Aster tataricus.  紫 菀  Zǐ wǎn    Purple aster  Family: Asteraceae  
PART USED: Root
Nature: Slightly warming     FLAVOR: Acrid, bitter  CHANNELS: Lung
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Antitussive and Expectorant Clearing- Breathing
1. Resolves phlegm and relieves coughing.[1,2]
2. Primarily used to chronic cough, especially cold induced cough with copious sputum that is difficult to expectorate, or coughing of blood streaked sputum.[2]
3. Tonic.[3]
INDICATIONS
1. Coughing and shortness of breath, difficulty in loosening up phlegm.[1]
2. Lung deficiency with chronic cough, bloody sputum.[1] Pulmonary affections, hemoptysis, hematuria, puerperal hemorrhage and dysuria.[3]
3. Restless crying of children- through its quieting of the nervous system properties.[3]
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Large dosage or long term use is not recommended.[2] Use with caution in coughs due to Yin deficiency with Heat sings, or those asocaited with excessive Heat patterns.[2] This herb counteracts Artemisia capillaris- Yin chen hao
PATENT COMBINATIONS
COMBINATIONS
PREPARATIONS: Decoction 2-9 g.[1,2] Frying the herb in honey will strengthen its action of moistening the Lungs and stopping coughs.[2] Good quality is long and reddish purple.[2]
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Constituents
Research

Antioxidant activity of compounds from the medicinal herb Aster tataricus.
Ng TB, Liu F, Lu Y, Cheng CH, Wang Z.
Abstract
A number of compounds were isolated from the medicinal plant Aster tataricus including shionone, epifriedelinol, quercetin, kaempferol, scopoletin, emodin, aurantiamide acetate and 1,7-dihydroxy-6-methyl-anthraquinone. The compounds were compared with regard to their ability in inhibiting hemolysis of rat erythrocytes induced by 2'-2' azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride, lipid peroxidation using the FeSO(4)-ascorbic acid system, and generation of superoxide radicals using a phenazine methosulfate-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide system. The effects on the Fe-bleomycin-induced DNA damage reflected pro-oxidant activity. Quercetin and kaempferol were most potent in inhibiting hemolysis, lipid peroxidation and superoxide radical generation. Scopoletin and emodin were similar to quercetin and kaempferol in inhibiting superoxide radical generation and second to them in inhibiting lipid peroxidation. Aurantiamide acetate exhibited some inhibitory activity toward superoxide radical generation. 1,7-dihydroxy-6-methyl-anthraquinone exerted an inhibitory activity only on superoxide radical generation. Shionone and epifriedelinol did not display any antioxidant activity. Quercetin and kaempferol, but not the remaining compounds, exhibited some pro-oxidant activity.
PMID: 14559292 Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol. 2003 Oct;136(2):109-15. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Anti-cancer activity of aster tataricus on SCC-9 human oral squamous carcinoma
Wang R, Xiao S, Niu Z.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Oral squamous carcinoma is a head and neck cancer, which is one of the types of malignant cancers. Present study evaluates the anticancer activity of Aster tataricus (AT) on SCC-9 human oral squamous carcinoma.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Ethanol extract of AT was prepared by a standard procedure of maceration. AT extract was used in different concentrations like 10, 20, 40, 80, 160, 320 and 640 μg/ml for the evaluation of its anticancer activity. Effect of AT extract on SCC9 cells were observed by microscope and cytotoxicity by 3-(4, 5-Dimethylthiazol-2-Yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide (MTT) assay. Moreover, clonogenic assay was used for the estimation of effect of AT extract on colony forming ability of SCC9 cells.
RESULT:
Result of the study suggested that treatment with AT extract causes cytotoxicity to SCC9 cancerous cells. In addition, AT extract treatment reduces clonogenic potential of SCC9 cell and it also inhibits the proliferation of cell significantly (p<0.001) in G2/M phase.
CONCLUSION:
Thus, given study concludes that AT extract effectively attenuates the growth of SCC-9 cancerous cells by the virtue of its cytotoxic and anti clonogenic activity.
PMID: 28573230 PMCID: PMC5446437 [Available on 2018-01-13] DOI: 10.21010/ajtcam.v14i2.14  Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. 2017 Jan 13;14(2):142-147. doi: 10.21010/ajtcam.v14i2.14. eCollection 2017. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov