Yi Mu Cao - Leonurus heterophyllus

Professional Data
 Pin Yin
Yi Mu Cao
 
 Latin
Herba Leonuri
 Introduction Back to Top
Herba Leonuri is the dried aerial part of Leonurus heterophyllus Sweet (Fam. Labiatae). The drug is collected in summer when the foliage branch growing luxuriantly before or at the beginning of the flowering, dried in the sun or dried after cutting into sections.
 Western medical Back to Top
yi mu cao is indicated in the treatment of women diseases such as dysfunctional uterine bleeding, nephritis and coronary heart disease, etc..
 Eastern medical Back to Top
  • Pattern: Activates Blood, resolves stagnant Blood, induces diuresis and removes Toxin.
  • Properties: Pungent, bitter, slightly cold.
  • Channels entered: Liver, Heart and Bladder.
 Chemical constituents Back to Top
yi mu cao mainly contains alkaloids including leonurine, stachydrine, Leonuridine and Leonurinine, etc.. It also contains benzoicsterol, Vit A and 4-guanidino-1-buta-nol, etc..
 Pharmacological actions Back to Top
Effects on the cardiovascular system

10 minutes' perfusion of water decoction alcohol precipitation of yi mu cao to isolated rabbit heart could increase the blood flow volume of the coronary vessels by 16%. Yi mu cao could increase the nutrient blood flow volume in the cardiac muscle of rats, and had protective effect on the ischemic cardiac muscle induced by isoprenaline or posterior pituitrin. Alcohol extract of yi mu cao had slight excitatory effect on in vivo rabbit heart, had direct inhibitory effect on the beating of isolated cardiac muscle cells. Water infusion of yi mu cao had temporary blood pressure lowering effect.

Effects on the blood rheoloty

Water decoction alcohol extract of yi mu cao could lower the whole blood viscosity under low shear, increase erythrocyte electrophoresis rate, lower platelet adhesiveness, and lower fibrinogen. yi mu cao could inhibit the platelet aggregation induced by ADP. Gastrogavage of yi mu cao decoction could inhibit platelet aggregation, prolong the in vitro thrombosis time, shorten the length and reduce the weight of the thrombus.

Effects on the uterus

Water or alcohol extract of yi mu cao had excitatory effect on the uterus of guinea pig, rabbit, cat and dog.

Others

yi mu cao could induce diuresis, improve micro-circulation and improve renal functions.
 Clinical Studies Back to Top
Bleeding after drug abortion

Qu Yu Tang (yi mu cao 30g, sheng shan zha 50g, zao jiao ci 30g; chao guan zhong 12g; sheng pu huang 12g;, wu ling zhi 12g, dang gui 12g, chuan chi shao 12g, chuan niu xi 15g, qing pi 5g, chen pi 5g, ren dong teng 30g, bai jiang cao 30g), 1 dose daily, 3 doses as a course of treatment. 55 cases of bleeding after drug abortion were treated, 47 were cured, 5 improved and 3 ineffective.

Dysfunctional uterine bleeding

Qing Gong Zhi Lou Tang (yi mu cao 30g; dang shen, dan shen, 15g each; dang gui, chi shao, chuan xiong, hong zong tan, di yu tan, jing jie tan, 12g each; chai hu 6g), 1 dose daily, 3 doses as a course of treatment. 34 cases of dysfunctional uterine bleeding were treated, 30 were cured and 4 ineffective.

Purpura nephritis

Yi Mu Ba Cao Tang (yi mu cao 25g, xian he cao 15g, zi zhu cao 15g, han lian cao 15g, gan cao 10g, sheng di 30g, dan pi 10g, da ji 40g, xiao ji 40g, sheng long gu 5g, sheng mu li 5g). Modify the formula according to accompanied symptoms. 26 cases of purpura nephritis were treated for 20~60 days, 15 were cured, 9 improved and 2 ineffective.

Coronary heart disease

Yi Mu Cao Injection 6~8 ampoule (each ampoule containing 4g crude drug) were mixed with 5% glucose 500ml for intravenous drip, once daily, 14 days as a course of treatment. 40 cases of coronary heart disease were treated. Result: EKG: 7 were markedly effective, 18 effecitve; Clinical symptoms: 14 were markedly effective, 15 effecitve.

 
 References Back to Top

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