Bell Flower for Coughs, also as Vegetable

Jiegeng is the root of Platycodon grandiflorum. It is also called balloon flower and Chinese bell flower, of the bell flower family. It has a documented use history of close to 2000 years, being first recorded in the Shennong Ben Cao Jing or Shennong Herbal (circa 200 B.C. to 100 A.D). It is most well known for its expectorant and antitussive properties. The herb is commonly used in colds and flus, sore throat, bronchitis, cough with much phlegm, hoarseness of voice, and suppuration. It is a major ingredient in many anti-cough medicines. When ingested orally, at normal doses (3-10 g), it seldom causes any toxic side effects. At elevated doses, however, one may occasionally experience nausea and vomiting, and low blood pressure. Jiegeng contains saponins (platycodin A, C, D, D2 and polygalacin D, D2, etc.), polysaccharides (inulin, platycodonin, etc.), triterpenes (platycogenic acid A, B, C), sterols, sterol glycosides, and others. The saponins have been the most studied, which exhibit various pharmacological activities, including antitussive, expectorant, hypoglycemic, diuretic, anti-ulcer, hemolytic, local irritant, sedative, analgesic, antifebrile, anti-allergergic, corticosterone secretion, and vasodilation.

Earlier in the same issue, I wrote about a discovery on a business trip to China - finding jiegeng being prepared fresh and served as a vegetable:
During lunch in the village near the growing areas, I again learned something new. One of the dishes served was fresh jiegeng (Platycodon grandiflorum root). It tastes like a crunchy and firm root vegetable and not unpleasant. I always knew jiegeng to be an excellent expectorant and antitussive, but I never knew it is commonly eaten as a vegetable in northeastern China.

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 # 11 from the drop down list.

Sour Jujube Kernel

Sour jujube kernel is the seed of Ziziphus spinosa Hu and Z. jujuba Mill. var spinosa (Bge.) Hu ex H.F. Chow. It has brain tonic, tranquilizing, body fluid secretory promoting, and excessive perspiration preventing properties. The most common traditional uses for sour jujube kernel are neurasthenia, insomnia, nightmares, night sweat, forgetfulness, palpitations, and thirst.

Sour jujube kernel is probably the most commonly used sedative herb in China for treating sleep-related problems such as insomnia and nightmares. Its first recorded use dates back two thousand years. Since then, it has become a major ingredient of Chinese sedative and hypnotic formulas, some of which are well known and can be obtained over the counter in Chinese herb shops throughout the world.

Sour jujube kernel is also used in soups and drinks for diet therapy. One recipe for rice soup in Yin Zhan Zhen Yao (a diet herbal published in 1330 A.D.) simply calls for cooking 100 g of rice to form a soup and then adding 15 g of roasted sour jujube kernel powder shortly before serving. It is said to be good for palpitations, insomnia, excessive dreams (nightmares) and tightness of the chest.

Sour jujube kernel contains a wide variety of chemical components, including flavonoids, flavonoid glycosides, triterpenes and triterpene saponin glycosides, alkaloids, sterols, fatty acids, cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP and others. Modern scientific studies have shown it to have strong sedative and hypnotic effects in both humans and in experimental animals (mice, rats, guinea pigs, cats, rabbits and dogs). As with most drug-oriented modern scientific studies on herbs, no one single active principle has been found. Rather, the flavonoid glycosides (spinosin, swertisin, and zivulgarin), alkaloids and the saponins (jujubosides A and B) have all been shown to be active. Perhaps that is the reason sour jujube kernel has been safely and effectively used for over two thousand years!

Dr. Albert Leung’s book, Better Health with (mostly) Chinese Herbs and Food discusses the use of 60 different herbs as healing foods, including sour jujube kernel on pages 85-86. For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit http://www.earthpower.com/.

Ligustrum: A Valued Tonic Herb

The dried ripe fruit of Ligustrum lucidum Ait. (Family Oleaceae), known as nuzhenzi in Chinese, is a yin tonic which brightens vision, darkens hair, invigorates the liver and kidney and nourishes blood. It has traditionally been used for premature graying of hair, dizziness, tinnitus, sore back and knees, blurred vision, and habitual constipation in the elderly. A more modern use is in the treatment of chronic benzene poisoning.

Ligustrum is one of the most highly valued Chinese tonics, often used in soup mixes and wines. In an effort to understand how and why it has been so highly valued since around 800 B.C., Chinese scientists have recently found that it exhibits a wide variety of effects both in animals and humans. These effects include immunomodulating, antiinflammatory, hypoglycemic, antimutagenic, anti-allergic, sedative, diuretic, mild cardiotonic, antitumor and the prevention of leukopenia caused by chemotherapy and radiotherapy, etc. Many of these effects are due to oleanolic acid (also present in common jujube) which is present up to 4.3% in ligustrum, the highest among two hundred fifteen herbs tested by Chinese researchers. But oleanolic acid is probably not the only key to ligustrum's function as a highly valued tonic. Some other compounds and nutrients such as ursolic acid, mannitol, fatty acids, glycosides and other still unknown nutrients must also play a role.

According to the great herbalist, Li Shi-Zhen (1590 A.D.), ligustrum also has beautifying properties. Maybe for this reason, it is used in hair tonic formulas and formulas for removing facial dark spots primarily intended for internal use. Due to its anti-allergic and antiinflammatory activities, it can be a beneficial ingredient in skin care products.

Dr. Albert Leung’s book, Better Health with (mostly) Chinese Herbs and Food discusses the use of 60 different herbs as healing foods, including Ligustrum on page 58. For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit www.earthpower.com.

Properties and Uses of Celery Seed

Celery seed is the fruit of the celery plant, Apium graveolens L. (Family Apiaceae). Also referred to simply as celery fruit, celery seed possesses diuretic, digestive stimulant, nervine, muscle relaxant, emmenagogue, and uterine stimulant properties. The most common traditional uses for celery seed are for rheumatism, arthritis, gout, bronchitis, and nervousness.

Celery seed conatains numerous types of chemical components, including coumarin glycosides, flavonoids, phthalides, and plant acids. There is some scientific evidence to support its sedative and muscle-relaxant properties, with the phthalides being the active principles. The seed also has antioxidant effects.

Other parts of the celery plant have been reported to have hypotensive (juice and extract of stem) and antiinflammatory (water extract of stem) activities.

Dr. Albert Leung’s book, Better Health with (mostly) Chinese Herbs and Food discusses the use of 60 different herbs as healing foods, including celery seed on page 13. For more information about Dr. Leung and his writings, visit www.earthpower.com.