Tu Bei Mu - Bolbostemma paniculatum

Professional Data
 Pin Yin
Tu Bei Mu
 
 Latin
Tuber Bolbostemmatis
 Introduction Back to Top
Tuber Bolbostemmatis is the dried stem tuber of Bolbostemma paniculatum (Maxim.) Franquet (Fam. Cucurbitaceae). It's collected in autumn, washed clean, broken off and cooked till white central part disappears, then take the tuber out and dry in the sun.

 Western medical Back to Top
The herb is indicated in the treatment of mastitis, scrofula and rhinitis, etc..
 Eastern medical Back to Top
  • Pattern: Dissolves lumps and swelling, removes Toxin.
  • Properties: Bitter, slightly cold.
  • Channels entered: Lung and Spleen.
 Chemical constituents Back to Top
The herb mainly contains saponins, sterines and organic acids, etc..
 Pharmacological actions Back to Top
Spermicidal effect

Total saponins of tu bei mu and it's A, D ingredients had quite strong spermicidal effect, and the effect was irreversible.

Anti-tumor effect

Water decoction of tu bei mu had certain inhibitory effect on uterine cervix cancer of mice, and it could increase the survival rate of mice. Crystal D extracted from tu bei mu could inhibit the growth of subcutaneous transplanted sarcoma (S-180) and tumor (H22), and lengthen the survival time of tumor-bearing animals. tu bei mu extract could obviously inhibit the proliferation of liver cancer cells cultured in vitro and lower the metabolism activity of mitochondrion. tu bei mu preparation had obvious inhibitory effect on the growth of in vitro cultured gastric cancer cell GRC-1 and transplanted kidney cancer RLC-310 in nude mice, and this inhibitory effect was dosage and time dependent. Water decoction of tu bei mu had no inhibitory effect on proventriculus squamous carcinoma in mice, on the contrary, it may have promoting effect.

Antiviral effect

tu bei mu saponins had inhibitory effect on herpes simplex virus I. tu bei mu saponin A could inhibit the generation of P24 which was the core protein of HIV, and could inhibit pathological changes of cell.

Immunosuppressive effect

Intraperitoneal administration of tu bei mu saponin A at the dosage of 2mg/kg could obviously increase plaque forming cells in mice spleen (P<0.01), but oral administration at the dosage of 50mg/kg could decrease plaque forming cells in mice spleen (P<0.01). The same dosage could obviously decrease the weight of thymus gland (P<0.01), and obviously increase the serum complement C3 content. tu bei mu saponin A and B had inhibitory effect on experimental allergic myelitis and specific hypersensitivity in rats.

Anti-leukemia effect

Crystal E, an extract of tu bei mu could induce the differentiation of HL-60 to the direction of mature neutrophilic granulocyte, which indicated that crystal E could be a new effective anti-leukemia drug.

 Clinical Studies Back to Top
Wart

tu bei mu liniment had an effective rate of 89.7% on wart, and the effective rate of tu bei mu injection was 66%. 252 cases of flat wart, verruca vulgaris and infectious soft wart etc. were treated with intramuscular injection of tu bei mu saponin injection (2mg, daily or twice daily) combining topical application of tu bei mu saponin liniment (2~4 times daily), 219 cases were cured, 8 improved and 4 ineffective.

Hyperplasia of mammary glands

83 cases of hyperplasia of mammary glands were treated with external application of Ru Ji San plaster (yu jin, wang bu liu xing, chuan shan jia, shan ci gu and tu bei mu), and the total effective rate was 97.6%. Injection made from extracts of tu bei mu could be used to treat breast cancer, and the effect was good.

 
 References Back to Top

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