Achyranthes bidentablume is also famous for its amaranth, antithesis vegetables (Herbal Medicine for Disaster Relief), speranskia tuberculata, guttate gras, drumstick grass and scabies grass (Outline of Xinhua Materia Medica). Perennial herb, 70- 120cm high. The roots are thick, cylindrical and khaki. Stems erect, quadrangular, sparsely pilose, nodes enlarged. The single leaf is opposite, elliptic-lanceolate, membranous, 5- 12cm long, 2-6cm wide, tapering at the apex, broadly cuneate at the base, entire, sparsely puberulent on both sides and petiolate. Inflorescence rachis densely villous, and flowers are folded down and attached to the total pedicel; Bracts 1, membranous, broadly ovate, awned; Bracteoles 2, spiny, with an ovoid membranous lobule on each side near the base; Tepals 5, green, lanceolate, with multiple 1 midvein; Stamens 5, staminodes ligulate, margin undulate, shorter than filaments; The ovary is superior. Utricle oblong, yellowish brown, smooth. Seeds oblong and yellowish brown. The flowering period is July-August, and the fruiting period is 9- 1 1 month. Born on hillsides, forests and roadsides. Distributed in the vast areas of the country except the northeast.

Collection of Achyranthes bidentata

In the south, it is harvested from the end of 1 1 month to the middle of1February; In the north, it is harvested after frosting from the middle of1October to the early of 1 1 month. Dig roots

Remove the fine roots and silt, tie the stems and dry them, smoke them with sulfur for several times, cut the tops evenly, dry them in the sun or dry them to 60% to 70%, then cover them with straw mats in a centralized room, pile them up for 2-3 days, classify them, tie the stems and dry them.

Traditional Chinese medicine Achyranthes bidentata

The Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae is slender and cylindrical, some of them are slightly curved, and the upper end is slightly thicker, with a length of 15-50cm and a diameter of 0.4- 1cm. The surface is grayish yellow or light brown, with fine longitudinal wrinkles and lateral root marks. It is hard and brittle, easy to break, flat in section, slightly horny and oily, with yellow and white dots (abnormal vascular bundles) intermittently arranged in 2-4 concentric rings. Slight gas, slightly sweet and slightly bitter. It is better to have long roots, fat meat, thin skin and yellow and white skin.

Chemical constituents of Achyranthes bidentata

Roots contain triterpenoid saponins, such as oleanolic acid-α-L- rhamnopyranosyl -β-D- galactopyranoside. It also contains a variety of polysaccharides, such as polysaccharides with anti-tumor activity, water-soluble oligosaccharides (ABS) and peptide polysaccharides (ABAB) that enhance immune function. It also contains ecdysterone, inokos-terone, rubrosterone, etc. It also contains a variety of amino acids, such as arginine, threonine and so on. Alkaloids include coumarins.

Action of Achyranthes bidentata (pharmacological action)

1.Effects on reproductive system:

The total saponins of Achyranthes bidentata have obvious concentration-dependent excitatory effect on rat uterine smooth muscle, the effect on young uterus is the weakest, and the effect on late pregnancy uterus is the strongest. Achyranthes bidentata saponin A has obvious exciting effect on the uterus of non-pregnant and pregnant rabbits. Oral administration of total saponins of Achyranthes bidentata (ABS) in mice has obvious anti-implantation and anti-early pregnancy effects in a dose-dependent manner. The anti-early pregnancy effect of ABS can be partially antagonized by exogenous progesterone, human chorionic gonadotropin and tiapride. ABS can significantly inhibit the decidual cell reaction of pseudopregnant mice and ovariectomized mice, but it has no estrogen-like effect and anti-estrogen-like effect.

2. Assimilation to protein:

After the mice were given ecdysterone or Achyranthes bidentata intraperitoneally or orally, it was found that the amount of protein synthesized from amino acids in the liver increased significantly, and its effect was similar to that of anabolic steroid 4- chlorotestosterone.

3. Effects on cardiovascular system:

The mixed saponins from Achyranthes bidentata seeds have obvious cardiotonic effects on isolated frog hearts, guinea pig hearts and rabbit hearts. Achyranthes bidentata has antihypertensive effect, which is accompanied by respiratory excitement when blood pressure drops, but has no rapid tolerance effect. The effective component of Achyranthes bidentata on animal blood pressure is mainly alkaloid.

4. Influence on blood system:

Achyranthes bidentata can reduce the whole blood viscosity, hematocrit and erythrocyte aggregation index in rats, and prolong the prothrombin time and plasma calcium recovery time in rats.

5. Anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects:

Achyranthes bidentata has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, and Achyranthes bidentata produced in Henan has the best analgesic effect. Different processed products of Achyranthes bidentata have a certain degree of analgesic effect, and the analgesic effect of Achyranthes bidentata processed with wine is strong and lasting. Compared with the anti-inflammatory effect of ear swelling caused by croton oil in mice, the anti-inflammatory effect of Achyranthes bidentata processed with wine is the strongest.

6. Effects on the immune system:

Achyranthes bidentata polysaccharide can improve the phagocytic function of mononuclear M in mice, and obviously increase the serum hemolysin level and the number of antibody-forming cells in mice. It has obvious enhancement effect on humoral immunity and nonspecific immunity of mice.

7. Anti-aging effect:

Achyranthes bidentata can improve the activity of SOD in whole blood, reduce the content of LPO in serum, and has the effect of delaying aging. Ecdysterone, the effective component of Achyranthes bidentata, and the decoction or alcohol extract of Achyranthes bidentata have certain anti-aging effects.

8. Effects on digestive system:

Achyranthes bidentata decoction has inhibitory effect on isolated intestine of mice, but it has contractive effect on intestine of guinea pigs. Intravenous injection of Achyranthes bidentata decoction makes gastrointestinal movement in anesthetized dogs and normal or anesthetized rabbits temporarily excited and then inhibited. The ethanol extract of Achyranthes bidentata can excite the isolated rabbit intestine (duodenum, jejunum and ileum), improve the tension and strengthen the contractility.

9. Other roles:

Achyranthes bidentata polysaccharide sulfate has strong inhibitory activity on HBsAg and HBeAg of hepatitis B virus, and also has obvious inhibitory effect on herpes simplex virus type I. The decoction or alcohol extract of Achyranthes bidentata has mild diuretic effect when injected intravenously into anesthetized rabbits or dogs. The total saponins of Achyranthes bidentata have inhibitory effect on tumor cells.