General

Scientific Names: Daphne genkwa

Common Names: Yu Hua, Du Yuan, Lao Shu Hua, Huang Yang Hua, Ye Ding Xiang Hua.

BOTANICAL:

来 源： 为瑞香科植物芫花Daphne genkwa Sieb.et Zucc.的花蕾。

植物特征： 落叶灌木，高30一100cm。茎细长，略带紫褐色，幼枝密生黄色绢状毛。叶对生或偶有互生；叶片纸质，椭圆形至长椭圆形，长3—4cm，宽l—1．5cm，先端尖，基部楔形，全缘，幼时两面疏生绢状短柔毛，脉上毛尤多，老时渐脱落，稍革质。花先叶开放，淡紫色或紫红色，通常3—7朵簇生于叶腋；花被筒状，先端4裂，淡紫色，外生绢状毛，裂片卵形，长5mm，先端圆形；雄蕊8，上下2轮，生于花被筒中部及上部；花盘环状；雌蕊l，子房上位，卵形，外生白色柔毛，柱头头状。核果白色，革质。花期3—4月，果期5月。

生药材鉴定： 呈弯曲或稍压扁的棒锤状，长约1cm，直径约0.3cm。常单朵或3-7朵成簇。小花上端稍膨大，裂为4片，约烩长的1／3，蓝紫色，下端较细，灰棕色，全体密布白色绒毛。剖开可见雄蕊8枚，2轮，不具花丝，雌蕊1枚，花柱极短。质柔韧。气微香，味微甜，嚼之有辣感。

Pharmacology

化学成分: 花蕾含芫花素(genkwanin)、羟基芫花素(hydroxygenkwamin)、芫花酯甲(yuanhuacine)、芫花酯乙(yuanhuadine)、二萜原酸酯芫花酯丙(yuanhuafine)、二萜原酸酯—12—苯甲酰氧基瑞香毒素(12—benzoxydaphnetoxin)、芫花酯丁(yuanhuatine)、芫花瑞香宁(genkwadaphnin)等。

Efficacy

Daphne genkwa (Thymelaeaceae) has been used as a folk medicine in China. We investigated the effects of D. genkwa and Jyu-So-To on various pharmacologic models in mice including the azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colonic aberrant crypt focus formation assay, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity assay, and two types of mouse ear swelling model. Administration of 236.3 ppm of Jyu-So-To in drinking water significantly suppressed AOM-induced colonic aberrant crypt focus formation (p < 0.05), with an inhibitory ratio of 46.7%. The effects of several extracts with organic solvents of D. genkwa on murine epidermal ODC activity were examined. In particular, the inhibitory ratio of the n-hexane extract was 30.8%. In the 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced ear edema model in mice, the methanol extract resulted in 56.3% inhibition compared with the control. On the other hand, there are two peaks of responses at 1 h (immediate-phase reaction; IPR) and 24 h (late-phase reaction) in biphasic cutaneous reactions, which are enhanced in the dinitrofluorobenzene model (DNFB). The water extract of D. genkwa clearly inhibited the IPR ear swelling. These results suggest that D. genkwa and Jyu-So-To should be a promising source of antitumor, antiinflammatory, and antiallergy agents. (source)

IN VITRO:

1. Kai H, et al., [Pharmacological effects of Daphne genkwa and Chinese medical prescription, "Jyu-So-To"]. Yakugaku Zasshi. 2004 Jun;124(6):349-54. Japanese.
2. Hong CH, et al., Evaluation of natural products on inhibition of inducible cyclooxygenase (COX-2) and nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in cultured mouse macrophage cells. J Ethnopharmacol. 2002 Nov; 83(1-2):153-9.
3. Zhou BN. Some progress on the chemistry of natural bioactive terpenoids from Chinese medicinal plants.Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 1991; 86 Suppl 2:219-26. Review.
4. Furukawa M, et al., Epstein-Barr virus early antigen induction in nasopharyngeal hybrid cells by Chinese medicinal herbs. Auris Nasus Larynx. 1986; 13(2):101-5.
5. Liou YF, et al., Antitumor agents LVI: the protein synthesis inhibition by genkwadaphnin and yuanhuacine of P-388 lymphocytic leukemia cells. J Pharm Sci. 1982 Dec; 71(12):1340-4.
   

IN VIVO:

1. Hong CH, et al., Evaluation of natural products on inhibition of inducible cyclooxygenase (COX-2) and nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in cultured mouse macrophage cells. J Ethnopharmacol. 2002 Nov; 83(1-2):153-9.

Safety

宜忌: 　 芫花反甘草，忌酒、辛辣物，有胃及十二指肠溃疡、胃炎及体弱者慎用，孕妇禁用。