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

Saturday 9 November 2013

Chinese Herbs – Hai Zao (Herb Sargassi)

Hai Zao is also known as Sea Weed. The bitter, salty and cold herb has been used in TCM as diaretic agent and to treat goiter, cough, asthma, haemorrhoids, runny nose, discomfort in digestive tract, pain in hernia, etc., as it clears Heat, eliminates Phlegm, disperses nodules, etc., by enhancing the functions of kidney, liver, lung and stomach channels.
Ingredients
1. Protein
2. Carbohydrate
3. Fat
4. Sodium
5. Potassium
6. Calcium
7. Iodine
8. Iron
9. Magnesium
10. Copper
11. Zinc
12. Vitamin A
13. Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
14. Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
15. Vitamin B3(Niacin)
16. Vitamin B6 (Pyrodoxine)
17. Etc.
Health Benefits
1. Hyperlipidemia and antioxidants
In the experimental models of hyperlipidemia and a diabetes the optimum dozes and polyunsaturated fat acids omega-3/omega-6 in structure of phospho- and glycolipids derived from sea macrophytes Sargassum pallidum, Ulva fenestrata, Zostera marina, and also antioxidants– polyhydroxynaphthoquinone a echinochrome, showed that prospective mechanisms of polar lipids, containing various polyunsaturated fat acids and specified above antioxidants are presented on the basis of the received results and the analysis of published data, according to “[Medical and prophylactic properties lipids and antioxidants derived from sea hydrobionts].[Article in Russian]“ by Krivoshapko OA, Popov AM.(1)
2. Immunogenicity
In the study of the capacity of MGDGs, isolated from five species of marine macrophytes, to influence conformation and to enhance immunogenicity of porin from Yersinia pseudotuberculosis (YOmpF) as a model antigen of subunit vaccine based on TI-complexes, indicated that TI-complexes comprising MGDGs from Sargassum pallidum and Ulva fenestrata with medium microviscosity induced maximal levels of anti-porin antibodies (four times higher when compared with those induced by pure porin). The adjuvant effect of TI-complexes based on other MGDGs varied by 2.8, 2.3 and 1.3 times for TI-complexes comprised of MGDGs from Zostera marina, Ahnfeltia tobuchiensis, and Laminaria japonica, respectively, according to “The influence of monogalactosyldiacylglycerols from different marine macrophytes on immunogenicity and conformation of protein antigen of tubular immunostimulating complex” by Sanina NM, Kostetsky EY, Shnyrov VL, Tsybulsky AV, Novikova OD, Portniagina OY, Vorobieva NS, Mazeika AN, Bogdanov MV.(2)
3. Fatty acid composition
In the investigation of the fatty acide composition from major glycolipids [monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG), digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG), sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG)) and phospholipids (phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG)] as well as betaine lipid 1,2-diacylglycero-O-4′-(N,N,N-tri-methyl)-homoserine (DGTS) were isolated from Anfeltia tobuchiensis (Rhodophyta), Laminaria japonica, Sargassum pallidum (Phaeophyta), Ulva fenestrata (Chlorophyta) and Zostera marina (Embriophyta), harvested in the Sea of Japan, showed that The set of major FAs of polar lipid classes can essentially differ from each other and from total lipids of macrophytes. For example, MGDG was found to accumulate characteristic fatty acids 16:4n-3, 16:3n-3, 18:3n-6 and 18:4n-3, 20:3n-6 in U. fenestrata, Z. marina, L. japonica and S. pallidum, respectively, according to “Fatty acid composition of individual polar lipid classes from marine macrophytes’ by Sanina NM, Goncharova SN, Kostetsky EY.(3)
4. Antitumor and immunomodulatory activity
In the evaluation, in vivo and in vitro anti-tumor potential of the polysaccharide (SFPS) from S. fusiforme and the immune response in tumor-bearing mice, found that SFPS could not only significantly inhibit the growth of A549 lung adenocarcinoma in mice, but also remarkably promote IL-1 and TNF-α production from peritoneal macrophages, serum TNF-α level, and splenocytes proliferation in A549-bearing mice, according to “Antitumor and immunomodulatory activity of polysaccharides from Sargassum fusiforme” by Chen X, Nie W, Yu G, Li Y, Hu Y, Lu J, Jin L.(4)
5. Antiosteoporosis activity
In the determination of the extracts or purified compounds from marine micro- and macroalgae and theirs effects in suppressing osteoclast differentiation, found that the extract suppressed both osteoclast differentiation and accelerated osteoblast formation in separate in vitro experiments. It also showed antiosteoporosis activity in ovariectomized mice by regulating the balance between bone resorption and bone formation, according to “Extracts of marine algae show inhibitory activity against osteoclast differentiation’ by Koyama T.(5)
6. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
In the investogation of therapeutic effects of MHYD on thyroid-related autoantibodies and thyroid hormone in experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) rats, showed that MHYD playing a role as an immunomodulator and TRAIL inhibitor during antigenmediated immunostimulation, may warrant further evaluation as a possible agent for the treatment of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, according to “Effects of modified Haizao Yuhu Decoction in experimental autoimmune thyroiditis rats” by Song XH, Zan RZ, Yu CH, Wang F.(6)
7. HIV infection
In the assessment of the effect of Sargassum fusiforme (Harvey) Setchell on HIV-1 infection, showed that isolation of a bioactive fraction SP4-2 (S. fusiforme), which at 8 mug/ml inhibited HIV-1 infection by 86.9%, with IC50 value of 3.7 mug. That represents 230-fold enhancement of antiretroviral potency as compared to the whole extract. Inhibition was mediated against both CXCR4 (X4) and CCR5 (R5) tropic HIV-1. Specifically, 10 mug/ml SP4-2 blocked HIV-1 fusion and entry by 53%. This effect was reversed by interaction of SP4-2 with sCD4, suggesting that S. fusiforme inhibits HIV-1 infection by blocking CD4 receptor, which also explained observed inhibition of both X4 and R5-tropic HIV-1. SP4-2 also inhibited HIV-1 replication after virus entry, by directly inhibiting HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) in a dose dependent manner by up to 79%, according to “Sargassum fusiforme fraction is a potent and specific inhibitor of HIV-1 fusion and reverse transcriptase” by Paskaleva EE, Lin X, Duus K, McSharry JJ, Veille JC, Thornber C, Liu Y, Lee DY, Canki M.(7)
8. Etc.
Side Effects
1. Do not use the herb in case of spleen 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.