What is Semen Astragali complanati?How to use Flatstem Tribulus from Oriental World.

  seminal trace...Flatstem Milkvetch Seed Extract.Semen Astragali Complanati.Astragalus complanatus seed extract.Tong Tribulus,Flatstem Tribulus extract.beta-sitosterol,fatty acids....

   Basic Botanical Data Info:

 Pharmaceutical Name:Semen Astragali complanati (Leguminosae)
 Botanical Name:Astragalus complanatus R. Br.
 Common Name:Flatstem milkvetch seed
 Synoms:Tong Tribulus,Flatstem Tribulus,Sha Yuan Zi,Qi Li,Tong Ji Li,
 Botanical:Astragalus complanatus R. Br., or Astragalus chinensis L. and Astra-galus adsurgens Pall.
 Source of Earliest Record:Bencao Yanyi
 Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations:;The ripe seeds are collected in late autumn or early winter. The seeds are then fried with salt water.
 Properties & Taste:Sweet and warm Meridians:Liver and kidney

 

 Basic Botanical Data Info:
 Botanical Description:
 Phytochemical and constituents:
 Pharmacology Actions and Indications:
 Traditional Classics and Property Note:Flatstem Tribulus Seed or Sha Yuna Zi
 Modern Research Update:Flatstem milkvetch seed


   Botanical Description:

 Perennial herb of Leguminosae family,Height 30~100cm. Root thick and long,stem weak and slim,little flat,small white pubes growing at stem root.Feather like leaves grows intercross,small leaves 9~21,egg shape,long 0.7~2 cm,width 3~8 cm,margin slight concave.flower 3~9,flower bud white soft hair surfaced,flower yellow color,bloosom during july to september,fruiting september to october.

 Seed Character:Shape flat kidney,2~2.5mm length,thick 1 mm,colored brown green or pale brown.

 Habitat: Growing at mountain field,road side,hill side toward sun,shrubs,farm field side, planting. Spread at west China in cluding provinces Shaan Xi,ShanXi,Ning Xia,Gan Su,Nei Meng and other area.

 

   Phytochemical and constituents:

 Triterpene saponin,fatty acid,fatty oil,organic acid,amino acid,protein,sitosterol,polysaccharides,tannins,Vitamin A,alkaloid, bio-flavones,amino acid, iron,selenium,copper,zinc,magnesium,chronium,calcium,etc.

 Rich in fatty acid(5%), contain more than 14 kinds of fatty acid,including heptenoic acid,myristic acid,Palmitic acid,oleic acid,stearic acid,linoleic acid,Eicosanoic acid(arachadonic acid),Behenic acid,etc.

 Unsaturated fatty acid share more than 40% of total fatty acid, also contains Beta-sitosterol, many amino acid,complanatulside,etc.

  Phytochemicals and Constituents in Class:

  Amino acids: water extracts of flatstem tribulus seed isolated 14 kinds of amino acids,Glutamic acid 68%,Aspartic acid 14%,others including Lysine,Threonine,Valine,Methionine,Phenylalanine,Leucine,Isoleucine and other necessary amino acids.

  Flavones: Bioflavones isolated from flatstem tribulus seed including Complanatuside,neocompalanoside,myricomplanoside,rhomnocitrin-3-O-beta-D-glucoside,astragalin,kaempferol-3-O-alpha-L-arabinoside,kaompferol,myricetin,Calycosin-7-O-lucoside,ononnin;3-O -Glucopyranosyl-4'-O(3'-O-dihydrophaseic royl-beta-D-Glucopyranosyl);Rhamnocitrins 3-O-[S'-O-p-coumaroyl-beta-D-apiofuranosyl(1->2)-beta-D-Glucopyranosyl] Rhamnocitrins;myricetin-5-beta-D-glucopyranoside;Myricetin-3-O-beta-D-glucoside;quercetin-3-O-D-glucopyranoside;Rhamnocitrins,etc.

  Triterpene Glycosides: oleanolic acid type triterpene glycosides identified and including: Astragaloside Viii methylesrer;soyasaponin I methyl ester;3-O-a-l-rhamnopyranosyl (1->2)-beta-D-glucopyranoside(1->2)-6-O-methyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyl soyasapogenol B-22-O-beta-D-glucopyraoside;3-O-a-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1-2)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl (1->2)-6-O-methyl-beta-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid-3beta,22beta,24-3hydroxy-11-oxo-12-oleanene;3-O-a-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1->2)-beta-D-Galactopyranosyl(1->2)-6-O-methyl-beta-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid-3beta,22beta,24-3hydroxy-11-oxo-12-oleanene;11-O-P-Coumary-mepeticim.

  Fatty Acids: Seed contains oils about 5%,oil composition analyzed as Heptylic acid 2.1%,myristic acid 2.81%,Palmitic acid 22.99%;oleic acid 28.52%;Stearic acid 7.48%;linoleic acid 7.88%;linolenic acid 3.21%;7.8-Octadecadienoic Acid 0.06%;10.13-Octadecadienoic Acid 0.30%;arachidic acid 2.54%;11-Eicosenoic acid 0.47%;Docosanoic acid 1.63%;unsaturated acid shares about 40% of total fatty acids.

  Microelements: Flatstem tribulus seed contains necessary trace minerals and microelements including cobalt,Se,Iron,zinc,magnesium,copper,cromium,ni,mo.

 

   Pharmacology Actions and Indications:

  Pharmacology Actions: The seed is collected in late autumn when the fruit ripe and not dehiscent , dried in the sun, the seeds are thrashed out, cleaned, and dried in the sun again.

  Actions and Indications: The seed is used as tonic for the kidney; for the treatment of dizziness, lassitude,enuresis,seminal emission, leukorrhea.

  Functions: 1.To tonify the kidneys and control essence; 2. To nourish the liver and brighten the eyes;3.Tonify liver and benefit kidney,bright eyes and benefit appearance.Zinc and other trace minerals plays anti-aging effects and make you feel young.

  Indications & Combinations:

  1.Deficient kidneys manifested as impotence, seminal emissions, premature ejaculation or leukorrhea: Flattened milkvetch seed (Shayuanzi) is used with Dragon's bone (Longgu), Oyster shell (Muli) and Euryale seed (Qianshi).

  2. Blurred vision due to deficiency of liver blood: Flattened milkvetch seed (Shayuanzi) is used with Dadder seed (Tusizi), Chrysanthemum flower (Juhua), Wolfberry fruit (Gouqizi) and Grossy privet fruit (Nuzhenzi).

  3. Hair Growth Traditional Tea: This is a traditional chinese tea for hair growth,not identified its effects,it is said the recipes combines prepared foti root,chinese angelica root,cuscuta chinensis seeds(salt prepared),mulberry fruit,Sang Ji Sheng,Cnidium fruit seed,Astragalus root,Reishi Mushrooms,Ku Cen,Psoralea seed(salt prepared),poria cocos,glossy privite fruit berry,black sesame,walnut kernels,Zi He Che,solomonseal root(prepared),chinese foxglove root,hawthorn fruit,oxknee root,wolfberry,Mo Han lian,prepared rehmannia root,tong tribulus seed,Gu Sui Bu,Schisandra fruit berry,Ce Bo Ye,with bee honey.Taken with salt water,6 grams one dose,three times daily.Nurish blood and boost sperm,tonify kidney and liver,make hair black again.Treatment for premature white hair,hair loss,hair dead,baldness,etc.

  4.Flatstem Tribulus Tea: Combines flat stem tribulus seed 12 grams,green tea 3 grams,wash the flatstem tribulus seed clean then crashed,mixed with green tea and them take some with hot water,drink 15 minutes later,several times daily.This tea is said benefit liver and kidney,astringent and prevent early ejacution,good for man weakness and erection dysfunction,sour knee and waist,good for women skin beauty and whitening.
 

  Pharmacological Properties and Effects:

  1.Anti-inflammtory: Oral dose for rat of flatstem tribulus seed 1005 hydrolic decoction 20 g/kg or 30g/kg daily,shows good inhibition effects for methanal arthritis(P<0.05,P<0.01).

  2.Effects on hemorheology: Oral dose for rat with high cholesterol at 30 g/kg raw flatstem tribulus total flavones,result proved hemorheological data of applied group reduced,calculated as according to reduced viscosity and total blood viscosity.

  3.Anti-Cancer and Inhibit tumor: Experiment proved flatstem tribulus seed shows inhibition on tumor cells,rich natural flavones released strong anti-cancer and anti-mutagenic property,inhibit formation of tumor cells.

  4.Cholesterin Lowering: For Rat with high cholesterin of feed reasons,taken flatstem tribulus seed flavones(equal to 30 g/kg raw seed dose) shows effects to lowering cholesterin,lowering cholesterol,triglyceride and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (P<0.01),and boost and increase high density lipoprotein cholesterol (P<0.05).

  5.Lowering High Blood Pressure: Increase brian blood,intravenous injection of hydrolic decoction of flatstem tribulus seed deposited liquid at dose 0.125g/kg or 0.25g/kg,make dog blood pressure lowering(P<0.05),keep 30 min,heart beat ratio down,rain blood increased(P<0.05).

  6.anti-platelet aggregation: Born light density method identified flatstem tribulus total flavones shows inhibition on platelet aggregation of ADP and collagen at dose 1.25 mg/ml,2.5 mg/ml and 5 mg/ml.(P<0.01,P<0.05).

  7.Liver Protection: Flatstem tribulus decoction and flavones,hydro-soluble extract,total amino acid of extract feed to normal mice and CCI4 liver damaged mice at dose 5g/kg,shows effects on lowering level of hepatic glycogen(P<0.01),triglyceride(P<0.01) and total liver protein(P<0.01),also lowering level of SGPT and liver cholesterin concentration of CCI4 liver damage rat.(P<0.05).

  8.Immune System Effects: Oral taken flatstem tribulus seed water decoction at dose 5g/kg or 10g/kg,activity of mice spleen cell and lysozyme increased.

  9.Relief pain and anti-fatigue: Flatstem tribulus seed shows extending of the mice pain response scope,swimming experiment of mice proved that flatstem tribulus seed prolong mice swimming period longer more with proper dose accordingly.

  Dosage: suggest 10-20 g.

  Cautions & Contraindications: This herb is contraindicated in cases with deficiency of yin with excessive fire, as well as dysuria.

  Toxicity: Acute toxicity of Flatstem Tribulus Seed:LD50:lethal dose,50 percent death.Mice.intraperitoneal injection,100% hydrolic decoction of flatstem tribulus seed,37.75+-1.048 g/kg;Chronic Toxicity:Wisrar Rat,oral taken at dose seperate dose of 5.00g/kg,2.5g/kg, and 1.0g/kg,one time daily,60 days chronic toxicity test,result shows that blood,kidney,liver and other organs of rat normal,no disease variations.

 

   Traditional Classics and Property Note:Flatstem Tribulus Seed or Sha Yuna Zi

  1.Benefit spirit,boost sperm,benefit kidney.:

 Ancient classics from China noted this property of flat stem tribulus,Ri Hua Zi Zhu Jia Ben Cao noted:"treat early ejacution,weak blood.",Ben Cao Meng Quan noted:"stop male early ejacution and weak.",Ben Cao Gang Mu noted:"treat sour pain waist,early ejacution.",Ben Cao Cong Xin noted:"nurish spirit and sperm.",Ben Cao Bei Yao noted: "nurish spirit and sperm.",Leng Xu Yi Hua noted: "combines Lian Xu,Yu Biao Jiao and other herbs to treat kidney weak and early ejacution.",Ben Jing Feng Yuan noted: this herb "is the key herb for weakness fatigue and early ejacution,best choices for nurish sperm and spirit.",Gu Shi Yi Jing noted: this herb "Strong Yin and Sperm,professional to tonify kidney,...nurish spirit and sperm but not trouble for Yang Qi,tonify Yang yet no negative effects brings for body".

  2.Benefit for Urine:Children' Enuresis

 Flat stem tribulus seed applied for treatment of Children' Enuresis clinically,classical books registered as follows,Ri Hua Zi Zhu Jia Ben Cao noted: "treatment for water organ coldness,too much urine,stop early ejacution...",Ben Cao Hui Yan noted: flatstem tribulus seed "also stop urine enuresis...",De Pei Ben Cao noted:"strong kidney water discharge,warm child yang and spirit...",Hui Yao Yi Jing noted: this herb "stop urine enuresis,blood urine,short urine times...".

  3.Bright Eyes:

 Lores from Da Li folk people of Shaan Xi said "Flatstem tribulus seed tea make eyes bright and glittering...",ancient herbal classicals noted similar,such as Qian Jin Yi Fang noted,"Bright eyes and comfort body...",Ben Cao Meng Quan noted,"comfort body bright eyes and extend longivity...",Ben Cao Hui Yan noted,"Nurish liver and bright eyes.",Other classicals such as Ben Cao Cheng Ya Ban Jie,Ben Cao Mi Lu,Ben Cao Yi Du,Guo Jia Yao Dian all noted flatstem tribulus seed "bright eyes".

  4.Nurish Kidney:

 Jiu Huang Ben Cao noted, flatstem tribulus seed is "medicine for kidney tonifying.",Ben Cao Gang Mu noted,"used major in kidney boost",Ben Cao Mi Lu noted,"tonify liver and nurish kidney",Ben Cao Yi Du noted,"Kidney benefit recipes use it a lot",other classicals Ben Cao Bei Yao,Ben Jing Feng Yuan,Ben Cao Cong Xin,Ben Cao Chong Yuan etc all set flatstem tribulus seed as kidney nurishing herbs.

  5.Relief Dizziness:

 According to CP,"this recipes used for ...diziness...",flatstem tribulus seed used for diziness from kidney and liver weak,also good for diziness from other reasons including kidney weak,sour waist,constipation,aging,etc.Flatstem tribulus seed has wide properties and surely a hopeful herbs.


   Modern Research Update:Flatstem milkvetch seed

  Astragalus complanatus Research Update:

 Depressive effect of total flavonoid fraction of Astragalus complanatus R. Br and its influence upon hemodynamics in SHR.Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.

 To investigate effects of total flavonoid fraction of Asttragalus complanatus on blood pressure in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR) and hemodynamics in anesthetized SHR. METHOD: Blood pressure was recorded with tail-culf method and hemodynamics was recorded with polygraph after administration of total flavonoid fraction of Asttragalus complanatus. RESULT: Total flavonoid fraction of Asttragalus complanatus (100, 200 mg.kg-1) could decrease blood pressure of conscious SHR(decreasing 7.1%, P < 0.05 and 9.3%, P < 0.01 respectively). Meanwhile, there was no significant change in heart rate(HR). R Br (200 mg.kg-1) could decrease total peripheral resistance (TPR) (decreasing 20%, P < 0.05) but did not influence the cardiac output(CO) and heart rate in anesthetized SHR. CONCLUSION: Total flavonoid fraction of Asttragalus complanatus possesses obvious hypotensive effect, mainly by means of decreasing the TPR.

  Studies on the efficacious constituents of Astragalus complanatus:

 The petroleum ether extract of Astragalus complanatus R. Br. showed activity for lowering the transaminase levels in mice. From this extract six compounds were isolated. Among them five were identified as rhamnocitrin (I), formononetin (II), stigmasterol (IV), phosphatidylethanolamine (V) and phosphatidylinositol (VI). The other one was shown to be a new p-coumaroyl derivative, 11-O-p-coumarylnepeticin. Their structures were elucidated by spectrometric and chemical analyses. All the six compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time.

  Chemical constituents of the seed oil of Astragalus complanatus R. Brown:

 beta-sitosterol and fatty acids were obtained from the oil of seeds of Astragalus complanatus.

 The fatty acids were separated and their molecular weights determined by GC-MS. Fourteen of them were identified as heptenoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, pentadecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, octadecenoic acid, octadecanoic acid, octadecadienoic acid, linolenic acid, eicosanoic acid, eicosenoic acid and docosanoic acid, etc.


  Scientific References:

  1.What is Semen Astragali complanati?How to use Flatstem Tribulus from Oriental World.