Menolyte
Fang Feng
RADIX SAPOSHNIKOVIAE (SAPOSHNIKO VIA ROOT)
Fang Feng is the dried root of Saposhnikovia divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk. [Ledebouriela divaricata (Turcz.) Hiroe] (Umbelliferae). The plant can be found in the northeastern and northern parts of China, growing wild on grassy slopes, along the field tracks and by the roadside. The herb is collected in the spring and autumn, removed from the rootlets and then dried in the sun. It is mainly produced in the provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Inner Mongolia and Hebei.
CHEMISTRY
The root contains 0.09-0.11% of essential oil. The main constituents of the oil include octanal, b-bisabplene, nonanal, 7-octen-4-ol, hexanal, cuparene and b-eudesmol. Coumarin and cliromone compounds, such as scopoletin, anomalin, psoralen, bergapten, xanthotoxin, imperatorin, phellopterin, deltein, hamaudol, 3'-O-acetylhamaudol, 3'-O-angeloyhamaudol, ledebouriellel, cimifugin, sec-O-glucosyl-hamaudol, prim-O-glucosylcimifugin, 4'- O-b-D-glucosyl-5-O-methylvisammlnol, 3'-O-angeloylhamaudol and 5-O-methylvisamminol have also been isolated from the root1,2.
PHARMACOLOGY
Antipyretic and Antimicrobial Effects
Oral administration of 10 ml/kg of the 20% decoction or extract of the root produced a modest antipyretic effect in 0.5 h in rabbits with fever induced by intravenous injection of mixed typhoid vaccine. The decoction had a stronger action than the extract. Its action lasted for more than 2.5 h3. The decoction solution was inhibitory in vitro against several bacteria, fungi and virus2.
Antiinflammatory and Analgesic Effects
The aqueous or ethanolic extract of the root suppressed the rat paw edema at an oral dose of 10 g/kg4. The ethanolic extract produced a weak pain-relieving effect in mice as observed in the electrostimulation of the mouse tail at an oral dose of 21.18 g/kg or a subcutaneous dose of 42.36 g/kg1. Sec-O-glucosyl-hamaudol and the essential oil were found to be analgesic active2.
Anticonvulsant and Hypotensive Effects
Oral administration of 0.5 ml of the 50% decoction of the root twice a day for 6 days antagonized electric shock effect in 60% of the mice tested5. Cimicifugin, hamaudol, 5-0-methylvisainminol showed some hypotensive activity2.
FUNCTIONS AND APPLICATIONS
Traditional Description
Fang Feng has pungent and sweet tastes and a warm property, acting on the urinary bladder, liver and spleen channels. It has the functions of:
(i) inducing diaphoresis and dispelling pathogenic wind, used for
the headache in common cold;
(ii) removing damp and relieving pain, used to alleviate rheumatic conditions;
and
(iii) expelling endogenous wind and relieving spasm, used in tetanus.
Applications
Migraine and headache of common cold
The decoction of 9 g of the herb and 6 g of Bai Zhi (Radix Angelicae Dahuncae) was used in treating migraine and, plus Chuan Xiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong) and Jing Jie (Herba Schizonepetae) in headache in common cold.
Rosacea
A recipe consisting of 11 herbs with Fang Feng as the principal ingredient was effective in treating rosacea.
Skin pruritus and eczema
The herb is a common ingredient in many recipes for eczema and skin pruritus.
DOSAGE
4.5-9 g.
REFERENCES
1. Zhou, RH. (1993) Resource Science of Chinese Medicinal Materials,
pp. 378-384. Beijing: China Medical & Pharmaceutical Sciences
Press.
2. Wang, J.H. (1986) Pharmacognostical Studies of Chinese Drug Fang
Feng. PhD Thesis. Beijing Medical University, China.
3. Sun, S.X. (1956) Studies on the antipyretic actions of some Chinese
drugs. Chinese Medical Journal, 42,
964-968.
4. Song, ZY. (1963) Effects of 13 Chinese Herbal drugs on the rat
arthritis induced by albumen and formaldehyde. Acta Pharmaceutica
Sinica, 10, 708-711.
5. Yan, Y.J. (1977) Preliminary experimental studies on anticonvulsive
Chinese herbal drugs. Chinese Medical Journal, 57, 479-480.