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

Thursday 14 November 2013

Chinese Herbs– Bi Xie (Rhizoma Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae)

Bi Xie is also known as Yam Rhizome. The bitter and cold has been used in TCM as antibiotic and anti cancer effect and to get rid of parasites effect, lower cholesterol, to arthritis, chronic pelvic inflammation, glomerulonephritis, chronic prostatitis, chyluria, etc., as it drains Damp-turbidity, expels Wind-Damp, etc., by enhancing the functions of liver, stomach and bladder channels.

Ingredients
1. Dioscin
2. Tokorogenin

3. Gracillin

4. Kogagenin

5. Diosgenin

6. Yamogenin

7. Yononin

8. Tokoronin

9. Dioscorea collettii Hook.f contains Dimethyl-terephthalate

10. Dioscorea gracillima Miq contains Furost-5-ene-3β,22,26-friol 3,26-bis-O-glycoside

11. Etc.

Health Benefits 1. Anti-Mite activity
Active Demodex folliculorum were selected from patients with moderate to severe Demodex infestation to test for it effects in mite found that Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae kill mites within five minutes, according to the study of “[Anti-mite activities of 25 kinds of traditional Chinese medicines for Demodex folliculorum] [Article in Chinese] by Tian Y, Li CP.(1)
2. Osteoporosis
In the investigation of the decoction of Rhizoma Dioscoreae septemlobae(Pi Xie) (RD) and its effects of osteoporosis found that the decoction of RD can decline the bone turnover and the loss of bone of femur in the ovariectomized rats, according to the study of “[Effects of Dioscorea septemloba on the biomechanical and bone histomorphometric parameters of femur in the ovariectomized rats].[Article in Chinese]” by Xing GS, Lou JS, Yu SL, Wang ZB, Shi YJ.(2)
3. Rheumatoid arthritis
In the evaluation of Methanol extract of Dioscoreae Rhizom and it effects of
found that significantly inhibited the production of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta as well as down-regulating the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in IL-1beta- and TNF-alpha-stimulated hFLSCs. MDR also effectively reduced the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in these cells, according to the study of “Methanol extract of Dioscoreae Rhizoma inhibits pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators in the synoviocytes of rheumatoid arthritis” by Kim MJ, Kim HN, Kang KS, Baek NI, Kim DK, Kim YS, Jeon BH, Kim SH.(3)
4. Benign prostatic hyperplasia
In clinical observation of zi yin tong bi formula, including Yam Rhizome and it effects on benign prostatic found hyperplasia found that the formula has improve the symptoms of night urination, degree of dysuria, condition of urinary thread, soreness and weakness in loin and knees, lower abdominal distention, spiritless and general weakness, according to the study of “[Clinical observation on ziyin tongbi decoction in treating benign prostatic hyperplasia].[Article in Chinese]” by Guo J, Song CS, Han Q.(4)
5. Etc.
Side effects
1. Bi Xie may increase in fibrosis in the kidneys and in inflammation in livers, accoring to the study of “Dioscorea villosa (wild yam) induces chronic kidney injury via pro-fibrotic pathways” by Wojcikowski K, Wohlmuth H, Johnson DW, Gobe G.(a)
2. Do not use if you are pregnant or breast feeding with out consulting with the related field specialist
3. Etc.