Polygala tenuifolia. P. sibirica  远 志 Yuǎn zhì   Siberian milkwort   Family: Polygalaceae   
Nature- warm   FLAVOR: Bitter, pungent, acrid, pleasant, bitter
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Sedative and Tranquillizers- Mild
1. Calm down the spirits.[1,2]
2. Expel sputum.[1,2]
3. Reduces swelling of abscesses.[1]
INDICATIONS
1. Forgetfulness.[1,2] Palpitation, convulsion. Apprehension.[1]
2. Insomnia and tendency for many dreams.[1,2]
3. Difficulty in coughing out sputum.Cold sputum cough.[1] Damp related abscesses and sores.[1]
PATENT COMBINATIONS
PREPARATIONS: Decoction Root 5-9 g.[1,2]
HABITAT: Found growing wild along hillsides, roadsides, and meadows.
DESCRIPTION Perennial herb 20-40 cm in height. Root; thick and fleshy, cylindrical. Culms; clustered, slightly woody. Leaves; alternate, linear or linear-lanceolate, apexes acuminate, bases cuneate, margins intact. Blooms; in summer, purple axillary or terminal flowers appearing to form racemose inflorescences. Capsule; flat, margins winged.
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

Novel cognitive improving and neuroprotective activities of Polygala tenuifolia Willdenow extract, BT-11.
Park CH, Choi SH, Koo JW, Seo JH, Kim HS, Jeong SJ, Suh YH.
Abstract
We carried out this study to search a new active constituent that had cognitive enhancing activity and low side effects from natural source. We found that the extract of dried root of Polygala tenuifolia Willdenow (BT-11, 10 mg/kg, i.p.) could significantly reverse scopolamine-induced cognitive impairments in rat, using a passive avoidance and a water maze test. We also investigated the effects of BT-11 on neurotoxicity induced by glutamate (Glu) and toxic metabolites of amyloid precursor protein (APP) such as amyloid beta protein (A beta) and C-terminal fragment of APP (CT) in primary cultured neurons of rat. The pretreatment of BT-11 (0.5, 3, and 5 micro g/ml) significantly reduced cell death induced by Glu (1 mM), A beta (10 micro M) and CT105 (10 micro M) in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, BT-11 inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in a dose-dependent and non-competitive manner (IC(50) value; 263.7 micro g/ml). Our novel findings suggest the possibility that this extract may have some protective effects against neuronal death and cognitive impairments in Alzheimer's disease (AD), or other neurodegenerative diseases related to excitotoxicity and central cholinergic dysfunction. J Neurosci Res. 2002 Nov 1;70(3):484-92. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of Polygala tenuifolia root extract on proliferation of neural stem cells in the hippocampal CA1 region.
Park HJ, Lee K, Heo H, Lee M, Kim JW, Whang WW, Kwon YK, Kwon H.
Abstract
Neurogenesis persists in the adult mammalian brain and can be a target for modulation for therapeutic purposes. This study investigated the effect of a Polygala tenuifolia root extract on the proliferation of a stem cell population in the rat hippocampus. The root extract of P. tenuifolia (2 mg/kg/day, 14 times intraperitoneal injections) increased the incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) into cells in the hippocampal CA1 region. This activity was enriched in the saponin-containing fraction. The majority of cells labelled with BrdU were immunoreactive to nestin or Tuj1 and the percentages of nestin/BrdU- and Tuj1/BrdU-double positive cells were increased by the P. tenuifolia root extract, suggesting that the P. tenuifolia root extract promotes the proliferation of neural stem cells. In addition, this extract promoted the neurite outgrowth of rat neuronal precursor cells, HiB5. These activities of P. tenuifolia root extract may contribute to the therapeutic benefits of herbal medicines containing P. tenuifolia root for the treatment of patients with insomnia, neurosis and dementia.
PMID: 18693285 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.2488 Phytother Res. 2008 Oct;22(10):1324-9. doi: 10.1002/ptr.2488. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of Polygala tenuifolia root extract on cerebral ischemia and reperfusion.
Park JH, Kim JS, Jang DS, Lee SM.
Abstract
In this study, the effects of Polygala tenuifolia root extract on brain ischemia/reperfusion injury in Mongolian gerbils were investigated. The gerbils were administered ethanol extract of P. tenuifolia and its four sub-fractions orally 2 hours prior to ischemia, and were subjected to a 20-minute no-flow cerebral ischemia in vivo. Thirty minutes and 72 hours after reperfusion, the brain was removed and the ATP, lactate and lipid peroxide levels were determined, and the neurons in the hippocampal CA1 subfield were examined. In the vehicle-treated ischemic gerbils, the brain ATP levels decreased significantly, but this decrease was prevented by pre-treatment with an n-butanol fraction of P. tenuifolia. In contrast, both the lactate content and lipid peroxidation levels were elevated in the vehicle-treated ischemic animals, but this elevation was inhibited by ethanol extract and n-butanol fraction of P. tenuifolia, respectively. Both the ethanol extract and n-butanol fraction of P. tenuifolia attenuated post-ischemic neuronal necrosis in the hippocampal CA1 subfield. Our findings suggest that both ethanol extract and n-butanol fraction of P. tenuifolia root can reduce brain damage during ischemia and reperfusion, and prevent lipid peroxidation and preserve the energy metabolism.
PMID: 16437744 DOI: 10.1142/S0192415X06003680  Am J Chin Med. 2006;34(1):115-23. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of Polygala tenuifolia root extract on scopolamine-induced impairment of rat spatial cognition in an eight-arm radial maze task.
Sun XL, Ito H, Masuoka T, Kamei C, Hatano T.
Abstract
The effects of Polygala tenuifolia root fractions and the acyl groups of its constituents on the retrieval process of spatial cognition in rats were studied using an eight-arm radial maze task. Oral administration of a precipitate fraction (PTB) obtained by concentration of the n-BuOH-soluble portion from the extract of the roots significantly decreased the number of total errors (TEs) and that of working memory errors (WMEs) at doses of 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg. However, it caused no significant decrease in the number of reference memory errors (RMEs). In addition, the saponin-rich fraction (PTBM) obtained by purification of PTB also showed significant decreases in TEs and WMEs at a dose of 100 mg/kg. Among the cinnamic acid derivatives present as the acyl groups in the P. tenuifolia constituents, sinapic acid (SNPA) significantly decreased TEs and WMEs at doses of 10 to 100 mg/kg. These results indicated that P. tenuifolia extracts, PTB and PTBM, and SNPA had a beneficial effect on the memory impairment induced by dysfunction of the cholinergic system in the brain. The memory improvement in the scopolamine-induced memory impairment seen in the radial maze performance was due to improvement in the short-term memory. A contribution of some constituents other than SNPA to the memory improvement was also suggested.
PMID: 17827729 Biol Pharm Bull. 2007 Sep;30(9):1727-31. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Antidepressant effects of the extract YZ-50 from Polygala tenuifolia in chronic mild stress treated rats and its possible mechanisms.
Hu Y, Liu P, Guo DH, Rahman K, Wang DX, Xie TT.
Abstract
YZ-50 is an active fraction obtained from the root of Polygala tenuifolia Willd. (Polygalaceae) extract and it has been reported previously to exert beneficial effects on mental health in depressed sufferers, however, its mechanism of action remains unresolved. This study utilized the chronic mild stress (CMS) model of depression in Sprague-Dawley rats to evaluate the effects of YZ-50 on depressive behaviors. Furthermore, we tested the hypothesis that the capacity of YZ-50 to reverse the harmful effects of CMS is relative to the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus. Repeated administration of YZ-50 for 28 days at the doses of 140 and 280 mg/kg in CMS, YZ-50 reversed the CMS-induced changes in sucrose consumption, plasma corticosterone levels and open field activity. In addition, CMS significantly decreased hippocampal BDNF mRNA levels. However, YZ-50 counteracted a decrease in hippocampal BDNF mRNA caused by CMS. In conclusion, YZ-50 reversed the harmful effects of CMS on mood and behaviors in rats and it possesses an antidepressant property that is at least in part mediated by the neuroendocrine and neuropropective systems, and it is likely that the HPA system plays an important role in this process.
PMID: 20645779 DOI: 10.3109/13880200903280034 Pharm Biol. 2010 Jul;48(7):794-800. doi: 10.3109/13880200903280034. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A bioactive compound from Polygala tenuifolia regulates efficiency of chronic stress on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.
Hu Y, Liao HB, Liu P, Guo DH, Rahman K.
Abstract
3,6'-Disinapoyl sucrose (DISS) is the active oligosaccharide ester component from roots of Polygala tenuifolia, and its antidepressant effects was found in the forced swimming test (FST) and tail suspension test (TST). We aimed to study the antidepressant effects of DISS in the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CMS) model in rats and explore the underlying mechanisms in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. We found that when subjected to the chronic stress protocol for 28 days, animals showed reduced sensitivity to reward and abnormality in the HPA axis. DISS (10 or 20 mg/kg, i.g.) improved the reward reaction as measured by increasing sucrose consumption, remarkably reduced serum CORT, ACTH and CRH levels in the CMS-treated rats. In addition, DISS enhanced the expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) mRNA. These results indicated that the antidepressant effects of DISS in chronically stressed animals might relate to the modulating effects on the HPA axis, which might be an important mechanism for its antidepressant effect.
PMID: 19827305 Pharmazie. 2009 Sep;64(9):605-8. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Genotoxicity studies on the root extract of Polygala tenuifolia Willdenow.
Shin KY, Won BY, Ha HJ, Yun YS, Lee HG.
Abstract
The root of Polygala tenuifolia Willdenow has been used for the treatment against insomnia, amnesia, depression, palpitations with anxiety, and memory improvement. However, there is no sufficient background information on toxicological evaluation of the root to given an assurance of safety for developing dietary supplements and functional foods. As part of a safety evaluation, the potential genotoxicity of the root extract of P. tenuifolia was evaluated using a standard battery of tests (bacterial reverse mutation assay, chromosomal aberrations assay, and mouse micronucleus assay). In a reverse mutation assay using four Salmonella typhimurium strains and Escherichia coli, the extract did not increase the number of revertant colonies in any tester strain with or without metabolic activation by S9 mix, and did not cause chromosomal aberration in short-period test with the S9 mix or in the continuous (24h) test. A bone marrow micronucleus test in ICR mice dosed by oral gavage at doses up to 2000 mg/kg/day showed no significant or dose dependent increase in the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (PCE). These results indicate that ingesting the rot extract P. tenuifolia is not genotoxic at the proper dose. PMID: 25666111 DOI: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2015.01.016  Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2015 Apr;71(3):365-70. doi: 10.1016/j.yrtph.2015.01.016. Epub 2015 Feb 7. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Polygala tenuifolia extract inhibits lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes and high-fat diet–induced obese mouse model and affects hepatic transcriptome and gut microbiota profiles
Chun-Chung Wang, Jui-Hung Yen, Yi-Cheng Cheng, Chia-Yu Lin, Cheng-Ta Hsieh, Rung-Jiun Gau, Shu-Jiau Chiou, and Hwan-You Chang
Abstract
Obesity, the excessive accumulation of lipids in the body, is closely associated with many prevalent human disorders. Continued efforts to identify plant extracts that exhibit anti-obesity effects have drawn much attention. This study investigated whether a Polygala tenuifolia extract (PTE) possesses anti-obesity activity and how PTE may affect liver gene expression and gut microbiota. We used 3T3-L1 adipocytes and a high-fat diet–induced obese mouse model to determine the effects of PTE on lipid accumulation. Next-generation sequencing analysis of liver gene expression and gut microbiota profiles following PTE treatment were conducted to elucidate possible mechanisms. We found that treatment of fully differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes with PTE inhibited lipid accumulation in the cells through reducing lipid formation and triglyceride content and by increasing lipase activity. No cytotoxicity was observed from the PTE treatment. After 5 weeks of treatment with PTE, the increased body weight, elevated serum triglyceride content, and liver steatosis in the high-fat diet–induced obese mice were each reduced. Liver transcriptomic analysis revealed that expression of genes involved in lipid and cholesterol metabolism was significantly altered. The low-grade chronic inflammation of obesity caused by a high-fat diet was also decreased after PTE treatment. In addition, treatment with PTE improved the relatively low Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio in the gut of high-fat diet–fed mice through enrichment of the Proteobacteria population and reduction of the Deferribacteres population. In conclusion, treatment with PTE inhibited lipid accumulation by inducing the expression of the master transcription factor PPARα, attenuated the low-grade chronic inflammation of obesity, and also altered gut microbiota profiles. These results indicate that PTE has the potential to be developed into an anti-obesity food supplement and therapy.
Food Nutr Res. 2017; 61(1): 1379861. Published online 2017 Oct 5. doi: 10.1080/16546628.2017.1379861
PMCID: PMC5642193 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov