The Efficacy of Purple Gromwell
The Efficacy of Purple Gromwell
Purple gromwell, also known as Lithospermum erythrorhizon, has various medicinal properties and applications:
Medicinal Uses:
Cooling and activating blood circulation.
Detoxification.
Used for conditions with excessive heat and toxins in the blood, as well as skin rashes characterized by purple or black discoloration.
Effective for measles, heat-induced rashes, eczema, hematuria, bloody stools, ulcers, erysipelas, burns, and constipation due to heat accumulation.
Beauty Benefits:
Purple gromwell is renowned for its remarkable acne-reducing and anti-inflammatory effects, making it highly valued in the cosmetics industry. Many cosmetic brands, such as Xuncare Garden, Met体小铺 (Met Body Shop), and Swiss Magic Care, list purple gromwell as one of the functional ingredients in their products.
The beauty mechanism of purple gromwell lies in its ability to cool the blood, promote blood circulation, dispel stasis, and detoxify, which accelerates the metabolism of acne scars and scars while providing excellent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Pharmacological Actions:
Anti-microbial Effects:
Purple gromwell exhibits inhibitory effects on various microorganisms, including viruses like the H1N1 virus and bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Effects on Smooth Muscle in the Digestive Tract:
Purple gromwell can relax or contract the small intestine in rabbits, aiding in the treatment of conditions such as heat toxin rashes and dysentery.
It can also inhibit acetylcholine, histamine, angiotensin, and barium chloride-induced contractions, which may help alleviate gastrointestinal smooth muscle spasms.
Anticoagulant Effects:
Purple gromwell's components, such as shikonin and acetylshikonin, do not affect blood clotting time but can counteract the anticoagulant effects of heparin, facilitating thrombus formation.
Anti-tumor Effects:
Certain purple gromwell extracts exhibit inhibitory effects on tumor cells such as Hela cells, leading to a delay in cell division and a decrease in proliferation.
In animal experiments, daily doses of 5-10 mg/kg of purple gromwell can completely inhibit the growth of ascitic sarcoma 180 cells.
Contraceptive Effects:
Feeding animals with extracts from purple gromwell roots can suppress estrus in rats, indicating a contraceptive effect.
When administered to mice, it has a significant impact on the estrous cycle and fertility, with a reversible effect after discontinuation.
Effects on the Circulatory System:
In animal experiments, purple gromwell has an excitatory effect on the hearts of healthy rabbits and frog hearts.
However, when injected intravenously or intramuscularly in anesthetized animals, it can lead to a significant drop in blood pressure, and in severe cases, death.
Hypoglycemic Effects:
Purple gromwell polysaccharides A, B, and C can reduce blood glucose levels in normal mice when injected intraperitoneally, with different degrees of effectiveness.
Purple gromwell is a versatile herb with a wide range of potential health benefits, but its effects can vary depending on the specific application and dosage. Further research is needed to fully understand and harness its medicinal properties.
Purple gromwell, also known as Lithospermum erythrorhizon, has various medicinal properties and applications:
Medicinal Uses:
Cooling and activating blood circulation.
Detoxification.
Used for conditions with excessive heat and toxins in the blood, as well as skin rashes characterized by purple or black discoloration.
Effective for measles, heat-induced rashes, eczema, hematuria, bloody stools, ulcers, erysipelas, burns, and constipation due to heat accumulation.
Beauty Benefits:
Purple gromwell is renowned for its remarkable acne-reducing and anti-inflammatory effects, making it highly valued in the cosmetics industry. Many cosmetic brands, such as Xuncare Garden, Met体小铺 (Met Body Shop), and Swiss Magic Care, list purple gromwell as one of the functional ingredients in their products.
The beauty mechanism of purple gromwell lies in its ability to cool the blood, promote blood circulation, dispel stasis, and detoxify, which accelerates the metabolism of acne scars and scars while providing excellent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Pharmacological Actions:
Anti-microbial Effects:
Purple gromwell exhibits inhibitory effects on various microorganisms, including viruses like the H1N1 virus and bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Shigella, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Effects on Smooth Muscle in the Digestive Tract:
Purple gromwell can relax or contract the small intestine in rabbits, aiding in the treatment of conditions such as heat toxin rashes and dysentery.
It can also inhibit acetylcholine, histamine, angiotensin, and barium chloride-induced contractions, which may help alleviate gastrointestinal smooth muscle spasms.
Anticoagulant Effects:
Purple gromwell's components, such as shikonin and acetylshikonin, do not affect blood clotting time but can counteract the anticoagulant effects of heparin, facilitating thrombus formation.
Anti-tumor Effects:
Certain purple gromwell extracts exhibit inhibitory effects on tumor cells such as Hela cells, leading to a delay in cell division and a decrease in proliferation.
In animal experiments, daily doses of 5-10 mg/kg of purple gromwell can completely inhibit the growth of ascitic sarcoma 180 cells.
Contraceptive Effects:
Feeding animals with extracts from purple gromwell roots can suppress estrus in rats, indicating a contraceptive effect.
When administered to mice, it has a significant impact on the estrous cycle and fertility, with a reversible effect after discontinuation.
Effects on the Circulatory System:
In animal experiments, purple gromwell has an excitatory effect on the hearts of healthy rabbits and frog hearts.
However, when injected intravenously or intramuscularly in anesthetized animals, it can lead to a significant drop in blood pressure, and in severe cases, death.
Hypoglycemic Effects:
Purple gromwell polysaccharides A, B, and C can reduce blood glucose levels in normal mice when injected intraperitoneally, with different degrees of effectiveness.
Purple gromwell is a versatile herb with a wide range of potential health benefits, but its effects can vary depending on the specific application and dosage. Further research is needed to fully understand and harness its medicinal properties.