Summary of Chinese Herb Jiaogulan (Jaogulan) (Penta) for hypercoagulation

[Guest guest]

Jiaogulan (Jaogulan) (Penta) scientific name: Gynostemma Pentaphyllum

First: Marketing Claims....[add grain of salt always!]

Cholesterol Breakthrough. Safe natural herb from China. Penta's most

incredible benefit is its ability to lower cholesterol levels in the blood

stream. Penta will flush cholesterol from your circulatory system and

actually work to break down deposits on vascular walls. Besides this, Penta

is also known to have a beneficial effect on hyperlipidemia (high blood

pressure), atherosclerosis, thrombosis (blood clots), and senility.

from:

http://www.dictionary.com/Dir/Health/Alternative/Herbs/Chinese_Herbal_Medici

ne/

" considered by many to be an adaptogenic herb. The active ingredient in

Jiaogulan is gypenosides which helps the body to maintain normal cholesterol

levels and maintain a healthy blood pressure level "

http://www.winghopfung.com/winghopfung/gynpan.html

Of especial interest from Medline: (use Gynostemma Pentaphyllum in the

search engine)

FOR Nitruc Oxide and CFIDS types:

" These results demonstrate that extracts of G. pentaphyllum directly

stimulate nitric oxide release, but not prostanoid production. Nitric oxide

production in response to gypenosides may be one mechanism whereby this

herbal medicine elicits its therapeutic effects "

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve & db=PubMed & list_ui

ds=10534439 & dopt=Abstract

" The results showed that GP could inhibit significantly the platelet

aggregation induced by ADP and compound agonists (P < 0.05), accelerate

obviously the disaggregation (P < 0.05) and inhibit effectively the

experimental thrombosis (P < 0.05). "

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve & db=PubMed & list_ui

ds=8219678 & dopt=Abstract

" Three constituents were isolated from the aerial parts of Gynostemma

pentaphyllum. They were identified as rutin (I), ombuoside (II) and malonic

acid (III) "

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve & db=PubMed & list_ui

ds=2619894 & dopt=Abstract

" G. pentaphyllum do have antioxidant effects "

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve & db=PubMed & list_ui

ds=10794120 & dopt=Abstract

----------

bottom line,

1) I could find no warnings/maximum dosage about it at all -- which

usually leaves me a little uneasy....(i.e. it's the hottest new herb)

except:

Warning: Do not use it pregnant or nursing. Not intended for use in

persons under 12 years of age. If you are taking prescription medications or

have been diagnosed with an illness or disease, consult a physician before

using this product. (http://www.yuanlin.com.tw/e/eorder.htm)

2) No comparision to other products (Since rutin is a dominant

constituent but it does contain gypenosides ... i.e. related to Ginseng

See below for GINSENG WARNINGS - especially re wayafin [another

anticoagulant])

3) It has a definite set of good attributes (but the risks and

mechancisms are poorly understood) -- but checking FDA adverse reaction

database using

http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~tear/aems.cgi?QUERY=Gynostemma+Pentaphyllum+Jiaogul

an+Jaogulan & STYPE=OR , I got no hits -- so no reported problems...

MY OPINION: If the costs is acceptable, go for it, especially since it seems

an acceptable choice to you -- and update me if it has positive or negative

effects!

--------------

BELOW IS FOR GINSENG ... from

http://www.amfoundation.org/herbs/panax.htm#cont

Contraindications

" Gynecomastia in a male and ginseng " (Spanish, no abstract) Palop 1999 .

Warnings that ginseng might cause headache, tremulousness, and manic

episodes in patients treated with phenelzine sulfate; should not be used

with estrogens or corticosteroids; may interfere with digoxin monitoring and

may affect blood glucose 1998 .

" Probable interaction between warfarin and ginseng " (no abstract) Janetzky

1997 .

Gamma-globulin and immunoglobulins IgG, IgM & IgA in serum were decreased by

30 or 150 mg/kg ginseng extract fed for 52 days to mice Kim 1997 .

" Ginseng-induced diuretic resistance " (no abstract) Becker 1996 .

A case of a man taking digoxin whose serum level increased when he added

ginseng and decreased when ginseng was stopped McRae 1996 .

Blood testosterone increased and prostate weight decreased after 60 days for

rats on a diet containing 5% ginseng Fahim 1982 .

top of page

Adverse & Toxic effects

" Adverse effects of ginseng. No cure in breast cancer " (no abstract)

Albertsson 1996 .

" Siberian ginseng toxicity may be case of mistaken identity " (no abstract)

Awang 1996 .

" Ginseng as cause of s- syndrome? " (no abstract) Faleni 1996 .

A ginseng protein with high homology to an intracellular

pathogenesis-related protein of parsley and to a Birch tree pollen allergen

is a ribonuclease Bufe 1996 .

Case of a woman with a severe headache after ingesting a large quantity of

ethanol-extracted ginseng. Cerebral angiograms indicated arteritis Ryu 1995

..

" Manic episode and ginseng: report of a possible case " (no abstract)

-Seijo 1995 .

Wild ginseng was mitogenic to lymphocytes while cultured ginseng was not

Mizuno 1994 .

" Maternal ginseng use associated with neonatal androgenization " (no

abstract) Koren 1990 .

Two cases of ginseng toxicity reported with mydriasis, dizziness and

semiconsciousness Lou 1989 .

A case of postmenopausal bleeding attributed to the use of topical ginseng

is reported Hopkins 1988 .

" Pharmacological studies on the incompatibility of nineteen medicinal

herbs--acute toxicity tests " (Chinese, no abstract) Chang 1985 .

Latest FDA adverse events reports FDA .

Ken Lassesen

2 @ 2 ft PWC, 2 @ 4ft PWC

2 ft PWC: http://www.folkarts.com/idef/

4 ft PWC: http://corgi.folkarts.com/

Fax: (520) 832-6836 ICQ #: 2122097 (also Netmeeting with Video)

what do you think of Chinese Herb Penta for thick blood?

> Hi,

> What do you think of the Chinese Herb Penta used to treat blood clots

> (stroke and heart attack) that has all kinds of Chinese clinical studies

> information on it?

> thanks

> mel

[Guest guest]

I'm not sure if/when we are going to try this one ourselves, but this

website appears to be one of the more reasonably priced. I don't

know anything about them other than their own statements...

http://www.jiaogulan.net/products.htm

" Each tea pill contains the equivalent of approximately 20mg of

standardized gypenisides, the effective component of jiaogulan.

Each bottle contains 200 tea pills Cost: $19.95/bottle "

" JIAOGULAN TEA Makes 40-80 cups. 40 teabags $5.95 "

And their info page on Jiaogulan

http://www.jiaogulan.net/Jiaogulan.htm

If someone finds something more reasonable, please let me know,

thanks,

Laurie Lassesen

[Guest guest]

I just got the results of my latest blood tests - my cholesterol is down

to 170, after being in the 240's for the last ten+ years!!!

I continue eat a high protein, high fat, high cholesterol diet. I

attribute this drop to using Red Yeast Rice (Solaray brand, 1 capsule

twice a day) for the last two months. I previously had tried niacin,

guggul, and a mixed product designed to lower cholesterol, with no

appreciable effect. This is the first thing I've tried that really

worked! I am so jazzed (can you tell? ;@) It didn't upset my stomach

taken without food with my morning and evening medicines (I'm irregular

at remembering to take vitamins, probably because my meal schedule is

erratic, but I religiously take my am and pm meds), and it didn't

produce any problems on liver enzyme tests.

Anyway, before I'd risk trying a Chinese herb from an unknown source

(since they are often contaminated, from what I've read), I'd like to

suggest that anyone trying to bring down their cholesterol levels visit

the local health food store and get a bottle of Red Yeast Rice.

(NAYY...)

--

el - andrea@...

(IFF " FNORD " appears - remove it from my email address to reply)

" ...wake now! Discover that you are the song that the morning brings... "