Gangban Gui, a traditional Chinese medicine, has the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, and relieving throat dampness. So what are the pharmacological effects of Gangban Gui?
Image of Gangban Gui
【Original Form of Gangban Gui】
Gangban Gui is a perennial herbaceous plant. The stem is ridged, reddish-brown, and has downward-hooked thorns.
The leaves are alternate, shield-shaped. The leaf blade is nearly triangular, 4-6cm long and 5-8cm wide, with a pointed tip and a near heart-shaped or truncate base. The underside of the leaf is sparsely hooked along the veins. The leaf sheath is nearly circular, embracing the stem. The leaf stalk is long and sparsely covered with hooked thorns.
The inflorescence is short and spike-like. The bracts are circular. The corolla has 5 deep lobes, pale red or white in color, and enlarges and becomes fleshy and deep blue upon ripening. There are 8 stamens and a 3-lobed stigma.
The fruit is spherical and enclosed in the juicy blue corolla. The flowering period is from June to August, and the fruiting period is from September to October.
【Pharmacological Effects of Gangban Gui】
1. Treatment of diabetes
The methanol extract of Gangban Gui can effectively inhibit the activity of α-glucosidase, making it applicable for the treatment of diabetes.
2. Antibacterial activity
The aqueous extract of Gangban Gui has strong antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus, Salmonella, and other pathogenic microorganisms.
3. Anti-inflammatory activity
The total extract and n-butanol fraction of Gangban Gui can significantly reduce the degree of swelling in mice ears caused by xylene and inhibit foot swelling in mice caused by fresh egg white, indicating that the n-butanol fraction of Gangban Gui has certain anti-inflammatory activity.
4. Antitussive and expectorant effect
The water solution of Gangban Gui has a significant antitussive effect in the ammonia-induced cough experiment in mice, and the dose is positively correlated with the efficacy. Gangban Gui can also reduce the number of coughs caused by SO2 and prolong the latent period of coughing.
