The effects of Shouwu and the benefits of eating Shouwu

　　Effects of Shouwu:

　　Bitter, sweet, astringent and slightly warm. Liver, kidney. Replenishes essence and blood, intercepts malaria, detoxifies, moistens intestines and relieves constipation.

　　The traditional Chinese medicine Polygonum multiflorum can be divided into raw Polygonum multiflorum and prepared Polygonum multiflorum. The raw Polygonum multiflorum is cut into slices and used as medicine. The prepared Polygonum multiflorum is mixed with black bean juice and steamed and dried in the sun. The functions of the two are different: Radix Polygonum multiflorum has the function of detoxifying, eliminating carbuncle, moisturizing the intestines and laxative, and is often used to treat scrofula and carbuncle, rubella and itching, and intestinal dryness. constipate ； Polygonum multiflorum has the functions of nourishing the liver and kidneys, replenishing essence and blood, blackening the beard and hair, and strengthening the muscles and bones. It is used for blood deficiency and chlorosis, dizziness and tinnitus, early graying of the beard and hair, soreness of the waist and knees, numbness of the limbs, uterine bleeding, chronic malaria and physical weakness.

　　The famous anti-aging prescriptions "Shouwu Pills", "Qibao Beauty Pill" and "Songshan Shouwu Tea" are made from polygonum multiflorum as the main drug. Using Shouwu can improve elderly Signs of aging, such as gray hair, tooth loss, age spots, etc., can promote the improvement of human immunity and inhibit the deposition of "lipofuscin" that causes aging in body organs. Shouwu can also expand the coronary arteries of the heart, lower blood lipids, and promote the production of red blood cells, so it is good for coronary heart disease、Hyperlipidemia disease, old age anemia , brain decline, signs of premature aging, etc., all have preventive effects. The single dosage of Shouwu is 10 to 15 grams per day.

　　The functions of Shouwu:

　　1. Promote hematopoietic function

　　When mice were injected subcutaneously with 0.2g of Shouwu liquid twice a day for 3 consecutive days, the yield of granulocyte progenitor cells was significantly higher than that of the normal saline control group. Intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/kg polygonum multiflorum extract into mice for 3 consecutive days can significantly increase bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells, significantly increase the production rate of granulosa monolineage progenitor cells in mice, and significantly increase the value of bone marrow erythroid progenitor cells.

　　2. Enhance immune function

　　Polygonum multiflorum has a significant antagonistic effect on the inhibitory changes in the spleen and thymus of aged mice caused by prednisolone and cyclophosphamide, and significantly increases the phagocytosis rate and phagocytic index of splenic macrophages. Feeding polygonum multiflorum ethanol extract can significantly improve the DNA damage repair ability of peripheral lymphocytes in aged rats. Mice were given 6g/kg of Radix Polygonum multiflorum by gavage for 7 consecutive days, which could significantly improve the phagocytic ability of peritoneal macrophages, and had a significant antagonistic effect on the decrease in phagocytic index caused by prednisolone. The ethanol extract of Polygonum multiflorum decoction can enhance the immune function of both T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes in mice, with the former effect being more significant. Polygonum multiflorum extract 25-100 mg/kg, intraperitoneal injection, and continuous administration for 3 days can significantly improve the ConA-induced T lymphocyte proliferation response in the thymus and spleen of normal mice. ； Subcutaneous injection of 5-100g/kg for 3 consecutive days can significantly increase the number of spleen antibody-forming cells in normal mice, with the 50g/kg group having the most significant effect.

　　3. Lower blood lipids and resist atherosclerosis

　　Hyperlipidemic rats were given Polygonum multiflorum 4g/kg daily for 10 consecutive days, which could significantly reduce the levels of serum total cholesterol (TC) and serum triglyceride (TG) in rats. For quail with hyperlipidemia, continuous administration of Shouwu multiflorum for 4 weeks can significantly reduce serum TC content and increase HDL/TC ratio. Other experiments have shown that in rabbits with hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis models, administration of Polygonum multiflorum into the stomach for 7 days can not only reduce the TC content, but also reduce the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Feeding mice 32g/kg of Polygonum multiflorum water extract for 1 month can significantly increase HDL-C levels. Polygonum multiflorum mixed into feed and fed to rats for 90 days can also significantly increase HDL-C, while TG and TC have no significant changes, and have a significant inhibitory effect on β-lipoprotein. Polygonum multiflorum alcohol extract was administered intragastrically to quails with rapid atherosclerosis for 6 consecutive weeks. The plasma HDL-C/TC ratio increased significantly, and the effect was more significant in the high-dose group. Each administration group had the effect of delaying atherosclerosis. The active ingredients of Polygonum multiflorum for lowering blood lipids and anti-cholesterol include anthraquinones, diphenyl compounds and lecithin.

　　4. Liver protection

　　Diphenyl compounds contained in Polygonum multiflorum have adverse effects on rats induced by peroxidized corn oil. fatty liver And liver function damage, the increase in liver peroxidized lipids, the increase in serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase all have obvious antagonistic effects, and the contents of serum free fatty acids and liver peroxidized lipids decrease. In vitro, it can inhibit rat liver microsomal lipid peroxidation caused by ADP and NADPH. Polygonum multiflorum also has the effect of increasing liver glycogen. Raw Shouwu, black bean juice prepared Shouwu and steamed Shouwu decoction have antagonistic effects on hepatic fat accumulation caused by prednisone acetate, and can reduce hepatomegaly caused by CCl4 and reduce the liver weight coefficient.

　　5. Delay aging. Modern research shows that vitamin E can prevent wrinkle regeneration.

　　Feeding feed containing Polygonum multiflorum powder to 404-day-old elderly for 190 days can significantly extend the time for half of the elderly quails to die. Polygonum multiflorum can prolong the growth cycle of diploid cells of fruit flies, make the cells grow vigorously, and extend the life of fruit flies. Rats taking the alcohol-soluble and water-soluble parts of Polygonum multiflorum by gavage can promote cell division and proliferation, and prolong the life of rats. skin Passage number of diploid fibroblasts. Feeding Polygonum multiflorum decoction to elderly mice can reduce MAO-B activity in the brain and increase the contents of 5-HT, NE and DA in brain tissue. The mixed preparations of Chishouwu and Baishouwu and the decoction of Chishouwu have significant inhibitory effects on MAO-B activity in the isolated brains of rats and mice. Taking Polygonum multiflorum for 2 months in elderly rats can improve dopaminergic function in the striatum of elderly rats. nerve System functionality.

　　Polygonum multiflorum decoction fed to old mice or young mice can significantly increase the protein content in the brain and liver and improve the DNA repair ability of the elderly body. The alcohol extract and water extract of Polygonum multiflorum can increase the cytoplasmic protein and nucleic acid content of thymus in aged rats to varying degrees.

　　The anti-aging effect of Polygonum multiflorum is related to its antioxidant effect. Aged mice were fed with polygonum multiflorum decoction concentrate, which could significantly enhance the SOD activity in the blood. Processing has a certain impact on the antioxidant effect of Shouwu. Both the new and old processed products can significantly increase the SOD activity in the whole blood and brain tissue of mice, and can reduce the LPO content in the heart, liver, brain tissue and blood of mice. The raw product has no obvious effect on SOD and LPO. Both the alcohol extract and the water extract of Polygonum multiflorum can increase the SOD content and reduce the LPO content in the heart, liver, and brain tissue of aged rats to varying degrees.

　　6. Effect on endocrine

　　Long-term administration of Polygonum multiflorum decoction concentrate to mice can significantly increase the weight of their adrenal glands. Polygonum multiflorum also has a function similar to that of the adrenal cortex. It can significantly improve the stress ability of mice whose bilateral adrenal glands have been removed and reduce the mortality of mice caused by freezing. Polygonum multiflorum has a promoting effect on the accumulation of liver glycogen in norepinephrine-starved mice, causing a significant increase in liver glycogen. The effect of Polygonum multiflorum on blood sugar has a certain time-dependent relationship. After oral administration of Polygonum multiflorum decoction to rabbits, blood sugar rises to a peak within 30 and 60 minutes, and then gradually decreases. After 6 hours, blood sugar is lower than normal. The rat liver insulin receptor has two types of receptors: high affinity and low capacity, and low affinity and high capacity. The binding capacity of aged mice is significantly reduced, but the affinity remains unchanged. Polygonum multiflorum has no significant effect on the two parameters of capacity and affinity.

　　7. Loose intestines and relieve constipation

　　When used raw, Polygonum multiflorum has a strong laxative effect, and its active ingredient chrysophanol can promote intestinal movement in animals. Some patients with hyperlipidemia experience increased stool frequency and diarrhea Phenomenon.

　　8. Other pharmacological effects

　　It has been reported that the decoction of various processed products of Polygonum multiflorum (raw Polygonum multiflorum, steamed Polygonum multiflorum with wine, steamed Polygonum multiflorum with black bean juice, steamed Polygonum multiflorum) has different effects on Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus albicans, Shigella flexneri, Shigella sonnei, Typhoid bacillus 901, Paratyphoid bacilli, diphtheriae, beta-hemolytic Streptococcus, etc. to varying degrees. Among them, raw multiflorum decoction has stronger anti-Staphylococcus aureus effect than other processed products, prepared polygonum multiflorum decoction has stronger inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus albus, wine-steamed multiflorum decoction and rehmannia juice-steamed multiflorum decoction have stronger inhibitory effect on diphtheria bacilli than other polygonum multiflorum decoctions. Polygonum multiflorum has a certain inhibitory effect on influenza viruses. In addition, Polygonum multiflorum also slows down heart rate , dilate coronary arteries, resist myocardial ischemia and other effects.

　　To sum up, the pharmacological effects related to the functions of Polygonum multiflorum in nourishing the liver and kidneys, replenishing essence and blood, blackening hair and hair, and strengthening muscles and bones are to promote hematopoietic function, improve the body's immune function, lower blood lipids, resist atherosclerosis, protect the liver, delay aging, affect endocrine function, and relieve bowel movements. The material basis of the efficacy of Polygonum multiflorum is mainly composed of phospholipids, anthraquinones, glucosides and other ingredients.