General

Scientific Names: Leonurus artemisia (Lour.) S. Y. Hu, Leonurus sibiricus LF albiflora, Leonurus heterophyllus Sweet, Leonurus heterophyllus Swel.

.Common Names: Yi Mu Cao, Bai Hua Yi Mu Cao, Herba leonuri, Chong Wei, Kun Cao, Chinese motherwort, Leonurus, Motherwort.

BOTANICAL:

An upright prickly bush with a height of up to 5 feet and a width of 2 feet. The flowers are pale pink to purple, very hairy, in whorls of 6 to 12, alternating up the stems with leaves. The leaves are dark green above, pale below, oak-shaped and deeply lobed into three, especially at the bottom. Prickly. Blooms in late-June to August.

A perennial to Zone 3. Germinates in 2-3 weeks. Space 2-3 feet apart. Soil temperature for germination 65-75F. Soil should be light, well drained and fairly poor with a pH of 7.7. Full sun. Easily self-sows once established. Plants can be put in by either hand or by transplanter. Space at 12-15 inches in the row with row spacing at 240-30 inches. Harvest the leaves and the entire flower stalk with clippers when the flowers are in full bloom, anywhere from late June into August, being sure to leave enough flower stalks for reseeding to occur. Chinese studies indicate that the active chemical components are at their highest concentrations when the plant is in bloom. Before flowering, the quantity of active components is much reduced. There is usually a small crop the first year and then two cuttings a year after that for several years. Yields of 1,200 to 2,500 pound per acre can be expected. Dries easily in 3-5 days, though it should be turned the first couple of days.

Motherwort is primarily an herb of the heart. Several species have sedative effects, decreasing muscle spasms and temporarily lowering blood pressure. Chinese studies found that extracts decrease clotting and the level of fat in the blood and can slow heart palpatations and rapid heartbeat. Another of motherwort's uses is to improve fertility and reduce anxiety associated with childbirth, postpartum depression, and menopause. If used in early labor it will ease labor pains and calms the nerves after childbirth. Take motherwort only once soon after giving birth as consistent use before the uterus has clamped down may cause bleeding to continue. Use one to two times a day in the weeks following birth for easing tension and supporting a woman through the feelings that come with new mothering. Do not use during pregnancy. Motherwort helps bring on a delayed or suppressed menstrual flow, especially when someone is anxious and tense. Chinese women often use it combined with dong quai as a menstrual regulator. Avoid using for menstrual cramps when bleeding is heavy. It strengthens and relaxes the uterine muscles and eases uterine cramping. It also reduces fevers, and is especially suggested for illnesses associated with nervousness or delirium. Motherwort was formerly used to treat rheumatism and lung problems, like bronchitis and asthma. Motherwort may help an overactive thyroid but does not depress normal thyroid function. Tincture the leaves and flowers as soon as you pick them. If you prefer to dry them, lay the leaves and stalks onto screens. Motherwort tea has a very bitter taste. Chinese medicine uses the seeds to aid in urination; cool the body system; treat excessive menstrual flow, absence of menstruation.

来源 　为唇形科植物益母草 Leonurus heterophyllus Sweet 的地上部分。

植物形态 　一年生或二年生草本，高 0.3 ～ 1.8cm 。茎方形，有倒生白毛。根出叶近圆形，叶缘 5 ～ 9 浅裂，有长柄；中部叶掌状 3 深裂，侧裂片有 1 ～ 2 小裂；花 序上的叶线状披针形，全缘或有少数牙齿，最小裂片宽 3mm 以上。轮伞花序腋生，有花 8 ～ 15 ，多数远离而组成长穗状花序；小苞片针形，短于萼筒，有细毛；花萼钟形，外有毛， 5 齿裂，前 2 齿靠合；花冠淡红色或紫红色， 2 唇形，冠筒内有毛环，上唇外面有毛，全缘，下唇 3 裂，中裂片倒心形；雄蕊 4 ，二强，花丝被鳞毛。小坚果长圆状三棱形，平滑。花期 6 ～ 9 月，果期 9 ～ 10 月。 生于路边、荒地。

植物资源分布: 全国大部分地区均有分布。白花益母草主产江苏、福建、广东、广西、贵州、云南、四川等地。细叶益母草主产于内蒙古、河北、山西及陕西等地。土耳其益母草主产新疆。

生药材鉴定: 性状鉴定：干燥全草呈黄绿色，茎方而直，上端多分枝，有纵沟，密被茸毛，棱及节上更密。质轻而韧，断面中心有白色髓部。叶交互对生于节上，边缘有稀疏的据齿，上面深绿色，背面色较浅，两面均有细毛茸；多皱缩破碎；质薄而脆。有的在叶腋部可见紫红色皱缩小花；或有少数小坚果。有青草气，味甘微苦。 以茎纲、质撤、色绿、无杂质看为佳。全国大部地区均产。尚有下列同属植物亦作益母草入药。 1.白花益母草花冠白色，其他与前种相同。 2.细叶益母草最上部的叶为3全裂或深裂，花冠较大，长18-23mm，下唇比上唇短，花冠外面的长绒毛较密。3土耳其益母草L.．花序上叶片长圆状菱形，3裂；花序顶端毛茸致密，苞片及尊筒均被紧贴的毛茸，花淡红色，长9-10mm，上唇密被灰白色长柔毛。小坚果顶端被白色短柔毛。益母草的幼株称童子益母草，功用相同。显微鉴定： 叶表面观：上表皮细胞垂周壁略波状弯曲；非腺毛多数，1（-2）细胞，圆锥状，长36-110μm，表面有疣状突起，基部周围有4-8个表皮细胞呈放射状排列；腺毛头部1-4细胞，直径20-24μm，柄单细胞。下表皮细胞垂周壁波状弯曲；非腺毛较多，常为2细胞，偶见1或3细胞，长5-299μm，表面有疣状突起；腺毛较上表皮略小，直径17-20μm；腺鳞头部8细胞，类球形，直径32-50μm；气孔不定式，副卫细胞3-5个。叶肉细胞含细小草酸钙针晶及簇晶。

Pharmacology

Chemical ingredients: Leonurine, about 0.05%; small amount during the early stages of blooming, then gradually increases, stachydrine, rutin, fumaric acid, leonurine A, leonurine B.

Properties: emmenagogue, astringent, carminative, cardiac tonic, diuretic, antispasmodic, antirheumatic.

中药化学成分: 细叶益母草含益母草碱(Leonurine)、水苏碱(Staehydrine)、益母草定(Leonuridine)、益母草宁(Leonu－rinine)等多种生物碱、苯甲酸、多量氯化钾、月桂酸(Lau-ric acid)、亚麻酸(Linolenic acid)、油酸、图醇、维生索A、芜香甙等黄酮类☆n。又含精氨酸、4-服基-l-丁醇(4-Gua-nidinoo-1-butanol)、4-服基-丁酸(4-Guanidino-butyricacid)、水苏糖(Staehyose)。 全草含益母草碱（leonurine）约0.05%，开花初期该成分仅含微量，而开花期中逐渐增高。另含水苏碱（stachydrine）、益母草碱甲和乙，益母草碱甲为益母草碱的亚硝酸盐（leonurine nitrite）。此外，含芸香甙和延胡索酸。另报道地上部分含有劳丹烷（labdan）型二萜化合物益母草素（leosibirin）、益母草素（isoleosi-birin）及益母草琴素（leosibiricin）。花含益母草亭碱（leonuridine）。

1. Satoh M, et al., Studies on the constituents of Leonurus sibiricus L. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo). 2003 Mar.
2. Boalino DM, et al., Labdane diterpenes of Leonurus sibiricus. J Nat Prod. 2004 Apr.
3. Liu G. [Advances in pharmacological study of Leonurus heterophllus Sweet]. Zhong Yao Cai. 2002 Jan.
4. Chao Z, et al., [The descriptions identification of "yimu cao"]. Zhong Yao Cai. 2000 Oct.
5. Chao Z, et al., [Identification of crude drugs from genus Leonurus]. Zhong Yao Cai. 1998 Dec.
6. Chao Z, et al., [Identification on crude drugs from genus Leonurus:II. Leaf and flower surface characters]. Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi 1999 Jan.
7. Tasademir D, et al., Iridoid glycosides of Leonurus persicus. J Nat Prod. 1999 Jun.

Efficacy

Leonurus artemisia (Lour.) S. Y. Hu is also called Chinese motherwort herb or Yi Mu Cao. According to acient Chinese medical texts, Yi Mu Cao has functions such as promoting circulation, clearing clots, treating breast pain and swelling, and detoxification (Comprehensive Dictionary of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1979). Leonurus artemisia (Lour.) S.Y. Hu might have been used for breast cancer treatment in ancient China. A single report is available studying the effect of fractions of Leonurus sibiricus L for its antineoplastic effect in which the authors emphasize the improtance of the synergistic action of several components of the herb in order to obtain maximal benefit (Nagasawa et al., 1992). Accordingly, it is valuable to further test the anticancer activity of Leonurus artemisia (Lour.) S. Y. Hu .

IN VITRO:

In vitro, it is found that Leonurus artemisia (Lour.) S. Y. Hu inhibited growth of seven tested cancer cell lines. The mechanism of Leonurus artemisia (Lour.) S. Y. Hu induced apoptosis in LN Cap cells involved cytochrome c release from mitochondria and subsequential activation of caspase signaling.

1. Chinwala MG, et al., In vitro anticancer activities of Leonurus heterophyllus sweet (Chinese motherwort herb). J Altern Complement Med. 2003 Aug.

IN VIVO:

1. Nagasawa H, et al., Further study on the effects of motherwort (Leonurus sibiricus L) on prenoplastic and neoplastic mammary gland growth in multiparous GR/A mice. Anticancer Res. 1992 Jan-Feb.
2. Nagasawa H, et al., Effects of motherwort (Leonurus sibiricus L) on preneoplastic and neoplastic mammary gland growth in multiparous GR/A mice. Anticancer Res. 1990 Jul-Aug.

CLINICAL:

1. Han R. Traditional Chinese Medicine and Herbal Medicine: Current research and their clinical application for the treatment and prevention of cancer. In: Watanabe H, Shibuya T, eds. Pharmacological Research on Traditional Herbal Medicine. Singapore: Harwood Academic Publishers, 1999: 17-31.

Safety

Toxicity: Motherwort leaves occasionally produce skin dermatitis when touched. Because of the possible anticlotting effect those with clotting disorders should avoid it.

毒理学： 益母草毒性很低。以益母草浸冒饲喂孕兔，虽引起流产，但对体温、呼吸、心率皆无影响，亦无其他中毒观象。益母草总碱给家兔每日皮下注射30mg/kg，连续2周，对进食、排便和体重均无影响；小鼠籍脉注射之半数致死量为572.2土37.2mg/kg。由于其毒性低，而作用强度不及麦角制剂，故临床应用时可适当增加剂量。芜蔚子如1次服用在30克以上，可在4-6小时内发生中毒现象，如全身无力，下胶不能活动，周身酸痛，胸闷；重者有出汗，并呈虚脱状态。小鼠静脉注射益母草注射液的半数致死量为30-60g/kg。小鼠静脉注射益母草总碱的半数致死量为572.2±37.2 mg/kg。