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Dr. Pan's Clinic of TCM
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Tian Hua Fen, An Integrative View Andy Miles From the humble beginnings of Chinese Medicine, scientists have learned by observing the interrelationship between the cosmos, the human body and the Earth¡¯s dynamic climate. Unless we continue to take all three into account and truly look at the individual, we remain in a dark age of knowledge. Presently, we can look at the findings of scientists who have done research on hundreds of unrelated conditions that happen to share a manifestation. However, by looking both through the macroscopic lens of Chinese Medicine and through the microscopic view of laboratory research, we can gain further insight into the application of Chinese herbs. Tian Hua Fen translates into ¡°Heaven Flower Powder¡± and is the Chinese common name for the root of Trichosanthes Kirilowii. This herb is indigenous to Southern China and has been in use at least since 500 BCE when it was recorded in Shen Nong¡¯s Meteria Medica. [1] Shen Nong reported that this plant ¡°Can promote menstruation, facilitate the expulsion of the placenta, and has been used for hundreds of years to induce premature abortion.¡±[2] Shen Nong¡¯s classics contained 365 herbs to adapt to the Earth¡¯s changes during the 365 day cycle. Subsequent Materia Medici were revised from Shen Nong¡¯s classic using both inductive and deductive logic. One notable researcher was Tao Hong Jing who revised Shen Nong¡¯s work and said, ¡°One must research every idea carefully, and not jump to conclusions because other people say so" 1 With this in mind, we can begin by investigating the properties of Tian Hua Fen from both a macro and microscopic framework. Within the macroscopic framework, Tian Hua Fen is categorized as a pure yin herb that is bitter, slightly sweet and cold. Tian Hua Fen enters the Lung and Stomach meridians. It is used primarily to clear heat, moisten the lungs and relieve thirst. It is useful in cooling the lungs and transforming phlegm. Tian Hua Fen is also used to dispel toxins and resolve pus. In the classic text, ¡°Discussion of Herb Preparation by Lei Gong¡±, Trichosanthes root is described as particularly useful for treating diabetes and skin swellings (it is reputed to decrease pus formation and thus treat furuncles, carbuncles, boils, and abscesses). The stalk and leaves of the plant are also used to treat febrile diseases.[3].[4] Within the microscopic framework, Tian Hua fen has been found to contain the following Proteins: Trichosanthin, a-trichosanthin, karasurin, a-momorcharin, b-momorcharin, trichosanthin-zg. Trichosanthes Kirilowii¡¯s polyshacharides include trichosan A, B, C, D, and E. Its amino acids include L-citrulline, dehydrate, a-hydroxymethylserine, citrulline, alanine, valine, tyrosine, lysosine, and 4-aminobutyric acid.[5] The State Drug administration of China has more specifically found Tian Hua Fen to contain: Trichosanthin; (-hydroxymethylserine; Aspartic Acid; Threonine; Serine; Glutamic acid; Glycine; Valine; Phenylalanine; Histidine; Lysine; Arginine; Orinthine; Peptide; Ribose; Xylose; Arabinose; Glucose; Galactose; Trichosan A-E; Fructose; Mannose; Stigmasta-7-en-3(-ol; Stigmasta-7-en-3(-ol-3-(-D-glucopyranoside; Bryonolic acid; Cucurbitacin B-D; 23, 24-dihydrocucurbitacin B.[6] Tian Hua Fen is toxic with over dosage. When administered to 50 mice with a hypodermic injection, fatal toxicity was found at a concentration of 48.0 mg/kg of raw herb powder, 14.5mg/kg of refined herb powder and 13.4 mg/kg of crystalline injection.[7] With injections of extracted trichosanthin, there are also three main grades: crude extract, purified extract, and crystallized, which is the highest purity. Only crystallized trichosanthin is relatively safe for injections. Wang and others reported a lethal dose at only 3 times higher than effective dose of the least pure grade. Others demonstrated a lethal dosage at 6 times higher for the medium pure grade and a lethal dosage of 75 times higher for the purest crystallized grade. Because of the relative toxicity of unrefined trichosanthin, Wang suggests testing the quality with a standard gel chromatography. Using the safest grade Wang reports that 1042 human test subjects were injected by intra amniotic or intra muscular injections. They reported no strong side effects, with the exception of a low grade fever that Wang hypothesized to be brought on by impurities.[8] Although these 1042 test subjects were not diagnosed under the construct of Chinese Medicine, it is interesting to note that a low grade fever is often indicative of a yin deficiency which can give rise to many diseases allopathically described as ¡°idiopathic¡±. It is worth investigating if crystallized trichosanthin consumes yin. Conversely, Tian Hua Fen as a whole is macroscopically used to treat patterns involving yin deficiency and fluid injury.[9] Trichosanthin has a marked effect on immunity and is currently used in the treatment, prevention and research of AIDS. Experiments show that trichosanthin is an effective inhibitor of AIDS. Administered by IV injection at the dosage of 30-90mg/kg to late-stage AIDS patients, trichosanthin can lower the serum HIV antigen level, and increase the CD4 cell count.[10] Trichosanthin is also a component of Compound Q. Compound Q is used in Chinese Hospitals to treat choriocarcinoma. It is suspected that trichosanthin kills HIV infected microphages, which are a major location of HIV in the body.[11] Wang and others have demonstrated that trichosanthin has an antiviral action which they hypothesize functions by enhancing apoptotic action in HIV-1 infected cells. They report that trichosanthin is a type 1 ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) effective against HIV-1 replication.[12] When trichosanthin inactivates the ribosome, the cell can not produce the RNA required for protein synthesis.[13] Chan and others have found trichosanthin to be selectively cytotoxic as it binds specifically to the endocytic receptors LRP and megalin. They suggest that these facilitate trichosanthin¡¯s known abortifacient and renotoxic actions.[14] Besides trichosanthin, alpha-momorcharin is also being researched for its effects with HIV. Alpha-momorcharin appears to inhibit HIV-1 replication in acutely but not chronically infected T-lymphocytes.[15] The function of this appears to also be ribosome inactivation.[16] Trichosanthin is antineoplastic in mice. When given an abdominal injection at the dosage of 5mg/kg (treatment repeated once 4-6 days after initial treatment), trichosanthin was found to inhibit ascitic tumors induced by transplantation during early-stage hepatocarcinoma in mice, prolonging the subjects' life by 61-70%. [17] In addition, Bi Li Qi and others demonstrated Trichosanthin¡¯s ability to inhibit solid in-vivo colon carcinoma, and significantly inhibit both in-vivo and in-vitro gastric carcinoma cells.[18],[19],[20] Another line
of research has suggested that Tian Hua Fen is both an immunosuppressant and an
immunopotentiator. Research demonstrates that while Tian Hua Fen significantly
promotes the white pulp in the spleens of mice, while suppressing humoral
immunity and cellular immunity.[21],[22],[23].
While inhibiting humoral and cellular immunity Tian Hua Fen also has an
antibacterial function. Macroscopically, Tian Hua Fen is used to expel retained placenta, to move blood and purge the uterus. In Chinese medicine, Cancer is often related with qi and blood stagnation. Tian Hua Fen¡¯s ability to move blood limits blood stagnation and tumors. The antineoplastic effect of trichosanthin coincides with the Chinese medical usage of Tian Hua Fen. In addition, Tian Hua Fen¡¯s ability to purge the uterus is used clinically for hydaliform moles, choriocarcinomas, midterm abortions and ectopic pregnancy. [25] Tian Hua Fen is contraindicated for pregnancy and has been used historically to induce labor and bring abortion. Chueng and others documented over 402 cases of early pregnancy induced with a crystalline preparation of trichosanthin.[26] Trichosanthin is often destroyed during the traditional process of decoction and oral intake. It has been noted that while trichosanthin is largely destroyed after oral consumption, the other components may have some abortifacient potential [27],[28] Even with its main component destroyed, the other components of Tian Hua Fen appear to function synergistically. Although Tian Hua Fen is well known for its gynecological functions, it is also very useful in the treatment of diabetes. Chinese Medicine recognizes that diabetes comes from the following underlying conditions: lung dryness, stomach yin deficiency, kidney yin deficiency or a combination of kidney yin and yang deficiency.[29] When any one of these various syndromes manifests in Diabetes, they require different treatments that generally tonify yin and lubricate. Because Tian Hua Fen is a ¡°pure yin¡± herb, it can still aid in diabetes, although crudely, even when taken out of its medical construct. Hikuno and others have investigated why a Tian Hua Fen decoction is effective in treating diabetes. They have discovered that the non-dialyzable portion of the water extract can reduce the plasma glucose level in mice. Activity-guided fractionation of this non-dialyzable portion led to the isolation of five glycans termed as trichosans A, B, C, D and E, showing hypoglycemic actions in normal mice. The main glycan, trichosan A, also exhibited activity in alloxan-induced hyperglycemic mice.[30] Tian Hua Fen holds exciting potential both as a whole and through use of its components. As we approach better solutions to conditions such as Aids, Cancer, and Diabetes it is important to take the macroscopic view as well as the microscopic. By including Chinese medical diagnosis of the syndrome in concert with an Allopathic diagnosis, we can pin point the root and branch of ailments. When we direct research, taking both into account, we can offer gentler and more effective solutions to life threatening disease. |
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Last modified: 12/13/10 |
