Pulsatilla chinensis, Anemone chinensis, Anemone pulsatilla, Bai tou weng, -Eastern-

- Dysenteric disorders due to Damp heat or epidemic toxins, with Phellodendron chinense- Huang bai, Coptis chinensis Huang lian and Fraxinus rhynchophylla- Qin pi.^[5]
- Febrile malarial disorders, with Bupleurum chinense- Chai hu, Scutellaria baicalensis- Huang qin and Areca catechu- Bing lang.^[5]
- External wash for itchy vaginal discharge, with Sophora flavescens- Ku shen.^[5] Trichomoniasis, use with Sophora flavescens - Ku shen.

[1] Barefoot Doctor's Manual- 1977 Prepared by the Revolutionary Health Committee of Hunan Province. Original Chinese manual- Victor W. Sidel. Originally published by Dr Joseph Quin and the Fogarty International centre, Bethdesda (1974). Madrona Publishers Seattle Washington ISBN 0-914842-52-8
[2] A Complete English Dictionary of Medicinal Terms in Chinese Acupuncture and Herbalism 1981 - Henry Lu Chinese Foundations of Natural Health- The Academy of Oriental Heritage, Vancouver, Canada.
[3] The Chinese Materia Medica A practical English- Chinese Library of Traditional Chinese Medicine Publishing House of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Director Hu Ximing ISBN 7-81010-111-X/R-110
[4] Translation notes from Gary Seiford and Hocu Huhn- NSW College of Natural Therapies. Sydney Australia (1982).
[5] Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica- Dan Bensky and Andrew Gamble- Eastland Press 1986 Seattle Washington ISBN 0-939616-15-7
[6] Chinese Medicinal Herbs- Beatrice Bliss (1973) Compiled by Li Shi- Chen. Translated and Researched by F. Porter Smith and G. A. Stuart. Geogetown Press, San FranciscoISBN 0 914558005
Images
1. epharmacognosy.com
2. kamwostore.com

Research

Triterpenoids from Pulsatilla chinensis.
Ye WC1, Ji NN, Zhao SX, Liu JH, Ye T, McKervey MA, Stevenson P.
Abstract
A new lupane type triterpenic acid, pulsatillic acid, and two new lupane type triterpenoid glycosides, pulsatilloside A and B, along with the known 23-hydroxybetulinic acid were isolated from the roots of Pulsatilla chinensis. Their structures were characterized as 3-oxo-23-hydroxy-lup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid, 3 beta, 23-dihydroxy-lup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid 3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyranoside and 3 beta, 23-dihydroxy-lup-20(29)-en-28-oic acid 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside on the basis of hydrolysis and spectral evidence including two-dimensional relay HOHAHA, one-dimensional multiple relay COSY and ROESY NMR techniques. Pulsatillic acid exhibited cytotoxic activities against P-388, Lewis lung carcinoma and human large-cell lung carcinoma.
PMID: 8768325 Phytochemistry. 1996 Jun;42(3):799-802. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Antischistosomal Properties of Hederacolchiside A1 Isolated from Pulsatilla chinensis
Naixin Kang, Wenhua Shen, Hongwei Gao, Yulin Feng, Weifeng Zhu, Shilin Yang, Yanli Liu,*, Qiongming Xu,* and Di Yu ID
Abstract:
Background: Schistosomiasis is a major neglected disease for which the current control strategy involves mass treatment with praziquantel, the only available drug. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop new antischistosomal compounds. Methods: The antischistosomal activity of hederacolchiside A1 (HSA) were determined by total or female worm burden reductions in mice harboring Schistosoma japonicum or S. mansoni. Pathology parameters were detected on HSA against 1-day-old S. japonicum-harboring mice. Moreover, we confirmed the antischistosomal effect of HSA on newly transformed schistosomula (NTS) of S. japonicum in vitro. Results: HSA, a natural product isolated from Pulsatilla chinensis (Bunge) Regel, was initially corroborated to possess promising antischistosomal properties. We demonstrated that HSA had high activity against S. japonicum and S. mansoni less in 11 days old parasites harbored in mice. The antischistosomal effect was even more than the currently used drugs, praziquantel, and artesunate. Furthermore, HSA could ameliorate the pathology parameters in mice harboring 1-day-old juvenile S. japonicum. We also confirmed that HSA-mediated antischistosomal activity is partly due to the morphological changes in the tegument system when NTS are exposed to HSA. Conclusions: HSA may have great potential to be an antischistosomal agent for further research.
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New lupane glycosides from Pulsatilla chinensis.
Ye W, Zhang Q, Hsiao WW, Zhao S, Che CT.
Abstract
Two new lupane glycosides along with five known triterpenoids were isolated from the roots of Pulsatilla chinensis (Ranunculaceae). The structures of the new glycosides were determined to be 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->3)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-23-hydroxybetulinic acid 28-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester (pulsatilloside D, 6) and 3-O-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->4)][alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)]-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-23-hydroxybetulinic acid 28-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl ester (pulsatilloside E, 7) by spectroscopic analysis and chemical methods. The compounds were evaluated for cytotoxic activities against K-562 human leukemia and HeLa cells.
PMID: 11859478 DOI: 10.1055/s-2002-20254
Planta Med. 2002 Feb;68(2):183-6. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Giardia intestinalis: effects of Pulsatilla chinensis extracts on trophozoites.
Li LD, Li WC, Liu CW, Shi WJ, Gong PT, Li JH, Zhang GC, Yang J, Li H, Zhang XC.
Abstract
Pulsatilla chinensis is a medicinal root plant that has been used to treat a wide range of disease conditions. Our study determined the antiprotozoal activity of various P. chinensis extracts and fractions against Giardia intestinalis including their effects on parasite growth, cell viability, adherence, and morphology. Ethyl acetate extracts (IC50 = 257.081 μg/ml) were the most active to inhibit the growth of G. intestinalis followed by aqueous extract (PWE), saponins, and n-butanol extract. The PWE and ethyl acetate extract inhibited G. intestinalis trophozoites adherence after 3 h of incubation and killed almost 50 % of the parasite population in a time-dependent manner. Changes in morphology, presence of precipitates in the cytoplasm, dissolved cytoplasm with large vacuole, break of flagella and ventral disk, membrane blebs, and intracellular and nuclear clearance of the treated trophozoites were observed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. We demonstrated that P. chinensis induced these changes in G. intestinalis morphology and consequently has potential therapeutic use against giardiasis.
PMID: 22814769 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-012-3035-2
Parasitol Res. 2012 Nov;111(5):1929-35. doi: 10.1007/s00436-012-3035-2. Epub 2012 Jul 20. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of Pulsatilla chinensis (Bunge) Regel saponins against juvenile and adult Schistosoma japonicum in vitro. [Article in Chinese]
Chen YQ, Zhang QY, Li XR, Zhuge HX, Yang SL, Xu QM.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
To explore the effect of Pulsatilla chinensis (Bunge) Regel saponins (PRS) against juvenile and adult Schistosoma japonicum and to compare its efficacy with praziquantel (PZQ) in vitro.
METHODS:
3 h, 7 d, 14 d schistosomula and 42 d adult schistosomes were incubated with 0, 1, 5, 10, 20 and 30 microg/ml PRS for 4, 24, 48 and 72 hours, then the states of them were observed. The changes of the surface of S. japonicum incubated with 30 microg/ml PRS and PZQ within 4 hours were observed by a scanning electron microscope.
RESULTS:
The sensitivity of 3 h, 7 d, 14 d schistosomula and adults of S. japonicum to 1, 5, 10, 20, 30 microg/ml PRS displayed a time and dose dependence. All the worms died in 30 microg/ml PRS after 4 hours. The dead worm body appeared a gray-white color accompanied with their altered morphogenesis and opaque body. The tegumental surface of adults with different degrees of damages was observed by the electron microscope within 4 hours affected by PRS in vitro.
CONCLUSIONS:
The effects of PRS against S. japonicum in different developmental stages in vitro show that PRS may eventually have a therapeutic potential in the treatment or prevention of S. japonicum infection and is expected to become a new anti-schistosome drug.
PMID: 24490394 Zhongguo Xue Xi Chong Bing Fang Zhi Za Zhi. 2013 Dec;25(6):604-9. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

An active molecule from Pulsatilla chinensis, Pulsatilla saponin A, induces apoptosis and inhibits tumor growth of human colon cancer cells without or with 5-FU.
Xu L, Cheng G, Lu Y, Wang S.
Abstract
Colon cancer is one of the common types of digestive malignancy. The efficacy of the first-line chemotherapy drug for colon cancer, fluorouracil (5-FU), remains limited in clinical settings due to poor efficacy and significant side effects. In the present study, the anticancer activity of an active compound from Pulsatilla chinensis extracts, Pulsatilla saponin A (PsA), was isolated and examined in vitro and in vivo. It was demonstrated that PsA significantly inhibited the growth of human colon cancer HT-29 cells. This inhibitory activity was also observed when the compound was tested in a colon cancer xenograft mouse model. Additionally, the synergic antitumor effects of PsA and 5-FU on colon cancer cells were observed. Using annexin V and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase 2'-deoxyuridine 5'-triphosphate nick end labeling assays, it was demonstrated that levels of apoptosis induction in HT-29 cells treated with PsA or 5-FU were significantly increased compared with the untreated control cells (P<0.05). Western blot analyses were then performed, and the results revealed an increase in tumor protein 53 and cleaved caspase 9, and a decrease in B-cell lymphoma 2 protein expressions in PsA and PsA + 5-FU treated colon cancer cells compared with the vehicle-treated (PBS) cells. In summary, PsA exhibited anticancer activity in human colon cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, in isolation and synergistically with 5-FU, through apoptosis induction.
PMID: 28529594 PMCID: PMC5431750 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2017.5884
Oncol Lett. 2017 May;13(5):3799-3802. doi: 10.3892/ol.2017.5884. Epub 2017 Mar 21. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov