What are the effects and functions of Trichosanthes peel?

Trichosanthes kirilowii is an herb that many people are not familiar with. In fact, Trichosanthes kirilowii is a very common Chinese medicinal material in traditional Chinese medicine. Trichosanthes usually grows in deep mountains, so many people have never seen it. The fruit of Trichosanthes is orange-red on the outside, yellow-white on the inside, and has a crisp taste. The peel can be easily peeled off and has a sweet and sour taste. So, what is the medicinal value of Trichosanthes peel? What are the effects and functions of Trichosanthes peel?

Trichosanthes kirilowii is mainly used to treat: clearing away heat and removing phlegm, relieving chest tightness and dispersing stagnation, moistening dryness and lubricating the intestines. It is used for cough due to lung heat, turbid yellow and thick phlegm, chest pain and heart pain, chest congestion and fullness, breast abscess, lung abscess, intestinal abscess and swelling and pain, and constipation.

【Alias】

Tianshe, bitter melon, mountain golden gourd, medicinal melon peel

【Ingredients】

The fruit contains triterpenoid saponins, amino acids, sugars, and organic acids; the seeds contain oleic acid, linoleic acid, and sterol compounds. The fruit contains triterpenoid saponins, amino acids, sugars, and organic acids; the seeds contain oleic acid, linoleic acid, and sterol compounds.

【Function and indications】

Clears away heat and eliminates phlegm, relieves chest tightness and relieves stagnation, and moistens the intestines It is used for cough due to lung heat, turbid yellow and thick phlegm, chest pain and heart pain, and swelling and pain caused by breast abscess, lung abscess, and intestinal abscess.

1. Effects on the cardiovascular system

The decoction of Trichosanthes peel has a certain inhibitory effect on drug-induced arrhythmias. Experiments show that: the advance intraperitoneal injection of the decoction of Trichosanthes peel can prevent ventricular fibrillation induced by calcium chloride in rats; it can also significantly increase the threshold dose of ouabain-induced ventricular tachycardia in guinea pigs; it can prolong the latency period of arrhythmias induced by aconitine in rats, but there is no statistically significant difference; the intraperitoneal injection of the decoction of Trichosanthes peel to normal anesthetized rats can significantly prolong the PR, QT, and RR intervals of the electrocardiogram.

2. Effects on the digestive system

Trichosanthes contains laxative substances and has a laxative effect. The laxative effect of Trichosanthes peel is weaker; the fatty oil contained in Trichosanthes kernel has a stronger laxative effect; the laxative effect of Trichosanthes frost is relatively mild. The ethanol extract of Trichosanthes has an inhibitory effect on gastric mucosal damage caused by pyloric ligation, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and ethanol hydrochloride. The ethanol extract of Trichosanthes has a significant inhibitory effect on the contraction of the mouse ileum caused by acetylcholine.

3. Antibacterial Effect

In vitro tests have shown that the decoction or infusion of Trichosanthes kirilowii has an inhibitory effect on Gram-negative intestinal pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pneumococcus, Type alpha hemolytic Streptococcus, and Haemophilus influenzae. In addition, it also has an inhibitory effect on skin pathogenic fungi such as Microsporum audouinii and Nocardia australis.

4. Anti-tumor effect

In vitro experiments have shown that the decoction of Trichosanthes kirilowii and the extracts of Trichosanthes kirilowii peel and Trichosanthes kirilowii seed have a killing effect on mouse ascites cancer cells. The in vitro anti-cancer effect of Trichosanthes kirilowii peel is better than that of Trichosanthes kirilowii seed, and the 60% ethanol extract has the strongest effect. The white amorphous powder obtained from the ether extract of Trichosanthes kirilowii peel also has an in vitro anti-cancer effect, while the seed shell and fatty oil are ineffective. Animal experiments show that Trichosanthes kirilowii has a certain inhibitory effect on sarcoma, but the effect on ascites cancer is not obvious.

5. Other functions

In vitro experiments show that: Trichosanthes injection can significantly inhibit platelet aggregation and TXA2 synthesis induced by ADP and arachidonic acid, and its effect intensity is related to the dose. Intraperitoneal injection of Trichosanthes injection can also significantly reduce the maximum platelet aggregation rate and platelet maximum aggregation velocity after coronary artery ligation for 1 hour and reperfusion for 23 hours. Trichosanthes' active ingredient, trichosanthes acid, has a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation induced by collagen, adenosine diphosphate and adrenaline. The inhibition of platelet aggregation by Trichosanthes may be related to the inhibition of platelet cyclooxygenase activity and the reduction of TXA2 formation.

Gavage of water extract of Trichosanthes kirilowii to rabbits can increase blood sugar, but has no obvious effect on liver and muscle glycogen. The amino acids contained in Trichosanthes kirilowii peel have an expectorant effect.

The above is an introduction to the effects and functions of Trichosanthes peel. It can be seen that Trichosanthes peel has many effects and functions. It has a good effect on antibacterial and anti-tumor, and is used for some complex diseases. However, the usage of Trichosanthes peel should be based on the doctor's instructions, especially for pregnant women and children, and avoid indiscriminate use of drugs.