Polygonatum odoratum. P. officinale   玉 竹 Yù zhú   Solomon seal   Family: Liliaceae      
Nature- neutral    FLAVOR: Pleasant, Sweet.
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Tonic- Nourish Yin
1. Nourish Yin.[1,2]
2. Lubricate dryness, produce fluids, quench thirst.[2] Moistens the Lung and quells coughing.[1]
3. Resolves fever.[1]
INDICATIONS
1. Dry mouth and throat in Hot disease.[1,2] Dry cough with scanty sputum. Debilitating chronic cough.[1] Body weakness and hydrosis.[1]
2. Mental depression, palpitation, diabetes.
COMBINATIONS
Dryness of the Intestines due to deficiency of body Fluids: Nourishes Yin, moistens Dryness, replenishes body fluid, moisturizes the intestines and promotes bowel movement Figwort & Ophiopogon- Zeng ye tang.
PREPARATIONS:  Decoction.  Dried rhizome  10-20 g.
15-30 g.[1] 9-15 g.[2]

HABITAT: Grows on hilly slopes, in shady and damp grass thickets.
DESCRIPTION: Perennial herb. Underground stem; fleshy, cylindrical, creeping, with many nodes from which adventitous roots grow. Stem; angled. Leaves; alternate, parallel veined, narrow-oval, apexes acute, bases cuneate, margins intact, leaf surface green, leaf underside pale white. Flowers; in summer, white or light green, emerging from leaf axils. Berry; globular, becoming dull purple after ripening.
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

Antihyperglycemic effects of total flavonoids from Polygonatum odoratum in STZ and alloxan-induced diabetic rats.
Shu XS, Lv JH, Tao J, Li GM, Li HD, Ma N.
Abstract
AIM OF THE STUDY:
Total flavonids of Polygonatum(P) odoratum (TFP) were tested for anti-diabetic activity in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice and alloxan-induced diabetic rats.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Rhizoma Polygonati Odorati, well-known Chinese traditional medicine, is widely used for treatment of diverse diseases for example diabetes. In our study, TFP was extracted by 70% ethanol and purified by macroreticular resin. The experiments were designed to detect the anti-diabetic activity of TFP by determination of blood glucose (BG) using one touch gluco-meter and insulin levels by using a radioimmunoassay kit in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice and alloxan-induced diabetic rats and alpha-amylase inhibitory activity by alpha-amylase inhibition assay in vitro.
RESULTS:
TFP had beneficial effects on regulation of blood glucose. Daily administration with 50-200 mg/kg body weight of TFP for 9 days can reduce significantly hyperglycemia in STZ-induced diabetic mice. Thirtieth day administration with TFP (50-200 mg/kg body weight) also decreased significantly fasting blood glucose in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. The hypoglycemic effect of TFP at 50 and 100 mg/kg is less than that of acarbose 20 mg/kg and gliclazide 15 mg/kg. The hypoglycemic effects of TFP at 200 mg/kg is similar to that of acarbose 20 mg/kg and gliclazide 15 mg/kg. TFP also could increase significantly the insulin level in alloxan-induced type 2 diabetic rats (P<0.05) compared with control. Alpha-amylase inhibition assay in vitro showed that TFP inhibited significantly alpha-amylase activity in a dose-dependent manner.
CONCLUSIONS:
TFP possess significant dose-dependent anti-diabetic activity. TFP is one of the primary hypoglycemic active compounds of Polygonatum odoratum which would worth further study and development. J Ethnopharmacol. 2009 Jul 30;124(3):539-43. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2009.05.006. Epub 2009 May 18. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of Polygonatum odoratum extract on human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell proliferation and apoptosis.
Tai Y, Sun YM, Zou X, Pan Q, Lan YD, Huo Q, Zhu JW, Guo F, Zheng CQ, Wu CZ, Liu H1.
Abstract
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is important in the provision of anti-tumor drugs. Recently, studies have shown that certain types of TCM agents are able to control the growth of tumors, enhance the body's immune function and enhance the therapeutic effect of chemotherapeutic drugs. In women, breast carcinoma is the most common tumor type and the second most common cause of death from cancer. Polygonatum odoratum (P. odoratum) is commonly used in TCM. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of P. odoratum extract on the proliferation and apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Cell proliferation was assessed using MTT and colony formation assays. In addition, propidium iodide (PI)/Annexin V-FITC staining was used to investigate the apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells following treatment with P. odoratum extract. The protein expression levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) were also detected using western blot analysis, while a JC-1 staining assay was used to assess the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). The results of the MTT assay showed that the proliferation and colony formation of MDA-MB-231 cells were inhibited following treatment with the extract. Furthermore, the PI/Annexin-V staining showed that the apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells was enhanced by the extract, in a concentration-dependent manner. The extract also lowered the ΔΨm of MDA-MB-231 cells, upregulated the expression of Bax and inhibited the expression of Bcl-2. In conclusion, these results showed that the P. odoratum extract inhibited the proliferation and induced apoptosis of breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells.
PMID: 27698772 PMCID: PMC5038215 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2016.3630 Exp Ther Med. 2016 Oct;12(4):2681-2687. Epub 2016 Aug 30. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Antioxidant homoisoflavonoids from Polygonatum odoratum.
Zhou X, Yuping Z, Zhao H, Liang J, Zhang Y, Shi S.
Abstract
Polygonatum odoratum is widely used as a traditional food supplement and herbal medicine with strong antioxidant activity. However, systematic investigation of its antioxidants was limited. Ethanol extract of P. odoratum was fractioned on macroporous absorptive resin (D101) column. A bioassay-guided purification of flavonoid-rich fraction (IC50 value at 74.1 ± 11.9 μg/mL for DPPH scavenging) was realised via high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) using petroleum ether-ethyl acetate-methanol-water (2:3:3:2, v/v/v/v) as the solvent system combination with Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography (CC) eluting with MeCN-MeOH (1:1, v/v). Three novel homoisoflavonoids (1-3), along with eight homoisoflavonoids (4-11), were isolated. Their structures were elucidated by interpretating various spectroscopic data. All the isolated homoisoflavonoids showed potent antioxidant activities, while compounds 1, 4, and 6 with dihydroxylated B-rings exhibited stronger antioxidant activities (IC50 values at 3.8 ± 0.5, 4.9 ± 0.3 and 3.9 ± 0.4 μg/mL) than ascorbic acid (IC50 value at 5.3 ± 0.6 μg/mL).
PMID: 25976792 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.02.058 Food Chem. 2015 Nov 1;186:63-8. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.02.058. Epub 2015 Feb 18. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Saponin rich fractions from Polygonatum odoratum (Mill.) Druce with more potential hypoglycemic effects.
Deng Y, He K, Ye X, Chen X, Huang J, Li X, Yuan L, Jin Y, Jin Q, Li P.
Abstract
AIMS:
The root of Polygonatum odoratum (YuZhu), also a medicinal food has long been used for the treatment of diabetes. The objective of the study was to characterize the anti-diabetic active fractions or compounds in this herb.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Fractions with a different polarity were prepared by solvent extraction and macroporous absorptive resin (D101) column and their anti-diabetic potentials were evaluated by glucose uptake in HepG2 cells and STZ-induced diabetic rats. In addition, α-glycosidase inhibitory activities of active fractions were measured in vitro and chemical compositions including saponin, total flavonoids and total sugar in the fractions were determined.
RESULTS:
The n-buthanol fraction, a saponin-rich fraction obtained by partitioning the ethanol extract with n-buthanol after petroleum ether and acetic ether showed the highest anti-diabetic potential in glucose uptake in HepG2 cells followed by acetic ether fraction which was rich in flavonoids. Further fractionation the saponin-rich fraction using macroporous resin column (D101), polysaccharide, flavonoid and saponin rich fractions were obtained by elution with water, 40% and 60% ethanol, respectively and their anti-diabetic potentials proved by glucose uptake test in HepG2 cells and STZ-induced diabetic rats were in the order of saponin rich fraction>flavonoid rich fraction>polysaccharide rich fraction. Long-term therapy test (60d) in severe diabetic rats indicated that saponin-rich fraction significantly ameliorated clinical symptoms of diabetes including the elevated blood glucose, body weight loss as well as the increased food and water intake while flavonoid-rich fraction was more potential than saponin-rich fraction to increase superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and decrease malondialdehyde (MDA) level in rat plasma. Additionally, saponin-rich fraction and flavonoid-rich fraction showed α-glycosidase inhibitory activity with IC(50) value of 2.05±0.32 and 3.92±0.65mg/ml, respectively.
CONCLUSION:
The results suggested that saponin in this herb was more important than flavonoid in exhibiting anti-diabetic activity and flavonoid contributed more to anti-oxidant activity in vivo.
PMID: 22366676 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2012.02.023 J Ethnopharmacol. 2012 May 7;141(1):228-33. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2012.02.023. Epub 2012 Feb 17. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Polygonatum odoratum lectin induces apoptosis and autophagy by regulation of microRNA-1290 and microRNA-15a-3p in human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells.
Wu L, Liu T, Xiao Y, Li X, Zhu Y, Zhao Y, Bao J, Wu C.
Abstract
Polygonatum odoratum lectin (POL), a mannose-binding specific Galanthus nivalis agglutinin (GNA)-related lectin has been reported with remarkable anti-proliferative and apoptosis-inducing effects against several tumor cells. Our previous research revealed that POL can induce apoptosis and autophagy in A549 cells. However, whether microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in POL-induced apoptosis and autophagy in A549 cells has not been investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether miRNAs were involved in POL-induced apoptosis and autophagy in A549 cells. In the present study, we performed microarray analysis on A549 cells to identify altered miRNAs after POL treatment. We found that miR-1290 was down-regulated after POL treatment and down-regulated miR-1290 amplifies POL-induced apoptosis in A549 cells. Moreover, we revealed that glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) was a direct target of miR-1290 and POL treatment could result in Wnt pathway down regulation. We also found that miR-15a-3p was up-regulated after POL treatment and over-expression of miR-15a-3p resulted in A549 cells apoptosis and autophagy. In addition, we confirmed that a miR-15a-3p mediated ROS-p53 pathway was involved in POL-induced apoptosis and autophagy in A549 cells. Taken together, these data provide evidence that POL induces A549 cells apoptosis and autophagy by regulation of miR-1290 and miR-15a-3p.
PMID: 26562549 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2015.11.014 Int J Biol Macromol. 2016 Apr;85:217-26. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2015.11.014. Epub 2015 Nov 10. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Antioxidant activities of different extracts and homoisoflavanones isolated from the Polygonatum odoratum.
Wang D, Zeng L, Li D, Pu W.
Abstract
The antioxidant activities of five extracts from Polygonatum odoratum rhizomes were measured by three antioxidant assays in vitro. The crude flavonoid extracts (FE) exhibited the strongest antioxidant activity among all extracts with IC(50/DPPH) = 0.06 ± 0.035 mg mL(-1), IC(50/OH) = 0.68 ± 0.030 mg mL(-1) and reducing power/Abs125 µg mL(-1) = 0.56 ± 0.033, respectively. In order to identify functional antioxidants, two C-methylated homoisoflavanones were isolated and purified from FE and their structures were identified by spectrometric techniques as 3-(4'-hydroxy-benzyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-6-methyl-8-methoxy-chroman-4-one (1) and 3-(4'-hydroxyl-benzyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-6-methyl-chroman-4-one (2). Based on the results, both compounds had significant antioxidant activities on DPPH radical and reducing power but no effect on hydroxyl radical. The antioxidant activity of compound 1 (IC(50/DPPH) = 5.90 ± 0.150 µg mL(-1)) was nearly twofold stronger than compound 2 (IC(50/DPPH) = 11.64 ± 0.296 µg mL(-1)), and there was no significant difference between compound 1 and rutin (IC(50/DPPH) = 5.79 ± 0.140 µg mL(-1)).

PMID: 22746832 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2012.701212 Nat Prod Res. 2013;27(12):1111-4. doi: 10.1080/14786419.2012.701212. Epub 2012 Jul 2. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov