Dan Zhu Ye - Lophatherum gracile

Professional Data
 Pin Yin
Dan Zhu Ye
 
 Latin
Stemen et Flos Lophatherii gracilis
 Introduction Back to Top
Lophatherum refers to the aerial part of Lophatherum gracile Brongn. (Gramineae).
Herba Lophatheri is officially listed in the Chinese pharmacopoeia as the dried stem and leaf of Lophatherum gracile Brongn. (Fam. Gramineae). The drug is collected before the rachis emerges in summer and dried.
 Western medical Back to Top
This herb has antipyretic and diuretic actions. It is prescribed for dry mouth in fever, and oliguria with yellow urine. ,Indicated for urinary disorders uncluding hematuria and painful urination.

 Eastern medical Back to Top
  • Pattern: Clears heat, drains fire.
  • Properties: Sweet, neutral, cold
  • Channels Entered: Heart, small intestine.
 Chemical constituents Back to Top
The root, stem and leaf of L. gracilis contain triterpenes and the steroids arundoin, cylindrin, friedelin, sitosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol, and taraxasterol.
 Pharmacological actions Back to Top
Antipyretic Effect

The aqueous extract of L. gracilis administered intragastrically to rats relieved fever induced by injection of a yeast suspension; the antipyretic principle was found to be soluble in water and dilute hydrochloric acid but not quite soluble in ethanol and ether. In fever of cats and rabbits induced by Escherichia coli, the antipyretic efficacy of this herb 2 g/kg was determined to be over 83 times that of phenacetin 33 mg/kg.

Miscellaneous Actions

The L. gracilis Decoction 10g administered to normal subjects produced a weak diuretic effect but increased the chloride excretion in urine. In vitro, the herb decoction inhibited Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus hemolyticus with MIC of 1:10. Preliminary screening using mice with transplanted tumor showed that daily administration of the crude herb extract 100 g(crude drug)/kg for 14-20 days inhibited sarcoma 180 by 43.1-45.6%. The herb had no inhibitory action against cervical cancer U14 and ascitic lymphosarcoma-l. In addition, this herb exerted a hyperglycemic action.

Toxicity

The LD50 of L. gracilis in mice was 64.5g/kg.
 Clinical Studies Back to Top
Fever, Thirst, and Oliguria Due to Acute Infections

The decoction of 3.9g of L. gracilis can be used as tea. It is, however, mostly employed in compound formulae.

Hordeolum and Serpiginous Corneal Ulcer

It was reported that a 95% cure rate in 57 cases of hordeolum was achieved by local application of the juice. Three out of 5 cases of serpiginous corneal ulcer treated with this juice were cured, 1 improved, and 1 was unresponsive.

Urolithiasis and Infection

Fourteen cases of urinary tract infections and one case of ureteral lithiasis ware cured or alleviated by the use of the L. gracilis, Radix Rehmanniae. Caulis Aristolochiae Manshuriensis, and Radix Glycyrrhizae.
 
 References Back to Top

Except those noted, all references come from Weng Weiliang, et al., Clinical Chinese materia medica, Henan Science & Technology Press, 1998