What are the effects and functions of the traditional Chinese medicine Lophatherum gracile?

Our country is paying more and more attention to traditional Chinese medicine, which can be seen from the treatment of diseases in daily life. There are some diseases that cannot even be cured by Western medicine, but Chinese medicine is very effective. This shows that Chinese medicine, which has developed over thousands of years, does have its merits. So, what are the effects and functions of a Chinese herbal medicine called Loulu?

[Properties of the medicinal material] It is in the shape of an inverted cone or cylinder, some are slightly twisted or flattened, usually unbranched, and the complete one is 10 to 30 cm long and 1 to 2.5 cm in diameter. The surface is dark brown or black brown, rough, with irregular longitudinal grooves and diamond-shaped network cracks, and the outer skin often peels off. The root head is swollen, with a few stem bases and scaly petiole residues, and grayish-white hairs on the top. It is light and brittle and easily broken. When broken, the cortex often separates from the wood. The cortex is darker in color, the wood is yellowish-white and arranged radially. The wood rays are mostly broken, and the center of the wood has a star-shaped crack due to decay, which appears dark brown. It has a peculiar smell and a slightly bitter taste.

[Nature and flavor and meridians] Cold in nature, bitter in taste. It enters the stomach meridian.

【Effects and Functions】 Clears away heat, detoxifies, discharges pus and promotes lactation. It is a heat-clearing and detoxifying drug classified under heat-clearing drugs.

[Clinical application] The dosage is 4.5 to 9 grams, taken internally as a decoction, or made into pills or powders to treat breast swelling and pain, milk obstruction, carbuncles on the back, sores, etc. For external use, decoct in water for washing or grind into powder for application. Pregnant women should use with caution. For the treatment of mumps: 5 grams of Isatis root, 7.5 grams of Rhizoma Cynomorii, 2 grams of Burdock fruit, and 2.5 grams of Licorice, decocted in water and taken orally.

[Pharmacological Research] It can resist atherosclerosis; lower blood sugar; inhibit the production of lipid peroxides; anti-oxidation; inhibit the activity of rat type B monoamine oxidase; and protect the liver. The alcohol extract of Qizhou Lophatherum has certain antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa; the water extract has different degrees of activity against 14 kinds of skin fungi; the water decoction can significantly inhibit the production of lipid peroxides in the brain, liver, heart, kidney and serum of rats and mice; the alcohol extract can significantly inhibit the activity of rat brain mitochondria and liver monoamine oxidase-B; feeding rabbits and quails with high-fat feed and Lophatherum water decoction at the same time can reduce blood cholesterol and lipid peroxides, increase the ratio of prostacyclin and thromboxane AF, reduce the infiltration of leukocytes in the arterial wall, and inhibit the proliferation of smooth muscle cells. Toxicity: LD50 for oral administration to mice>25 g/kg.