Gastrodia elata [ming tian ma, 明天麻] its health benefits

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Gastrodia elata

Related names: ming tian ma 明天麻﹐ming chi jian 名赤箭﹐ding feng cao定風草
﹐shui yang yi 水洋芋, chi jian zhi 赤箭芝, du yao zhi独摇芝, ding feng cao 定風草, li mu
离母, he li cao 合离草, shen cao 神草, gui tu you 鬼督邮, chi jian 赤箭

What is the potential health benefits of Gastrodia elata?

Gastrodin is the major and bioactive component in Tianma (Gastrodia elata Bl.)and has
sedative, anticonvulsive and neuro-protective effects. [1]

Zhou BH, Li XJ, Liu M, Wu Z, Ming Hu X. from The Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University,
China, claimed hydroalcoholic extracts of Gastrodia elata possessed an anti-
depressant-like activity in a mice study. [5] While, researchers from Zhejiang
University, China, injected gastrodin into the femoral vein in a rat and they found a
short lag time of gastrodin distributed to the brain and a higher concentration of
gastrodin at cerebellum than other parts of the brain. [1]

Korean researchers examined the antioxidant effect of the ether fraction of the
methanol extract of Gastrodia elata along with its major constituents vanillin, vanillyl
alcohol, hydroxybenzaldehyde and hydroxybenzyl alcohol. They found the order of
antioxidation potency as follows: hydroxybenzyl alcohol > vanillyl alcohol > vanillin >
hydroxybenzaldehyde. They suggested Gastrodia elata may benefit people suffered
from lipid peroxidation-associated neurological disease. [3]

Researchers from Chung-Ang University, Korea, demonstrated the anti-inflammatory
action of phenolic compounds extracted from Gastrodia elata root. [6] Another group of
Korean researchers demonstrated the potential anti-cancer activities of Gastrodia
elata Blume extracts by a wound assay and an invasion assay. The mechanism
probably involves a GTP-Ras-dependent pathway. [2]

Ding CS, Shen YS, Li G, Wei Z, Wei F. from Anhui University, China, found that
polysaccharide 2-1 from Gastrodia elata (PGE2-1) prolonged clotting time and bleeding
time, and increased the bleeding capacity (A540) in a study of mice. Thus, it may have
anti-coagulating and anti-thrombosis activities. [4]

Japanese researchers from Chiba University showed that gastrol, together with 10
known phenolic compounds, has been isolated from a methanol extract of the
rhizomes of Gastrodia elata Blume (Orchidaceae) could relax smooth muscle
preparations isolated from guinea-pig ileum. [10] While Chinese researchers from
Chang Gung Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital and Chang Gung University showed
that Gastrodia elata could reduced counts of shakes, paw tremor and facial myoclonia
in kainic acid -treated rats.Thus, Gastrodia elata has anticonvulsive activities. [11]

Reference:

[1] Wang Q, Chen G, Zeng S. Distribution and metabolism of gastrodin in rat brain. J
Pharm Biomed Anal. 2008 Jan 22;46(2):399-404. Epub 2007 Oct 22. [2] Heo JC, Woo
SU, Son M, Park JY, Choi WS, Chang KT, Kim SU, Yoon EK, Kim YH, Shin HM, Lee SH.
Kyungpook National University Anti-tumor activity of Gastrodia elata Blume is closely
associated with a GTP-Ras-dependent pathway. Oncol Rep. 2007 Oct;18(4):849-53. [3]
Jung TY, Suh SI, Lee H, Kim IS, Kim HJ, Yoo HS, Lee SR. Keimyung University Protective
effects of several components of Gastrodia elata on lipid peroxidation in gerbil brain
homogenates. Phytother Res. 2007 Oct;21(10):960-4. [4] Ding CS, Shen YS, Li G, Wei
Z, Wei F. Study of a glycoprotein from Gastrodia elata: its effects of anticoagulation
and antithrombosis. Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2007 Jun;32(11):1060-4. [5] Zhou
BH, Li XJ, Liu M, Wu Z, Ming Hu X. Antidepressant-like activity of the Gastrodia elata
ethanol extract in mice. Fitoterapia. 2006 Dec;77(7-8):592-4. Epub 2006 Sep 22. [6]
Lee JY, Jang YW, Kang HS, Moon H, Sim SS, Kim CJ. Anti-inflammatory action of phenolic
compounds from Gastrodia elata root. Arch Pharm Res. 2006 Oct;29(10):849-58. [7]
Jung JW, Yoon BH, Oh HR, Ahn JH, Kim SY, Park SY, Ryu JH. Anxiolytic-like effects of
Gastrodia elata and its phenolic constituents in mice. Biol Pharm Bull. 2006 Feb;29(2):
261-5. [8] Niu Q, Niu P, He S. Shanxi Medical University, China Effect of gastrodia elata
on learning and memory impairment induced by aluminum in rats Wei Sheng Yan Jiu.
2004 Jan;33(1):45-8. [9] Hu JF, Li GZ, Li MJ. Protective effect of Gastrodia elata and E-
gelatin on lead-induced damage to the structure and function of rat hippocampus
Zhonghua Lao Dong Wei Sheng Zhi Ye Bing Za Zhi. 2003 Apr;21(2):124-7. [10]Hayashi
J, Sekine T, Deguchi S, Lin Q, Horie S, Tsuchiya S, Yano S, Watanabe K, Ikegami F.
Phenolic compounds from Gastrodia rhizome and relaxant effects of related compounds
on isolated smooth muscle preparation. Phytochemistry. 2002 Mar;59(5):513-9. [11]
Hsieh CL, Chiang SY, Cheng KS, Lin YH, Tang NY, Lee CJ, Pon CZ, Hsieh CT.
Anticonvulsive and free radical scavenging activities of Gastrodia elata Bl. in kainic acid-
treated rats. Am J Chin Med. 2001;29(2):331-41.

Discuss with your doctor before taking any alternative medicine. This article is for
reference only, it is not a medical advice. All rights reserved. Do not copy this article to
other website or blog.