Smilax glabra.  土 茯 苓 Tǔ fú líng   Smooth greenbrier, Sarsaparilla, Catbrier, China Root Family: Liliaceae      
Smilax glabra is used in Chinese herbology. It is also a key ingredient in the Chinese medical dessert; gui líng gao, which makes use of its property to set certain kinds of jelly.This herb is native to China, the Himalayas, and Indochina.
PART USED: Dry root- harvested late Autumn to early Winter.
Nature: Neutral   FLAVOR: Sweet, Tasteless, Cool tasting    CHANNEL: Liver, Stomach
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Clear Heat- Neutralize toxins
1. Relieves toxicity and eliminates Dampness.[4] Diuretic.[3] Stomach tonic.[1] Promote fluids.[1]
2. Clears Damp Heat from the skin.[4]
3. Neutralize toxins.
INDICATIONS- Assistant herb for acute hepatitis
1. Leptospirosis (infestation of spirochetes), sore pain in joints, leukorrhea. Joint pain.[4]
2. Indigestion, diarrhea.[1] Jaundice due to Damp Heat.[3]
3. Nephritis, cystitis.[1] Turbid and painful urination.[4]
4. Lymphadenopathy.[1]
5. Recurrent ulcers and other Hot skin diseases.[3] Chronic Damp rash or other skin diseases.[3]
6. Boils and abscesses, furuncles, syphilis.[1] Carbuncle. Chronic boils and abcesses.[3]
7. Problems secondary to syphilis.[4]
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Use with caution in cases of Liver and Kidney Yin deficiency.[4]
PATENT COMBINATIONS
- Skin lesions due to Damp Heat or Heat and Toxicity: Clears Damp Heat, Clear Heat and resolves Toxicity Sophora & Atractylodes- Qu shi bao tong chong ji.
COMBINATIONS
PREPARATIONS: Decoction. Dried rhizome  15-50 g.
 15-30 g.[1,3] 15-60 g.[2,4] Good quality if lightb rown and powdery.
         
HABITAT: Grows wild on uplands.
DESCRIPTION: Climbing, trailing shrub. Root; thick and fleshy, flat-rounded nodes. Stem fine and long, smooth with no thorns. Leaves; leathery, alternate, elliptical-lanceolate, 3 basal veins, petiole short, stipule becoming 2 tendrils. Flowers, in early summer, light yellow axillary flowers appear, in an umbellate inflorescence. Berry; red, globular.
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
Trials for cancer of gastrointestinal tract have been conducted.[3]
References
[1] Translation notes from Gary Seiford and Hocu Huhn- NSW College of Natural Therapies. Sydney Australia (1982).

Sarsaparilla (Smilax Glabra Rhizome) Extract Inhibits Cancer Cell Growth by S Phase Arrest, Apoptosis, and Autophagy via Redox-Dependent ERK1/2 Pathway.
She T, Qu L, Wang L, Yang X, Xu S, Feng J, Gao Y, Zhao C, Han Y, Cai S, Shou C.
Abstract
Cancer is still the major cause of death across the world. Regular approaches cannot effectively solve the emerging problems, including drug/radiation resistance, side effects, and therapeutic ineffectiveness. Natural dietary supplements have shown effectiveness in the prevention and treatment of cancer. Sarsaparilla (Smilax Glabra Rhizome) has growth-inhibitory effects on several cancer cell lines in vitro and in vivo, with little toxicity on normal cells. However, the mechanism underlying its function remains elusive. In the present study, we examined the anticancer activity of the supernatant of the water-soluble extract (SW) from sarsaparilla. Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry-ion trap-time-of-flight (LC/MS-IT-TOF) analysis identified flavonoids, alkaloids, and phenylpropanoids as the major bioactive components of SW. SW was shown to markedly inhibit the growth of a broad spectrum of cancer cell lines in the in vitro and in vivo assays. S phase arrest, autophagy, or/and apoptosis were partly responsible for SW-induced growth inhibition. Results of microarray analysis and validation by quantitative RT-PCR indicated the involvement of oxidative stress and the MAPK1 pathway in SW-treated cells. We further found that SW destroyed intracellular-reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) balance, and supplement with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) or glutathione (GSH) significantly antagonized SW-induced S phase arrest, apoptosis, and autophagy. In addition, SW-induced GSH/GSSG imbalance activated the ERK1/2 pathway, which contributed to SW-induced S phase arrest, apoptosis, autophagy, and resultant growth-inhibitory effect. Together, our results provide a molecular basis for sarsaparilla as an anticancer agent.
PMID: 25732255 DOI: 10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-14-0372  Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2015 May;8(5):464-74. doi: 10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-14-0372. Epub 2015 Mar 2. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Antiviral and anti-proliferative glycoproteins from the rhizome of Smilax glabra Roxb (Liliaceae).
Ooi LS, Wong EY, Chiu LC, Sun SS, Ooi VE.
Abstract
The glycoproteins possessing antiviral and anti-proliferative activities were isolated from the Chinese medicinal herb Smilax glabra (known as tufuling), by extraction with 0.2 M NaCl, ammonium sulfate precipitation, fetuin-agarose affinity chromatography and gel filtration. The molecular mass of the fetuin-binding glycoprotein (designated SGPF2) was estimated to be about 58 kDa, with a major protein subunit of 26 kDa. The non-fetuin binding glycoproteins (in the unadsorbed fraction) were further separated into 5 different subfractions (SGPF1a-SGPF1e) with anion-exchange chromatography, all of which also contained the major band at 26 kDa. All the isolated proteins of 26 kDa had similar N-terminal amino acid sequences, implying that they were probably the isoforms originated putatively from a multigene family with different binding affinity and ionic strength. The glycoprotein SGPF2 exhibited antiviral activity against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) with a median inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) of 62.5 microg/ml and Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) had an IC(50) of 31.3 microg/ml. The glycoprotein potencies for antiviral activity appeared to depend on the molecules' binding affinity for fetuin, that is, the fetuin-binding protein was more potent than the non-fetuin binding proteins. Further examination revealed that these glycoproteins also had the ability to suppress the proliferation of MCF-7 cells. The possible mechanism of anti-proliferative action as analyzed by DNA flow cytometry indicated that they could induce apoptosis mediated via sub-G(1) phase of the MCF-7 cell cycle. For example, there was an increase by 75.8% of the control level of apoptosis after incubation with SGPF1a.
PMID: 18306461 DOI: 10.1142/S0192415X08005692  Am J Chin Med. 2008;36(1):185-95. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov