Fructus Ligustri Lucidi
- Name
- Origin
- Where Does It Grow?
- Nature and Flavor
- Identified Active Components / Major Chemical Constituents
- Drug Actions in TCM
- Traditional Uses in TCM
- Pharmacological Actions
- Toxicology
- Administration and Dosage
- Adverse Effect, Side Effects and Cautions
- References
Name
Latin Name: Fructus Ligustri Lucidi
Common Name: Glossy privet fruit
Scientific Name: Ligustrum lucidum Ait.
Chinese Name: 女貞子
Pinyin Name: nu zhen zi
Origin
The ripe fruit of Ligustrum lucidum Ait., an evergreen arbor tree of the Oleaceae family.1
Where Does It Grow?
Glossy privet fruit is growing everywhere in China, and is mainly distributed in the Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Hunan, Sichuan and Fujian provinces of China.1
Nature and Flavor
Glossy privet fruit is cool in nature, sweet and bitter in flavor, and mainly manifests its therapeutic actions in the liver and kidney meridians.1
Identified Active Components / Major Chemical Constituents
Glossy privet fruit contains nuzhenide, olenropein, -hydroxy-beta-phenylethyl-beta-dglucoside, oleanolic acid, manitol, betulin, lupeol, salidroside, oleic acid, linolenic acid, palmitic acid and other fatty acids. 5,6,7The skin of the fruit contains oleanolic, acetyl oleanolic acid and ursolic acids. The seed contains 14.9% lipids and the lipids contains 19.5% palmitic and stearic acids as well as 80.5% oleic and linolenic acids. Its flower bud contains manitol, rutin, luteolin-7-beta-D-glucoside, apigenin-7-beta-D-glucoside, apigenin-7-beta-D-glucoside and quercetin.7,8
The leaf contains oleanolic glycoside, 4-hydroxy-beta-phenylethyl-beta-d glucoside and ligstroside. The volatile organic content of Fructus Ligustri Lucidi contains large amounts of ester, alcohol, ether, thioketone and hydrocarbon and small amounts of amine and aldehyde.6
Drug Actions in TCM
Glossy privet fruit invigorates liver yin and kidney yin, enriches blood and benefits the eyes.1Traditional Uses in TCM
In Chinese, glossy privet fruit is known as the fruit of a chaste woman. During the Ming Dynasty, Li Shizhen explained in the Compendium of Materia Medica: “The tree keeps verdant (green) even in cold winter, and seems to have the conduct of a chaste women. Therefore it is named as Nuzhen for its chaste quality.” 4 Woman, feminine characteristics, winter and quiet properties all belong to yin. From the name of the herb, we can understand how the ancients interpreted its nature and character.
According to a summary in the New Compilation of Materia Medica, glossy privet fruit is sweet and bitter with cool properties. It has the essence (jing) of shaoyin (kidney), and does not wither in the depth of winter. It benefits liver and kidneys, eases the five yin organs, strengthens the lower back and knees, “brightens” the ears and the eyes and “darkens” the moustache and hair. This herb is actually characterized as being pure yin with extreme quietness.3
For those with yin deficiency of kidney and liver, they usually present with dark vision, declined vision, early grey hair, lumbar sorness, ear ringing and hot flush. Glossy privet fruit can be used to noruish the kidney and liver yin, however its actions are gentle, and so need some time to see the result.
•For dark and blurred vision
Glossy privet fruit often works with herbs like processed rhemannia rhizome, dodder seed and Chinese wolfberry.
•For early grey hair
Glossy privet fruit often works with herbs like yerbadetajo herb and mulberry fruit.
Glossy privet fruit often works with herbs like wolfberry root-bark and rehmannia root.
Modern TCM also uses glossy privet fruit to treat leucopenia (low white blood cells count), hepatitis (increased ALT & AST), low immunity and anti-aging.
Pharmacological Actions
1. Effect on Immune Function
Animal Studies
Mice were administered by gavage with a Fructus Ligustri Lucidi decoction at 12.5g/kg and 25g/kg (=1g/ml raw herb) for seven consecutive days. Results showed both dosages of decoction were able to increase the weights of the thymus and spleens in mouse pups. At 25g/kg, Fructus Ligustri Lucidi decoction was able to increase the weight of the spleen but not the thymus of adult mice. Similarly, an injection of 10mg/kg Fructus Ligustri Lucidi polysaccharide to mice everyday for seven days was able to increase the spleen weight by 30% (149.3 ± 13.5mg/20g vs. 110 ± 11.7mg/20g) in the control group. 9
Fructus Ligustri Lucidi decoction was shown to increase the activity of serum hemolysin antibody and serum IgG levels. A Fructus Ligustri Lucidi decoction of 25mg/kg counteracted the decrease in mouse serum IgG levels caused by cyclophosphamide suggesting Fructus Ligustri Lucidi may reduce the immuno-suppressive effects of cyclophosphamide. 9
A dose of 10mg/kg and 50mg/kg Fructus Ligustri Lucidi was able to increase the proliferation rate of ConA stimulated mouse lymphocytes by 120% and 70% respectively. When sarcoma (S180) bearing mice were injected i.p with 50mg/kg cyclophosphamide, their lymphocyte proliferation was suppressed. Further, administration of 40mg/kg Fructus Ligustri Lucidi to these mice was able to attenuate the cyclophosphamide's immune suppressing effects. 10
Mice orally fed with 75mg/kg and 150mg/kg oleanolic acid for five days showed increased prostaglandins (PGE2 and PGF2α) contents in lung and kidney tissues, indicating that oleanolic acid might have stimulatory effects on cyclo-oxgenase activity. When treated with oleanic acid, mice had less histamine release than in the normal saline control group, suggesting oleanolic acid may have inhibitory effects on histamine secretion. 11
2. Enhancement in SOD Activity
Animal studies
Mice divided into four groups of an old aged vitamin control group, a young aged vitamin C control group, an old aged Fructus Ligustri Lucidi treatment group and a young aged Fructus Ligustri Lucidi group were treated with either a vitamin C or a Fructus Ligustri Lucidi ethanol extract (=20ml raw herb) for 40 consecutive days. Liver SOD activity was then measured. It was found that the SOD activity detected in young mice was significantly higher than that detected in old mice (0.40±0.16u/mg protein vs. 0.27±0.12u/mg protein) suggesting that SOD activity decreased as age increased. Oral administration of Fructus Ligustri Lucidi and vitamin C can increase SOD activities in old age mice livers 59% and 48% respectively.12
3. Increase in White Cell Count
Animal studies
When mice were administered by gavage with a 40g/kg Fructus Ligustri Lucidi ethanol extract, cyclophosphamide induced white blood cell count reduction could be restored. Other studies also reported, Fructus Ligustri Lucidi was able to restore depressed white cell counts resulting from chemo- or radiotherapy treatments5. When cyclophosphamide treated mice were orally fed with Fructus Ligustri Lucidi‘s active ingredient oleanolic acid (100mg/kg) for four consecutive days, their white cell counts could be increased from 5141±434 to 6595±61.13 Some other reports have claimed that Fructus Ligustri Lucidi may be able to stimulate blood generation in the bone marrow.14
4. Effects on Cardiovascular System
Animal studies
The alcohol solution of Fructus Ligustri Lucidi was shown to increase the coronary blood flow of isolated rabbit hearts. However, it inhibited the contractility of heart muscle and had no significant effect on heart rate. Conversely, Fructus Ligustri Lucidi extract was shown to increase the cardiac (heart) output, heart rate, aortic arterial pressure and central venous pressure of dogs.15
5. Liver Protective Effect
Animal Studies
Rats were given a subcutaneous injection of oleanolic acid (one of the active ingredients of Fructus Ligustri Lucidi), at a dose of 100mg/kg and 50mg/kg for 6 days. Results showed that the serum ALT (SGPT) level decreased suggesting this active ingredient may provide protection against rat liver damage induced by CCl4 and promote the regeneration of liver cells. Oleanolic acid was also reported to reduce the triglycerides stored in the liver, alleviate the degenerative necrosis of liver cells, increase glycogen stores and lower the γ-immunoglobulin levels in the serum.16,17,18
6. Hypoxia Tolerance
Animal studies
When mice were injected i.p. with 0.7ml acetic acid extract of Fructus Ligustri Lucidi leaf, they were able to survive longer in hypoxic conditions with low pressure.15
7. Anti-cancer effects
Animal studies
When 60g/kg Fructus Ligustri Lucidi water extract was administered to mice with uterine cervix carcinoma, tumor growth was inhibited by 49.2%. However, the same Fructus Ligustri Lucidi treatment showed no effect on sarcoma (S180) and lymphoma (L1) cells grown in mice.7
Toxicology
Acute toxicity: No toxic side effect was detected in rabbits fed with 75g fresh ripe fruit7. Mice injected i.v. with ethyl acetate extract of Fructus Ligustri Lucidi leaf showed no abnormal behavior and no death cases were reported. Dogs, weighing 15kg and injected i.v. with 50mg Fructus Ligustri Lucidi leaf extract, showed no abnormality in behavior, food consumption 24 hours after the injection. No adverse event was recorded.
Subacute toxicity: Rabbits injected i.p. with 50mg/kg Fructus Ligustri Lucidi extracts once a day for six to 12 weeks showed no abnormality in the histology of major organs15.
Administration and Dosage
A decoction is typically made with 10-15g of glossy privet fruit and three to four cups of boiling water until the volume is reduced by half.1 A decoction is usually taken orally and split into two doses but this dose may taken all at once or escalated depending on the person's condition and recommendation by the Chinese medicine practitioner.
Adverse Effect, Side Effects and Cautions
Glossy privet fruit may lead to symptoms of abdominal pain and diarrhea if not used in conditions with Yin deficiency.3
References
- Lui Daiquan, ed. Chinese Medicine. Shanghai Scientific and Technical Publishers, Jun-2000.
- Li Jiashi, ed. Chinese Medicine Identification. Shanghai Scientific and Technical Publishers, Feb-2000.
- Wu Yiluo. Bencao Congxin (New Compilation of Materia Medica), 1757AD.
- Li Shizhen, Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica), 1578AD.
- Pharmaceutical Institute of the Academy of Medical Science of China, ed. Chinese Medicine Record, People’s Medical Publishing House.
- Li Kaihui, et al. Study of the chemical ingredients of volatile oils in Fructus Ligustri Lucidi. Proprietary Chinese Medicine 1992; 12(12):32.
- Wang Yusheng, ed. Chinese Medicine Pharmacology and Application. People’s Medical Publishing House 1983; p130-135.
- Li Junxian. Study of the chemical ingredients in Fructus Ligustri Lucidi. Pharmaceutical Journal of China 1990; 15(3):40.
- Dai Yue, et al. Effects of Fructus Ligustri Lucidi decoction on the mice immune system. Journal of Pharmacy School of China 1987; 18(4):301.
- Yu Lugang , et al. Effects of Fructus Ligustri Lucidi polysaccharides extract on the mice immune functions. Pharmaceutical Journal of China. 1992; 27(1):26.
- Ren Jun, et al. Effects of oleanolic acid on on prostaglandins and cAMP. The China Pharmaceutica Journal 1992;27(1): 179-181.
- Zhao Ying, et al. Effects of Fructus Ligustri Lucidi on the lipid peroxide content in mice brain, liver and the effects on liver SOD activity. China Pharmaceutical Journal 1990; (6):47.
- Dai Peixing, et al. Experimental study of active ingredients of Fructus Ligustri Lucidi that increases white blood cell counts. Proprietary Chinese Medicine Studies 1982; (1):42.
- Wang Yunmo, et al. Study progress of anti-ageing Chinese Medicine. Progress of Pharmacology. People’s Medical Publishing House 1986; 56-67.
- Chinese People’s Liberation Army 163 Hospital Central Laboratory , et al. Pharmacological experimental report of total acetic acid extract Fructus Ligustri Lucidi leaf. Newsletter of Chinese Herbal Medicine 1979; 10(8):21.
- Ma Xuehui, et al. Study of effects of oleanolic acid on preventing and treating experimental liver damage. Pharmaceutical Journal 1982; 17(2):93.
- Han Dewu, et al. Study of effects of oleanolic acid on preventing and treating experimental cirrhosis. Pharmaceutical Journal 1981; 22(3):57.
- Ji Chunxuan, et al. Study of effects of oleanolic acid on preventing and treating experimental liver damage. Medical and Pharmaceutical Journal of Shanxi 1980; 9(6):5.
- Quoted in “Wang BX ed. Modern Pharmacological studies on Chinese Medicine. Tianjin Scientific Technology Publishing, 1999: 1347-1352.”
