animals (1) Antibacterial purpose: Malic acid inhibits the growth of pathogenic bacteria. (2) Hemopoieticpurpose: Malic acid increases the absorption of iron to produce hemopoietic activities. (3) Antispasmodic purpose: It relaxes the smooth muscle of the gastrointestinal tract and relieves spasms in the limbs. (4) Diuretic purpose: Clinical observations indicate that it dramatically promotes diuresis.
Japanese Teasel Root
Traditional Uses Supplements liver and kidneys, unites fractured tendons and bone, invigorates blood circulation. Scientific Research - animals Anti-inflammatory purpose: It induces the eruption of pus, stops bleeding, and has an analgesic-purpose in patients with carbuncle dermatosis. It also promotes the regeneration of tissues.
Laminaria
Traditional Uses Softens hardness, disperses accumulation, resolves phlegm, clean heat Scientific Research - animals (1) Hypotensive purpose: Laminine is the active constituent which lowers blood pressure slightly and temporarily. (2) Purpose on goiter: Because of its iodine and iodide content, the herb is used to treat goiter caused by deficiency in iodide or iodine. (3) Antitussive and expectorant purposes: The extract has been proven to have an antitussive purpose on guinea pigs and on artificially-induced coughing in rats and cats.
Ledebouriella Root
Traditional Uses Dispels wind, resolves surface, removes dampness, relieves convulsions, , for cold due to wind-cold and dampness limbic spasms Scientific Research - animals (1) Antipyretic purpose: The extract is proven to have antipyretic actions when tested on febrile rabbits injected with typhoid vaccine into the auricular vein. (2) Antibacterial and antifungal purposes: In vitro the aqueous extract is proven purposeive against fungus Shigella dysenteriae, and Bacillus diphtheria. (3) Antiviral purpose: It inhibits viruses causing influenza.
Licorice Root
Traditional Uses Supplements spleen, replenishes chi, clears heat, removes toxin, moist lungs, harmonizes the stomach and spleen Scientific Research - animals (1) Detoxifying purpose: Glyiyrrhizin and its calcium salt possess detoxifying action on bacterial toxins (diphtherin, tetanin), poisonous foods and drugs, and toxins of metabolic products. Glycvrrhizin when degraded yields glucuronic acid, v:hich in the liver will combine with toxic materials to form glucuronide to produce a detoxifying action. (2) Adrenocortical hormonelike The active constituent glycyrrhetic acid in licorice causes the retention of water and sodium ions, increases blood pressure, promotes the secretion of potassium, and thus possesses actions similar to those of adrenocorticohormone. Licorice is purposeive against Addisonís disease. (3) Antispasmodic purpose: It inhibits smooth muscle activities, mainly because of its flavonoid content, which has actions similar to those of papaverin. (4) Gastric secretion-inhibiting action: Animal studies show that licorice inhibits gastric secretion caused by histamine. (5) Anti-inflammatory purpose: Glycyrrhizin and its degraded product glycyrrhe-tinic acid possess anti-inflammatory actions similar to those of certain hormones secreted by the adrenal gland.
Ligusticum Rhizome
Traditional Uses Invigorates blood circulation, promotes the flow of chi, dispels wind ... Scientific Research (1) Antispasmodic purpose: The extract inhibits intestinal and uterine contraction. in animals to produce antispasmodic and analgesic purposes. Its active constituent is ferulic acid. (2) Tranquilizing purpose: The essential oil inhibits the central nervous system. (3) Hypotensive purpose: The aqueous extract slightly lowers the blood pressure of animals. Intramuscular injection can produce this purpose, but the purpose is more pronounced with anesthetized animals (dogs, cats, and rabbits) when the extract is injected intravenously. (4) Vasodilative purpose: The extract when injected into the coronary artery increases blood flow in the coronary artery and to the lower limbs. (5) Antibacterial purpose: In vitro it inhibits Escherichia coli, Bacillus typhi, and dysentery bacteria. (6) Antifungal purpose: In vitro butylphthalide, cnidilide, and neocnidilide inhibit dermatophytes.
Ligustrum Fruit
Traditional Uses Supplements kidneys, nourishes yin, nourishes liver, clears vision, for Yin deficiency, internal heat, promote waist and knees Scientific Research - animals (1) Cardiotonic purpose: Oleanolic acid possesses cardiotonic actions. (2) Purgative purpose: (-mannite acts as a laxative and purgative. (3) Nutritive purpose: The constituents oleic acid and olinoleic acid possess nutritive actions; (4) Other purposes: Recent experimental studies have shown that the aqueous extract inhibits the growth of transplanted tumor cells in animals.
Lophatherum Leaf
Traditional Uses Clears heat, promotes urination... Scientific Research - animals (1) Antipyretic purpose: Given orally it has a hypothermic purpose on rats with artificially induced fevers. (2) Diuretic purpose: Its diuretic purpose is weaker than chlorides in the urine. (3) Anticarcinogenic purpose: The extract is purposeive in cinoma and sarcoma-180.
Loquat Leaf
Traditional Uses Cleanses lungs, harmonizes stomach, causes chi to descend, resolve phlegm, for Lung-heat, retention of phlegm and water, stomach heat... Scientific Research - animals (1) Antitussive and expectorant purposes: Amygadalin, after being hydrolyze, yields hydrocyanic acid which calms the sensory nerves of the bronchi, thus decreasing coughing. It stimulates the respiration center of the central nervous system. (2) Antiviral purpose: It inhibits viruses causing influenza.
Lotus Fruit
Traditional Uses Dispels toxic heat in the heart, benefits kidneys, strengthens spleen, controls for Spleen deficiency, excessive dreaming Scientific Research - animals (1) Purpose on smooth muscle: The alkaloids of the herb relax smooth muscle, methylcorypalline dilates coronary arteries, and demethylcoclaurine relaxes smooth uterine muscle. (2) Other purposes: The decoction of the embryo neutralizes toxicity; oxoushin-sunine inhibits swollen infection of the nose and throat.
Lycium Berry
Traditional Uses Supplements the liver and kidneys, promotes sperm and blood, clears vision, for Deficiency of liver and kidney yin. Scientific Research - animals (1) Purpose on liver fat: In experiments with mice intoxicated with carbon tetrachloride, the aqueous extract slightly inhibits the precipitation of fat in liver cells and promotes regeneration of liver cells. The active constituents are probably the metabolic products of betaine. (2) Hypoglycemia purpose: The herb lowers the level of blood sugar. (3) Hypotensive purpose: Intravenous injection of the aqueous extract into the rabbitís ear causes a dramatic decrease in blood pressure and also stimulates breathing.
