Herbal Research

Wei Ling Xian

RADIX CLEMATIDIS (CHINESE CLEMATIS ROOT)

Wei Ling Xian is the dried root and rhizome of Clematis chinensis Osbeck, Clematis hexapetala Pall, or Clematis manshurica Rupr. (Ranunculaceae). The herb from C. chinensis is mainly produced in the provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui and Zhejiang; the herb from C. hexapetala is produced in the Northeast, the North and Shandong and Jiangsu province; and the herb from C. manshurica is produced in the Northeast. It is collected in the autumn, removed from the aerial part and then dried in the sun.

CHEMISTRY

Saponins are the major constituents of the root of C. chinensis. The crude saponins obtained from the butanol fraction of the methanol extract contained more than 10 components by thin-layer chromatography. A number of prosapogenins tentatively named CP0, CP1, CP2, CP2a, CP2h, CP3, CP3a, CP3b, CP4, CP5, CP6, CP7, CP7a, CP8, CP8a, CP9, CP9a, CP10 and CPi0a were obtained by alkaline hydrolysis of the crude saponins. These prosapogenins have either hederagenin or oleanolic acid as the aglycon, except CP3a which has 4-epihederagenin as the aglycon. The sugar moieties of the prosapogenins are composed of glucose, arabinose, rhamnose, ribose and xylose15. The root of C. chinensis also contains protoanemonin6.
From the root of C. manshurica, five saponins named clematosides A, A', B, B' and C were identified, all having oleanolic acid as the aglycon with different sugar moieties7'8.

PHARMACOLOGY

Effect on Smooth Muscles

Oral administration of the decoction of the herb to anesthetized dogs intensified the esophageal peristalsis and increased the frequency and amplitude. The herb relaxed pharyngeal spasm or upper esophageal spasm caused by a fish bone lodged in the throat. It enhanced peristalsis, allowing the bone to dislodge. On the isolated smooth muscle of rabbit intestines the herb had an antihistaminic action6.

Antimicrobial Activity

Tested with paper-disk method the 100% decoction of the herb showed inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus and Shigella shigae. The 1:3 aqueous extract inhibited Microspo rum audouini. Protoanemonin was a strong inhibitor of bacteria and fungi. The MIC was 1:60000 against streptococci, 1:83 000-33 000 against Escherichia ccli and 1:100000 against Candida albicans6.

Induction of Labor

Intramuscular administration of 15 g/kg of the dilute ethanolic extract of the herb to mice at mid-term pregnancy for 5 days induced labor. More than 80% of the animals had complete delivery6.

Other Effects

Intraperitoneal administration of the decoction of the herb produced an analgesic effect in mice in the hot-plate test. The decoction also showed a hypotensive effect in anesthetized dogs. An anti-diuretic effect of the decoction was also observed9.

FUNCTIONS AND APPLICATIONS

Traditional Description

Wei Ling Xian is pungent and salty in taste and warm in property, acting on the urinary bladder channel. It has the functions of:

(i) relieving rheumatic conditions, used in rheumatic or rheumatoid arthralgia with numbness of the limbs, muscle contracture and limitation of motion; and
(ii) removing obstruction of collaterals and alleviating pain, used in fish bone stuck in the throat.

Applications
Hypertrophic spondylitis and lumbar muscular strain

Injection of 1 ml of the steam distillate preparation of the herb into each of the 2-4 acupoints close to the hypertrophic paravertebral area daily or on alternate days was effective in 83—93% of the over 100 cases so treated. In 32 cases of lumbar muscular strain, this treatment produced prominent effects in 14 cases and moderate effects in 18 others.

Filariasis

The decoction of 500 g of the fresh root of the herb with white spirit was taken twice daily over a 5-day period. In 34 eases of filariasis, 75-100% became worm-free.

Psoriasis

Six psoriasis patients was given by mouth 90 g of the herb daily in the decoction form until desquamation disappeared.

SIDE EFFECTS AND TOXICITY

Contact with the mucus of the stem or protoanemonin causes irritation, blistering and mucosal congestion6.

DOSAGE

6-9g.

REFERENCES

1. Kizu, H., Tomimori, T. (1979) Studies on the constituents of Clematis species. I. On the saponins of the root of Clematis chinensis Osbeck. (1). Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 27, 2388-2393.
2. Kizu, H., Tomimori, T. (1980) Studies on the constituents of Clematis species. H. On the saponins of the root of Clematis chinensis Osbeck. (2). Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 28, 2827-2830.
3. Kizu, H., Tomimori, T. (1980) Studies on the constituents of Clematis species. III. On the saponins of the root of Clematis chinensis Osheck. (3). Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 28, 3555-3560.
4. Kizu, H., Tomimori, T. (1982) Studies on the constituents of Clematis species. IV. On the saponins of the root of Clematis chinensis Osbeck. (4). Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 30, 859-865.
5. Kizu, H., Tomimori, T. (1982) Studies on the constituents of Clematis species. V. On the saponins of the root of Clematis chinensis Osbeek. (5). Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 30, 3340-3346.
6. Wang, Y.S. (1983) Pharmacology and Applications of Chinese Materia Medico, pp. 775-778. Beijing: People's Health Publisher.
7. Tang, W., Eisenbrand, U. (1992) Chinese Drugs of Plant Origin - Chemistry, pharmacology, and use in traditional and modern medicine, pp. 351-355. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag.
8. Kochetkov, N.K., Khorlin, A.J., Chirva, V.J. (1965) Clematoside C-triterpene oligoside from Clamatis mandhurica. Tetrahedron Letters, 2201-2205.
9. Wu, B.J. (1983) Pharmacology of Chinese Herbal Medicines, pp.4 1-43. Beijing: People's Health Publisher.