Wuhe Vine is the root or tender branches and leaves of the plant Stephania tetrandra, also known as Yangjiao Vine or Konggang Vine. Due to its blood glucose-lowering function, Wuhe Vine is often used in clinical medicine. Now let's understand the mechanism of action of Wuhe Vine in treating diabetes.
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[The principle of Wuhe Vine in lowering blood glucose]
Wuhe Vine is a neutral herb with a bitter taste. It has the effects of dispelling wind, cooling blood, reducing swelling and relieving pain, promoting digestion, and diuresis. It can be used to treat wind-cold dampness bi syndrome, diabetes, and vasculitis.
In addition, foreign scholars have found that Wuhe Vine has the effects of lowering blood glucose and inhibiting sweet taste response. In other words, Wuhe Vine can suppress the desire for sweets, inhibit the absorption of sugar by the body, lower blood glucose levels, help repair damaged pancreatic cells, and improve insulin secretion.
Most clinical studies have shown that the mechanism of action of Wuhe Vine in lowering blood glucose mainly involves promoting the synthesis of liver glycogen, inhibiting the breakdown of liver glycogen, reducing liver glycogen levels, promoting glycolysis;
increasing the utilization of glucose by peripheral tissues and target organs, protecting and repairing pancreatic islet cells, increasing the synthesis and secretion of pancreatic islet cells, increasing the number and affinity of insulin receptors;
inhibiting the secretion of glucose-raising hormones such as adrenaline and glucagon, clearing free radicals and anti-lipid peroxidation, inhibiting the absorption and digestion of carbohydrates by the small intestine, and regulating the activity of enzymes related to glucose metabolism.
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[The pharmacological effects of Wuhe Vine]
1. Lowering blood glucose
Experts used a model of experimental diabetes in mice induced by streptozotocin to observe the blood glucose-lowering effect of Wuhe Vine compound preparation. The results showed that the main mechanism of Wuhe Vine is through its protective effect on pancreatic islet cells and the promotion of recovery and regeneration of pancreatic β cells.
2. Lowering blood lipids
The high and low-dose groups of Wuhe Vine compound preparation can significantly reduce the serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in rats with fed-induced hyperlipidemia. When mice were fed with high-fat and normal-fat diets and treated with Wuhe Vine leaf extract for 3 weeks to observe lipid metabolism, it was found that Wuhe Vine leaf extract did not affect the body weight and food absorption of mice, but significantly slowed down the digestion of fat in the last two weeks.
3. Inhibiting sweet taste
Potassium salt of Wuhe Vine acid can inhibit the sensitivity to the sweet taste of sucrose and sodium saccharin in humans or animals, but the glycosides of hydrolyzed products do not have the function of inhibiting sweet taste. Gurmarin in Wuhe Vine leaf extract can inhibit the sweet taste of sucrose, glucose, gum arabic, and saccharin, but it does not affect the taste of salt, acid, or bitterness.
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[Clinical applications of Wuhe Vine]
1. Treatment of testicular pain: Soak 60g of Wuhe Vine and 60g of Wild Paeony Root in alcohol, simmer for half an hour, and take orally. In addition, mash and apply the herb Polygonum aviculare.
2. Treatment of cervical lymph node tuberculosis: Take 30g of Wuhe Vine, 30g of White Clematis Root, and 15g of Oldenlandia diffusa root, decoct in water, and take one dose daily.
3. Treatment of rheumatism and arthralgia: Take 45g of Wuhe Vine and stew with 100g of pork, then take orally.
4. Treatment of osteomyelitis: Take 15g of Wuhe Vine, 15g of Piper hancei root, 15g of Plumbago zeylanica, and 10g of Centella asiatica, decoct in water, and take orally.
5. Treatment of lumbar and leg rheumatism and pain: Take 30g of Wuhe Vine, 30g of Achyranthes bidentata, 10g of Desmodium styracifolium, 15g of Cissus quadrangularis, and 15g of Acanthopanax gracilistylus, decoct in water, and take orally.
6. Treatment of suppurative boils: Take 15g of Wuhe Vine, 15g of Euonymus bungeanus leaves, soak in water, and drink with wine.
7. Treatment of early-stage abscess and swelling: Take 15g of Wuhe Vine, 15g of Cyperus rotundus, 15g of Epimedium sagittatum, 30g of White Clematis Root, and 10g of Plumbago zeylanica, decoct in water, and take after straining.
