Xia Ku Cao - Prunella vulgaris

Professional Data
 Pin Yin
Xia Ku Cao
 
 Latin
Spica Prunellae
 Introduction Back to Top
Spica Prunellae is the dried fruit-spike of Prunella vulgaris L. (Fam. Labiatae). The drug is collected in summer when the spike becomes brownish-red, removed from foreign matter, and dried in the sun.
 Western medical Back to Top
This herb can be indicated in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B, hypertension, diphtheria, nodules of breast, infantile bacillary dysentery and liver cancer, etc..
 Eastern medical Back to Top
  • Pattern: Clears the Liver Fire, relieves depression and dissolves lumps.
  • Properties: Pungent, bitter, cold.
  • Channels entered: Liver and Gallbladder.
 Chemical constituents Back to Top
The main ingredient of xia ku cao is triterpenoid saponin including oleanolic acid and ursolic acid. It also contains free oleanolic acid and ursolic acid, deucosterol, b-amyrin, rutin, hyperside, caffeic acid and alkaloids, etc..
 Pharmacological actions Back to Top
Effects on cardiovascular system

Decoction of xia ku cao had significant and persistent blood pressure lowering effect.

Blood sugar lowering effect

xia ku cao contains an effective ingredient which could lower blood sugar. At the dosage of 50mg/kg, it could significantly inhibit the increase of blood sugar induced by Tetrachlorpyrimidin.

Anti-bacterial effect

xia ku cao decoction had inhibitory effect on shigella dysenteriae, typhoid bacillus, comma bacillus, bacillus coli, staphylococcus and tubercle bacillus, etc.. Water infusion of xia ku cao (1:4) had in vitro inhibitory effect on commonly seen pathogenic dermatomyces.

Influence over immune system

xia ku cao had immunosuppressive effect.

Others

1:50 decoction of xia ku cao could excite isolated rabbit uterus. 1:25~1:100 decoction could increase the peristalsis of isolated rabbit intestines.

 Clinical Studies Back to Top
Viral hepatitis

bai hua she she cao 20g, xia ku cao 15g, tian ji huang 20g, tu fu ling 20g, mian yin chen 15g, zhi zi, huang bo, mu tong, 10g each and gan cao 5g were made into mixture for 1 day's dosage, 250ml for adults daily. 75 cases of acute viral hepatits were treated, 64 cured, 9 markedly effective, 1 ineffective and 1 ineffective.

Liver cancer

xia ku cao was used as the main herb, and combined with yin chen, bai hua she she cao, hai zao, kun bu, lou lu. The formula was used to treat primary liver cancer and had certain therapeutic effect.

Pulmonary TB

xia ku cao 1000g was decocted with 2.5kg water. The juice was concentrated to 0.5kg and made into paste, 15ml , tid. 27 cases of pulmonary TB were treated and the effective was good.

Infantile bacterial dysentery

For children under 2 years old: xia ku cao 30g, ban zhi lian 15g; for children between 2~6 years old, xia ku cao, ban zhi lian 30g each; for children between 7~12 years old, xia ku cao, ban zhi lian, 45g each. Water decoction. 10 cases were treated and after 5.1 days averagely, all were cured.

Diphtheria

chong lou, xia ku cao, jin yin hua, mai dong, bai shao, 10g each; bei sha shen, xuan shen, sheng di, shan dou gen, 15g each; gan cao 6g; water decoction. 24 cases were treated for 6~11 doses, and all were cured after 7.8 doses averagely.

Meniere's syndrome

sheng dai zhe shi 45g; xia ku cao, fa ban xia, che qian zi, 18g each; 2 dose daily. 116 cases of Meniere's syndrome were treated, 71 were basically cured, 31 improved, 7 effective and 6 ineffective.

Nodular goiter

Jia Liu Wan: xia ku cao, quan dang gui, zhen zhu mu, sheng mu li, 30g each; kun bu, dan shen, 15g each. All drugs were grounded into fine powder and made into honeyed pill, 9g each pill. 1 pill, bid, 3 months as a course of treatment. 46 cases of nodular goiter were treated, after 3~6 months' treatment, 6 were cured, 28 markedly effective, 9 improved and 3 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