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

Wednesday 13 November 2013

Chinese Herbs – E Zhu (Rhizoma Curcuma phaeocaulis)

E Zhu is also known as Zedoary Root. The fragrant, bitter and acrid herb has been used in TCM as anti tumor, antibiotic, platelet coagulation agent and to improve immune system, memory, circulation in the arteries, relieves pain, prevent leukopenia, etc., as it breaks up the Blood, eliminates Blood accumulation, moves Qi, calms pain, etc., by enhancing the functions of liver and spleen channels.

Ingredients

1. Pyrocurzerenone
2. Zederone

3. Zedoarone
4. Furanodiene
5. Curzerene
6. Furanodienone
8. Isofuranodienone
9. Curzerenone
10. Epi-curzerenone
11. Curdione
12. Curcolone
13. Curcumenol
14. Procurcumenol
15. Isocurcumenol
16. Curcumol
17. Curcumin
18. Elemene

19. Etc.

Health Benefits
1. Anti inflammatory activity
In the investment of the potential use of partial least square regression (PLS-R) models for the prediction of biological activities of a herbal drug based on its liquid chromatography (LC) profile, using various extracts of Curcuma phaeocaulis and their cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitory activities, found that The correlation of practically measured inhibitory activities and predicted values by PLS-R analysis was quite good (correlation coefficient=0.9935) and the possibility of transforming chromatographic information into a measure of biological activity was confirmed. In addition, furanodienone and curcumenol were identified as the major active anti-inflammatory constituents of C. phaeocaulis, through detailed analysis of the regression vector, followed by isolation of these compounds and their COX-2 inhibitory assays, according to “Prediction of cyclooxygenase inhibitory activity of curcuma rhizome from chromatograms by multivariate analysis” by Tanaka K, Kuba Y, Ina A, Watanabe H, Komatsu K.(1) 2. Antiplatelet aggregation and anticoagulant effects
In the investigation of the effects of Curcuma phaeocaulis Valeton on platelet aggregation and anticoagulant action in mice, indicated that Curcuma phaeocaulis Valeton can inhibit platelet aggregation, prolong time of mice coagulation and suggested that antiplatelet aggregation and anticoagulant action of processed products with vinegar is the most powerful, according to “[Studies on antiplatelet aggregation and anticoagulant action of Curcuma phaeocaulis].[Article in Chinese]” by Mao C, Xie H, Lu T.(2)

3. Cognitive effect
In the evaluation of the effects of extract of Curcuma phaeocaulis Valeton on learning and memory ability and retarding of senescence in mice, found that Valeton were significantly decreased compared with old control after starting experiment for 18 days and 24 days and for 35 days no significance difference was showed between groups. The levels of brain, liver and red blood cells lipid peroxide in the group with Curcuma phaeocaulis Valeton were considerably lower than old control, hemoglobin content was considerably increased than old control, according to “[Effects of Curcuma phaeocaulis on learning and memory and lipid peroxide in mice].[Article in Chinese]” by Li L, Han C, Cui S, Qiu D, Piao K, Xuan F.(3)
4. Anti-angiogenesis effect
In the demonstration of whether essential oil, major components of Curcuma zedoaria had anti-angiogenic effect, found that Essential oil, a fat-soluble fraction of Curcuma zedoaria, presented anti-angiogenic activity in vitro and in vivo, resulting in suppressing melanoma growth and lung metastasis. And this was associated with down-regulating MMPs, according to “Anti-angiogenesis effect of essential oil from Curcuma zedoaria in vitro and in vivo” by Chen W, Lu Y, Gao M, Wu J, Wang A, Shi R.(4)
5. Antimutagenic activity
In the investigation of the mutagenic activity of two extracts from rhizomes of Curcuma zedoaria (the mathanolic, CME, and the aqueous, CAE) and antimutagenic activity against mutagens, either 2-amino-3-methylimidazo (4,5-f) quinoline (IQ) or 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide (4-NQO), found that the two extracts showed no mutagenicity when tested with all the tester strains either with or without the S9 mix. Moreover, the two extracts, particularly CME, presented a greater antimutagenicity than CAE did either in IQ or 4-NQO mutagens. However, the inhibition effect on lipid peroxidation was similar with both extracts. The amount of major antioxidants beta-carotene, ascorbic acid, and total polyphenols present in both CME and CAE were similar between each other. In contrast, the content of cucuminoids (44.3 mg/g extract) in CME were only found in small amounts in CAE (0.09 mg/g extract) according to “Pivotal role of curcuminoids on the antimutagenic activity of Curcuma zedoaria extracts” by Peng CH, Chiu WT, Juan CW, Mau JL, Chen CC, Peng CC, Lai EY, Chyau CC.(5)
6. Breast cancer
In this study, an extract of Curcuma phaeocaulis Valeton referred as Cpv was prepared and its anti-tumor effect was evaluated with MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, found that Cpv inhibited MCF-7 cells proliferation by inducing apoptosis mediated by increasing ROS formation, decreasing ΔΨm, regulating Bcl-2 family proteins expression, and activating caspases. Cpv treatment also modulated several signaling transduction pathways, according to “Anti-tumor potential of ethanol extract of Curcuma phaeocaulis Valeton against breast cancer cells” by Chen X, Pei L, Zhong Z, Guo J, Zhang Q, Wang Y.(6)
7. Etc.

Side Effects

1. Do not use E Zhu in case of blood, qi or spleen deficiency
2. Do not use the herb in case of excessive bleeding
3. Do not use the herb in newborn, children, or if you are pregnant or breast feeding with out consulting first with the related field specialist.
4. Etc.