General

Scientific Names: Prunus mume (Sied.) Sieb. et Zucc.

Common Names:Wu Mei, Mei Shi, Xun Mei, Ju Mei Rou, Wu Mei Rou, Jian Mei.

BOTANICAL:

来 源： 为蔷薇科落叶乔木植物梅 Prunus mume (Sieb.) Sieb.et Zucc.的近成熟果实。

植物特征： 落叶小乔木或灌木。叶互生；托叶1对，早落；叶片阔卵形或卵形，长6～8cm,宽3～4.5cm，先端尾状渐尖。花单生或2朵簇生也枝上，先叶开放，白色或红色，花梗极短；花萼5；子房密被柔毛。核果球形，成熟时黄色。

生药材鉴定： 干燥果实呈扁圆形或不规则球形，直径1.5～3厘米。表面棕黑色至乌黑色，皱缩、凹凸不平。有的外皮已破碎，核露于外。果实一端有明显的凹陷(即果柄脱落 处)，果肉质柔软。核坚硬，棕黄色，内含淡黄色种仁1粒，形状及气味极似杏仁。气特异，味极酸。以个大、肉厚、核小、外皮乌黑色、不破裂露核、柔润、味极 酸者为佳。

Pharmacology

化学成分: 果实含柠檬酸19%、苹果酸15%、琥珀酸、碳水化合物、谷甾醇、蜡样物质及齐墩果酸样物质。在成熟时期含氢氰酸。 果实含大量的枸缘酸，少量的苹果酸、琥珀酸、酒石酸、齐墩果酸及谷甾醇。种子含苦杏仁甙。

Efficacy

An active compound that inhibits cancer cells was isolated from the fruit of Prunus mume, and its structure and in vitro activities were characterized. The n-hexane fraction obtained from methanol extracts exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect on the growth of cancer cells. From the n-hexane fraction, a new compound named B-1 was purified through preparative thin-layer chromatography, ODS column chromatography, and reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography and its structure was analyzed by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry and 1H and 13C NMR. The molecular formula of B-1 was C19H22O6 {2-hydroxy-1-[(7-hydroxy-2-oxo-2H-chromen-6-yl)methyl]-2-methylpropyl-(2Z)-3-methyl-but-e-enoate:prunate}, and the IC50 value was in the range of 39-58 microg/mL in descending order of the cancer cell lines Hep-2, SW-156, HEC-1-B, and SK-OV-3. B-1 exhibited 81-96% inhibition at a concentration level of 100 microg/mL against all cells, based on an 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. However, B-1 showed little effect against normal cells with only 23% or less growth inhibition at 100 microg/mL. Thus, B-1 has a highly specific inhibitory effect against cancer cells but little effect against normal cells. When the cancer cell lines Hep-2 and SK-OV-3 were incubated with B-1 for 72 h, most of the tested cells suffered strong growth inhibition. The compound has the potential to be developed as a nutraceutical. (source)

败毒抗癌，用于癌瘤积毒：

　　 食管癌 乌梅、山豆梅各30克，斑蝥、红娘各15克，蜈蚣6克，红枣1000克，白糖2500克 制成糖丸，丸重6克，每服1丸，日3次，含化咽下。或用乌梅、威灵仙、蒲公英、半枝莲、莱菔子、当归、黄芪、山豆根各15克，肉苁蓉、玄参各12克，木香 9克 水煎服，日1剂。有效率66.15%。亦宜于贲门癌、胃癌。

　　 阴茎癌 乌梅27个，水1000毫升 同煮沸20分钟，放置24小时，过滤，每服3毫升，日6次，饭前后各服1次。同时外搽患处。亦治其它体表癌。能使癌灶缩小，症状明显消减。

　　 宫颈癌 乌梅18克，鸦胆子、硇砂、蟾酥各9我，马钱子、轻粉、雄黄、砒石各6克。或用乌梅炭18克，铅丹、雄黄、硇砂各9克，砒石6克，轻粉、鸦胆子各4.5 克，白芥子3克，冰片1.5克 用淀粉糊和药末，制成钉、杆、饼型，插入宫颈癌灶。对宫颈原位癌、早期间质浸润癌，疗效均好。

　　 白血病 乌梅18克，黄药子、龙葵、白花蛇舌草、薏苡仁各15克，甘草6克 水煎服，日1剂。宜于急性白血病。能延长生存期。 (source)

IN VITRO:

1. Jeong JT, et al., Isolation and characterization of a new compound from Prunus mume fruit that inhibits cancer cells. J Agric Food Chem. 2006 Mar 22; 54(6):2123-8.
2. Otsuka T, et al., Suppressive effects of fruit-juice concentrate of Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc. (Japanese apricot, Ume) on Helicobacter pylori-induced glandular stomach lesions in Mongolian gerbils. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2005 Jul-Sep; 6(3):337-41.
   
   
   
   
   

Safety

宜忌: 有实邪者忌服，胃酸过多者慎服。