General

Scientific Names: Gynostemma pentaphyllum

Common Names:Jiao Gu Lan, Qi Ye Dan, Xiao Ku Yao Gong Luo Guo Di.

 

BOTANICAL:

来 源： 为葫芦科植物绞股蓝Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Mak.的全草。

植物特征： 多年生攀援草本。茎细长，节上有毛或无毛，卷须常2裂或不分裂。叶鸟足状，常有5～7小叶组成，小叶片长椭圆状披针形至卵形，有小叶柄，中间小叶片长3～9cm，宽1.5～3cm，边缘有锯齿，背面或沿两面叶脉有短刚毛或近无毛。圆锥花序；花小，直径约3mm；花萼裂片三角形，长约0.5mm；花冠裂片披针形，长约2mm。果球形，成熟时黑色。花期7～8月，果期9～10月。

 

 

 

Pharmacology

化学成分: 含绞股蓝皂甙（aypenoside）1～52，其中3、4、8、12分别与人参皂甙（Rb1、Rb3、Rb、Rf2结构相同，另含有黄酮、糖类。

 

 

 

Efficacy

Herbal medicines are increasingly being utilized to treat a wide variety of disease processes. Gypenosides (Gyp) are triterpenoid saponins contained in an extract from Gynostemma pentaphyllum Makino and reported to induce apoptosis in human hepatoma cells. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the Gyp-induced apoptotic process is unclear. In this study, we found that Gyp induced apoptosis in human hepatoma Huh-7, Hep3B and HA22T cell lines as evidenced by morphological changes, 4',6'-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining and in situ terminal transferase-mediated dUTP-fluorescensin nick end-labeling assay. Our data demonstrated that Gyp-induced apoptotic cell death was accompanied by up-regulation of Bax, Bak and Bcl-X(L), and down-regulation of Bcl-2 and Bad, while it had no effect on the level of Bag-1 protein. Moreover, Gyp treatment caused the release of mitochondrial cytochrome c to cytosol and sequential activation of caspases, including caspase-1, -9 and -3, then leading to cleavage of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase. Furthermore, the Gyp-induced apoptosis was markedly blocked by the broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor, z-VAD-fmk. Taken together, these results suggest that treatment of human hepatoma cells with Gyp induced apoptosis through the up-regulation of Bax and Bak, and down-regulation of Bcl-2, release of mitochondrial cytochrome c and activation of caspase cascade. (source)

Anoectochilus formosanus Hay. and Gynostemma pentaphyllum Makino are popular folk medicines that have been used for treating hepatitis, hypertension and cancer in Taiwan. Our previous studies showed that these crude drugs exert antiinflammatory activity and hepatoprotective activity against CC14-induced liver damage. In this study, the antioxidant effect of these crude drugs and their hepatoprotective activity on acetaminophen-induced liver injury in rat was evaluated. Our results suggest that A. formosanus and G. pentaphyllum do have antioxidant effects. On acetaminophen-intoxicated model, the increased levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) by acetaminophen administration were reduced by treatment with these two herbs. In histological observation, gross necrosis in the centribular area, sinusoidal congestion, infiltration of the lymphocytes and Kupffer cells around the hepatic central vein, and loss of cell boundaries and ballooning degeneration were reduced with herbal treatment. However, the effect of A. formosanus and G. pentaphyllum is biphasic. Methanol extract (100 and 300 mg/kg) and water extract (300 and 500 mg/kg) of A formosanus and water extract (100, 300 and 500 mg/kg) of G. pentaphyllum enhanced the recovery of liver injury while treatment with 500 mg/kg of A. formosanus methanol extract resulted in serious hepatic injury. (source)

The effect of gypenoside, an active component of the Chinese herb Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thumb) Makino, on human hepatoma cell lines (Hep3B and HA22T) was investigated. Results demonstrated that gypenoside inhibited the proliferation or viability of the Hep3B and HA22T cells in a dose-dependent manner. The Hep3B and HA22T cells treated with gypenoside for 2 days were less DNA stainable and formed a sub-G1 peak. The treated cells increased cell numbers in the A0 region as well as shifting the ordinary S phase to the final S phase (D1 region), and induced a ladder pattern of fragmented DNA of about 200 base pairs. These data suggest that the cell death of the hepatoma cell lines Hep3B and HA22T induced by gypenoside was via apoptosis, and this was confirmed by morphological studies. (source)

具有清热解毒、益气养阴、增强免疫功能。绞股蓝有南国人参之称，主要成份为人参皂甙；绞股蓝能防止正常细胞异化，并促使细胞发挥自我能力，引导癌细胞恢复正常，同时可防止癌细胞的扩散和转移。 (source)

IN VITRO:

  1. Chen ZL, et al., [Effect of Chinese herbal medicine 1023 Recipe in blocking cancer transformation of experimental precancerous lesion and its mechanism]. Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao. 2004 Jul; 2(4):281-4. Chinese.
  2. Chiu TH, et al., N-acetyltransferase is involved in gypenosides-induced N-acetylation of 2-aminofluorene and DNA adduct formation in human cervix epidermoid carcinoma cells (Ca Ski). In Vivo. 2003 May-Jun; 17(3):281-8.
  3. Wang QF, et al., Regulation of Bcl-2 family molecules and activation of caspase cascade involved in gypenosides-induced apoptosis in human hepatoma cells. Cancer Lett. 2002 Sep 26; 183(2):169-78.
  4. Zhou Z, et al., [Experimental study on the influence of Gynostemma pentaphyllam Mak upon point mutation of Ha-ras oncogene in blocking leukoplakia from canceration]. Zhonghua Kou Qiang Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2000 Mar; 35(2):91-4. Chinese.
  5. Zhou Z, et al., Effect of gynostemma pentaphyllum mak on carcinomatous conversions of golden hamster cheek pouches induced by dimethylbenzanthracene: a histological study. Chin Med J (Engl). 1998 Sep; 111(9):847-50.
  6. Lin CC, et al., Antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of Anoectochilus formosanus and Gynostemma pentaphyllum. Am J Chin Med. 2000; 28(1):87-96.
  7. Chen JC, et al., Gypenoside induces apoptosis in human Hep3B and HA22T tumour cells. Cytobios. 1999; 100(393):37-48.
  8. Zhou ZT, et al., [The study of influencing cellular dynamics of gynostemma pentaphyllum on golden hamster cheek pouch premalignancy]. Shanghai Kou Qiang Yi Xue. 1997 Jun; 6(2):65-7. Chinese.
  9. Zhou Z, et al., [The effect of Gynostemma pentaphyllum mak (GP) on carcinogenesis of the golden hamster cheek pouch induced by DMBA]. Zhonghua Kou Qiang Yi Xue Za Zhi. 1996 Sep; 31(5):267-70. Chinese.
  10. Zhou ZT, et al., [Observation of the effectiveness of compound Gynostemma Pentaphyllum Mak in golden hamster cheek pouch's premalignancy]. Shanghai Kou Qiang Yi Xue. 1996 Jun; 5(2):74-6. Chinese.
  11. Han MQ, et al., [Effects of 24 Chinese medicinal herbs on nucleic acid, protein and cell cycle of human lung adenocarcinoma cell]. Zhongguo Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Za Zhi. 1995 Mar; 15(3):147-9. Chinese.
  12. Hou J, et al., Effects of gynostemma pentaphyllum makino on the immunological function of cancer patients. J Tradit Chin Med. 1991 Mar; 11(1):47-52.

IN VIVO:

  1. Wang C, et al., [A preliminary observation of preventive and blocking effect of Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb) Makino on esophageal cancer in rats]. Hua Xi Yi Ke Da Xue Xue Bao. 1995 Dec; 26(4):430-2. Chinese.

 

 

 

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