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Du Zhong Western Applications
of Eucommia ulmoides
By ELIZ ERMAN
According to various studies conducted on Du Zhong, this plant has very special
qualities outside its practical uses with in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Many
of the various studies conducted on this plant utilized extracts from its leaves
and bark. Commonly Chinese Medicine only concentrates on the usage of the bark,
while western studies have provided evidence that the leaves are also effective
in the treatment of certain ailments.
The first quality of Du Zhong ( Eucommia ulmoides) not shown in TCM,
is its ability to function as a hormone attachment booster. According to a
study posted on www.biomedcentral.com, ¡° ¡ E. ulmoides potentiates the effect of
testosterone on the androgen receptor.¡± Other studies also provided data that
Du Zhong was also capable of effecting estrogen receptors as well. Du Zhong
extract was reported to show an increased ability for androgen and estrogen
receptors to uptake the hormones. This was verified by measuring the weight
size and weight of rat prostate glands that were exposed to ethanol extracts
from the plant and then comparing results to a placebo group of rats that were
not given any dosage of the plant extract.
Another study reported by a study posted on a Biological & Pharmaceutical
bulletin in December of 1998, ¡°¡ reported that collagen synthesis was stimulated
by the administration of a hot water extract from the leaves of Eucommia
ulmoides¡¡± The main chemical constituents that provided these results were
geniposidic acid and acubin. Both of these organic compounds have been
associated with strong antioxidant properties. The body¡¯s ability to reproduce
collagen at a faster rate allows for the cells and other structures to repair
damages quickly. A book titled Pharmacodynamic Basis of Herbal Medicine states
that, ¡°The leaf extract had a marked inhibitory effect on
Fenton-reaction-induced oxidative damage to biomolecules.¡± This source also
reported that, ¡°The extract of leaves inhibited the strand breaking of DNA..¡±
Other chemicals found in the extracts such as betulin, increased the body¡¯s
cytotoxicity to towards tumor cells. These
components of Du Zhong allow it to exhibit very strong anti-aging properties as
well as the ability for the body to attack abnormal cell growths and exhibit
antimutagenic properties that may inhibit cell mutations.
The last set of properties recognized by western studies is an ability to reduce
hypertension. The mechanism the plant utilizes to produce a drop in blood
pressure is correlated with vasodialation. The major ingredient attributed to
vasodialation is pinoresinol diglucoside. ¡° ..this blood pressure lowering
effect was more pronounced with a water-based decoction compared to an ethanol
extract.¡±, according to The Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases with Chinese
Medicine. Another biochemical found inside Du Zhong, kaempferol, is also linked
to the inhibition of platelet formations in the blood. Du Zhong¡¯s ability to
cause vasodialation and prevent platelet aggregation allows it to help prevent
arterial sclerosis.
Although Chinese Medicine attributes DuZhong to mainly effecting the Kidneys and
Liver, these studies and articles reveal that the uses of Du Zhong go far beyond
the treatment of these to primary organs. Its effectiveness in preventing
cellular mutations, vasodialation, and collagen production make it a valuable
herb in both Eastern and western sciences.
Bibliography
Manuchair S.Ebadi. Pharmacodynamics Basis of Herbal
Medicine. Boca Raton, Fl. CRC, Press, 2006.
Becker S., Flaws B., Casanas R.. Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases with
Chinese Medicine: A text book and Clinical Manual. Boulder,
CO. Blue Poppy Enterprise, Inc., 2006.
Androgenic Activity of Eucommia Ulmoides Extracts. 2001. World Intellectual
Property Organiazation. August 15th,
2008.
http://www.wipo.int/pctdb/en/wo.jsp?IA=WO2001064227
Nihon University, Chiba, Japan. ¡°The promoting effects of geniposidic acid
andacubin in Eucommia ulmoides Oliver leaves on collagen synthesis¡±.
Biological and Pharmacuetical Bulletin. 21(12):
1306-10, 1998 Dec.
Ong, Victor and Tan, Benny. ¡° Novel Photoandrogens and lipidic augmentors
from Eucommia ulmoides¡±. BMC Complimentary and Alternative
Medicine. August 15, 2008.
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6882/7/3
Bensky, Dan and Gamble, Andrew. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica.
Seatle, WA, Eastland Press, Inc. 1993.
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