Prunella vulgaris.   夏 枯 草 Xià kū cǎo  Selfheal Spike   Family: Labiatae     
PART USED: Spike of flowers- harvested in Summer when the plant is half withered.
Nature: Cold, cool    FLAVOR:  Bitter, acrid, pungent  CHANNEL: Liver, Gall Bladder
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Clearing Internal Heat- Reducing Fire
1. Clear Liver Heat.[4] Clear Liver Fire, disperse Qi congestion. Antipyretic. Clears the Liver and relieves congestion.[1] Brightens eyes.[4]
2. Clears Heat and disspates nodules.[4]
3. Diuretic.[3] Promotes diuresis and reduces edema.[1]
INDICATIONS- Mainly for clearing Heat
1. Ascending Liver fire:[4] red painful or swollen eyes, headache and dizziness.[4] Liver Heat:[3] Hypertension.[1,3] Conjunctivitis.[1] Headache, vertigo, red eyes, swelling of eyes, enlargement of thyroid gland. Also used for eye pain that increases in the evening due to Liver feiciency, especially when the eyes are neither red nor swollen.[4]
2. Lymphadenopathy, goiter.[1,3] Lymphatic tuberculosis.  Mastitis. Neck lumps or nodules as in scofula, lipoma, swllen glands or goiter due to Phlegm Fire.[4] Also used for similar nodules in the inguinal canal and other parts of the body.[4]
3. Neutralize toxins.[3] Abscesses and swellings.[1]
4. Edema, difficult urination.[1]
5. Recently been used in treating hypertension, especially when accompanied by Liver Fire or ascendant Yang patterns.[4]
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Cannot be used alone for prolonged periods as it over stimulates the Stomach. It must be combined with Dang shen and Bai zhu to prevent Stomach Wind from being produced.[3] Use with caution in cases of Spleen or Stomach deficiency.[4]
COMBINATIONS
PREPARATIONS Decoction-  Spikes  6-15 g.[1] Dry flower 15-30 g.[3] 9-15 g, up to 30 g when used alone.[4] Good quality is dark, reddish purple with large spikes.
It is used as a tea in summer-time to cool Heat. It is very effective for treating children with skin problems due to summer Heat.[1]

    
HABITAT: Found growing wild along roadsides and hilly slopes.
DESCRIPTION: Prunella is a perennial herb 40 cm in height. Stem; erect, quadrangular, multibranching, covered by fine white hairs. Leaves; about 2-3 cm long and 1 cm broad, with entire margins. opposite, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, apexes acute, bases cuneate, margins slightly undulate-dentate or almost intact, both surfaces pubescent, lower stem leaves petioled, upper leaves non-petioled. Flowers; in summer, purplish blue, in a dense terminal spike, with two kidney shaped bracts under each whorl. Nut; obovate, brown
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.    
Antibacterial (especially effective against aeruginasum and stephylococcii, antihypertensive agent, used against tumours.[1]
References
[1] Translation notes from Gary Seiford and Hocu Huhn- NSW College of Natural Therapies. Sydney Australia (1982). 

Immune modulatory effects of Prunella vulgaris L.
Fang X, Chang RC, Yuen WH, Zee SY.
Abstract
Prunella vulgaris L. (Labiatae) is a perennial plant known as 'self-heal' in Western herbal medicine. It has a wide array of biological effects exhibiting numerous therapeutic potentials. Its anti-microbial effects including anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects are, presently, receiving increasing attention. While its anti-viral effects are attributed mainly to the inhibition of virus replication, the biological mechanisms of its anti-bacterial effects or actions remain unknown. In view of the fact that polysaccharides isolated from medicinal herbs often function as biological response modifier of body immunity, we hypothesized that the anti-microbial effect of polysaccharides isolated from P. vulgaris is probably also mediated via immune modulation. We have isolated four polysaccharides containing fractions from P. vulgaris, one of the fractions, PV2, could markedly stimulate the production of superoxide and nitrite representing nitric oxide from murine macrophage RAW264.7 and brain macrophage BV2 cells. The amount of nitrite and superoxide produced after PV2 stimulation was as high as that seen in stimulation using bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and this stimulatory response is dose-dependent. In addition to monocyte/macrophage, PV2 also stimulated the proliferation of splenocytes. In this study, we have shown that the polysaccharides isolated from P. vulgaris have marked immune stimulatory effects, which may bring about the anti-microbial effects of P. vulgaris.
PMID: 15702244 Int J Mol Med. 2005 Mar;15(3):491-6. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Biological activities of Prunella vulgaris extract.
Psotová J, Kolár M, Sousek J, Svagera Z, Vicar J, Ulrichová J.
Abstract
The organic fraction (OF; 25.7% w/w of rosmarinic acid) of Prunella vulgaris (total extract) was found to exhibit the following: scavenging activity on diphenylpicrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH), inhibition of in vitro human LDL Cu(II)-mediated oxidation, protection of rat mitochondria and rat hepatocytes exposed to either tert-butyl hydroperoxide, or to Cu(II) and Fe(III) ions. OF also showed a potential to inhibit rat erythrocyte haemolysis and it reduced the production of LTB(4) in bovine PMNL generated by the 5-lipoxygenase pathway. Other observations included antiproliferative effects against HaCaT cells and mouse epidermal fibroblasts and a moderate OF antimicrobial activity on gram-positive bacteria. Rosmarinic, caffeic and 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)lactic acids exhibited less potent activity than the plant extract in all bioassays. The antioxidative, antimicrobial, together with antiviral effects offer good prospects for the medicinal applications of P. vulgaris.
PMID: 14595592 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.1324 Phytother Res. 2003 Nov;17(9):1082-7. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Immune modulatory effects of Prunella vulgaris L. on monocytes/macrophages.
Fang X, Yu MM, Yuen WH, Zee SY, Chang RC.
Abstract
Prunella vulgaris L. (Labiatae), a popular Western and Chinese herbal medicine, has long been associated with anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects. While its anti-viral effects are attributed mainly to the inhibition of virus replication, the biological mechanisms of its anti-bacterial effects remain unknown. As a biological response modifier (BRM), the polysaccharides isolated from P. vulgaris have been shown to up-regulate the immune responses of monocytes/macrophages. However, the immune stimulatory effects seem to contradict its well-known anti-inflammatory properties. We hypothesized that the anti-microbial effects exhibited by the polysaccharides isolated from P. vulgaris encompass both anti-inflammatory and immune stimulatory effects. One of the polysaccharide fractions PV2IV markedly stimulated the production of superoxide and nitrite representing nitric oxide from murine macrophage RAW264.7 and brain macrophage BV2 cells. The amount of nitrite and superoxide produced after PV2IV stimulation was as high as that stimulated by bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, PV2IV also increased cellular protein levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and mRNA for tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha). Similar to the effects of a high dose of LPS, the fraction PV2 could trigger activation-induced cell death (AICD) by stimulating caspase-3 activity and reduction of MTT uptake in monocytes/macrophages. These results may help our understanding of the molecular mechanism of P. vulgaris, which exhibited both immune stimulatory and anti-inflammatory effects against microbial invasion.
PMID: 16273294 Int J Mol Med. 2005 Dec;16(6):1109-16. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Isolation and characterization of an anti-HSV polysaccharide from Prunella vulgaris.
Xu HX, Lee SH, Lee SF, White RL, Blay J.
Abstract
A water soluble substance was isolated from a Chinese herb, Prunella vulgaris, by hot water extraction, ethanol precipitation and gel permeation column chromatography. Chemical tests showed that the substance was an anionic polysaccharide. Using a plaque reduction assay, the polysaccharide at 100 microg/ml was active against the herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2), but was inactive against cytomegalovirus, the human influenza virus types A and B, the poliovirus type 1 or the vesicular stomatitis virus. The 50% plaque reduction dose of the polysaccharide for HSV-1 and HSV-2 was 10 microg/ml. Clinical isolates and known acyclovir-resistant (TK-deficient or polymerase-defective) strains of HSV-1 and HSV-2 were similarly inhibited by the polysaccharide. Pre-incubation of HSV-1 with the polysaccharide at 4, 25 or 37 degrees C completely abrogated the infectivity of HSV-1, but pre-treatment of Vero cells with the polysaccharide did not protect cells from infection by the virus. The addition of the polysaccharide at 0, 2, 5.5 and 8 h post-infection of Vero cells with HSV-1 at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of five reduced the 20 h-yield of intracellular infectious virus by 100, 99, 99 and 94%, respectively. In contrast, a similar addition of heparin showed 85, 63, 53 and 3% reduction of intracellular virus yield, respectively. These results suggest that the polysaccharide may inhibit HSV by competing for cell receptors as well as by some unknown mechanisms after the virus has penetrated the cells. The Prunella polysaccharide was not cytotoxic to mammalian cells up to the highest concentration tested, 0.5 mg/ml and did not show any anti-coagulant activity. In conclusion, the polysaccharide isolated from P. vulgaris has specific activity against HSV and its mode of action appears to be different from other anionic carbohydrates, such as heparin.
PMID: 10588332 Antiviral Res. 1999 Nov;44(1):43-54. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Extract of Prunella vulgaris spikes inhibits HIV replication at reverse transcription in vitro and can be absorbed from intestine in vivo.
Kageyama S, Kurokawa M, Shiraki K.
Abstract
It has been reported that extracts of the spike of Prunella vulgaris (PS) exhibit anti-HIV activity at the adsorption and reverse transcription stages. In this study, the actual activity of PS in cells, kinetic analysis of the inhibitory activity of PS against HIV reverse transcriptase and the feasibility of oral administration were examined. First, to clarify whether this extract shows anti-HIV activity in cells in vitro, the number of copies of proviral DNA in HIV-exposed cells was calculated. The number of copies was significantly decreased in cells cultured in the presence of PS extract, but not in the presence of dextran sulphate. The activity of PS extract in the cells was also assessed by the drug addition test, during and after HIV adsorption. PS extract and dextran sulphate suppressed HIV production to similar levels when added after HIV adsorption. However, only PS extract suppressed HIV production at the same concentration when the drugs were added during HIV adsorption. Presumably, the penetration of the PS extract into the cells was required for this activity. Secondly, fractionated PS inhibited HIV reverse transcription in a non-competitive manner. This fractionated PS kept anti-HIV activity, but inhibited HIV replication and adsorption to a lesser extent compared to dextran sulphate. Lastly, an active component(s) was detected in plasma in vivo, after injection into the intestine, which demonstrates the feasibility of oral administration dosing.
PMID: 10819439 DOI: 10.1177/095632020001100207 Antivir Chem Chemother. 2000 Mar;11(2):157-64. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov