Saturday 2 November 2013

Chinese Herbs – Shen Jin Cao (Herba Lycopodii)

Herba Lycopodii is also known as common club moss. The bitter, acrid and warm herb has been used in TCM  as Anti-inflammatory, hypotensive agent and to inhibit Candida Albicans, treat rheumatism, numbness in the skin, edema, etc., by enhancing the function of liverm spleen and kidney channels.


Ingredients
1. Lycopodine
2.  Clavatine
3. Clavolonine
4.  Fawcettiine
5. Lycodoline
6.  Lucidoline
7.  Phlegmariurine
8. Obscurine
9.  Clavatoxine
10. Nicotine
11. Etc.

Health Benefits
1. Acetylcholinesterase and antioxidant activities
In the study to evaluate the alkaloid extracts of acetylcholinesterase and antioxidant activities medicinal and therapeutic potentials of two Lycopodiaceae species, Lycopodium clavatum (L.) and Lycopodium thyoides (Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd), both used in South American folk medicine for central nervous system conditions, showed that the biological properties of the folk medicinal plants Lycopodium clavatum and Lycopodium thyoides include AChE inhibitory activity and antioxidant effects, two possible mechanisms of action in Alzheimer’s related processes(1).
2. Anti-inflammatory, anticholinesterase, antioxidant and phytochemical properties
In the study to evaluate of extracts of seven South African medicinal plants used traditionally for the treatment of pain-related ailments, showed that the screening assay concentration (0.25 microg/microl), 13 extracts showed good COX-1 inhibitory activity (>50%), while good activity was observed in 15 extracts against COX-2 enzyme. All the extracts of Crinum moorei (bulbs) showed good inhibition against both COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes. Though not significantly different (P=0.05), the highest COX-1 percentage inhibition (100%) was shown by Aloe ferox leaf PE and Colocasia antiquorum tuber DCM extracts, while Colocasia antiquorum tuber PE extract exhibited the highest (92.7%) percentage inhibition against COX-2. Crinum moorei bulb DCM extract showed the lowest EC(50) value (2.9 microg/ml) in the AChE assay. In addition, good to moderate bioactivities were observed in some extracts of Aloe ferox (leaves), Crinum moorei (bulbs) and Pycnostachys reticulata (leaves) in all the assays. The presence and/or amounts of phenolic compounds varied with plant species(2).
3. Antioxidative, antiproliferative and biochemical effects
Hepeel is a homeopathic remedy commonly used to treat primary and secondary functional disorders of the liver. It consists of highly diluted extracts from the following plants: Chelidonium from Chelidonium majus, L., Carduus marianus from Silybum marianum, L., Veratrum from Veratrum album L., Colocynthis from Citrullus colocynthis L., Lycopodium from Lycopodium clavatum L., Nux moschata from Myristica fragans, Houtt, and China from Cinchona pubescens, Vahl. The antioxidative, antiproliferative and biochemical effects in HepG2 hepatoblastoma cells of serial dilutions of these plant tinctures were tested, showed that the complete combination (COMB) realised in the homeopathic remedy and its constituents exert specific antioxidative, antiproliferative and biochemical effects on HepG2 cells which all point to a potential hepatoprotective and tumouristatic action(3).
4. Etc.

Side Effects
1. No not use in case of  excessive bleeding
2. Do not use the herb in newborn, children or if you are pregnant or breast feeding without first consulting with the related field specialist
3. Etc.



Sources
(1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22108682
(2) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19932161
(3) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14732962

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