She Gan - Belamcanda chinensis

Professional Data
 Pin Yin
She Gan
 
 Latin
Rhizoma Belamcandae
 Introduction Back to Top
Rhizoma Belamcandae is the dried rhizome of Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC. (Fam. Iridaceae). The drug is collected in early spring while the plant budding or in late autumn while the aerial part withering, removed from the fibrous root and soil, and dried.
 Western medical Back to Top
This herb can be used to treat faucitis, chronic sinusitis, paddy field dermatitis and chyluria, etc..
 Eastern medical Back to Top
  • Pattern: Clears Heat, removes Toxin, removes Phlegm, benefits the throat.
  • Properties: Bitter, cold.
  • Channels entered: Lung.
 Chemical constituents Back to Top
she gan mainly contains isoflavones including tectoridin, tectorigenin, irigenin. It also contains belamcadin, iridin, alkaloids and amino acids, etc..
 Pharmacological actions Back to Top
Anti-microbial effect

1:10 she gan decoction or infusion had inhibitory effect on commonly seen pathogenic dermatomyces; at the concentration of 1:20, it had in vitro inhibitory effect on certain viruses seen in externally contracted diseases or throat diseases.

Anti-inflammatory and anti-febrile effects

Tectoridin and tectorigenin had in vitro anti-inflammatory effect. she gan also had significant anti-febrile effect on fever caused by dried yeast.

Anti-cancer effect

In vitro experiments showed that she gan had inhibitory effect on culture JTC-26 of human cervical cancer cell, and the inhibitory rate was over 90%.

1. Protein kinase C activation by iridal type triterpenoids.

Eleven iridal type triterpenoids from Iris tectorum and Belamcanda chinensis were examined for protein kinase C (PKC) activation and binding activity to PKC. Among the tested compounds, nine iridals showed dose-dependent activities, and a mutual relation between the two activities was also observed. 28-Deacetylbelamcandal, which has been found to be a new class 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate type tumor promoter, showed the most potent activity in both tests. The structural requirements of the iridals inducing these activities were as follows: 1) a hydrophobic side-chain, 2) an E-methylidene aldehyde group at the C-1 position, and 3) a hydroxyl group at the C-26 position.

--Takahashi K, Suzuki S, Hano Y, Nomura T. Biol Pharm Bull. 2002 Apr;25(4):432-6.

 Clinical Studies Back to Top
Chylous urine

she gan 20~25g, water decoction, 87 cases of chylous urine were treated and the curative rate was 85.1%.

Paddy field dermatitis

she gan 450g was decocted with 13l water for 1 hour, the juice was mixed with 120 salt and used to wash the affected area. 253 cases of paddy field dermatitis were treated and the effect was satisfactory.

Cough due to bronchitis, pneumonia, etc.

qing dai, she gan, niu bang zi, jie geng were used to treat acute and chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, tonsillitis, acute and chronic pharyngitis. After 1 week' treatment, 120 cases were cured, 51 improved and 11 ineffective.

 
 References Back to Top

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