Uncaria rhynchophylla Uncaria rhynchophylla.  钩 藤 Gōu téng   Gambir vine   Family: Rubiaceae    
Because this herb is extermely bitter, Trichosanthes kirilowii- Gua lou is often substituted.
Nature: Cool, Cold    FLAVOR: Sweet, pleasant, Slightly bitter
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Endogenous Wind- (Anticonvulsives)
1. Anticonvulsive.
2. Clear Heat. Clears fevers.[1]
3. Calm Down Liver. Soothes the Liver.[1]
4. Bring down blood pressure.
5. Stops gas (flatus) formation.[1]
6. Releives convulsions.[1]
INDICATIONS
1. Dizziness.[1,2] Vertigo.[2] Headache.[1,2]
2. Convulsions in children.[1,2] Hypertension.[1,2]
PATENT COMBINATIONS
PREPARATIONS: Decoction- Curved thorns on stem  9-15 g- Do not overcook.[1]
Dry branch 6-12 g.[2]

HABITAT: Grows wild in valleys and on slopes.
DESCRIPTION: Climbing shrub. Stem; smooth, non-pubescent, small branches rounded-oblong. Leaves; opposite, ovate or oval, apexes acute, bases cuneate, margins intact or slightly undulate, with singly curved or doubly-curved thorns growing from axils. Flowers; in late summer, small terminal or axillary yellowish-green flowers appear to form capitulum inflorescences. Capsule spindle-shaped, 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

Uncaria rhynchophylla and its Major Constituents on Central Nervous System: A Review on Their Pharmacological Actions
Wen Yang, Siu-Po Ip, Ling Liu, Yan-Fang Xian, Zhi-Xiu Lin
Abstract
Background: Uncaria rhynchophylla (Miq.) Jacks (Rubinaceae), a common herbal medicine known as Gou-teng in Chinese, is commonly used in Chinese medicine practice for the treatment of convulsions, hypertension, epilepsy, eclampsia and other cerebral diseases. The major active components of U. rhynchophylla are alkaloids, terpenoids and flavonoids. The protective effects of U. rhynchophylla and its major components on central nervous system (CNS) have become a focus of research in recent decades.
Objective: The study aimed to systematically summarize the pharmacological activities of U. rhynchophylla and its major components on the CNS.
Methods: This review summarized the experimental findings from our laboratories, together with other literature data obtained through a comprehensive search of databases including the Pubmed and the Web of Science.
Results: U. rhynchophylla and its major components such as rhynchophylline and isorhynchophylline have been shown to have neuroprotective effects on Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, depression, cerebral ischaemia through a number of mechanisms including anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory actions and regulation on neurotransmitters.
Conclusion: U. rhynchophylla and its major components have multiple beneficial pharmacological effects on CNS. Further studies on U. rhynchophylla and its major components are warranted to fully illustrate the underlying molecular mechanisms, pharmacokinetics, and toxicological profiles of these naturally occurring compounds and their potential for clinical application.
Curr Vasc Pharmacol 2020;18(4):346-357. doi: 10.2174/1570161117666190704092841. PMID: 31272356 DOI: 10.2174/1570161117666190704092841 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Uncaria rhynchophylla, a Chinese medicinal herb, has potent antiaggregation effects on Alzheimer's beta-amyloid proteins
Hironori Fujiwara 1, Koh Iwasaki, Katsutoshi Furukawa, Takashi Seki, Mei He, Masahiro Maruyama, Naoki Tomita, Yukitsuka Kudo, Makoto Higuchi, Takaomi C Saido, Sumihiro Maeda, Akihiko Takashima, Masahiko Hara, Yasushi Ohizumi, Hiroyuki Arai
Abstract
Because the deposition of beta-amyloid protein (Abeta) is a consistent pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains, inhibition of Abeta generation, prevention of Abeta fibril formation, or destabilization of preformed Abeta fibrils would be attractive therapeutic strategies for the treatment of AD. We examined the effects of several medicinal herbs used in traditional Chinese medical formulae on the formation and destabilization of Abeta fibrils by using the thioflavin T binding assay, atomic force microscopic imaging, and electrophoresis. Our study demonstrates that several of these herbs have potent inhibitory effects on fibril formation of both Abeta(1-40) and Abeta(1-42) in concentration-dependent manners; in particular, Uncaria rhynchophylla inhibited Abeta aggregation most intensively. Significant destabilization of preformed Abeta(1-40) and Abeta(1-42) fibrils was also induced by Uncaria rhynchophylla as well as some other herb extracts. Three-dimensional HPLC analysis indicated that the water extract of this herb contains several different chemical compounds, including oxindole and indol alkaloids, which have been regarded as neuroprotective. Our results suggest that Uncaria rhynchophylla has remarkably inhibitory effects on the regulation of Abeta fibrils, and we conclude that this medicinal herb could have the potency to be a novel therapeutic agent to prevent and/or cure AD.
J Neurosci Res 2006 Aug 1;84(2):427-33. PMID: 16676329 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.20891 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov