5 Health Benefits Bupleurum (Bupleurum Chinense)

November 9, 2023November 11, 2023 Agric4Profits

Bupleurum, also known as Bupleurum Chinense, Bupleurum Americanum, or Bupleurum falcatum is a decorative shrub with small, greenish-yellow blooms and leaves that have a sickle form and resemble dill or fennel.

The plant’s blooming season is characterized by small clusters of greenish-yellow flowers, which are followed by small, cylindric fruits.

Bright yellow and bitter, the roots of this perennial plant are what are usually utilized in medicine.

The natural regions of the Chinese species, Bupleurum Chinese, are East Asia and central Europe, while the American variety, Bupleurum Americanum, is found in Southwestern Montana and North Western Idaho.

This herb goes by many names, including chai hu, hare’s ear root, thorax root, and Saiko. Saponins and plant sterols are among the bupleurum root’s active components.

The species’ full size can range from a few centimeters to up to 3 m high. Their little flower compound umbels are ornamented with bracteoles, which can be rather enormous and may help to draw pollinators.

Simple leaves, bracts (if they are present), and bracteoles are uncommon in the Apiaceae family. With one species unique to North America and one species native to southern Africa, the genus is nearly entirely found in the Old World Northern Hemisphere.

There is one herb that stands out above the rest if you want to cleanse your liver and enhance your general health. I’m referring to bupleurum, a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) natural treatment that has been venerated for more than 2,000 years for its capacity to cleanse the body.

According to the TCM paradigm of health and disease, a qi shortage, or an obstructed flow of qi and blood, is the root of disease, whereas a free flow of qi and blood is a prerequisite for health. This traditional herb is thought to remove heat from the liver system and disperse qi.

Additionally, this plant has powerful anti-inflammatory compounds inside its roots and has been used historically to treat various types of liver problems, including cirrhosis.

Bupleurum is a fundamental component of herbal formulae like Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Sho-Saiko-to), which is beneficial in treating hepatitis and liver malignancies (16 percent of the time).

Not only that, but in vitro research has also demonstrated that this herb contains antiviral, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, and chemopreventive (stops or prevents cancer from developing) qualities.

Bupleurum is also used to treat fatigue, headaches, tinnitus, difficulty sleeping, depression, liver conditions, and lack of appetite (anorexia).

Other applications include the treatment of asthma, cancer, malaria, ulcers, hemorrhoids, epilepsy, pain, muscular cramps, joint pain (rheumatism), and excessive cholesterol.

Many herbal combination products contain durum. For instance, it is present in a Japanese herbal formula (Sho-Saiko-to, TJ-9, Xiao-chai-hu-tang) used to treat several chronic liver illnesses, including hepatitis, as well as a Chinese herbal remedy for thrombocytopenic purpura.

A phase II trial at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center is currently evaluating the effectiveness of sho-Saiko-to as a hepatitis C treatment.

5 Health Benefits Bupleurum (Bupleurum Chinense)

1. Treats Liver Cancer

A liver illness called cirrhosis causes good liver tissue to be replaced with scar tissue, which prevents the liver from functioning normally by obstructing blood and bile passage through the organ.

Excessive alcohol usage and a long-term hepatitis C virus infection are the two main causes of cirrhosis. The sickness may be lethal if it is severe enough.

Japanese medicine called Sho-Saiko-to, also known as Xiao Chai Hu Tang, contains bupleurum. The Japanese medical school at Osaka City University has done laboratory and animal investigations that point to the liver-protective properties of sho-Saiko-to.

According to one study, this herbal remedy assisted individuals with cirrhosis from developing hepatocellular carcinomas (liver cancer). This is significant given that people with cirrhosis have a very high prevalence of liver cancer.

2. Boosts Adrenal Gland Function

To support and enhance adrenal gland function, pleural has been combined with licorice and Panax ginseng.

This has been especially beneficial for patients who have a history of long-term usage of corticosteroid medications, which severely compromise the health of the adrenal glands.

By supporting the adrenal glands, the bupleurum can fight adrenal insufficiency and promote overall body balance and increased energy.

3. Relieves Epilepsy

The capability of bupleurum to aid epileptic sufferers is yet another amazing yet unexpected discovery. The illness known as epilepsy is characterized by abnormal brain nerve cell activity, which results in seizures.

Two comparable Chinese herbal formulae, Sho-Saiko-to and Saiko-keys-to, which include the same herbs but in different quantities, both contain bupleurum.

Cassia bark, ginger root, peony root, Pinellia root, jujube fruit, Asian ginseng root, Asian skullcap root, and licorice root are also included in these two formulae.

Both herbal compositions have the potential to provide individuals with epilepsy with relief, according to preliminary studies.

The trials also demonstrated that there were no adverse interactions with any of the anticonvulsant medications that the individuals were already taking at the time of the investigation.

4. Ovarian Cancer

An investigation on the anticancer, apoptotic, and antioxidant effects of Bupleurum Chinense root extract against human epithelial ovarian cancer cells in vitro was carried out in 2015 by the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine at the Military General Hospital of Beijing PLA in China.

The findings demonstrated that the extract was capable of inducing cancer-killing effects on ovarian cancer cells that were remarkably potent and dose-dependent. Additionally, the extract demonstrated its capacity to promote cancer cell shrinkage.

Overall, the extract’s anticancer properties were related to its capacity to promote cancer cells’ DNA fragmentation (a sign of apoptosis or programmed cell death) and a disruption of their energy metabolism.

5. Treats Depression

Today, many people who suffer from depression or anxiety take mood-stabilizing medications. The majority of these work by inhibiting selective serotonin reuptake.

It is always essential to investigate the option of using natural therapies because these medications do not come without their own, highly serious side effects.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, liver qi stagnation is the primary contributor to depression. TCM practitioners frequently suggest Chai hu shu gan san, a herbal mixture that contains bupleurum, for liver qi blockage (energy that flows in the body).

It has been shown that chai hu shu gan san is particularly useful for treating depression that can frequently arise during premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and menopause.

5 Health Benefits Bupleurum (Bupleurum Chinense)