The efficacy and function of stevia

Friends who don’t know stevia don’t understand its effects and functions. Stevia is a traditional Chinese medicine. Many people only know it in terms of its appearance, so it is difficult to understand what benefits stevia can really bring to people’s bodies. We need to have a deep understanding of stevia as a medicinal material.

【English name】 sweet Stevia

【Alias】 Sweet tea

[Source] Medicinal material source: The leaves of Stevia rebaudiana, a plant of the Asteraceae family.

[Original form] Stevia is a perennial herb, 100-150cm tall. The stem is erect, semi-lignified at the base, about 1 cm thick, and much branched. Leaves are opposite; sessile; leaf blades are obovate to broadly lanceolate, 5-10cm long, 1.5-3.5cm wide, obtuse at apex, cuneate at base, and coarsely serrated at upper leaf margin. The head inflorescence is 1.5 mm long, arranged in umbels at the branch ends, each inflorescence with 5 tubular flowers, the involucre is cylindrical, about 6 mm long; the involucre bracts are 5-6, nearly equal in length, with short soft hairs on the back; the florets are tubular, white, and 5-lobed at the apex. Achenes, long-striped hammer-shaped, 2.5-3mm long, dark brown; pappus numerous, 4-5mm long, dirty white. Flowering and fruiting period is August to October.

[Habitat distribution] It is native to the alpine grasslands on the border between Paraguay and Malaysia in South America. It has now been introduced into Beijing, Hebei, Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Fujian, Hunan, Yunnan and other places.

[Properties] Identification of properties: This product is mostly broken or wrinkled, grass green, with complete leaves that are obovate to broadly lanceolate when flattened, 4.5-9.5cm long, 1.5-3.5cm wide; blunt at the smooth end, cuneate at the base; coarse serrations on the middle and upper edges, entire at the lower part; three-veined, with obvious central vein, and soft hairs on both sides; with short petioles, the leaves often extend down to the base of the petioles; thin leathery, brittle and easily broken. It has a slight odor and tastes very sweet.

[Chemical composition] The leaves of this product contain stevioside. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :

【Pharmacological action】 1. Effect on glucose metabolism Stevia components such as stevia acid inhibit glucose synthesis and oxygen absorption in rat renal cortical tubules. However, sweet ingredients such as Stemona tenuifolia do not have this effect [1]. After 16 volunteers took stevia leaf water extract for three days, their glucose tolerance improved and their blood sugar levels dropped significantly[2]. Stevia II inhibits the effect of atractyloside on energy metabolism. Under the action of Stevia II, atractylodes lancea reduces sugar enzymolysis, spermatogenesis, glycogenolysis and oxygen absorption. The site of action is extracellular, possibly affecting the cell membrane transport of bacterium[3].

【Nature and flavor】 Sweet; neutral

【Functions and indications】Promotes the production of body fluids and quenches thirst; lowers blood pressure. Treats thirst and hypertension

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoct in water, 3-10g; or soak in boiling water and drink as tea.

[Discussions by various scholars] "Xinhua Compendium of Materia Medica": Leaves: have the effect of lowering blood sugar and blood pressure. Drinking it with water can treat diabetes. People abroad use the leaves and stems to make tea as an oral contraceptive.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

In fact, you will only know its benefits after practicing it. Just like the traditional Chinese medicine stevia introduced above, it turns out that stevia can also treat some other diseases. Therefore, eating it in moderation has many benefits.