Homalomena occulta.   千 年 健 Qiān nián jiàn Family: Araceae
PART USED: Rhizome- harvested in Spring and Autumn
Nature: Warm   FLAVOR: Bitter, pungent  CHANNELS: Kidney, Liver
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Wind Damp dispersing
1. Expel Wind Dampness, strengthen tendons and bones.[1,2]
INDICATIONS
1. Wind Damp painful obstruction with pain, spasms, or numbness either peceived superficially (in the tendons) or deeply ( in the bones).[2] Since this preparations has a strong fortifying action, it is also suitable for weakness or softness in the tendons and bones.[2] It is widely used in treating the elderly, both as an external wash and for internal use.[2] Rheumatism, cold pain across the loins and in the knees, spasm and numbness of the lower limbs.[1]
2. Traumatic injury pain and swelling.[2]
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Use with caution in cases of Yin deficiency.[2]
COMBINATIONS
PREPARATIONS: Dried rhizome 4-9 g.[1,2] Good quality is brownish red and aromatic.
    
ORIGIN: Laos, Thailand, Vietnam.
HABITAT: Dense valley forests, bamboo forests, mountain shrub forests; below 100-1100 m.
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.
Research

Sesquiterpenoids from Homalomena occulta affect osteoblast proliferation, differentiation and mineralization in vitro.
Hu YM, Liu C, Cheng KW, Sung HH, Williams LD, Yang ZL, Ye WC.
Abstract
Chemical investigation of rhizomes of Homalomena occulta (Lours) resulted in isolation and identification of two sesquiterpenoids (6,7), and one daucane ester 8, together with five known sesquiterpenoids, oplodiol, oplopanone, homalomenol C, bullatantriol, and 1beta,4beta,7alpha-trihydroxyeudesmane. Their structures were elucidated using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic and X-ray analyses. The chloroform extract of this plant and compounds 1-7 were tested in vitro for their activities in stimulating osteoblast (OB) proliferation, differentiation and mineralization. Compounds 1-4 had a stimulative effect on significantly proliferation and differentiation of culture osteoblasts, while the chloroform extract and 1 significantly stimulated mineralization of cultured osteoblasts in vitro.
PMID: 18649899 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2008.05.023 Phytochemistry. 2008 Sep;69(12):2367-73. doi: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2008.05.023. Epub 2008 Jul 21. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Sesquiterpenoids from rhizome of Homalomena occulta. [Article in Chinese]
Ye J, Xiao MT, Zan K, Huang YY, Zhang XQ.
Abstract
Twelve compounds were isolated from alcohol extracts of the rhizome of Homalomena occulta by using various chromatographic techniques including column chromatography onsilica gel and C₁₈ reverse-phase silica gel, and semi-preparative HPLC. Their structures were identified by physico-chemical properties and spectroscopic data analysis as 3α, 7α-dihydroxy-cadin-4-ene (1), 3-oxofabiaimbricatan (2), 3β, 4α-dihydroxy-7-epi-eudesm-11(13)-ene (3), integrifonol A(4), 1β, 6β-dihydroxy-7-epi-eudesm-11(13)-ene (5), 4β, 7β, 11-enantioeudesmantriol (6), epi-guaidiol (7), oplopanone(8), (-)-1β, 4β, 6α-trihydroxy-eudesmane (9),2α-hydroxyhomalomenol(10), (-)-T-muurolol (11) and hamalomenol A(12). Compounds 1-7 were obtained from the genus Homalomena for the first time and 11-12 were firstly reported from the species. Additionally, compounds 3, 5 and 8 displayed inhibitory effects against the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells with IC₅₀ values of 6.51, 3.25, 7.78 μmol•L⁻¹, respectively.
PMID: 28905602 DOI: 10.4268/cjcmm20161415 Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2016 Jul;41(14):2655-2659. doi: 10.4268/cjcmm20161415. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov