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Saussurea involucrata, Snow Lotus, Xue Lian 雪莲Snow Lotus
Bry Rgod Sug Pa (S. medusa, Tibet) Xue Lian, Tian Shan Xue Lian (S. involucrata) (TCM) Mian Tou Xue Tu Zi 绵头雪兔子 (S. laniceps) (TCM) Shui Mu Xue Tu Zi 水母雪兔子 (S. medusa) (TCM) |
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Saussurea gossypiphora
Houtte, L. van, Flore des serres et des jardin de l’Europe, vol. 15 (1845)
Houtte, L. van, Flore des serres et des jardin de l’Europe, vol. 15 (1845)
Wild Snow Lotus gathered from the Mountains of Western Sichuan (Adam, 2016)
Botanical name:
Saussurea spp.
A number of species have been listed:
Tibetan sources for Saussurea species are complex and inconsistent. Different sources give different species under the same name and give different uses for each species. However, based on Chinese sources (Encyclopedia of TCM), the above 5 species are synonymous in effect.
Parts used:
Whole Plant
Research has shown S. laniceps to be more potent than S. medusa or S. involucrata
Temperature & Taste:
Warm, Moist. Sweet, slightly Bitter
Saussurea spp.
A number of species have been listed:
- S. involucrata (syn. Aplotaxis involucrata): Snow Lotus, Xue Lian (TCM):
- S. laniceps: Cotton-headed snow lotus, Mian Tou Xue Lian
- S. medusa: Shui Mu Xue Lian (TCM), Bya rgod sug pa བྱ་རྒོད་སུག་པ་, Me tog gangs lha མེ་ཏོག་གངས་ལྷ་
- S. gossypiphora: Bya rgod sug pa བྱ་རྒོད་སུག་པ་
- S. gnaphaloides: Cudweed-like Saussurea, Shu Qu Feng Mao Ju (TCM)
Tibetan sources for Saussurea species are complex and inconsistent. Different sources give different species under the same name and give different uses for each species. However, based on Chinese sources (Encyclopedia of TCM), the above 5 species are synonymous in effect.
Parts used:
Whole Plant
Research has shown S. laniceps to be more potent than S. medusa or S. involucrata
Temperature & Taste:
Warm, Moist. Sweet, slightly Bitter
Uses:
1. Warms the Kidney, Benefit Yang, Tonifies Qi:
-Weakness, deficiency, altitude sickness; 'restore physical strength' (Tibetan Medicine)
-Lower abdomen cold pain, Stomachache
-Impotence
-weakness and aching of the lower back and legs; strengthens muscles and joints
-regarded as anti-ageing and rejuvenative
2. Clears Wind-Damp, Strengthens the Tendons and Bones, Relieves Pain:
-Chronic Joint Pain, Arthralgia, Rheumatoid arthritis (TCM, Tibet, Uyghur)
-injuries to the Cranial Nerves, Toothache
-Epilepsy, Hypertension (Tibet)
-pain associated with Heat, Inflammation or Fever (Tibet)
3. Moves the Blood, Warms the Uterus, Regulates Menstruation:
-Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea (Tibet, Uyghur, Ayurveda)
-irregular menstruation
-Metrorrhagia
-Promotes Uterine contraction; expels placenta (Uyghur)
-profuse vaginal discharge from Cold and Damp
-Chronic Headaches
4. Clears Cold Phlegm, Stops Cough:
-Cough and Cold from Cold Phlegm and deficiency
5. Stops Bleeding, Promotes Healing: (TCM, Tibet)
-bleeding from Trauma
-Cranial injuries in particular
DOSE:
3–6 grams as decoction
5 grams is a common dose for infusion in Tibet.
15 grams infused infused in alcohol (200mls.); dose 20mls. each time
COMMENT:
In some old TCM texts, Snow Lotus was classed as being as rare and precious as Ganoderma Ling Zhi and old Ginseng root.
3–6 grams as decoction
5 grams is a common dose for infusion in Tibet.
15 grams infused infused in alcohol (200mls.); dose 20mls. each time
COMMENT:
In some old TCM texts, Snow Lotus was classed as being as rare and precious as Ganoderma Ling Zhi and old Ginseng root.
Main Combinations:
1. Altitude sickness:
i. Snow Lotus with Rhodiola Hong Jing Tian
ii. Snow Lotus with Dang Gui, Ginseng, Licorice
2. Metrorrhagia, Snow Lotus (6 grams), Codonopsis Dang Shen (12 grams), stewed with Chicken into a soup.
3. Dysmenorrhea, Snow lotus, Saffron (or Safflower)
4. Impotence:
i. Snow Lotus, Angelica Dang Gui, Lycium Gou Qi Zi as a decoction
ii. Snow Lotus (15 grams) Cordyceps (6 grams), alcohol (2 liters); 20 mls. per dose.
5. Joint pain and inflammation, Sciatica, Lumbago, Snow Lotus (50 grams), One Snake (Viper), white spirit alcohol (1 liter); take 10 mls. twice daily.
6. Nourish Blood and Yin, Snow Lotus (5 grams), Codonopsis Dang Shen (15 grams), Cistanche Rou Cong Rong (15 grams), Safflower (5 grams), boiled into a soup with a Chicken.
Cautions:
Not used during Pregnancy (Chinese Pharmacopoeia)
Main Preparations used:
Not used during Pregnancy (Chinese Pharmacopoeia)
Main Preparations used:
Research:
1. Review
–Saussurea involucrata: A review of the botany, phytochemistry and ethnopharmacology of a rare traditional herbal medicine.
–Comparison of the chemical composition and pharmacological effects of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts from a Tibetan "Snow Lotus" (Saussurea laniceps) herb.
–Composition and antioxidant activity of the polysaccharides from cultivated Saussurea involucrata
2. Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis
–Anti-rheumatoid arthritic effects of Saussurea involucrata on type II collagen-induced arthritis in rats.
–Inhibitory effects of Saussurea involucrata (Kar. et Kir.) Sch. -Bip. on adjuvant arthritis in rats.
3. Anti-fatigue
–Antifatigue and Antioxidant Activity of Alcoholic Extract from Saussurea involucrata.
–Rutin, a flavonoid and principal component of saussurea involucrata, attenuates physical fatigue in a forced swimming mouse model.
4. Anti-Hypoxia
–[Protective Effect of Saussurea involucrata Alcohol Extract on Liver Mitochondria in Mice Under Hypoxia Condition].
–[Chemical Constituents with Anti-hypoxia Activity from Saussurea involucrata]
–[Effect of ethanol extract from Saussurea involucrata on biochemical indicators of simulated high-altitude hypoxia induced mice
–Anti-hypoxic activity at simulated high altitude was isolated in petroleum ether extract of Saussurea involucrata.
5. Anti-Tumor, Anti-Cancer
–Analysis of flavonoids and antitumor activity of transgenic Saussurea involucrate
–Anticancer potential of an ethanol extract of Saussurea involucrata against hepatic cancer cells in vitro.
–Anti-metastatic potential of ethanol extract of Saussurea involucrata against hepatic cancer in vitro.
–Therapeutic effects of Saussurea involucrata injection against severe acute pancreatitis- induced brain injury in rats.
6. Other
–Anti-Aging: Saussurea involucrata: A review of the botany, phytochemistry and ethnopharmacology of a rare traditional herbal medicine.
–Immunomodulatory: Saussurea involucrata: A review of the botany, phytochemistry and ethnopharmacology of a rare traditional herbal medicine.
–Neuroprotective: Saussurea involucrata: A review of the botany, phytochemistry and ethnopharmacology of a rare traditional herbal medicine.
–Saussurea involucrata: A review of the botany, phytochemistry and ethnopharmacology of a rare traditional herbal medicine.
–Comparison of the chemical composition and pharmacological effects of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts from a Tibetan "Snow Lotus" (Saussurea laniceps) herb.
–Composition and antioxidant activity of the polysaccharides from cultivated Saussurea involucrata
2. Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis
–Anti-rheumatoid arthritic effects of Saussurea involucrata on type II collagen-induced arthritis in rats.
–Inhibitory effects of Saussurea involucrata (Kar. et Kir.) Sch. -Bip. on adjuvant arthritis in rats.
3. Anti-fatigue
–Antifatigue and Antioxidant Activity of Alcoholic Extract from Saussurea involucrata.
–Rutin, a flavonoid and principal component of saussurea involucrata, attenuates physical fatigue in a forced swimming mouse model.
4. Anti-Hypoxia
–[Protective Effect of Saussurea involucrata Alcohol Extract on Liver Mitochondria in Mice Under Hypoxia Condition].
–[Chemical Constituents with Anti-hypoxia Activity from Saussurea involucrata]
–[Effect of ethanol extract from Saussurea involucrata on biochemical indicators of simulated high-altitude hypoxia induced mice
–Anti-hypoxic activity at simulated high altitude was isolated in petroleum ether extract of Saussurea involucrata.
5. Anti-Tumor, Anti-Cancer
–Analysis of flavonoids and antitumor activity of transgenic Saussurea involucrate
–Anticancer potential of an ethanol extract of Saussurea involucrata against hepatic cancer cells in vitro.
–Anti-metastatic potential of ethanol extract of Saussurea involucrata against hepatic cancer in vitro.
–Therapeutic effects of Saussurea involucrata injection against severe acute pancreatitis- induced brain injury in rats.
6. Other
–Anti-Aging: Saussurea involucrata: A review of the botany, phytochemistry and ethnopharmacology of a rare traditional herbal medicine.
–Immunomodulatory: Saussurea involucrata: A review of the botany, phytochemistry and ethnopharmacology of a rare traditional herbal medicine.
–Neuroprotective: Saussurea involucrata: A review of the botany, phytochemistry and ethnopharmacology of a rare traditional herbal medicine.