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

Friday 15 November 2013

Chinese Herbs – Ban Lan Gen (Radix Isatidis)

Ban Lan Gen is also known as indago woad root. The bitter and cold herb has been used in TCM to treat skin rash such as measles, syphilis, or scarlet fever and toxic heat, skin eruption, excessive thirst, nose bleeding and vomiting of blood as it clears Heat, expels toxins, cools Blood, resolves exanthema, etc. by enhancing the function of heart, lung, stomach channels. Ingredients
1. Amino acid
2. Arginine
3. Proline
4. Glutamate
5. Tyrosine
6. γ-amino butyric acid
7. Leucine
8. Valine
9. 3-Indolylmethyl glucosinolate
10. Isatan B (Glucobr-assicin)
11. 1-Methoxy-3- indolylmethylglu-cosinolate (Neoglucobrassicin)
12. 1-Sulpho-3-indolymethyl glucosinolate
13. Etc.
Health Benefits
1. Anti bacteria:Four organic acids were: syringic acid, 2-amino-benzoic acid, salicylic acid, benzoic acid extracted from Ban Lan Gen have exerted the anti-bacterial activities of organic acids from Radix Isatidis on microorganism as the result of the presence of the influence of phenyl ring, according to the study of “Thermochemical studies on the quantity-antibacterial effect relationship of four organic acids from Radix Isatidis on Escherichia coli growth” by Kong W, Zhao Y, Shan L, Xiao X, Guo W.(1)

2. Immunological functions :polysaccharides found abundant in Ban Lan Gen Radix Isatidis has demonstrated the effectiveness in enhamcing the non-specific immunological function, humoral immunity and cellular immunity in mice, according to the study of “Effect of Radix isatidis polysaccharides on immunological function and expression of immune related cytokines in mice” by Zhao YL, Wang JB, Shan LM, Jin C, Ma L, Xiao XH.(2)

3. Endotoxic effect: O-aminobenzoic acid (OABA) isolated from Banlangen(BLG) has decreased significantly The The concentration of endotoxin induced fever in rabbits and the rate of lipopolysaccharides-induced death in mice dropped from 70% to 20%., according to the study of “The anti-endotoxic effect of o-aminobenzoic acid from Radix Isatidis” by Fang JG, Liu YH, Wang WQ, Xie W, Fang SX, Han HG.(3)

4. Reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) effect: Natural polysaccharide isolated fromBan Lan Gen has exerted the antiviral effect on PRRSV replication in MARC-145 cells and might be useful in medical development for antiviral research, according to the study of “Inhibitory effects of indigowoad root polysaccharides on porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus replication in vitro” by
Wei ZY, Wang XB, Zhang HY, Yang CH, Wang YB, Xu DH, Chen HY, Cui BA.(4)

5. Anti-Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) activity: In the investigation of the anti-Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) activity of 50 traditional Chinese herbal medicines in order to provide the primary evidence for their use in clinical practice found that Rhizoma Coptidis, Radix Scutellariae and Radix isatidis are the potential sources for the synthesis of new drugs against H. pylori, according to the study of “Screening test for anti-Helicobacter pylori activity of traditional Chinese herbal medicines” by Ma F, Chen Y, Li J, Qing HP, Wang JD, Zhang YL, Long BG, Bai Y.(5)

6. Anti-inflammatory effects: Radix Isatidis (Banlangen in Chinese), has been used in TCM to clear away heat and toxic material, in this evaluation, Methanolic extracts of Radix Isatidis has exerted the anti-inflammatory effects of involve decreased production of inflammatory mediators, according to the study of “The anti-inflammatory effects of a methanolic extract from Radix Isatidis in murine macrophages and mice” by Shin EK, Kim DH, Lim H, Shin HK, Kim JK.(6)

7. Etc.

Side effects

1. prolong usage of Ban Lan Gen may cause internal bleeding and injury to blood producing function.

2. It may also cause allergic reactions included: dizziness, rash, purple lips and face

3. If you have kidney disease, please consult with your doctor or related field specialits before applying

4. Etc.