Quan Shen - Polygonum bistorta

Professional Data
 Pin Yin
Quan Shen
 
 Latin
Rhizoma Bistortae
 Introduction Back to Top
Rhizoma Bistortae is the dried rhizome of Polygonum bistorta L. (Fam. Polygonaceae). The drug is collected in early spring while the plant budding or in autumn just before withering, removed from soil, dried in the sun, and removed from the rootlet.
 Western medical Back to Top
Rhizoma Bistortae can be used to treat bacillary dysentery, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary tuberculosis, chronic gastritis and duodenitis, ulcer, etc..

 Eastern medical Back to Top
  • Pattern: Clears Heat, removes Toxin, calms the Liver, extinguishes Wind, cools Blood, stops dysentery.
  • Properties: Bitter, astringent, slightly cold.
  • Channels entered: Lung, Liver and Large Intestine.
 Chemical constituents Back to Top
The rootstalk of Rhizoma Bistortae contains tannide, starch, saccharide, and gum, etc..Among tannide, there're hydrolysable tannide and condensed tannin, galic acid, ellagic acid, D-catechol, L-epicatechol. Besides, it also contains isomer of b-sitosterol and glucose, etc.. The whole plant contains chlorgenic acid, caffeic acid, and protocatechuic acid, etc..
 Pharmacological actions Back to Top
Antibacterial effect

In vitro experiments showed that extracts of quan shen had inhibitory effect on staphylococcus aureus, bacillus pyocyaneus, bacillus subtilis, and bacillus coli.

Hemostatic effect

Extracts of quan shen had hemostatic effect to a certain extent which was proved by animal experiments.

Interferon-like effect

The extracts from the herb of Polygonum amphibium L. and the rhizome and fruit of Polygonum bistorta L. induced a substance showing an interferon-like activity. Biological activity studies showed that the protective titre (the highest dilution which protected cells by 50% against virus infection) of the interferon-like materials was 1:10-1:15.
 Clinical Studies Back to Top
Bacillary dysentery

Tablets made form quan shen, each tablet containing 0.3g raw drug, 4 tablets tid was used to treat 80 cases of bacillary dysentery. After an average of 6.6 days' treatment, 71 cases were cured, 8 improved and 4 ineffective.

Chronic bronchitis

Intramuscular injection of 1:1 Quan Shen Injection, 2ml, bid, 10 days as a course of treatment. This method was used to treat 103 cases of chronic bronchitis, except one cases complicated with severe pulmonary heart disease, it took effect in other 102 cases.

Pulmonary tuberculosis

quan shen was washed and made into tablets of 0.3g, 4~6 tablets tid in adults, extenuation in children. 12 cases of pulmonary TB were treated, the courses varied from 40 days to half a year. Results: 3 cases of primary complex were all cured; in 9 cases of infiltrative type, 5 cases were cured, 3 improved, and 1 ineffective.

Chronic gastritis, duodenitis and ulcer

Complex Quan Shen Tablet (made from quan shen, bai ji, hai piao xiao, chen pi, xu gu feng, etc.), 8 tablets, tid, 30 days as a course of treatment, 1~2 courses totally. 255 cases of chronic gastritis, duodenitis and ulcer were treated. Results: 42 out of 45 cases of gastric ulcer were cured, 45 out of 55 cases of duodenal bulbar ulcer cured, 155 out of 238 cases of chronic gastritis were cured, and 77 out of 99 cases of chronic duodenitis were cured.
 
 References Back to Top

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