General

Scientific Names: Justicia procumbens L.

Common Names:Jue Chuang , Ji Ji Cao, Xiao Qing Cao, Liu Jiao Ying, Mai Hui Tan, Lao Shu Bing, Hai Er Cao, Jie Jie Han, Da Ya Cao, Mao Ze Lan.

BOTANICAL:

来 源： 为双子叶植物药爵床科植物爵床Justicia procumbens L. 的全草。

植物特征： 一年生草本，高15～30厘米。生于水沟边或湿草地。茎四方或六棱，下部节上生根；幼技有灰白色细柔毛，节略膨大。叶对生；叶片卵形，长1～5厘米，两面有短柔毛。秋季开花；穗状花序顶生或腋生；花淡红色或淡红紫色。葫果线形，扁， 淡棕色。

生药材鉴定： 全草长约15-30厘米，茎方形，节部膨大生根。叶对生，卵形，长约2-5厘米，顶上穗 花淡红色，长约2、5厘米。花萼 裂片4枚，线状，花冠两唇三浅裂；雄蕊2枚。蒴果长约5毫米，上部具4 粒种子，种子表面有瘤 状皱纹，以干燥、体壮、完整、洁净者为佳。显微鉴定：叶表面观：上表皮细胞垂周壁波状弯曲；含钟乳体细胞甚多，梭形，稍弯曲，两端渐尖或钝圆，长200— 800μm，直径33—58μm；气孔直轴式；腺鳞头部4细胞，直径 33—43μm，柄短，单细胞；非腺毛2-5细胞，长230—700μm，基部直径约至60μm，表面有角质条纹，有的可见疣状突起。下表皮细胞垂周壁波 状弯曲；含钟乳体胞较小，长200— 500μm，直径11—58μm；气孔密布；腺鳞颇多；非腺毛着生于叶脉及叶缘处。

Pharmacology

化学成分: 全草含生物碱。还含有爵床素 C和D(Justi-cidin C，D)等木脂体。Justicia procumbens L. Var. Leucantha Honda含爵床定A、B，山荷叶素(Diphyllin)，新爵床辛 A、 B(NeojusticinA、B)，台湾杉素E甲醚(Taiwanin E methyl ether)，爵床辛(Justicin)，异爵床辛(Isojusticin)。预试全草有生物碱反应。另含爵床新素C(justicidin C)、爵床新素D(justicidin D)及爵床新素E(justicidin E，即去甲氧基爵床新素D)。

Efficacy

The natural product justicidin A, an arylnaphthalide lignan isolated from Justicia procumbens, significantly inhibited the growth of human colorectal cancer cells HT-29 and HCT 116 at day 6 post-treatment. Further study revealed that justicidin A-treated HT-29 and HCT 116 colorectal cancer cells died of apoptosis. Justicidin A treatment caused DNA fragmentation and an increase in phosphatidylserine exposure of the cells. The number of cells in the sub-G1 phase was also increased upon justicidin A treatment. Caspase-9 but not caspase-8 was activated, suggesting that justicidin A treatment damaged mitochondria. The mitochondrial membrane potential was altered and cytochrome c and Smac were released from mitochondria to the cytoplasm upon justicidin A treatment. The level of Ku70 in the cytoplasm was decreased, but that of Bax in mitochondria was increased by justicidin A. Since Ku70 normally binds and sequesters Bax, these results suggest that justicidin A decreases the level of Ku70 leading to translocation of Bax from the cytosol to mitochondria to induce apoptosis. Oral administration of justicidin A was shown to suppress the growth of HT-29 cells transplanted into NOD-SCID mice, suggesting chemotherapeutic potential of justicidin A on colorectal cancer cells. (source)

A new lignan glycoside, 4-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1' "-->2' ')-beta-D-apiofuranosyldiphyllin (2), named procumbenoside A, and 11 known compounds were isolated from the whole plant of Justicia procumbens. The structure of 2 was established by spectral analysis and chemical methods. The known compounds justicidin A (1), diphyllin (3), and tuberculatin (4) showed potent cytotoxic effects against a number of cancer cells in vitro. Compounds 1 and 4 also strongly enhanced tumor-necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) generation from mouse macrophage-like RAW 264.7 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). (source)

IN VITRO:

1. Lee JC, et al., Justicidin A decreases the level of cytosolic Ku70 leading to apoptosis in human colorectal cancer cells. Carcinogenesis. 2005 Oct; 26(10):1716-30. Epub 2005 May 19.
2. Day SH, et al., Potent cytotoxic lignans from Justicia procumbens and their effects on nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor-alpha production in mouse macrophages. J Nat Prod. 2002 Mar; 65(3):379-81

IN VIVO:

1. Day SH, et al., Potent cytotoxic lignans from Justicia procumbens and their effects on nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor-alpha production in mouse macrophages. J Nat Prod. 2002 Mar; 65(3):379-81.

Safety

用药忌宜： 脾胃虚寒、气血两虚者不宜 。