Tufuling or Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae has been used in China as a detoxicant to treat diseases like syphilis for centuries, with a recorded use history dating back to around the 5th century A.D.
Venereal diseases were seldom encountered in China during its 5-decade closed door communist rule. Then, along with the increased outside contact and trading, these diseases gradually reappeared in recent years. This is a report by a Chinese physician, Dr. Wang Qing-Quan, from the Nanping Second Municipal Hospital of Fujian Province, who treated 30 cases of syphilis with tufuling reportedly with great success.
The patients were all male, 22 to 56 years old. Duration of disease ranged from 6 weeks to 4 years; 18 were primary and 12 secondary. The treatment consisted of a daily dose of 250 g of tufuling decocted and drunk warm 30 minutes before breakfast, lunch and dinner. Each course of treatment lasted 20 days; and efficacy was evaluated after 3 courses of treatment. A blood test for syphilis was performed after each course of treatment and again every 3 and 6 months during the first and second year of follow up respectively. According to Dr. Wang, 27 of the 30 patients (90%) were cured after tufuling treatment, as evidenced by disappearance of symptoms and negative blood tests after a 2-year follow-up. The remaining 3 patients (2 primary and 1 secondary) switched to penicillin midway during the herb treatment due to the inconvenience in decocting and taking the herbal medication (which essentially increased the efficacy rate to 100% for those who received the herbal treatment).
The reason that this report attracted my attention is that I have been aware of tufuling and other Smilax spp. (e.g., sarsaparilla) traditionally being used in treating syphilis in China and in other countries. I am also aware of the fact that there has not been any modern clinical evidence to support this use. Another factor that prompted me to select this article is the herb was used here singly (uncommon in Chinese medicine) along with the employment of modern diagnostic techniques, which confirmed that it was syphilis that Dr. Wang was treating.
This is not the first report on using tufuling to successfully treat syphilis in modern times. Earlier reports appeared in the 1950's and early 1960's. I am sure one can find more cases treated and reported in the past few years if one scans the Chinese literature. Even though, as expected, this herbal treatment is much slower to take effect than modern antibiotic therapy, it can serve as an alternative, especially for those patients who are allergic to antibiotics or others who simply don't want to take any modern antibiotics.
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog (Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style.
For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit http://www.earthpower.com/. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 35 from the drop down list.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Use of Latin Drug Names
This story is reprinted in its entirety from the May/June 2002 issue of the hardcopy edition of "Leung's Chinese Herb News". In it, Dr. Leung lays out a simple solution to the complex problem of improper identification of herbal materials used in traditional medicine. -ed
Most of this problem of nonspecific definition of herbal materials can be alleviated, if not eliminated, by returning to the use of Latin pharmaceutical names. I don't know why this fell out of favor during the past few decades in the United States. Could it be because we have been sidetracked by pursuing active principles during this time and found it no longer necessary to specifically name the plant part? After all, as long as one can obtain, say, ephedrine from an Ephedra species, what does one care which part of the plant it comes from? And for that matter, which plant species yields it?
However, natural medicines have recently made a comeback and are here to stay. Unfortunately, most modern scientists trained in botany and pharmacognosy have no training and experience in the practice of traditional herbal medicine. They may be excellent botanists or phytochemists, but they don't have the relevant comprehensive training and knowledge to deal with herbal medicines except using them as raw material sources for pharmacologically active chemicals.
The most relevant modern field appears to be ethnobotany, pioneered by the late Dr. Richard Evans Schultes. Since most of the research and subjects in this field relate to jungle medicines, it is imperative to be able to return to the same location and collect the same plant material, should preliminary chemical and pharmacological results indicate it to be promising as a modern pharmaceutical agent, hence the 'voucher specimen', deposited in a reputable herbarium. This system was pioneered by Dr. Schultes, and, for the past four to five decades, has served us well as the gold standard in phytochemical research. However, this system does not address the needs of traditional herbal medicines of the Old World, such as China and India where the resources of herbal medicines are well documented and a single plant species often supplies two or more drugs that are sometimes very different, or different plant species supplying the same drug. This Latin-binomial-and-voucher-specimen system can only serve as one of several elements for defining a particular herbal drug.
Consequently, in the current scientific research in the validity of traditional herbal medicines, just assigning an herbal drug a Latin binomial and depositing a voucher specimen of the plant in an herbarium is not enough and often is not even relevant. We must specify clearly from what part of the plant and how it has been prepared. It appears that we are the only major country in the world which does not use Latin pharmaceutical names. China does, and so does Germany. It's time we realized the importance of plant parts in modern CAM research and relearned Latin drug names and started to use them in our research and in this field.
More of Dr. Leung's observations and opinions are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog (Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style.
For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit www.earthpower.com. To order the newsletter containing the article above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 38 from the drop down list.
Most of this problem of nonspecific definition of herbal materials can be alleviated, if not eliminated, by returning to the use of Latin pharmaceutical names. I don't know why this fell out of favor during the past few decades in the United States. Could it be because we have been sidetracked by pursuing active principles during this time and found it no longer necessary to specifically name the plant part? After all, as long as one can obtain, say, ephedrine from an Ephedra species, what does one care which part of the plant it comes from? And for that matter, which plant species yields it?
However, natural medicines have recently made a comeback and are here to stay. Unfortunately, most modern scientists trained in botany and pharmacognosy have no training and experience in the practice of traditional herbal medicine. They may be excellent botanists or phytochemists, but they don't have the relevant comprehensive training and knowledge to deal with herbal medicines except using them as raw material sources for pharmacologically active chemicals.
The most relevant modern field appears to be ethnobotany, pioneered by the late Dr. Richard Evans Schultes. Since most of the research and subjects in this field relate to jungle medicines, it is imperative to be able to return to the same location and collect the same plant material, should preliminary chemical and pharmacological results indicate it to be promising as a modern pharmaceutical agent, hence the 'voucher specimen', deposited in a reputable herbarium. This system was pioneered by Dr. Schultes, and, for the past four to five decades, has served us well as the gold standard in phytochemical research. However, this system does not address the needs of traditional herbal medicines of the Old World, such as China and India where the resources of herbal medicines are well documented and a single plant species often supplies two or more drugs that are sometimes very different, or different plant species supplying the same drug. This Latin-binomial-and-voucher-specimen system can only serve as one of several elements for defining a particular herbal drug.
Consequently, in the current scientific research in the validity of traditional herbal medicines, just assigning an herbal drug a Latin binomial and depositing a voucher specimen of the plant in an herbarium is not enough and often is not even relevant. We must specify clearly from what part of the plant and how it has been prepared. It appears that we are the only major country in the world which does not use Latin pharmaceutical names. China does, and so does Germany. It's time we realized the importance of plant parts in modern CAM research and relearned Latin drug names and started to use them in our research and in this field.
More of Dr. Leung's observations and opinions are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog (Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style.
For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit www.earthpower.com. To order the newsletter containing the article above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 38 from the drop down list.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Herbs for Cardiovascular Health - Part 3 of 3
NOTE: This is an excerpt of an article originally published in 1998 in Dr. Leung's newsletter, "Leung's Chinese Herb News", Issue 12, page 3. It is the third and final in a series of excerpts on cardiovascular health. The first excerpt provided a summary of herbs used in cardiovascular health, while the second excerpt discussed hyperlipidemia. Today's excerpt covers hypertension. The information is as useful today as when it was written. -ed
Chrysanthemum flower, kudzu root, and duzhong are a few of the most commonly used herbs for treating high blood pressure.
Chrysanthemum flower
It is one of my favorite herbs to recommend for hypertension because it is simple to use. Simply place a few flowerheads in a pot of boiling water and let it steep for a few minutes. If you like, you may sweeten the tea with honey or sugar. And you don't need to have high blood pressure to enjoy it either.
Herbal pillow
I am not that up-to-date on aromatherapy, and I don't know what culture started it first. But I know the Chinese for centuries have been using herbal pillows for treating various illnesses, and I keep a file on them. I have never tried any of these remedies myself because I personally would not want my bed to smell (or should I say reek) of herbal medicines. However, in case some of you are into aromatherapy, here is an herbal pillow treatment for hypertension. Fill a small pillow case (about 20 cm x 30 cm) made of loosely knit cloth with the following coarsely ground herbs: 150 g Sichuan lovage (chuanxiong), 35 g chrysanthemum flower, and 85 g mulberry leaf (dried). Sleep on your side with you rear resting on the pillow. Normally, herbal pillows are much bigger and are to be used like normal pillows. But this is specially made for proximity to the ears. You don't need to press your ear directly on the pillow. Rather, you can make an indentation in the middle of the pillow and let your ear sink into this, to avoid a sore ear in the morning. In addition to hypertension, it also helps headache and dizziness. One word of caution: watch for allergies! So far, I have not come across any reported, but you never know. It is better to be safe.
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog (Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style.
For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit www.earthpower.com. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue #12 from the drop down list.
Chrysanthemum flower, kudzu root, and duzhong are a few of the most commonly used herbs for treating high blood pressure.
Chrysanthemum flower
It is one of my favorite herbs to recommend for hypertension because it is simple to use. Simply place a few flowerheads in a pot of boiling water and let it steep for a few minutes. If you like, you may sweeten the tea with honey or sugar. And you don't need to have high blood pressure to enjoy it either.
Herbal pillow
I am not that up-to-date on aromatherapy, and I don't know what culture started it first. But I know the Chinese for centuries have been using herbal pillows for treating various illnesses, and I keep a file on them. I have never tried any of these remedies myself because I personally would not want my bed to smell (or should I say reek) of herbal medicines. However, in case some of you are into aromatherapy, here is an herbal pillow treatment for hypertension. Fill a small pillow case (about 20 cm x 30 cm) made of loosely knit cloth with the following coarsely ground herbs: 150 g Sichuan lovage (chuanxiong), 35 g chrysanthemum flower, and 85 g mulberry leaf (dried). Sleep on your side with you rear resting on the pillow. Normally, herbal pillows are much bigger and are to be used like normal pillows. But this is specially made for proximity to the ears. You don't need to press your ear directly on the pillow. Rather, you can make an indentation in the middle of the pillow and let your ear sink into this, to avoid a sore ear in the morning. In addition to hypertension, it also helps headache and dizziness. One word of caution: watch for allergies! So far, I have not come across any reported, but you never know. It is better to be safe.
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog (Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style.
For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit www.earthpower.com. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue #12 from the drop down list.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Change is in the Air
Just a quick post to say that we will be making some editorial and formatting changes to the blog in the next few days.
You may have already noticed the addition of a search widget. It will search our blog only, or the whole internet, and you decide which it will be. Please try this out, as well as our other widgets, all located in the right margin. After you've had a chance to use the widgets, drop a comment to let us know what you think. Can we improve them? Are they "too much"? Do we need more functionality that isn't here already?
You will also notice a new, fresher look in the next few days, as we transition into a "new space". Don't worry, the content isn't changing, but we hope to make it easier for you to access it and share it.
We are very confident you will be happy with the changes we have in store. Keep an eye out for the "new look"!
You may have already noticed the addition of a search widget. It will search our blog only, or the whole internet, and you decide which it will be. Please try this out, as well as our other widgets, all located in the right margin. After you've had a chance to use the widgets, drop a comment to let us know what you think. Can we improve them? Are they "too much"? Do we need more functionality that isn't here already?
You will also notice a new, fresher look in the next few days, as we transition into a "new space". Don't worry, the content isn't changing, but we hope to make it easier for you to access it and share it.
We are very confident you will be happy with the changes we have in store. Keep an eye out for the "new look"!
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Herbs for Cardiovascular Health - Part 2 of 3
NOTE: This is an excerpt of an article originally published in 1998 in Dr. Leung's newsletter, "Leung's Chinese Herb News", Issue 12, page 3. It is the second in a series of excerpts on cardiovascular health. The first excerpt provided a summary of herbs used in cardiovascular health. We will publish the last excerpt in the next few days. The information is as useful today as when it was written. -ed
Apart from the ones well known to Westerners (e.g., garlic and hawthorn), there are many common Chinese food/herbs that are effective in reducing blood lipids. Here are a few: lycium fruit, fo-ti (both raw and cured), juemingzi, shanzha, chrysanthemum flower, danshen, tangerine peel, zexie, huzhang, purslane herb, huaijiao, and mung bean. Most of these can be regularly and safely consumed. The following are 3 simple remedies that one can try.
Juemingzi
This herb has been around for a long time, being listed in the Shennong Herbal (circa 200 BC to 100 AD) as a superior herb. It is the seed of Cassia obtusifolia or Cassia tora (syn. Senna obtusifolia or Senna tora). It is not only effective in reducing serum lipids (total cholesterol and triglycerides) and increasing HDL-cholesterol, but also in lowering high blood pressure. The dose levels for this herb range from 4.5 g to 50 g. The higher doses are mainly for treating constipation. For hyperlipidemia, 5 to 20 g per day are used. Simply fry the seeds in a frying pan at medium to high heat until they turn darker and emit an aroma. After cooling, break them into a coarse powder and save for later use. Each day take 5 to 20 g and make a tea with boiling water. Drink this every day for at least 1 to 2 months before you can expect any results. If loose bowel occurs, reduce the dose until bowel movement is normal. If you tend to constipate, you may use a dose on the higher side. Also, you may add an equal amount of tea or chrysanthemum flower to the juemingzi if you prefer. Both juemingzi and chrysanthemum flower are readily available from Chinatown herb shops or groceries.
Cured fo-ti
Place 30 g (~1 oz) of cured fo-ti in 300 ml (~10 oz) water and boil for 20 min. Take the liquid (150-200 ml) and drink it in two portions during the day. It is reported to take effect in 20 days. Cured fo-ti is available in Chinatown herb shops. Be sure to ask for the tonic, and not raw fo-ti, the cathartic. Cured fo-ti normally comes in slices, sometimes quite thin, and should be very dark brown to black; it is breakable by hand.
Lotus leaf and green tea
Place 10 g of each herb in a teapot of boiling water. Let it steep for 10 minutes. Then drink it throughout the day, adding more boiling water if needed. This can be used year round on a long-term basis. Lotus leaf is one of the most commonly used ingredients in Chinese diet formulas. It is available in Chinatown groceries and herb shops. It is used as a wrapping for lotus rice. The best way to prepare it for the tea is to break or cut it into small pieces and save for later use.
Note: To be continued in next post. -ed
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog (Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style.
For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit http://www.earthpower.com/. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue #12 from the drop down list.
Apart from the ones well known to Westerners (e.g., garlic and hawthorn), there are many common Chinese food/herbs that are effective in reducing blood lipids. Here are a few: lycium fruit, fo-ti (both raw and cured), juemingzi, shanzha, chrysanthemum flower, danshen, tangerine peel, zexie, huzhang, purslane herb, huaijiao, and mung bean. Most of these can be regularly and safely consumed. The following are 3 simple remedies that one can try.
Juemingzi
This herb has been around for a long time, being listed in the Shennong Herbal (circa 200 BC to 100 AD) as a superior herb. It is the seed of Cassia obtusifolia or Cassia tora (syn. Senna obtusifolia or Senna tora). It is not only effective in reducing serum lipids (total cholesterol and triglycerides) and increasing HDL-cholesterol, but also in lowering high blood pressure. The dose levels for this herb range from 4.5 g to 50 g. The higher doses are mainly for treating constipation. For hyperlipidemia, 5 to 20 g per day are used. Simply fry the seeds in a frying pan at medium to high heat until they turn darker and emit an aroma. After cooling, break them into a coarse powder and save for later use. Each day take 5 to 20 g and make a tea with boiling water. Drink this every day for at least 1 to 2 months before you can expect any results. If loose bowel occurs, reduce the dose until bowel movement is normal. If you tend to constipate, you may use a dose on the higher side. Also, you may add an equal amount of tea or chrysanthemum flower to the juemingzi if you prefer. Both juemingzi and chrysanthemum flower are readily available from Chinatown herb shops or groceries.
Cured fo-ti
Place 30 g (~1 oz) of cured fo-ti in 300 ml (~10 oz) water and boil for 20 min. Take the liquid (150-200 ml) and drink it in two portions during the day. It is reported to take effect in 20 days. Cured fo-ti is available in Chinatown herb shops. Be sure to ask for the tonic, and not raw fo-ti, the cathartic. Cured fo-ti normally comes in slices, sometimes quite thin, and should be very dark brown to black; it is breakable by hand.
Lotus leaf and green tea
Place 10 g of each herb in a teapot of boiling water. Let it steep for 10 minutes. Then drink it throughout the day, adding more boiling water if needed. This can be used year round on a long-term basis. Lotus leaf is one of the most commonly used ingredients in Chinese diet formulas. It is available in Chinatown groceries and herb shops. It is used as a wrapping for lotus rice. The best way to prepare it for the tea is to break or cut it into small pieces and save for later use.
Note: To be continued in next post. -ed
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog (Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style.
For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit http://www.earthpower.com/. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue #12 from the drop down list.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Herbs for Cardiovascular Health - Part 1 of 3
NOTE: This is an excerpt of an article originally published in 1998 in Dr. Leung's newsletter, "Leung's Chinese Herb News", Issue 12, page 3. The topic is cardiovascular health and we will publish the rest of the article in two more excerpts in the next few days. The information is as useful today as when it was written. -ed
There are many Chinese herbs commonly used for cardiovascular problems, such as coronary heart disease, angina, arrhythmia, hypertension, atherosclerosis, hyperlipemia, Raynaud's disease, congestive heart failure, fibrillation, etc. The more well-known ones include danshen or red sage (Salvia miltiorrhiza root/rhizome), honghua (safflower flower), kudzu root, sanqi (Panax notoginseng root), astragalus root, dangshen (Codonopsis pilosula root), Asian ginseng, Sichuan lovage (Ligusticum chuanxiong rhizome), danggui (Angelica sinensis root), chishao or red peony root (Paeonia lactiflora), jiangxiang (Dalbergia odorifera wood), shanzha or Chinese hawthorn, duzhong (Eucommia ulmoides stem bark), chrysanthemum flower, ganoderma, garlic, baizhu (Atractylodes macrocephala rhizome), schisandra berry, maidong (Ophiopogon japonicus rhizome), lycium fruit, zexie (Alisma orientale rhizome), fo-ti (raw and cured Polygonum multiflorum root tuber), purslane herb, dushen (Sophora flavescens root), huaijiao (Sophora japonica fruit), juemingzi (Senna obtusifolia or Senna tora seed), tangerine peel, rehmannia (raw anad cured Rehmannia glutinosa root tuber), puhauang or catttail pollen (Typha angustifolia or Typha orientalis), lotus leaf, huzhang (Polygonum cuspidatum root/rhizome), and fuzi (Aconitum carmichaeli prepared lateral root). All except fuzi are mostly mild medicines with little or no known side effects. Even fuzi (which has been carefully cured to drastically reduce the toxic effects of raw aconite) is quite safe when used properly.
Although some of the above herbs I have listed are for treating the more serious heart problems (e.g. astragalus, danshen, dangshen, maidong, kushen, and sanqi for coronary heart disease and arrhythmia; Sichuan lovage, danshen, honghua, chishao, and jiangxiang for angina; etc.), most are used for milder conditions that eventually may lead to more serious ones. The following two common conditions can be helped with some of these herbs and their combinations.
NOTE: To be continued in next post. -ed
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog (Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style. For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit http://www.earthpower.com/. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 12 from the drop down list.
There are many Chinese herbs commonly used for cardiovascular problems, such as coronary heart disease, angina, arrhythmia, hypertension, atherosclerosis, hyperlipemia, Raynaud's disease, congestive heart failure, fibrillation, etc. The more well-known ones include danshen or red sage (Salvia miltiorrhiza root/rhizome), honghua (safflower flower), kudzu root, sanqi (Panax notoginseng root), astragalus root, dangshen (Codonopsis pilosula root), Asian ginseng, Sichuan lovage (Ligusticum chuanxiong rhizome), danggui (Angelica sinensis root), chishao or red peony root (Paeonia lactiflora), jiangxiang (Dalbergia odorifera wood), shanzha or Chinese hawthorn, duzhong (Eucommia ulmoides stem bark), chrysanthemum flower, ganoderma, garlic, baizhu (Atractylodes macrocephala rhizome), schisandra berry, maidong (Ophiopogon japonicus rhizome), lycium fruit, zexie (Alisma orientale rhizome), fo-ti (raw and cured Polygonum multiflorum root tuber), purslane herb, dushen (Sophora flavescens root), huaijiao (Sophora japonica fruit), juemingzi (Senna obtusifolia or Senna tora seed), tangerine peel, rehmannia (raw anad cured Rehmannia glutinosa root tuber), puhauang or catttail pollen (Typha angustifolia or Typha orientalis), lotus leaf, huzhang (Polygonum cuspidatum root/rhizome), and fuzi (Aconitum carmichaeli prepared lateral root). All except fuzi are mostly mild medicines with little or no known side effects. Even fuzi (which has been carefully cured to drastically reduce the toxic effects of raw aconite) is quite safe when used properly.
Although some of the above herbs I have listed are for treating the more serious heart problems (e.g. astragalus, danshen, dangshen, maidong, kushen, and sanqi for coronary heart disease and arrhythmia; Sichuan lovage, danshen, honghua, chishao, and jiangxiang for angina; etc.), most are used for milder conditions that eventually may lead to more serious ones. The following two common conditions can be helped with some of these herbs and their combinations.
NOTE: To be continued in next post. -ed
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog (Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style. For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit http://www.earthpower.com/. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 12 from the drop down list.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Yet Another Confusing Coffee Article
“Caffeine shown to slow loss of memory in older women” by Maria Kubacki, Canwest News Service. The Gazette, Montreal, Tuesday, August 7, 2007, page A11.
This article is not about caffeine. It’s about coffee! But the mix-up is not the author’s fault. Maria Kubacki was simply quoting the lead researcher, Karen Ritchie, of the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, who equated caffeine with coffee, a big leap of faith, and certainly behind the times in natural products research. The study was published in the current issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Twenty-five years ago, you could get away with such assumptions and equating an active component (which is one of many) of a natural food, drink, or medicine to be responsible for all its pharmacologic activities. Nobody would question you then because little research was being performed on the natural material’s other active components; and most researchers viewed a natural substance as if it were a single-chemical drug, for example, caffeine as coffee. It is no longer the case. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) passed in October of 1994 has changed all that. Since then, scientific research on natural medicines or supplements has been broadened to not just fixate on a particular chemical component, but rather begin to look at their totality and how they actually may benefit people. And in its totality, coffee is not caffeine!
Common drinks such as coffee and tea used to be considered synonymous with caffeine and/or theophylline. But research over the past ten to twenty years has found them to be rich in other phytochemicals such as polyphenols (e.g., up to 10% chlorogenic acid, an anti-inflammatory polyphenol) that have strong antioxidant properties. That’s not all. There are other potentially beneficial chemicals or phytonutrients also present. However, since these findings are still not widely known except through marketing by dietary supplement companies, the mainstream press largely ignores them. Which is why in both the scientific and popular media, coffee is still so often reported as caffeine. Another reason is old habits are difficult to break. Many conventionally trained health researchers tend to continue to confuse an active chemical with an intact botanical or any natural material, for that matter. Thus, some still use ginseng (whatever kind), Echinacea, tea, or coffee as if it were a single-chemical drug in their research and reporting. It appears the French researchers and the Neurology journal reviewers and editors fall into this category.
In any case, in the current report, three or more cups of coffee or tea daily was found to slow memory loss in older women, especially those over 80. The authors of the study readily pointed out this benefit as due to caffeine. Yet this was not a drug study. The drug, caffeine, was not consumed by itself, but rather as a constituent in coffee along with hundreds of other chemicals, some of which have been shown to be strongly antioxidant and possibly with other more important pharmacologic effects on Alzheimer’s disease as well. If the researchers were more cognizant of the other beneficial components of coffee and tea (as both have another thing in common – high polyphenols content), they might have discovered something important which could stimulate new research on coffee and tea. Instead, it’s more of the same based on the wrong premises. It’s a pity! The effects of other coffee and tea components besides caffeine are worth serious scientific study. It may even resolve some of the controversies about coffee, or caffeine.
Learn more about coffee and read further about Dr. Leung and his writings! Visit http://www.earthpower.com/.
This article is not about caffeine. It’s about coffee! But the mix-up is not the author’s fault. Maria Kubacki was simply quoting the lead researcher, Karen Ritchie, of the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research, who equated caffeine with coffee, a big leap of faith, and certainly behind the times in natural products research. The study was published in the current issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Twenty-five years ago, you could get away with such assumptions and equating an active component (which is one of many) of a natural food, drink, or medicine to be responsible for all its pharmacologic activities. Nobody would question you then because little research was being performed on the natural material’s other active components; and most researchers viewed a natural substance as if it were a single-chemical drug, for example, caffeine as coffee. It is no longer the case. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) passed in October of 1994 has changed all that. Since then, scientific research on natural medicines or supplements has been broadened to not just fixate on a particular chemical component, but rather begin to look at their totality and how they actually may benefit people. And in its totality, coffee is not caffeine!
Common drinks such as coffee and tea used to be considered synonymous with caffeine and/or theophylline. But research over the past ten to twenty years has found them to be rich in other phytochemicals such as polyphenols (e.g., up to 10% chlorogenic acid, an anti-inflammatory polyphenol) that have strong antioxidant properties. That’s not all. There are other potentially beneficial chemicals or phytonutrients also present. However, since these findings are still not widely known except through marketing by dietary supplement companies, the mainstream press largely ignores them. Which is why in both the scientific and popular media, coffee is still so often reported as caffeine. Another reason is old habits are difficult to break. Many conventionally trained health researchers tend to continue to confuse an active chemical with an intact botanical or any natural material, for that matter. Thus, some still use ginseng (whatever kind), Echinacea, tea, or coffee as if it were a single-chemical drug in their research and reporting. It appears the French researchers and the Neurology journal reviewers and editors fall into this category.
In any case, in the current report, three or more cups of coffee or tea daily was found to slow memory loss in older women, especially those over 80. The authors of the study readily pointed out this benefit as due to caffeine. Yet this was not a drug study. The drug, caffeine, was not consumed by itself, but rather as a constituent in coffee along with hundreds of other chemicals, some of which have been shown to be strongly antioxidant and possibly with other more important pharmacologic effects on Alzheimer’s disease as well. If the researchers were more cognizant of the other beneficial components of coffee and tea (as both have another thing in common – high polyphenols content), they might have discovered something important which could stimulate new research on coffee and tea. Instead, it’s more of the same based on the wrong premises. It’s a pity! The effects of other coffee and tea components besides caffeine are worth serious scientific study. It may even resolve some of the controversies about coffee, or caffeine.
Learn more about coffee and read further about Dr. Leung and his writings! Visit http://www.earthpower.com/.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Diet Therapy for Diabetes: Part 5 of 5
NOTE: Following is the fourth of five excerpts on diabetes from one of Dr. Leung's earlier writings. This originally appeared in 1997 in Dr. Leung's newsletter, Leung's Chinese Herb News, Issue 11, page 3. -ed
In a recent issue of the Shizen Journal of TCM Research [Shizhen Guoyao Yanjiu,8(6): 553 (1997)], numerous simple treatments of diabetes using common Chinese foods or herbs are summarized by three doctors from the Caiyuan Municipal People's Hospital of Shandong Province. The following recipes are based on herbs/foods that should be available in Chinese or other ethnic stores in North America.
Machixian or purslane herb (Portulaca oleracea)
This grows in many parts of the United States and southern Canada. Here in New Jersey, it grows as a weed on many lawns and waste places. The aboveground part is used as a vegetable and salad green in many parts of the world. It is rich in nutrients (vitamins A, B1, B2, C, niacinamide, nicotinic acid, alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, omega-3 acids, glutathione, flavonoids) and also contains high concentrations of noradrenaline (0.25% in fresh herb reported). It is considered cold-natured and has detoxicant and heat-dispersing properties. Traditionally, it is used internally to treat headache, stomachache, painful urination, dysentery, enteritis, mastitis, bleeding, etc. It is also used externally to treat burns, insect stings, inflammations, eczema, pruritus, and skin sores. Modern uses include the treatment of colitis, diabetes, shingles, and dermatitis. For diabetes, simply eat it regularly as a vegetable when in season or dry it for use in winter. It is a little tart and does not taste bad. Bon apetit!
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog (Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style.For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit http://www.earthpower.com/. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 11 from the drop down list.
In a recent issue of the Shizen Journal of TCM Research [Shizhen Guoyao Yanjiu,8(6): 553 (1997)], numerous simple treatments of diabetes using common Chinese foods or herbs are summarized by three doctors from the Caiyuan Municipal People's Hospital of Shandong Province. The following recipes are based on herbs/foods that should be available in Chinese or other ethnic stores in North America.
Machixian or purslane herb (Portulaca oleracea)
This grows in many parts of the United States and southern Canada. Here in New Jersey, it grows as a weed on many lawns and waste places. The aboveground part is used as a vegetable and salad green in many parts of the world. It is rich in nutrients (vitamins A, B1, B2, C, niacinamide, nicotinic acid, alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, omega-3 acids, glutathione, flavonoids) and also contains high concentrations of noradrenaline (0.25% in fresh herb reported). It is considered cold-natured and has detoxicant and heat-dispersing properties. Traditionally, it is used internally to treat headache, stomachache, painful urination, dysentery, enteritis, mastitis, bleeding, etc. It is also used externally to treat burns, insect stings, inflammations, eczema, pruritus, and skin sores. Modern uses include the treatment of colitis, diabetes, shingles, and dermatitis. For diabetes, simply eat it regularly as a vegetable when in season or dry it for use in winter. It is a little tart and does not taste bad. Bon apetit!
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog (Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style.For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit http://www.earthpower.com/. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 11 from the drop down list.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Diet Therapy for Diabetes: Part 4 of 5
NOTE: Following is the fourth of five excerpts on diabetes from one of Dr. Leung's earlier writings. This originally appeared in 1997 in Dr. Leung's newsletter, Leung's Chinese Herb News, Issue 11, page 3. -ed
In a recent issue of the Shizen Journal of TCM Research [Shizhen Guoyao Yanjiu,8(6): 553 (1997)], numerous simple treatments of diabetes using common Chinese foods or herbs are summarized by three doctors from the Caiyuan Municipal People's Hospital of Shandong Province. The following recipes are based on herbs/foods that should be available in Chinese or other ethnic stores in North America.
Lycium Fruit
This is the fruit of the above Lycium species (editor's note: see the third post in this series). For diabetes, simply eat 10 to 20 g a day. It can be eaten as one would raisins. It has a similar texture as raisin but a little bit less sweet. Lycium fruit is a well-known Chinese yin tonic widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and as a disease-preventive food. It is rich in amino acids and its polysaccharides have been shown to have broad biological activities (antioxidant, antimutagenic, immunomodulating, antistress, antitumor, etc.). I have written about it in previous issues of this newsletter (see Issues 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7). It has become one of my favorite Chinese herbs for very personal reasons. I am one of those people with excessive yang. These people are full of energy, usually hyperactive, and prone to constipation, especially if they do not watch their diet. After using a lycium fruit product daily for the past 16 months, everything else as usual, I have not had a single incidence of constipation, despite my hectic traveling schedule. The reason I hadn't started correcting my problem earlier is for two reasons. First, I was torn between my scientific training and my traditional Chinese medical belief. On the one hand, despite my open-mindedness regarding nonconventional health practices, my scientific mind kept admonishing me not to accept anything that has not been "proven" by science. Besides, occasional constipation is only an inconvenience, not a major problem, which can easily be corrected by a laxative. For this reason, I never pushed for the alternative solution. Second, in order to solve my problem, it is not just a matter of watching my diet. It used to occur once in a while, whether or not I ate lots of fruits and vegetables during that time. I knew it was not the foods that I was eating, nor stress, but rather, my basic yang constitution. If it were a more serious problem, I could have started cooking up Chinese yin tonics to correct it. To do so would involve preparing the concoctions daily for months, which I was too lazy to do, especially for such a minor and common condition. But then I had the opportunity to prepare such a product in a convenient modern dosage form for one of my clients. That was 16 months ago. I can tell you, I have been a happy camper since. And I have not lost my other yang qualities, either! Modern nutritionists think that if you eat a "nutritionally" balanced diet, you should never have a constipation problem. But it is not true, because we are not all equal "living machines". Every one of us is different. A yin person can eat the same foods as a yang person and have diarrhea, while the yang person has constipation. Why can't we accept that? A basic flaw in modern conventional medical practice, in my opinion, is that it assumes everyone is the same and does not take common sense and empirical wisdom seriously. Where are the doctors' grandmas?!
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog (Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style.For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit http://www.earthpower.com/. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 11 from the drop down list.
In a recent issue of the Shizen Journal of TCM Research [Shizhen Guoyao Yanjiu,8(6): 553 (1997)], numerous simple treatments of diabetes using common Chinese foods or herbs are summarized by three doctors from the Caiyuan Municipal People's Hospital of Shandong Province. The following recipes are based on herbs/foods that should be available in Chinese or other ethnic stores in North America.
Lycium Fruit
This is the fruit of the above Lycium species (editor's note: see the third post in this series). For diabetes, simply eat 10 to 20 g a day. It can be eaten as one would raisins. It has a similar texture as raisin but a little bit less sweet. Lycium fruit is a well-known Chinese yin tonic widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and as a disease-preventive food. It is rich in amino acids and its polysaccharides have been shown to have broad biological activities (antioxidant, antimutagenic, immunomodulating, antistress, antitumor, etc.). I have written about it in previous issues of this newsletter (see Issues 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7). It has become one of my favorite Chinese herbs for very personal reasons. I am one of those people with excessive yang. These people are full of energy, usually hyperactive, and prone to constipation, especially if they do not watch their diet. After using a lycium fruit product daily for the past 16 months, everything else as usual, I have not had a single incidence of constipation, despite my hectic traveling schedule. The reason I hadn't started correcting my problem earlier is for two reasons. First, I was torn between my scientific training and my traditional Chinese medical belief. On the one hand, despite my open-mindedness regarding nonconventional health practices, my scientific mind kept admonishing me not to accept anything that has not been "proven" by science. Besides, occasional constipation is only an inconvenience, not a major problem, which can easily be corrected by a laxative. For this reason, I never pushed for the alternative solution. Second, in order to solve my problem, it is not just a matter of watching my diet. It used to occur once in a while, whether or not I ate lots of fruits and vegetables during that time. I knew it was not the foods that I was eating, nor stress, but rather, my basic yang constitution. If it were a more serious problem, I could have started cooking up Chinese yin tonics to correct it. To do so would involve preparing the concoctions daily for months, which I was too lazy to do, especially for such a minor and common condition. But then I had the opportunity to prepare such a product in a convenient modern dosage form for one of my clients. That was 16 months ago. I can tell you, I have been a happy camper since. And I have not lost my other yang qualities, either! Modern nutritionists think that if you eat a "nutritionally" balanced diet, you should never have a constipation problem. But it is not true, because we are not all equal "living machines". Every one of us is different. A yin person can eat the same foods as a yang person and have diarrhea, while the yang person has constipation. Why can't we accept that? A basic flaw in modern conventional medical practice, in my opinion, is that it assumes everyone is the same and does not take common sense and empirical wisdom seriously. Where are the doctors' grandmas?!
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog (Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style.For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit http://www.earthpower.com/. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 11 from the drop down list.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Diet Therapy for Diabetes: Part 3 of 5
NOTE: Following is the third of five excerpts on diabetes from one of Dr. Leung's earlier writings. This originally appeared in 1997 in Dr. Leung's newsletter, Leung's Chinese Herb News, Issue 11, page 3. -ed
In a recent issue of the Shizhen Journal of TCM Research [Shizhen Guoyao Yanjiu,8(6): 553 (1997)], numerous simple treatments of diabetes using common Chinese foods or herbs are summarized by three doctors from the Caiyuan Municipal People's Hospital of Shandong Province. The following recipes are based on herbs/foods that should be available in Chinese or other ethnic stores in North America.
In a recent issue of the Shizhen Journal of TCM Research [Shizhen Guoyao Yanjiu,8(6): 553 (1997)], numerous simple treatments of diabetes using common Chinese foods or herbs are summarized by three doctors from the Caiyuan Municipal People's Hospital of Shandong Province. The following recipes are based on herbs/foods that should be available in Chinese or other ethnic stores in North America.
Jiao gu lan tea (Gynostemma pentaphyllum herb)
Once daily, steep 30 g of the herb in boiling water in a teapot. Drink the tea througout the day. Guaranteed effective! That's according to the authors. Jiao gu lan is currently a hot item, because it contains saponin glycosides that are very similar in chemical structure to ginsenosides (and a few are actually identical to certain ginsenosides). For this reason, intensified studies during recent years have shown it to have many similar pharmacological effects as ginseng. One of these effects is the lowering of blood sugar. You can buy this herb in Chinatown herb shops. I have seen packaged jiao gu lan tea bags for sale in some New York Chinatown herb shops. But if you use the tea bags, you will probably need 10 to 15 a day, depending on the weight of each tea bag.
Digupi or lycium root bark tea
Digupi is the root bark of Lycium barbarum or L. chinenese. Its properties and uses were first recorded in the Shennong Herbal about 2,000 years ago. Even at that time, it was described as being able to relieve thirst, sweet urine, and excessive urination (polyuria) that are major symptoms of diabetes. It is considered cold-natured and is also traditionally used to treat "hot" conditions, including dyspnea cough, hectic fever, sweating, and hemmmorrhages. More recent uses include the treatment of hypertension, malaria, carbuncle, and sores. It is available from Chinatown herb shops.
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog (Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style.For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit http://www.earthpower.com/. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 11 from the drop down list.Diet Therapy for Diabetes: Part 2 of 5
NOTE: Following is the second of five excerpts on diabetes from one of Dr. Leung's earlier writings. This originally appeared in 1997 in Dr. Leung's newsletter, Leung's Chinese Herb News, Issue 11, page 3. -ed
In a recent issue of the Shizhen Journal of TCM Research [Shizhen Guoyao Yanjiu,8(6): 553 (1997)], numerous simple treatments of diabetes using common Chinese foods or herbs are summarized by three doctors from the Caiyuan Municipal People's Hospital of Shandong Province. The following recipes are based on herbs/foods that should be available in Chinese or other ethnic stores in North America.
Green Tea
The original study was made by a Japanese professor, who showed that drinking green tea can reduce excess sugar in the blood. However, the tea must be made with cooled boiled water and not with hot water. It is claimed that hot water will destroy the hypoglycemic components. For sanitary reasons, I suggest you select your green tea with care, since any harmful bacteria in the tea would not be killed when steeped in cold water. Japanese green teas are usually good. If you don't mind drinking cold tea, this remedy is certainly simple and convenient. It won't hurt to try it for a couple months. You never know.
Asian ginseng and egg white soup
Mix 3 g of ginseng powder with one egg white and add boiling water to make a tea/soup. Take this no more than once a day, or better, every other day.
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog (Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style.For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit http://www.earthpower.com/. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 11 from the drop down list.
In a recent issue of the Shizhen Journal of TCM Research [Shizhen Guoyao Yanjiu,8(6): 553 (1997)], numerous simple treatments of diabetes using common Chinese foods or herbs are summarized by three doctors from the Caiyuan Municipal People's Hospital of Shandong Province. The following recipes are based on herbs/foods that should be available in Chinese or other ethnic stores in North America.
Green Tea
The original study was made by a Japanese professor, who showed that drinking green tea can reduce excess sugar in the blood. However, the tea must be made with cooled boiled water and not with hot water. It is claimed that hot water will destroy the hypoglycemic components. For sanitary reasons, I suggest you select your green tea with care, since any harmful bacteria in the tea would not be killed when steeped in cold water. Japanese green teas are usually good. If you don't mind drinking cold tea, this remedy is certainly simple and convenient. It won't hurt to try it for a couple months. You never know.
Asian ginseng and egg white soup
Mix 3 g of ginseng powder with one egg white and add boiling water to make a tea/soup. Take this no more than once a day, or better, every other day.
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog (Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style.For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit http://www.earthpower.com/. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 11 from the drop down list.
Diet Therapy for Diabetes - Part 1 of 5
NOTE: Following is the first of five excerpts on diabetes from one of Dr. Leung's earlier writings. This originally appeared in 1997 in Dr. Leung's newsletter, Leung's Chinese Herb News, Issue 11, page 3. -ed
In a recent issue of the Shizhen Journal of TCM Research [Shizhen Guoyao Yanjiu,8(6): 553 (1997)], numerous simple treatments of diabetes using common Chinese foods or herbs are summarized by three doctors from the Caiyuan Municipal People's Hospital of Shandong Province. The following recipes are based on herbs/foods that should be available in Chinese or other ethnic stores in North America.
India wheat or Siberian buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.)
The seed contains 1% flavonoids, including rutin and cyanidin, as well as other nutrients. For treating diabetes, a mixture of the following flours is made into different types of foods (such as bread and congee) and eaten regularly as part of one's diet: 30% India wheat, 10% soybean, 20% millet, and 40% wheat. No other details are given except that a 93% response was claimed after trials at the Beijing Tong Ren Hospital, Tianjin Medical School Affiliated Hospital, and other hospitals.
Nan gua or cushaw (Cucurbita moschata Duch.)
Use the young fruits when in season. Eat 400 g (a little over a pound) each day, stir fried. One can also cut the young fruit into slices and sun dry them for use in winter or other times. Using this recipe for diabetes, a response rate of up to 75% has been reported. There seems to be many varieties of cushaw. Consequently, in order to get the right type used by the Chinese, it is best to buy it in Chinatown. If you use the Chinese name, nan gua ('southern mellon'), there will be little confusion, as most Chinese know it.
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog (Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style.For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit http://www.earthpower.com/. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 11 from the drop down list.
In a recent issue of the Shizhen Journal of TCM Research [Shizhen Guoyao Yanjiu,8(6): 553 (1997)], numerous simple treatments of diabetes using common Chinese foods or herbs are summarized by three doctors from the Caiyuan Municipal People's Hospital of Shandong Province. The following recipes are based on herbs/foods that should be available in Chinese or other ethnic stores in North America.
India wheat or Siberian buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.)
The seed contains 1% flavonoids, including rutin and cyanidin, as well as other nutrients. For treating diabetes, a mixture of the following flours is made into different types of foods (such as bread and congee) and eaten regularly as part of one's diet: 30% India wheat, 10% soybean, 20% millet, and 40% wheat. No other details are given except that a 93% response was claimed after trials at the Beijing Tong Ren Hospital, Tianjin Medical School Affiliated Hospital, and other hospitals.
Nan gua or cushaw (Cucurbita moschata Duch.)
Use the young fruits when in season. Eat 400 g (a little over a pound) each day, stir fried. One can also cut the young fruit into slices and sun dry them for use in winter or other times. Using this recipe for diabetes, a response rate of up to 75% has been reported. There seems to be many varieties of cushaw. Consequently, in order to get the right type used by the Chinese, it is best to buy it in Chinatown. If you use the Chinese name, nan gua ('southern mellon'), there will be little confusion, as most Chinese know it.
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog (Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style.For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit http://www.earthpower.com/. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 11 from the drop down list.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Ancient Use History - Ginkgo Nut, not Ginkgo Leaf
You probably have heard of ginkgo biloba, as it is now in many herbal or nutritional products. Actually, Ginkgo biloba is a tree, considered as a living fossil, known only from cultivation. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental tree, especially in Japan and northern China. Traditionally the seed, also known as ginkgo nut, is eaten in moderation, as it is toxic, usually cooked in soups and stews; it is considered lung soothing and is prescribed in TCM for bronchitis, asthma, cough, and numerous other conditions. The recorded use of ginkgo seed in China for food and medicine dates back 2,000 years. That of the leaf, however, dates back only about 500 years (which is still a respectable number, especially by Western herbal standards), and with limited applications, such as for diarrhea and externally for freckles and chilblain. The current popular use of ginkgo leaf extract in cerebral and peripheral vascular diseases, short-term memory loss, heart disease, tinnitus, depression, and other conditions, is a direct result of modern research and clinical use of the leaf extract in Europe over the past 20 years only. It is basically a modern medicine, with well-documented modern data. Yet in their promotional literature, some manufacturers and marketers date this use back to ancient times. They are either ignorant or are purposely misleading the public into believing that ginkgo biloba leaf has an ancient use history, yet in fact, only ginkgo seed does. When one sees such a claim in a company's promotional literature, one should be skeptical about its products.
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog ( Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style.For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit www.earthpower.com. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 5 from the drop down list.
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog ( Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style.For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit www.earthpower.com. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 5 from the drop down list.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Job's Tear used as a Healing Food for Acne
Job's tear (Coix seed or Chinese pearl barley) is readily available in Chinese food stores and herb shops. It tastes like regular barley. It is most well known for its diuretic effect and its ability to ease painful joints. It is rich in nutrients. Its oil contains the active compounds coixenolide (antitumor) and coixol (anti-inflammatory, antihistaminic) and its polysaccharides (coixans A, B, and C) have hypoglycemic effects.
Job's tear is frequently used in the diet therapy of the following conditions: painful joints, rheumatism, edema, acne (pimples), eczema, warts, chronic enteritis, etc. Here is a recipe from a recent issue of a Chinese cosmetology journal [Zhongguo Kexue Meirong, (4): 39(1996)] for treating acne. It simply calls for cooking 2 oz. of Job's tear with 2-3 oz. of rice and adding sugar to taste. Eat this once a day for 15 days. I think you can eliminate the sugar here [see Diet therapy of acne, below]. The same recipe can also be used for edema, stiff and painful joints, by replacing regular rice with glutinous rice and eliminating the sugar [Shizhen Guoyao Yanjiu, 7(2): 111(1996)].
In a recent report from a military hospital in Jinan, Shandong Province, 44 patients (ages 5 - 43) with flat warts (chest, face, back of hand, forearm, and neck; 6 mo-4 yr duration) were successfully treated with Job's tear. For adults, 50-60 g (less in children) were cooked in water and eaten daily for 5-12 days. At the same time, a paste was made with Job's tear powder and vinegar and applied to affected areas 1-2 times daily. Twenty-seven patients were treated both internally and externally while 17 were treated only externally. Among the former group, the flat warts completely disappeared in 24 patients (88.88%) and partially resolved (>30% surface area) in 2, while only one showed no response. In contrast, only 8 of the 17 patients (47.06%) in the external group showed complete resolution and 7 had > 30% resolution, while two had no response. Average response time for the internal/external group was 6.5 days and that for the external group 8.5 days. It was observed that the affected areas blistered and increased in size for a few days before the warts dried up and fell off. The authors gave two case examples, both of which had been previously treated with modern methods (liquid nitrogen, interferon, and transfer factor) with unsatisfactory results. This simple Job's tear treatment of warts is certainly worth considering.
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog ( Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style. For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit http://www.earthpower.com/. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 2 from the drop down list.
Job's tear is frequently used in the diet therapy of the following conditions: painful joints, rheumatism, edema, acne (pimples), eczema, warts, chronic enteritis, etc. Here is a recipe from a recent issue of a Chinese cosmetology journal [Zhongguo Kexue Meirong, (4): 39(1996)] for treating acne. It simply calls for cooking 2 oz. of Job's tear with 2-3 oz. of rice and adding sugar to taste. Eat this once a day for 15 days. I think you can eliminate the sugar here [see Diet therapy of acne, below]. The same recipe can also be used for edema, stiff and painful joints, by replacing regular rice with glutinous rice and eliminating the sugar [Shizhen Guoyao Yanjiu, 7(2): 111(1996)].
In a recent report from a military hospital in Jinan, Shandong Province, 44 patients (ages 5 - 43) with flat warts (chest, face, back of hand, forearm, and neck; 6 mo-4 yr duration) were successfully treated with Job's tear. For adults, 50-60 g (less in children) were cooked in water and eaten daily for 5-12 days. At the same time, a paste was made with Job's tear powder and vinegar and applied to affected areas 1-2 times daily. Twenty-seven patients were treated both internally and externally while 17 were treated only externally. Among the former group, the flat warts completely disappeared in 24 patients (88.88%) and partially resolved (>30% surface area) in 2, while only one showed no response. In contrast, only 8 of the 17 patients (47.06%) in the external group showed complete resolution and 7 had > 30% resolution, while two had no response. Average response time for the internal/external group was 6.5 days and that for the external group 8.5 days. It was observed that the affected areas blistered and increased in size for a few days before the warts dried up and fell off. The authors gave two case examples, both of which had been previously treated with modern methods (liquid nitrogen, interferon, and transfer factor) with unsatisfactory results. This simple Job's tear treatment of warts is certainly worth considering.
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog ( Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style. For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit http://www.earthpower.com/. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 2 from the drop down list.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Coltsfoot
Known botanically as Tussilago farfara of the composite family, coltsfoot is a common herb found in many parts of the world. It is generally considered to be a native of Eurasia and now also grows wild in North America and nontropical regions of China, where it is known as kuan dong hua. It is also cultivated in many of the temperate and northern Chinese provinces.
Coltsfoot is a perennial herb, 10 to 25 cm. (4-10 in.) high, with two types of leaves. The larger leaves rise from the creeping rootstock, and measure 7-15 cm. (2.8 to 5.9 in.) long and 8-16 cm (3.1 to 6.3 in.) across, with long petioles (leafstalks) that are 8-20 cm. (3.1 to 7.9 in.) long. These leaves are heart- or egg-shaped and are held up by their long leafstalks. The leaf veins and leafstalks of those near the base of the plant are reddish and contain woolly hair. The flowering stem is also wooly, 5-20 cm. (2 to 7.9 in.) high, has ten or more small scalelike alternate leaves and a yellow flower head. Unlike most herbs, coltsfoot flowers before sending up leaves. In China, it flowers in February or March and fruits in April.
For Chinese medicinal use, the flower heads are dug up before they emerge from the ground, in late October to late December. The buds are collected, rid of flowering stems and dirt, and dried in the shade.
Cotsfoot flowers contain steroids (e.g., faradiol), glycosides (e.g., rutin and hyperin), wax, volatile oil, tannins, taraxanthin, and other biologically active compounds.
The flowers and leaves of coltsfoot have been used in Western folk medicine for centuries to treat numerous respiratory conditions (e.g., coughs, colds, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, and hoarseness), diarrhea, insect bites, inflammations, and burns.
In recent years, Chinese scientists have found a decoction of coltsfoot flowers to have antitussive (anti-cough), expectorant, and some anti-asthmatic effects in experimental animals such as mice, cats, and rabbits.
Coltsfoot has been used in Chinese medicine for at least two thousand years, and is described in the Shennong Herbal. Traditionally, it is considered to taste pungent and to have warming, invigorating properties and to soothe the lungs, disperse phlegm, and stop coughs. It is used mainly in treating various lung or respiratory conditions, including coughs of long duration, difficulties in swallowing, and asthma. The usual daily internal dose is 1.6-9 g. (0.06 to 0.32 oz.), taken in the form of a decoction, powder, or pills.
In the past few decades, clinical use of extracts of coltsfoot flowers has been reported in Chinese medical and pharmaceutical journals.
A report from a journal of Chinese medicine from Shanghai describes the use of an alcoholic extract of coltsfoot in the treatment of wheezing. Each of 36 patients was given orally 5 ml.. of the extract (equivalent to 6 g. of the dried flowers) three times a day. After taking this medicine, 19 of the patients responded - eight within two days. However, this preparation produced side effects that included nausea and insomnia.
In a report from another regional journal, an injection prepared from the coltsfoot flowers and earthworms (also a standard Chinese medicine) was used in treating tracheitis (chronic inflammation of the trachea). Of 68 patients treated for 10 days continuously, all except four showed marked improvement or the disappearance of such symptoms as cough and wheezing. At the same time, appetite and sleep are also improved. This preparation also significantly lowered patients' blood pressure.
Among several recipes recorded in classical herbals, only two appear to be relatively simple. They are described below.
To treat wheezing, cough, or blood in sputum, equal amounts of coltsfoot flowers and lily bulbs (Lilium species, a standard Chinese medicine) are ground to a fine powder, and mixed with honey to make pills the size of marbles. One pill a day is taken. The pill can be chewed and swallowed with ginger tea or it can be left in the mouth and allowed to dissolve slowly by itself. The latter method is said to give better results. This recipe is from a classical herbal of the mid 13th century. Essentially the same recipe is found in a modern herbal manual, except that a more precise dosage is given there: 9 g. (0.3 oz) of pills are taken with boiled water twice daily.
In the same practical herbal manual, treatment of chronic traecheitis with incessant cough simply calls for placing honey-treated coltsfoot flowers in a pipe and smoking it. The honey-treated flowers are prepared by mixing five parts of flowers with one part of honey predissolved in a small amount of boiling water. The mixture is then fried until it is no longer sticky to the touch.
Availability: Coltsfoot grows in most of eastern North America, in clay-like soil and near streams. The dried flower buds of coltsfoot are available from Chinese herb shops.
This information is excerpted from Dr. Albert Leung’s book, Chinese Healing Foods and Herbs. This publication includes further information and home remedies using coltsfoot as well as over 45 other herbs. Learn more about coltsfoot and read further about Dr. Leung and his writings! Visit http://www.earthpower.com/.
Coltsfoot is a perennial herb, 10 to 25 cm. (4-10 in.) high, with two types of leaves. The larger leaves rise from the creeping rootstock, and measure 7-15 cm. (2.8 to 5.9 in.) long and 8-16 cm (3.1 to 6.3 in.) across, with long petioles (leafstalks) that are 8-20 cm. (3.1 to 7.9 in.) long. These leaves are heart- or egg-shaped and are held up by their long leafstalks. The leaf veins and leafstalks of those near the base of the plant are reddish and contain woolly hair. The flowering stem is also wooly, 5-20 cm. (2 to 7.9 in.) high, has ten or more small scalelike alternate leaves and a yellow flower head. Unlike most herbs, coltsfoot flowers before sending up leaves. In China, it flowers in February or March and fruits in April.
For Chinese medicinal use, the flower heads are dug up before they emerge from the ground, in late October to late December. The buds are collected, rid of flowering stems and dirt, and dried in the shade.
Cotsfoot flowers contain steroids (e.g., faradiol), glycosides (e.g., rutin and hyperin), wax, volatile oil, tannins, taraxanthin, and other biologically active compounds.
The flowers and leaves of coltsfoot have been used in Western folk medicine for centuries to treat numerous respiratory conditions (e.g., coughs, colds, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, and hoarseness), diarrhea, insect bites, inflammations, and burns.
In recent years, Chinese scientists have found a decoction of coltsfoot flowers to have antitussive (anti-cough), expectorant, and some anti-asthmatic effects in experimental animals such as mice, cats, and rabbits.
Coltsfoot has been used in Chinese medicine for at least two thousand years, and is described in the Shennong Herbal. Traditionally, it is considered to taste pungent and to have warming, invigorating properties and to soothe the lungs, disperse phlegm, and stop coughs. It is used mainly in treating various lung or respiratory conditions, including coughs of long duration, difficulties in swallowing, and asthma. The usual daily internal dose is 1.6-9 g. (0.06 to 0.32 oz.), taken in the form of a decoction, powder, or pills.
In the past few decades, clinical use of extracts of coltsfoot flowers has been reported in Chinese medical and pharmaceutical journals.
A report from a journal of Chinese medicine from Shanghai describes the use of an alcoholic extract of coltsfoot in the treatment of wheezing. Each of 36 patients was given orally 5 ml.. of the extract (equivalent to 6 g. of the dried flowers) three times a day. After taking this medicine, 19 of the patients responded - eight within two days. However, this preparation produced side effects that included nausea and insomnia.
In a report from another regional journal, an injection prepared from the coltsfoot flowers and earthworms (also a standard Chinese medicine) was used in treating tracheitis (chronic inflammation of the trachea). Of 68 patients treated for 10 days continuously, all except four showed marked improvement or the disappearance of such symptoms as cough and wheezing. At the same time, appetite and sleep are also improved. This preparation also significantly lowered patients' blood pressure.
Among several recipes recorded in classical herbals, only two appear to be relatively simple. They are described below.
To treat wheezing, cough, or blood in sputum, equal amounts of coltsfoot flowers and lily bulbs (Lilium species, a standard Chinese medicine) are ground to a fine powder, and mixed with honey to make pills the size of marbles. One pill a day is taken. The pill can be chewed and swallowed with ginger tea or it can be left in the mouth and allowed to dissolve slowly by itself. The latter method is said to give better results. This recipe is from a classical herbal of the mid 13th century. Essentially the same recipe is found in a modern herbal manual, except that a more precise dosage is given there: 9 g. (0.3 oz) of pills are taken with boiled water twice daily.
In the same practical herbal manual, treatment of chronic traecheitis with incessant cough simply calls for placing honey-treated coltsfoot flowers in a pipe and smoking it. The honey-treated flowers are prepared by mixing five parts of flowers with one part of honey predissolved in a small amount of boiling water. The mixture is then fried until it is no longer sticky to the touch.
Availability: Coltsfoot grows in most of eastern North America, in clay-like soil and near streams. The dried flower buds of coltsfoot are available from Chinese herb shops.
This information is excerpted from Dr. Albert Leung’s book, Chinese Healing Foods and Herbs. This publication includes further information and home remedies using coltsfoot as well as over 45 other herbs. Learn more about coltsfoot and read further about Dr. Leung and his writings! Visit http://www.earthpower.com/.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Coffee (or is it caffeine?) again!
I recently came across a front-page article in a New Jersey newspaper (The Bergen Record, Monday, July 9, 2007) by a staff writer, entitled “Coffee drinks hook kids – Combination of caffeine, calories concerns nutritionists.” This publication is timely as it points out how caffeine-laden soft drinks and coffee drinks have affected the nutrition of our kids. However, like so many other articles on coffee, this one mixes and confuses coffee with caffeine. It’s this kind of writing that has not helped consumers sort out what is good and what is bad about a traditional beverage (coffee or tea) versus a chemical drug substance (caffeine). See my comments on coffee and caffeine from March/April of 2000 and coffee or caffeine.
Over the past several decades, researchers investigating the effects of coffee seldom paid much attention to what exactly they were investigating. Most had presumed caffeine was the sole active ingredient of coffee so they never paid attention to the other active components in coffee besides caffeine. So, when they used coffee or caffeine in their studies and reported their findings, one could never be sure what they actually used or meant – coffee (the bean) or caffeine (the drug). The two are not the same! And in order to find out for sure whenever an author (like the one of the present article) says caffeine, he doesn’t mean coffee, one has to read all the materials the author has used for the article. This, in turn, would inevitably lead to other publications on which these materials were based. A very daunting task indeed!
The fact is that brewed coffee is a natural drink with all its complements of phytochemicals that include caffeine (stimulant), trigonelline (hypoglycemic, could be useful in diabetes), polyphenols (antioxidant), polysaccharides (may help the immune system), and B vitamin (e.g., niacin), among others. In contrast, caffeine, when added to soft drinks or so-called “energy drinks,” does not have any complementary redeeming qualities from coffee to go with it. So, when kids drink sugary “energy drinks,” all they get is a jolt from caffeine along with empty calories. Top this off with a couple of hamburgers and a big pile of French fries for lunch or dinner, they might have to seek ‘heartburn’ relief with nationally advertised drugs. That’s the current national scene in which kids imbibe caffeine and sugar and get wired, fat, or downright sick, while corporations reap huge financial profits. That’s free American enterprise working for you!
Over the past several decades, researchers investigating the effects of coffee seldom paid much attention to what exactly they were investigating. Most had presumed caffeine was the sole active ingredient of coffee so they never paid attention to the other active components in coffee besides caffeine. So, when they used coffee or caffeine in their studies and reported their findings, one could never be sure what they actually used or meant – coffee (the bean) or caffeine (the drug). The two are not the same! And in order to find out for sure whenever an author (like the one of the present article) says caffeine, he doesn’t mean coffee, one has to read all the materials the author has used for the article. This, in turn, would inevitably lead to other publications on which these materials were based. A very daunting task indeed!
The fact is that brewed coffee is a natural drink with all its complements of phytochemicals that include caffeine (stimulant), trigonelline (hypoglycemic, could be useful in diabetes), polyphenols (antioxidant), polysaccharides (may help the immune system), and B vitamin (e.g., niacin), among others. In contrast, caffeine, when added to soft drinks or so-called “energy drinks,” does not have any complementary redeeming qualities from coffee to go with it. So, when kids drink sugary “energy drinks,” all they get is a jolt from caffeine along with empty calories. Top this off with a couple of hamburgers and a big pile of French fries for lunch or dinner, they might have to seek ‘heartburn’ relief with nationally advertised drugs. That’s the current national scene in which kids imbibe caffeine and sugar and get wired, fat, or downright sick, while corporations reap huge financial profits. That’s free American enterprise working for you!
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Herbs for Treating Hangover or Drunkenness
In the traditional Chinese medical literature, drunkenness and hangover are all lumped under jiu du or wine/alcohol poisoning. The following are some better known herbs/foods for this condition*:
1) Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) - various parts of the plant have been used, including the root, flower and seed. The earliest documented use of kudzu root to relieve jiu du dates back almost 2,000 years to the Shennong Ben Cao Jing (Shennong Herbal); that of kudzu flower dates back 1,700 years to the Ming Yi Bie Lu; and that of kudzu seed dates back to Li Shi Zhen's Ben Cao Gang Mu (1593 A.D.)
2) Sugarcane juice - its earliest recorded use dates back 1,700 years to the Ming Yi Bie Lu, and is considered a simple folk remedy for jiu du.
3) Banana - Its earliest use record dates back to the Ben Cao Gang Mu Shi Yi (1765 A.D.).
4) Watermelon - both the flesh and skin are used; dates back to the early 14th century A.D.
5) Chi xiao dou hua [rice bean flower (Phaseolus calacaratus)] - dates back to the Shennong herbal.
6) Mung Bean or lu dou - Mung bean flour, sprout (the well known bean sprout) and flower are all used. Earliest use of the flour dates back to the Ri Yong Ben Cao (1331 AD). The use of bean sprout and mung bean flour for jiu du was first described by Li Shi-Zhen in his Ben Cao Gang Mu.
7) Lotus root (Nelumbo mucirerra) - dates back to the Shen nong herbal.
8) Radish or lai fu (Raphanus sativus) - described by Li Shi-Zhen in his Ben Cao Gang Mu. It is a popular folk remedy for heavy drinking: one can eat it fresh or drink its expressed juice.
9) Zhi ju zi or fruit of Japanese raisin tree (Hovenia dulcis) - also called suanzaozi, meaning "sour jujube kernel", but is not the sour jujube kernel (or suanzaoren) with sedative, hypnotic, and analgesic properties described above. The use of zhi ju zi to treat jiu du was first recorded in the Tang Ben Cao (659 A.D.), that is considered the first official pharmacopoeia in the world, as it was compiled by recognized experts under edict from the emperor. It is said that the great poet of the Song Dynasty, Su Dong Po, liked to drink, but was seldom drunk. His secret was zhi ju zi. And Li Shi-Zhen in his herbal (1593 A.D.) recommends it, along with kudzu flower, chi dou hua (adsuki flower) and mung bean flour for people who drink too much.
10) Chen zi or sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) - both whole fruit and peel are used. First use of the whole fruit was recorded in the Shi Xing Ben Cao (937 A.D.); that of the peel in the Shi Liao Ben Cao (704 A.D.).
11) Gan pi or tangerine peel - first use recorded in teh Ri Hua Zi Ben Cao (908-923)
12) Jin ju or kumquat -whole fruit used; earliest use described in the Ben Cao Gang Mu.
13) Yang mei (fruit of Myrica rubra) - earliest use recorded in the Shi Liao Ben Cao.
14) Gan lan or Chinese olive (Canarium album) - earliest use dates back to the Ri Hua Zi Ben Cao.
15) You (pronounced "yo") or pomelo (Chinese Grapefruit) - earliest use of the fruit recorded in the Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu (500 A.D.) and that of the peel in the Tang Ben Cao.
16) Shi or persimmon - there are numerous varieties, some of which are very soft and red, while others remain yellowish and firm, when ripe; they are all sweet. The type described in the Ming Yi Bie Lu (3rd century A.D.) for treating jiu du is the soft variety. However, it appears that other types are now also commonly used for preventing alcohol intoxication.
17) Shanzha or Chinese Hawthorn - use first described in the Tang Ben Cao.
18) Others, with earliest use record for treating jiu du in parenthesis, include schisandra berry (1st century A.D.), clove (627 A.D), bai dou kou or Amomum compactum fruit (1765 A.D.), hong dou kou or Alpinia galanga fruit (627 A.D.), rou dou kou or nutmeg (627 A.D.), cao guo or Amomum tsao-ko fruit (1505 A.D.) and bian dou or Dolichos lablab seed (3rd century A.D.)
*Source: L.C. Sun, "Herbs for Relieving Drunkenness/Hangover from Classic Herbals," Jiangxi Zhongyiyao, 23(1): 55-56(1992).
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog ( Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style. For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit http://www.earthpower.com/. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 9 from the drop down list.
1) Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) - various parts of the plant have been used, including the root, flower and seed. The earliest documented use of kudzu root to relieve jiu du dates back almost 2,000 years to the Shennong Ben Cao Jing (Shennong Herbal); that of kudzu flower dates back 1,700 years to the Ming Yi Bie Lu; and that of kudzu seed dates back to Li Shi Zhen's Ben Cao Gang Mu (1593 A.D.)
2) Sugarcane juice - its earliest recorded use dates back 1,700 years to the Ming Yi Bie Lu, and is considered a simple folk remedy for jiu du.
3) Banana - Its earliest use record dates back to the Ben Cao Gang Mu Shi Yi (1765 A.D.).
4) Watermelon - both the flesh and skin are used; dates back to the early 14th century A.D.
5) Chi xiao dou hua [rice bean flower (Phaseolus calacaratus)] - dates back to the Shennong herbal.
6) Mung Bean or lu dou - Mung bean flour, sprout (the well known bean sprout) and flower are all used. Earliest use of the flour dates back to the Ri Yong Ben Cao (1331 AD). The use of bean sprout and mung bean flour for jiu du was first described by Li Shi-Zhen in his Ben Cao Gang Mu.
7) Lotus root (Nelumbo mucirerra) - dates back to the Shen nong herbal.
8) Radish or lai fu (Raphanus sativus) - described by Li Shi-Zhen in his Ben Cao Gang Mu. It is a popular folk remedy for heavy drinking: one can eat it fresh or drink its expressed juice.
9) Zhi ju zi or fruit of Japanese raisin tree (Hovenia dulcis) - also called suanzaozi, meaning "sour jujube kernel", but is not the sour jujube kernel (or suanzaoren) with sedative, hypnotic, and analgesic properties described above. The use of zhi ju zi to treat jiu du was first recorded in the Tang Ben Cao (659 A.D.), that is considered the first official pharmacopoeia in the world, as it was compiled by recognized experts under edict from the emperor. It is said that the great poet of the Song Dynasty, Su Dong Po, liked to drink, but was seldom drunk. His secret was zhi ju zi. And Li Shi-Zhen in his herbal (1593 A.D.) recommends it, along with kudzu flower, chi dou hua (adsuki flower) and mung bean flour for people who drink too much.
10) Chen zi or sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) - both whole fruit and peel are used. First use of the whole fruit was recorded in the Shi Xing Ben Cao (937 A.D.); that of the peel in the Shi Liao Ben Cao (704 A.D.).
11) Gan pi or tangerine peel - first use recorded in teh Ri Hua Zi Ben Cao (908-923)
12) Jin ju or kumquat -whole fruit used; earliest use described in the Ben Cao Gang Mu.
13) Yang mei (fruit of Myrica rubra) - earliest use recorded in the Shi Liao Ben Cao.
14) Gan lan or Chinese olive (Canarium album) - earliest use dates back to the Ri Hua Zi Ben Cao.
15) You (pronounced "yo") or pomelo (Chinese Grapefruit) - earliest use of the fruit recorded in the Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu (500 A.D.) and that of the peel in the Tang Ben Cao.
16) Shi or persimmon - there are numerous varieties, some of which are very soft and red, while others remain yellowish and firm, when ripe; they are all sweet. The type described in the Ming Yi Bie Lu (3rd century A.D.) for treating jiu du is the soft variety. However, it appears that other types are now also commonly used for preventing alcohol intoxication.
17) Shanzha or Chinese Hawthorn - use first described in the Tang Ben Cao.
18) Others, with earliest use record for treating jiu du in parenthesis, include schisandra berry (1st century A.D.), clove (627 A.D), bai dou kou or Amomum compactum fruit (1765 A.D.), hong dou kou or Alpinia galanga fruit (627 A.D.), rou dou kou or nutmeg (627 A.D.), cao guo or Amomum tsao-ko fruit (1505 A.D.) and bian dou or Dolichos lablab seed (3rd century A.D.)
*Source: L.C. Sun, "Herbs for Relieving Drunkenness/Hangover from Classic Herbals," Jiangxi Zhongyiyao, 23(1): 55-56(1992).
These and more herbal remedies are available from the volumes of Dr. Leung’s newsletter, of the same name as this blog ( Leung’s Chinese Herb News). This newsletter was published and sent to subscribers (most were industry-insiders) from 1996 to 2004. The collected works now serve as an excellent reference work, created with Dr. Leung’s frank, honest opinions and down-to-earth communication style. For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit http://www.earthpower.com/. To order the newsletter containing the remedies mentioned above, visit the bookstore, click “Buy Now” on the newsletter, and select Issue # 9 from the drop down list.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Dill is shi luo zi, Dill is xiao hui xiang
The dill plant is an annual or biennial herb with a smooth and erect stem, up to about 1 m (3.3 ft) high. Its leaves are finely dissected, like branches of needles. Dill is scientifically called Anethum graveolens of the parsley family and is known in Chinese as shi luo zi or xiao hui xiang ("small fennel"). It is a native of the Mediterranean and southern Russia and is cultivated in European countries as well as in the United States, the West Indies, India, and China. The dried ripe fruit (dill seed) and the whole aboveground herb (dill herb) furnish the well-known spices. They are also used for the production of dill-seed oil and dill-herb oil, both of which are used as flavor or fragrance components in food, drug, and cosmetic products in Western countries.
For Chinese medicine, the dill fruits are harvested by collecting the whole of the fruiting branches (umbels). After drying under the sun, these are thrashed to release the fruits, which, after being separated from extraneous matter, are further sun-dried to yield the dill seed.
Dill seed usually contains 2.5% to 4% volatile oil, composed mainly of carvone with lesser amounts of numerous other aromatic chemicals. Dill also contains coumarins (e.g., bergapten, scopoletin, and umbelliferone), steroids (e.g., sitosterol), flavonnoids, glucosides, phenolic acids, about 16% protein, 15% fats, 55% carbohydrates, minerals (especially calcium and potassium) and vitamins (e.g., A and C), among other constituents.
In Western folk medicine, dill seed is used as an antispasmodic, sedative, carminative, diuretic, and stomachic. Conditions for which it is used include lack of appetite, upset stomach, insomnia, and flatulence. It is also used to promote milk flow in nursing mothers.
Dill seed oil has been the subject of various experiments with animals and has been found to lower blood pressure, inhibit the growth of bacteria, and relax the spasms of the intestines and uterine muscles.
Dill seed is considered in Chinese medicine to taste pungent and to have invigorating properties. It is said to benefit the spleen, kidney, and stomach - dispersing colds, increasing appetite, and getting rid of fish and meat toxins. It is used mainly in treating gastrointestinal problems, including stomachache, colic, vomiting, lack of appetite, and abdominal distention. The usual daily internal dose is 2.5 to 5 g. (o.1 to 0.2 oz.) taken in the form of a decoction, pills, or powder.
The following are three remedies reproduced from classical herbals.
To treat abdominal distention, vomiting, inability to hold food, and flank pain in children, a well-known 15th century book of remedies directs one to make pills the size of mung beans (or peas) out of dill-seed powder. For a three-year0old child, 30 pills are given with tangerine-peel tea. For adults, the dose is of course larger.
To treat backache due to sudden sprain, 6 g. (0.2 oz.) of dill-seed powder is taken with wine.
For treating hernia, and "painful abdominal mass" in women, 38 g. (1.3 oz.) of dill seed is roasted (fried) until brown, ground to a powder, and taken with wine.
Availability: Dill seed is readily available as a spice in grocery stores and supermarkets.
This information is excerpted from Dr. Albert Leung’s book, Chinese Healing Foods and Herbs. This publication includes further information and home remedies using dill as well as over 45 other herbs. Learn more about dill and read further about Dr. Leung and his writings! Visit http://www.earthpower.com/.
For Chinese medicine, the dill fruits are harvested by collecting the whole of the fruiting branches (umbels). After drying under the sun, these are thrashed to release the fruits, which, after being separated from extraneous matter, are further sun-dried to yield the dill seed.
Dill seed usually contains 2.5% to 4% volatile oil, composed mainly of carvone with lesser amounts of numerous other aromatic chemicals. Dill also contains coumarins (e.g., bergapten, scopoletin, and umbelliferone), steroids (e.g., sitosterol), flavonnoids, glucosides, phenolic acids, about 16% protein, 15% fats, 55% carbohydrates, minerals (especially calcium and potassium) and vitamins (e.g., A and C), among other constituents.
In Western folk medicine, dill seed is used as an antispasmodic, sedative, carminative, diuretic, and stomachic. Conditions for which it is used include lack of appetite, upset stomach, insomnia, and flatulence. It is also used to promote milk flow in nursing mothers.
Dill seed oil has been the subject of various experiments with animals and has been found to lower blood pressure, inhibit the growth of bacteria, and relax the spasms of the intestines and uterine muscles.
Dill seed is considered in Chinese medicine to taste pungent and to have invigorating properties. It is said to benefit the spleen, kidney, and stomach - dispersing colds, increasing appetite, and getting rid of fish and meat toxins. It is used mainly in treating gastrointestinal problems, including stomachache, colic, vomiting, lack of appetite, and abdominal distention. The usual daily internal dose is 2.5 to 5 g. (o.1 to 0.2 oz.) taken in the form of a decoction, pills, or powder.
The following are three remedies reproduced from classical herbals.
To treat abdominal distention, vomiting, inability to hold food, and flank pain in children, a well-known 15th century book of remedies directs one to make pills the size of mung beans (or peas) out of dill-seed powder. For a three-year0old child, 30 pills are given with tangerine-peel tea. For adults, the dose is of course larger.
To treat backache due to sudden sprain, 6 g. (0.2 oz.) of dill-seed powder is taken with wine.
For treating hernia, and "painful abdominal mass" in women, 38 g. (1.3 oz.) of dill seed is roasted (fried) until brown, ground to a powder, and taken with wine.
Availability: Dill seed is readily available as a spice in grocery stores and supermarkets.
This information is excerpted from Dr. Albert Leung’s book, Chinese Healing Foods and Herbs. This publication includes further information and home remedies using dill as well as over 45 other herbs. Learn more about dill and read further about Dr. Leung and his writings! Visit http://www.earthpower.com/.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Part 2 of 2: Soybean
In an earlier post, we introduced the soybean and some of its uses in Chinese medicine. Today, we look at traditional versus modern uses as well as some classic home remedies.
The recorded use of black soybean in Chinese medicine preceded that of yellow soybean. The former dates back at least 2,000 years, being listed in the Shennong Herbal, while the latter dates back to only around A.D. 1330. Consequently, there is much more documentation on the medicinal uses of black soybean and its derived products than on those of yellow soybean. Black soybean, black soybean skin (seedcoat), fermented black beans, yellow soybean, and yellow bean sprout, as well as other, less common forms of soybean, are all used medicinally.
Black soybean skin is prepared in the following manner: The beans are soaked in clean water until they germinate, or until the skins separate easily. The skins are then removed and sun-dried. They are kept in a dry place, ready for use.
The first recorded medicinal use of black soybean skin dates back to the middle of the 8th centruy, during the Tang Dynasty. It is said to nourish the blood, clear one's vision, and drive away disease-causing factors. It is used in treating excessive sweating, night sweat, dizziness, headache, and rheumatoid arthritis and is usually taken in the form of a decoction, with a usual daily dose of 9 to 16 g. (0.3 to 0.6 oz.).
There are two kinds of fermented black soybeans (dou chi in Chinese) - unsalted and salted. Although the only difference between the two is the added salt, the former is more commonly used in Chinese medicine. Fermented black beans are prepared by a complicated process that involves soaking black soybeans in a water extract of white mulberry leaves and a wormwood herb (e.g., Artemisia annua), followed by steam-cooking and spontaneous fermentation. Other herbs such as licorice and Ephedra sinica (ma huang, in which ephedrine was first discovered) are also used.
The first recorded use of fermented black beans in Chinese medicine dates back to the early 6th century, during the Liang Dynasty. It is considered bitter tasting and is said to be good for treating illnesses that affect the lungs and the digestive system. It is used in treating colds, fevers, typhoid, headache, and discomforts in the chest. For these illnesses, it is usually taken internally as a decoction, with a daily dose of 6 to 12 g. (0.2 to 0.4 oz.).
Yellow soybean is considered to have the same medicinal nature to black soybean and is used in treating similar conditions.
Yellow bean sprouts are prepared by keeping yellow soybeans under wet and warm conditions until they germinate and the sprouts reach about two inches in length. Although practically unknown to most Westerners, yellow bean sprouts are a common vegetable in the Chinese diet. They taste different from mung-bean sprouts, the latter being the bean sprout most Westerners find in Chinese dishes.
The use of soybean in the treatment of long-term leg ulcers was described in 1951 in a medical journal from northeastern China. According to this report, yellow soybeans were washed with warm water and partially cooked in water. After being stirred to separate and remove the skins, the beans were mashed to form a paste to which preservative was added. The ulcer was wiped clean and the bean paste was placed on a piece of thick gauze and applied directly to the ulcer. The medication was changed once a day. This treatment was used on four patients who had had leg ulcers for one-and-a-half to 12 years. All were healed after this treatment. This application was based on a traditional remedy.
An application of yellow bean sprout for treating the common wart was reported in 1963 in a regional medical journal from southeastern China. Patients under treatment were fed only plain, water-boiled yellow bean sprouts, without salt or other seasoning, three times a day. No other foods were allowed until the fourth day, when patients resumed their normal diet. All four patients treated were cured and their warts did not reappear.
There are many recorded remedies using soybean and, as in keeping with traditional practice, most of them contain more than one herb. Nevertheless, there are some remedies that call for soybean alone. Thus, for treating hot-water or fire burns and erysipelas (an acute bacterial disease marked by fever and severe skin inflammation), black beans are cooked in water and the concentrated liquid is applied directly to the affected areas of the skin. Wounds are said to heal with no scars. To treat poisoning due to drugs such as croton and arsenic, boiled black-soybean juice is taken internally; sometimes, the beans are boiled with licorice to enhance their detoxifying effects. Incidentally, croton oil was an official drug (as a purgative) in the United States up to 1947, when it was discarded as being too dangerous. Nevertheless, croton seed and croton oil are still used in Chinese medicine as they have been for thousands of years (both are described in the Shennong Herbal) for treating numerous disorders.
For treating a common condition characterized by dry mouth, sore throat, dry cough, and constipation, the following common home remedy is used: About four pounds of yellow bean sprouts are cooked in plenty of water for four to five hours and the liquid is taken as a drink.
Availability: Yellow soybeans are available in health food stores, groceries, Chinese groceries, and some supermarkets. Black soybeans, fermented black beans, and yellow soybean sprouts are available in Chinese groceries.
This information is excerpted from Dr. Albert Leung’s book, Chinese Healing Foods and Herbs. This publication includes further information and home remedies using soybean as well as over 45 other herbs. Learn more about soybean and read further about Dr. Leung and his writings! Visit http://www.earthpower.com/.
The recorded use of black soybean in Chinese medicine preceded that of yellow soybean. The former dates back at least 2,000 years, being listed in the Shennong Herbal, while the latter dates back to only around A.D. 1330. Consequently, there is much more documentation on the medicinal uses of black soybean and its derived products than on those of yellow soybean. Black soybean, black soybean skin (seedcoat), fermented black beans, yellow soybean, and yellow bean sprout, as well as other, less common forms of soybean, are all used medicinally.
Black soybean skin is prepared in the following manner: The beans are soaked in clean water until they germinate, or until the skins separate easily. The skins are then removed and sun-dried. They are kept in a dry place, ready for use.
The first recorded medicinal use of black soybean skin dates back to the middle of the 8th centruy, during the Tang Dynasty. It is said to nourish the blood, clear one's vision, and drive away disease-causing factors. It is used in treating excessive sweating, night sweat, dizziness, headache, and rheumatoid arthritis and is usually taken in the form of a decoction, with a usual daily dose of 9 to 16 g. (0.3 to 0.6 oz.).
There are two kinds of fermented black soybeans (dou chi in Chinese) - unsalted and salted. Although the only difference between the two is the added salt, the former is more commonly used in Chinese medicine. Fermented black beans are prepared by a complicated process that involves soaking black soybeans in a water extract of white mulberry leaves and a wormwood herb (e.g., Artemisia annua), followed by steam-cooking and spontaneous fermentation. Other herbs such as licorice and Ephedra sinica (ma huang, in which ephedrine was first discovered) are also used.
The first recorded use of fermented black beans in Chinese medicine dates back to the early 6th century, during the Liang Dynasty. It is considered bitter tasting and is said to be good for treating illnesses that affect the lungs and the digestive system. It is used in treating colds, fevers, typhoid, headache, and discomforts in the chest. For these illnesses, it is usually taken internally as a decoction, with a daily dose of 6 to 12 g. (0.2 to 0.4 oz.).
Yellow soybean is considered to have the same medicinal nature to black soybean and is used in treating similar conditions.
Yellow bean sprouts are prepared by keeping yellow soybeans under wet and warm conditions until they germinate and the sprouts reach about two inches in length. Although practically unknown to most Westerners, yellow bean sprouts are a common vegetable in the Chinese diet. They taste different from mung-bean sprouts, the latter being the bean sprout most Westerners find in Chinese dishes.
The use of soybean in the treatment of long-term leg ulcers was described in 1951 in a medical journal from northeastern China. According to this report, yellow soybeans were washed with warm water and partially cooked in water. After being stirred to separate and remove the skins, the beans were mashed to form a paste to which preservative was added. The ulcer was wiped clean and the bean paste was placed on a piece of thick gauze and applied directly to the ulcer. The medication was changed once a day. This treatment was used on four patients who had had leg ulcers for one-and-a-half to 12 years. All were healed after this treatment. This application was based on a traditional remedy.
An application of yellow bean sprout for treating the common wart was reported in 1963 in a regional medical journal from southeastern China. Patients under treatment were fed only plain, water-boiled yellow bean sprouts, without salt or other seasoning, three times a day. No other foods were allowed until the fourth day, when patients resumed their normal diet. All four patients treated were cured and their warts did not reappear.
There are many recorded remedies using soybean and, as in keeping with traditional practice, most of them contain more than one herb. Nevertheless, there are some remedies that call for soybean alone. Thus, for treating hot-water or fire burns and erysipelas (an acute bacterial disease marked by fever and severe skin inflammation), black beans are cooked in water and the concentrated liquid is applied directly to the affected areas of the skin. Wounds are said to heal with no scars. To treat poisoning due to drugs such as croton and arsenic, boiled black-soybean juice is taken internally; sometimes, the beans are boiled with licorice to enhance their detoxifying effects. Incidentally, croton oil was an official drug (as a purgative) in the United States up to 1947, when it was discarded as being too dangerous. Nevertheless, croton seed and croton oil are still used in Chinese medicine as they have been for thousands of years (both are described in the Shennong Herbal) for treating numerous disorders.
For treating a common condition characterized by dry mouth, sore throat, dry cough, and constipation, the following common home remedy is used: About four pounds of yellow bean sprouts are cooked in plenty of water for four to five hours and the liquid is taken as a drink.
Availability: Yellow soybeans are available in health food stores, groceries, Chinese groceries, and some supermarkets. Black soybeans, fermented black beans, and yellow soybean sprouts are available in Chinese groceries.
This information is excerpted from Dr. Albert Leung’s book, Chinese Healing Foods and Herbs. This publication includes further information and home remedies using soybean as well as over 45 other herbs. Learn more about soybean and read further about Dr. Leung and his writings! Visit http://www.earthpower.com/.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Part 1 of 2: Soybean
This week we will be looking at how Chinese medicine uses a favorite of American agriculture, the soybean. This will be covered in a two-part entry. Enjoy!
Two varieties of soybean are used in Chinese medicine - black soybean and yellow soybean, known in Chinese as hei da dou and huang da dou respectively. Both are derived botanically from Glycine max of the pea family. (Black-soybean skin, also used medicinally, is known as hei da dou pi. ) Black soybean has a black skin (seed coat) and yellow soybean has a pale skin.
Soybeans have been cultivated in China for thousands of years. They are a major source of protein there, mostly in the form of soybean milk, bean curd, and related products. Today they are also widely cultivated in Western countries, such as the United States and Brazil. The soybean plant is an erect, hairy annual, about 0.3 to 1 m. (1-3 ft.) tall. It produces flowers in late summer and seeds (soybeans) in autumn, with two to four seeds per pod.
Soybeans are rich in protein (up to 40%); they also contain about 18% oil, 33% carbohydrates, and 1.7% potassium, as well as enzymes, and other biologically active substances. Traditional food products derived from soybeans include bean cake, soybean milk, soy sauce, soybean oil, and bean sprouts, some of which are also used in Chinese medicine. Newer products derived from soybeans include soybean meal for feeding animals (cattle, pigs, chickens, etc.), monosodium glutamate (MSG) for flavoring foods, and purified protein for making imitation meat products such as bacon bits and steaks. This purified soybean protein has been highly treated by chemical and physical means so that it can be "texturized" - made into different textures or consistencies characteristic of certain meat products. When it is combined with added synthetic flavor chemicals, it is hard to tell the difference between these imitations and genuine meat products. Soybean proteins are also used in the manufacture of plastics and adhesives. In the earlier part of this century, Henry Ford actually tried, unsuccessfully, to perpetuate a line of automobiles based on soybean plastics, which were used for distributor and coil housings, lever knobs, horn buttons, window trim, gear shifts, and light-switch handles.
In the past few years, several Western scientific studies have shown that yellow soybean can lower serum-cholesterol levels in both humans and animals and can prevent atherosclerosis (thickening and hardening of arteries) in rabbits.
That's all for the first of two entries on the soybean. Be sure to come back later in the week to catch part 2, when we will cover traditional and modern uses of soybean, as well as some home remedies.
This information is excerpted from Dr. Albert Leung’s book, Chinese Healing Foods and Herbs. This publication includes further information and home remedies using soybean as well as over 45 other herbs. Learn more about soybean and read further about Dr. Leung and his writings! Visit http://www.earthpower.com/.
Two varieties of soybean are used in Chinese medicine - black soybean and yellow soybean, known in Chinese as hei da dou and huang da dou respectively. Both are derived botanically from Glycine max of the pea family. (Black-soybean skin, also used medicinally, is known as hei da dou pi. ) Black soybean has a black skin (seed coat) and yellow soybean has a pale skin.
Soybeans have been cultivated in China for thousands of years. They are a major source of protein there, mostly in the form of soybean milk, bean curd, and related products. Today they are also widely cultivated in Western countries, such as the United States and Brazil. The soybean plant is an erect, hairy annual, about 0.3 to 1 m. (1-3 ft.) tall. It produces flowers in late summer and seeds (soybeans) in autumn, with two to four seeds per pod.
Soybeans are rich in protein (up to 40%); they also contain about 18% oil, 33% carbohydrates, and 1.7% potassium, as well as enzymes, and other biologically active substances. Traditional food products derived from soybeans include bean cake, soybean milk, soy sauce, soybean oil, and bean sprouts, some of which are also used in Chinese medicine. Newer products derived from soybeans include soybean meal for feeding animals (cattle, pigs, chickens, etc.), monosodium glutamate (MSG) for flavoring foods, and purified protein for making imitation meat products such as bacon bits and steaks. This purified soybean protein has been highly treated by chemical and physical means so that it can be "texturized" - made into different textures or consistencies characteristic of certain meat products. When it is combined with added synthetic flavor chemicals, it is hard to tell the difference between these imitations and genuine meat products. Soybean proteins are also used in the manufacture of plastics and adhesives. In the earlier part of this century, Henry Ford actually tried, unsuccessfully, to perpetuate a line of automobiles based on soybean plastics, which were used for distributor and coil housings, lever knobs, horn buttons, window trim, gear shifts, and light-switch handles.
In the past few years, several Western scientific studies have shown that yellow soybean can lower serum-cholesterol levels in both humans and animals and can prevent atherosclerosis (thickening and hardening of arteries) in rabbits.
That's all for the first of two entries on the soybean. Be sure to come back later in the week to catch part 2, when we will cover traditional and modern uses of soybean, as well as some home remedies.
This information is excerpted from Dr. Albert Leung’s book, Chinese Healing Foods and Herbs. This publication includes further information and home remedies using soybean as well as over 45 other herbs. Learn more about soybean and read further about Dr. Leung and his writings! Visit http://www.earthpower.com/.
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