Lablab purpureus. Dolichos lablab   扁 豆 Biǎn dòu  Hyacinth bean   Family: Leguminosae      
There are 5 chinese varieties of Hyacinth beans: Bian Dou, Bai Bain Dou, Qing Bian Dou, Zi Bian Dou, Long zhao Bian Dou
白 扁 豆  Bái biǎn dòu   White hyacinth bean- Harvested in early Autumn  
Nature: Neutral, Slightly warm    FLAVOR: Sweet, pleasant  CHANNEL: Spleen, Stomach
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Clearing Internal Heat- Clear Summer Heat
1. Clears Summer Heat.[1,6] Remove Dampness.[4,5]  Diuretic.[4] Transform Dampness.[1] Eliminates water retention.[5]
2. Invigorate Spleen.[5] Harmonize middle Burner. Strenthen Spleen/Stomach.[5] Harmonize middle Burner and Spleen.[1,4]
3. Detoxifies.[1]
INDICATIONS
1. Disorders of the digestive system due to Summer Heat:[1,4,6] Gastroenteritis, indigestion, headache, fear of cold, distress, thirst, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea, irregular meals.[1,56] Cholera.[1,5]
2. Spleen/Stomach deficiency; poor appetite, borborygmus, loose stools or diarrhea, leukorrhagia, vomiting.[6]
3. Summer Heat and Damp; leukorrhea,[6] gonorrhea.[1,5] Red and white vaginal discharge.[5]
4. Alcoholic intoxication, globefish poisoning.[1]
5. Malnutrition in children.[5]
PATENT COMBINATIONS
COMBINATIONS
PREPARATIONS: Decoction 9-20 g.[3,4,6] Boil or powder.[2] Use dry fried for stengthening the Spleen, untreated for clearing Summer Heat. Good quality is full, round, and white.[6]
Decoction 4-12 g.[1] Dried ripe seed 9-15 g.[2]
扁 豆 花 Biǎn dòu huā   Hyacinth flower   
Nature- neutral   FLAVOR: Sweet.  CHANNEL: Spleen/Stomach
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Resolving Dampness,[2,3] particularly from upper Heater
1. Eliminate Summer Heat.[2,3]
2. Invigorate the Spleen and strengthen the Stomach. Harmonize middle region.
INDICATIONS
1. Summer Damp Heat condition with feeling of oppression in the chest, dysuria and diarrhea, vomiting, diarrhea and dysentery of Damp Heat type, leukorrhagia, especially suitable for those with Damp Heat in the Spleen. Diarrhea, dysentery.
PREPARATIONS: Decoction 3-9 g.[3] Dry flower 4.5-9 g.[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

Water Extract of Dolichos lablab Attenuates Hepatic Lipid Accumulation in a Cellular Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Model
Im A-Rang, Kim Yun Hee, Lee Hye Won, and Song Kwang Hoon.
Abstract
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common chronic liver disease that is rising in prevalence worldwide. Therapeutic strategies for patients with NAFLD are limited by a lack of effective drugs. In this report, we show that Dolichos lablab water extract (DLL-Ex) protects against free fatty acid (FFA)-induced lipid accumulation and attenuates expression of genes involved in lipid droplet accumulation in cellular NAFLD models. The hepatoprotective effects and underlying mechanism of DLL-Ex were assessed using an in vitro cellular model in which NAFLD was simulated by inducing excessive FFA influx into hepatocytes. HepG2 cells were treated with DLL-Ex and FFAs for 24 h, after which intracellular lipid content was observed by using Nile Red and Oil Red O staining. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to measure expression levels of genes related to FFA-mediated cellular energy depletion. Western blotting was used to measure protein levels of phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase, AMP-activated protein kinase alpha (AMPKα), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1 alpha. In HepG2 cells, DLL-Ex inhibited expression of CD36, which regulates fatty acid uptake, as well as BODIPY-labeled fatty acid uptake. Additionally, DLL-Ex significantly attenuated FFA-mediated cellular energy depletion and mitochondrial membrane depolarization. Furthermore, DLL-Ex enhanced phosphorylation of AMPK, indicating that AMPK is a critical regulator of DLL-Ex-mediated inhibition of hepatic lipid accumulation, possibly through its antioxidative effect. These results demonstrate that DLL-Ex exerts potent anti-NAFLD activity, suggesting that it could be a potential adjuvant treatment for patients with NAFLD.
|Journal of Medicinal Food. May 2016, 19(5): 495-503. doi:10.1089/jmf.2015.3623. online.liebertpub.com