The efficacy and function of purslane

I believe that many people have never heard of the name of Purslane, but as long as you see the picture, you will find that you have seen it often. So what are the effects and functions of Purslane ? Let me introduce it to you below.

The efficacy of purslane

It has the effects of clearing away heat and detoxifying, removing dampness and stopping leucorrhea. It is suitable for patients with damp-heat, yellow leucorrhea, sticky and smelly leucorrhea, short and yellow urine, thirst and bitter mouth, red tongue with yellow fur, and slippery pulse. It can also be used for diarrhea and dysentery caused by damp heat. It has the effect of expelling insects and is suitable for children with hookworm disease. This product has the effects of clearing away heat and detoxifying, stopping diarrhea and dysentery, removing intestinal dirt, and replenishing qi and deficiency. It is suitable for the treatment of chronic dysentery.

The role of purslane

Antibacterial effect

Qu Shuyan reported that the ethanol extract of purslane has a significant inhibitory effect on Shigella and Shigella flexneri. The decoction has an inhibitory effect on Shigella, Sonne, Steinernema and Freund's Shigella, but Shigella flexneri can produce obvious drug resistance after multiple passages in purslane broth. Alcohol extracts or decoctions also have inhibitory effects on Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Staphylococcus aureus; they also have different inhibitory effects on certain pathogenic fungi such as Trichophyton audouinii. It has no inhibitory effect on Mycobacterium tuberculosis; for mice infected with Escherichia coli injected intraperitoneally, the use of alcohol extract or alcohol extraction residue decoction is ineffective. In 1992, Ma Muying reported the antibacterial effect of wild purslane sold in Shenzhen vegetable markets on a variety of common food contamination bacteria. The results showed that purslane has a strong inhibitory effect on a variety of common food contamination bacteria. Even if diluted to a concentration of 12.5%, it still has a certain antibacterial effect. Especially, it has strong antibacterial effect on many bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Proteus, Shigella, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, etc., but has no inhibitory effect on Sarcina lutea and has no obvious inhibitory effect on Bacillus. Portulaca oleracea also has inhibitory effect on some molds, such as Mucor racemosus, Gibberella, Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, etc., but has no inhibitory effect on Rhizopus niger, Trichoderma viride, Aspergillus niger, and has no inhibitory effect on yeast.

Effects on smooth muscle

In 1985, Qu Shuyan reported that the extract of purslane (made by decoction and concentration with alcohol to remove the precipitate) and its separated crystalline potassium chloride had obvious excitatory effects on the uterus of guinea pigs, rats, rabbits in vitro, and dogs in situ. 2ml of purslane injection (equivalent to 5-10g of crude drug) is stronger than 0.2mg of ergonovine and weaker than 10 units of posterior pituitary hormone; while 4-6ml is similar to 10 units of posterior pituitary hormone. The potassium chloride crystals separated from purslane have obvious contraction effect on the isolated ileum of rats, and its intensity is similar to that of prostaglandin E1, 200ug and neostigmine 0.25mg, while 0.2ml of 20% decoction has an inhibitory effect on the isolated guinea pig small intestine. After that, foreign scholars Sunbhanich M et al. studied the effects of fresh juice and boiling water extract of purslane on the intestinal peristalsis of isolated guinea pigs and the contraction of isolated atria and trachea. The results showed that for isolated ileum, both the juice and the boiling water extract increased the tension, amplitude and frequency of contraction. This effect is similar to that of acetylcholine and is dose-dependent. However, the increase in contraction tension and peristalsis can be slightly blocked by atropine. Both types of preparations showed dose-dependent effects on cardiac myocardial contractility and contraction rate, as well as relaxants on isolated tracheal strips. These effects are similar to those produced by isoproterenol and can be completely blocked by propranolol (2.1x10(-5)mol/L). The results of the effects of Portulaca oleracea on isolated guinea pig ileum and atria suggest that the drug can be used as a relaxant and cardiotonic agent, respectively, and its bronchial dilation effect can be used to treat bronchial asthma.

Effects on skeletal muscle

Okwuasaba F et al. reported in 1987 that the water extract of purslane has a unique property of relaxing skeletal muscles in vitro and in vivo, and that the water extract is effective when applied topically to skeletal muscle stiffness caused by spinal cord injury. The authors further studied the pharmacological activity of various extracts of purslane and compared them with the water extract. The results showed that in terms of the inhibitory effect on the phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm (MS and NS) of rats and the rectus abdominis muscle specimens of frogs, the various extracts of purslane [methanol (MEE), ether (DEE) and dialyzable (DIF) extract] have similar effects and are also very similar to the water extract (AEE).

All three extracts have the following properties: produce a biphasic response consisting of an initial increase in twitch tension followed by a prolonged suppression; significantly reduce the twitch/tonic ratio of K+ and caffeine-induced contractures;

Attenuation of the contraction of the rectus abdominis muscle caused by the agonist nicotine. The non-dialyzable (NDF) extract instrument showed a very slight muscle relaxation effect without attenuating the contraction caused by the agonist nicotine. The mechanism of action can be speculated as follows: the water extract and organic solvent extract of Portulaca oleracea produce muscle relaxation by interfering with various calcium pools, which are related to the excitation-contraction coupling such as the starting calcium and the intracellular calcium pool. The contraction caused by caffeine is partly through the mobilization of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) calcium pool, and interfering with the mobilization of this calcium pool can partially explain the observed attenuation of caffeine contraction by various different Portulaca oleracea extracts. Other effects of these extracts, such as the inhibition of twitch (MS) and tetanic tension, can be explained by similar mechanisms. The order of strength of the IC50 of these extracts is DIF≥MEE>DEE. Since the partition coefficient of methanol is lower than that of ether, it is possible that the methanol extract contains more active ingredients of Portulaca oleracea that have a muscle relaxation effect. Based on the obvious effect of DIF and the fact that the 100% acetonitrile fraction extracted previously using high pressure liquid chromatography had no skeletal muscle relaxation effect, it can be considered that the active ingredients of Portulaca oleracea may include polar components.

Effects on the uterus

Li Shourou et al. reported in 1979 that purslane has two opposite effects on the animal uterus: one is an excitatory effect, which is caused by potassium chloride isolated from purslane; the other is an inhibitory effect, which is caused by the organic components in purslane. Potassium salts are mainly found in stems, and organic components are mainly found in leaves.

What kind of people are not suitable to eat purslane?

1. People who have diarrhea caused by abdominal cold;

2. Pregnant women: Purslane is slippery and can help with miscarriage.

3. If you are taking Chinese medicine and the prescription contains turtle shell, please be aware that purslane and turtle shell are incompatible and should not be taken together.

I believe that through the above explanation everyone has a certain understanding of the functions and effects of Purslane. Finally, I will tell you that Purslane is actually edible.

<<: How to eat Tremella

>>: Nutritional Value of Celery