The efficacy of Gynostemma pentaphyllum in traditional Chinese medicine

Gynostemma pentaphyllum is a plant that grows in southern Shaanxi and eastern Hunan. The plant is very small and looks no different from ordinary weeds if you don’t look closely. However, it has certain health-preserving functions. Local people will use it to make tea, which can make the water more fragrant. So, what are the effects of this Chinese herbal medicine? Let us take a look at it together below.

1. Lowering blood lipids

Gynostemma pentaphyllum has the effects of significantly lowering cholesterol (TCH), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL), protecting the vascular lining cells, preventing lipid deposition in the blood vessel wall, and resisting arteriosclerosis.

2. Regulate blood pressure to prevent and treat thrombosis

Gynostemma pentaphyllum has the obvious function of reducing blood viscosity and adjusting blood pressure. It can also prevent the formation of microthrombi and increase the tolerance of myocardial cells to hypoxia, thus playing a role in protecting the myocardium. Thrombosis is caused by a variety of factors. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments have shown that Gynostemma pentaphyllum extract has good disintegration or inhibition functions on thrombi formed by a variety of factors, indicating that Gynostemma pentaphyllum is an anti-thrombotic drug with multiple functions such as inhibiting platelet function, coagulation function and red blood cell aggregation.

3. Regulate blood sugar

Gynostemma pentaphyllum can protect the adrenal glands, thymus and endocrine organs, and maintain the normal function of the endocrine system. It is precisely because of this effect of Gynostemma pentaphyllum that it has the effect of lowering blood sugar and improving sugar metabolism.

From the above introduction, we can see that Gynostemma pentaphyllum has many functions. Not only that, because a certain substance in this herb can inhibit the excitability of the cerebral cortex, it can treat insomnia. But be careful not to drink too much, otherwise there will be a risk of drowsiness.