Saturday 2 November 2013

Chinese Herbs – Shao Yao or Bai Shao Yao, Chi Shao Yao (Radix Peoniae Lactiflorae)

Bai Shao Yao, Chi Shao Yao also known as white dahlia root or red dahlia respectively. The bitter, sour and cool herb has been used in TCM  as anti-spastic, anticonvulsant, analgesic, sedative antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic agnet and to lower blood pressure, dilate peripheral blood vessels, treat menstrual dysfunction, vagina yeast infection, uterine bleeding, etc., as it nourishes Blood, preserves the Yin. nourishes the Liver, calms and Liver-Yang, etc. by enhancing the functions of liver and spleen channels.

Ingredients
1. paeoniflorin
2. Paeonol
3. Paeonin,
4.AQlbiflorin
6. Sistosterol7. Oxypaeoniflorin
8. Benzoylpaeoniflorin
9. Benzoic acid
10. β sitosterol
11. Gallotannin
12. Pedunculagin
13. 1-O-Galloylpedunculagin
14. Eugeniin
15. Etc.

Health Benefits
1. Anti-angiogenesis effect
In the study to investiagte the anti-angiogenesis effect of total glucosides of Paeonia lactiflora Pall., showed that TGP (12.5, 62.5, and 312.5 microg/ml) resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in the proliferation of endothelial cells. This inhibition effect began 6h after treatment and lasted at least 24h. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis data showed an accumulation of cells in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle, which exhibited apoptotic features indicative of cell death. The migration properties and tube forming abilities of endothelial cells were dramatically inhibited by the TGP extract(1).
2.  Antioxidative and neuroprotective effects
In the study to examine the antioxidative and neuroprotective effects of Paeonia lactiflora pall (PLE), showed that Total phenolic content of PLE was 89.65 mg of gallic acid equivalent per gram of PLE. IC(50) values for reducing power, hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity were 297.57, 3.33, and 32.74 microg, respectively. The protective effect of PLE against H(2)O(2)-induced oxidative damage to PC12 cells was investigated by an 3-(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction assay and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay. After 2 h of cell exposure to 0.5 mM H(2)O(2), a marked reduction in cell survival was observed. However, this reduction was significantly prevented by 10-100 microg/ml of PLE. H(2)O(2) also induced severe apoptosis of the PC12 cells, which was indicated by a flow cytometric analysis. Interestingly, the H(2)O(2)-stressed PC12 cells that had been incubated with PLE had greatly suppressed apoptosis(2).
3. Liver fibrosis
Paeoniae Radix, the root of Paeonia lactiflora Pall, was investigated for PDGF-BB-induced HSC chemotaxis. Rat HSCs and LX-2, a human HSC cell line, were used for the in vitro experiments. Cell migration was analyzed by wound-healing and transwell assays, Paeoniae Radix extracts and its active components, paeonol and 1,2,3,4,6-penta- O-galloyl- β-D-glucose (PGG), inhibited PDGF-BB-induced HSC migration and α-SMA and collagen expressions in a concentration-dependent manner. The inhibitory effects were associated with downregulation of PDGF receptor- α, ERK, p38, and JNK activation. Both paeonol and PGG participate in HSC migration, but via differential mechanisms(3).
4. Anti cancers
PHY906, a decoction of a mixture of the four herbs Scutellaria baicalensis Geori, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch, Paeonia lactiflora Pall, was investigated for  the therapeutic indices of a broad spectrum of anticancer agents showed that over a ten-year period, the multiplex technology “PhytomicsQC” has been used to show batch-to-batch consistency of PHY906 production. Advanced clinical trials are ongoing to demonstrate the effectiveness of PHY906 as adjuvant therapy for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy(4).
5. Anti-depressant
In the study to  to provide scientific evidence to support further research on peony as a potential anti-depressant drug, showed that the peony extract is active in the mouse forced swim test and tail suspension test, and it produces anti-depressant effects in chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced depression model in mice and rats. The anti-depressant mechanisms of peony are likely mediated by the inhibition of monoamine oxidase activity, neuro-protection, modulation of the function of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, inhibition of oxidative stress, and the up-regulation of neurotrophins(5).
6. Systemic lupus erythematosus
In the study of the therapeutic efficacy and adverse reaction of total glucosides of paeony (TGP, extracted from Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), found that GP had definite therapeutic efficacy in treatment of patients with SLE. It could reduce the average daily dose of prednisone and the total CTX dose, lower the recurrent cases and episodes of infection, especially for the medication of more than five years(6).
7. Bladder cancer
In the study to evaluate the anticancer effect of RPA in urinary bladder carcinoma in vitro and in vivo, showed that RPA inhibits growth of bladder cancer via induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Treatment of TSGH-8301 cells with RPA resulted in G2-M phase arrest that was associated with a marked decline in protein levels of cdc2, cyclin B1, cell division cycle 25B (Cdc25B) and Cdc25C. We also reported that RPA-mediated growth inhibition of TSGH-8301 cells was correlated with activation of checkpoint kinase 2 (Chk2). Herein, we further evaluated urinary bladder cancer using a model of bladder cancer induced by OH-BBN. Analysis of tumors from RPA-treated rats showed significant decrease in the expression of Bcl2, cyclin D1, and PCNA, and increase in the expression of p-Chk2 (Thr-68), Bax, and Cip1/p21(7).
8. Vascular dementia
Danggui-Shaoyao-San (DSS), a traditional Chinese medicinal prescription, is clinically used for the treatment of vascular dementia (VD), Researchers at the China Pharmaceutical University in the study of Comparative pharmacokinetics of paeoniflorin in plasma of vascular dementia and normal rats orally administrated with Danggui-Shaoyao-San or pure paeoniflorin, found that he absorptions of paeoniflorin in both VD and normal group of rats were better when orally administrated with DSS than that with pure paeoniflorin, which justified the combined use as formula DSS. Moreover, a better absorption of paeoniflorin in rats of the VD than in normal group was observed, which is helpful for the treatment of VD(8).
9. Anti-inflammatory effect
Paeoniflorin, found in Paeonia lactiflora Pall, inhibits nuclear factor-kappaB expression in chronic hypoperfusion rat and has anti-inflammatory properties(9).
10. Etc.


Sources
(1) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19914370
(2) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18460804
(3) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22399273
(4) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22326673
(5) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22196583
(6) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21608216
(7) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21396995
(8) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21185921
(9) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20128044

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