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Fo-ti Root (He
Shou Wu)
Polygonum multiflorum |
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A stimulating Chinese herb famed for preserving youth,
vital energy, & restoring pigment to gray hair; used as a blood &
circulatory tonic
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| Fo-ti root (or
He Shou Wu, its Chinese name) consists of the dried tuberous root of
Polygonum multiflorum, an evergreen climbing vine of the family
Polygonaceae. Fo-ti is native to Japan and China and is widely used in
traditional Chinese medicine. It should not be confused with Fo-ti Tieng,
a registered trademark name for an herbal product containing gotu kola
(Centella asiatica), cola nut (Cola nitida), and Indian
physic root (Gillenia trifoliata). Fo-ti root is white in color
in its unprocessed form, but the roots are often processed by boiling
them in a liquid derived from black beans which changes their color to a
deep reddish brown and supposedly contributes to their medicinal
properties. In traditional Chinese medicine, fo-ti root is considered a
"long-life elixir" and its medicinal properties supposedly differ
according to the size and age of the root. The roots have been used to
combat aging as a rejuvenative tonic for preserving one’s natural hair
color, restoring youthful energy, etc. It has also been used for
weakness, impotence, inflammation, vaginal discharge, constipation,
lowering blood cholesterol and lowering blood pressure. It is also
considered to be a circulatory tonic, preventing atherosclerosis. Modern
scientific investigations have not been able to validate all of these
uses of fo-ti root. Research conducted in China on the processed root
extracts have suggested fo-ti root to lower blood cholesterol levels and
reduce symptoms of atherosclerosis, and to possibly enhance immune
function and promote formation of red blood cells. However, further
scientific investigation is warranted in order to substantiate these
claims. Studies of fo-ti’s chemical composition are incomplete but they
have revealed the presence of anthraquinone derivatives such as rhein,
emodin and chysophanol and their glycosidic forms. These compounds are
known to be laxative in action and their presence substantiates the use
of fo-ti for treating constipation. The white, unprocessed fo-ti root is
known to cause diarrhea. No toxic effects are known. |
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