Anti-inflammatory Herb Chuanxiong
Chuanxiong is one of the core ingredients of FlameEz™ and is one of the primary blood-vitalizing herbs used in Chinese herbalism. Blood vitalizing herbs improve circulation and have very positive effects on heart and liver functions. Chuanxiong is also listed in Chinese herbology as one of the "top 50 fundamental herbs." Since 770 B.C., Chuanxiong has been used to promote vital energy in the blood and relieve pain associated with blood stasis and energy stagnation. In contemporary medicine, active ingredients of Chuanxiong exert antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory effects.
Rhizoma Chuanxiong contains volatile oil, alkaloids (e.g., ligustrazine), phenolic substances (e.g., ferulic acid), lactone, vitamin A, folic acid, sterols, sucrose, fatty oil, etc.
Based on published scientific and clinical research, Chuanxiong:
- Inhibits vascular smooth muscle contraction*
- Increases blood flow in the coronary artery, kidney, brain, and limbs*
- Improves myocardial hypoxia and microcirculation, and reduces myocardial oxygen consumption*
- Prevents platelet activation and thrombosis*
- Provides protection to the kidney, lungs, and brain through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects*
- Reduces lung fibrosis*
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
Reference (for abstracts and additional references, click here):
- Xie G, et al. Fingerprint analysis of Rhizoma chuanxiong by pressurized capillary electrochromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. Biomed Chromatogr. 2007;21(8):867-75.
- Chan SS. et al. Relaxation effects of ligustilide and senkyunolide A, two main constituents of Ligusticum chuanxiong, in rat isolated aorta. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 111(3):677-80, 2007
- Lin YL, et al. Ligusticum chuanxiong prevents rat pheochromocytoma cells from serum deprivation-induced apoptosis through a protein kinase A-dependent pathway. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 2007;109:428-434
- Li XR, et al. Analysis of volatile oil in Rhizoma ligustici chuanxiong-Radix paeoniae rubra by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and chemometric resolution. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2006;27(4):491-8.
- Lim LS, et al. Dimeric progestins from rhizomes of Ligusticum chuanxiong. Phytochemistry 2006;67:728-734
- Yan R, et al. Simultaneous quantification of 12 bioactive components of Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort. By high-performance liquid chromatography. J Pharm Biomed Anal. 2005;7;37(1):87-95.
- Wen C. et al. Effect of drugs for promoting blood circulation on blood lipids and inflammatory reaction of atherosclerotic plaques in ApoE gene deficiency mice. Chinese Journal of Integrated Traditional & Western Medicine. 25(4):345-9, 2005
- Liu L. et al. Phthalide Lactones from Ligusticum chuanxiong inhibit lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-alpha production and TNF-alpha-mediated NF-kappaB Activation. Planta Medica. 71(9):808-13, 2005
- Hou YZ.et alG. Hiltunen R. Inhibition of rat vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation by extract of Ligusticum chuanxiong and Angelica sinensis. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 100(1-2):140-4, 2005
- Nephron Physiol 2004;98:80-88
- Hou YZ. et al. Hiltunen R. Protective effect of Ligusticum chuanxiong and Angelica sinensis on endothelial cell damage induced by hydrogen peroxide. Life Sciences. 75(14):1775-86, 2004
- Zhang HZ, et al. Characterization of Phthalides in Ligusticum chuanxiong by Liquid Chromatographic–Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization–Mass Spectrometry. Journal of Chromatographic Science. 2003;41428-433
- Li M. et al. Specific inhibiting characteristics of tetramethylpyrazine, one of the active ingredients of the Chinese herbal medicine 'Chuanxiong,' on platelet thrombus formation under high shear rates. Thrombosis Research. 104(1):15-28, 2001
