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

Saturday 9 November 2013

Chinese Herbs – Hai Tong Pi (Erythrinae Cortex)

Hai Tong Pi or Ci tong Pi is also known as Erythrina Root-bark. The Bitter, acrid and neutral herb has been used in TCM to treat loin and knees pain, rheumatoid arthritis, scabies, tooth ache, skin fungal infection, etc., as it expels Wind, disperses Dampness, promotes circulation in the channels and collaterals, etc., by enhancing the functions of liver and spleen channels.
Ingredients
1. Amino acids
2. Hypaphorine
3. Erythraline
4. Etc.
Health Benefits
1. Atherosclerosis
In the examination of the effects of Erythrinae Cortex on atherosclerosis in guinea pigs, divided in 4 group group I – pellet diet only,
group II – HFD fed group,
group III – HFD + 100 mg/kg Ev, and
group IV – HFD + 10 mg/kg atorvastatin calcium
found that in Ev treated group III, these changes have been beneficially altered. Hypolipidemic activity of the leaf extract reported by us earlier in HFD fed rats, present evidence of healing in coronary artery over high-fat control group II and 47% reduction in the extent of aortic lipophilic lesion areas, and minimal increase in body weight relative to other groups strongly suggest its atheroprotective and anti-obesity influence. There has also been an antioxidant effect in heart tissue, according to “Effect of Erythrina variegata on experimental atherosclerosis in guinea pigs” by Kalachaveedu M, Kuruvilla S, Balakrishna K.(1)
2. Gastric cancer
In the determination of the antibacterial, fungicidal, and algicidal properties from Xanthoxyletin isolated from Erythrina variegata, found that Xanthoxyletin’s inhibitory effects on cells were associated with the DNA damage, apoptosis through mitochondrial dysfunction, and cell cycle arrest at S phase in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, Xanthoxyletin also increased the production of reactive oxygen species in SGC-7901 cells. These results suggest that Xanthoxyletin may be promising anticancer agent and has worth for further mechanistic and therapeutic studies against gastric cancer, according to “Xanthoxyletin, a coumarin induces S phase arrest and apoptosis in human gastric adenocarcinoma SGC-7901 cells” by Rasul A, Khan M, Yu B, Ma T, Yang H.(2)
3. Hypoglycemic activity
In the evaluation of the hypoglycemic activity of methanol extract of E. variegata leaf (MEEV) in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic Wistar rats, indicated that MEEV at the doses of 300, 600, and 900 mg/kg orally significantly (P < 0.01) and dose-dependently reduced and normalized blood glucose levels as compared to that of STZ control group; the dose 900 mg/kg being the most potent showing complete normalization of blood glucose levels. Serum biochemical parameters including lipid profile were significantly (P < 0.01) restored toward normal levels in META-treated rats as compared to STZ control animals, accoridng to “Hypoglycemic activity of Erythrina variegata leaf in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats” by Kumar A, Lingadurai S, Shrivastava TP, Bhattacharya S, Haldar PK.(3)
4. Osteoprotective effects
In the assessment of the potential mechanism involved in mediating the osteoprotective actions of EV on female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a phyto-oestrogen-free diet and subjected to either ovariectomy or a sham operation, showed that the protective effects of EV on bone properties in ovariectomised rats are likely to be mediated by its inhibitory actions on the process of bone resorption via the suppression of osteoclast differentiation and maturation, according to “Erythrina variegata extract exerts osteoprotective effects by suppression of the process of bone resorption” by Zhang Y, Li Q, Li X, Wan HY, Wong MS.(4)
5. Anti tumors
In the analyzing the anti tumors effects and mechanism of Erythrina variegata L. extract indicated that in vitro anti-liver cancer experiment, the Erythrina variegata L. extract has shown obvious anti-tumor effect on various tumor cells. And in the in vivo experiment, it exhibited significant anti-tumor effect. Besides, from the result of G-quadruplex stability experiment, we can see that the quadruplex structure show increasing T(m) values with increasing amounts of Erythrina variegata L. extract, according to “[Anti-tumor activity of Erythrina variegata L. extract and its mechanism of action]. [Article in Chinese]“ by Zhang H, Xiang JF, Tan L, Dai W, Bai G, Liu Y, Cao XL, Tang YL.(5)
6. Etc.
Side Effects
1. Do not use the herb, if you are diagnosed with blood deficiency
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. Etc.