What is Gynostemma extract?
Gynostemma extract (Jiaogulan, Gynostemma pentaphyllum, GpM) is a Chinese medicinal herb. It is also called “Amachazuru” in Japanese and “Panjakun” in Thai. Gynostemma pentaphyllum is in the family Cucurbitaceae. It is a kind of Perennial lianas with vine-like stems and has oval leaves with serrated, white hairs and five-leaf clusters. Gynostemma grows abundantly in south-central China. The leaf is always used to make medicine. Jiaogulan is sometimes known as “Southern Ginseng” because it grows in Southern China and has a similar effect as ginseng.
Gynostemma is a kind of herbal tea that is currently being promoted and sold. It is good for health and beauty. Gynostemma is always used for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and to improve heart health. It is also beneficial to prime the immune system, improve memory, and anti-hair loss. Some people use gynostemma pentaphyllum as an antioxidant, anti-aging agent, and detoxifying agent.
Other names of Gynostemma extract
Chinese: Jiaogulan, Xiancao, Jiao Gu Lan, Jagulan,
English: Southern Ginseng, Gospel Herb, Poor Man’s Ginseng, Immortality Herb, Immortality Tea, Five Leaf Ginseng, Miracle Grass, Fairy Herb, Sweet Tea Vine, GpM, Gynostemma
Korean: Dungkulcha, Dolwe
Thai: Baan Ja Kahn, Jiaogulan
Taiwanese: Sencauw
Vietnamese: Giao Co Lam
Portuguese: Cipo-doce
Latin: Gynostemma pentaphyllum, Gynostemma pentaphyllum (Thunb.) Makino
Chemical components of Gynostemma
The main bioactive ingredients of Jiaogulan are saponins, flavonoids, chlorophyll, and carotenoids. Among them, saponins and flavonoids are identified as the beneficial features of gynostemma.
More than 230 compounds have been identified as being derived from G. pentaphyllum, and it can be divided into saponins, sterols, flavonoids, polysaccharides, and several other compounds according to its chemical structure.
Over 165 dammarane triterpene saponins, ( known as gypenosides), have been identified from Jiaogulan and four (gypenoside III, IV, VIII, and XII) of them are identical to the Panax ginseng (ginsenoside Rb1, Rb3, Rd and F2, respectively), what’s more, the amounts of these ingredients in GpM is more abundant than the Panax ginseng. Flavonoids are the most often polyphenolic plant compounds, which are also referred to as vitamin P, Flavonoids extracted from G. pentaphyllum are mainly composed of kaempferol and quercetin derivatives.
Benefits of Gynostemma extract
Weight Loss
The science behind gynostemma extract for weight loss? Because of AMPK Activation and Promoting Fat Metabolism.
Gynostemma extract helps lower triglycerides and bad cholesterol in the blood by strengthening the liver’s ability to improve lipid metabolism.
Gynostemma extract promotes the liver to convert carbohydrates into energy instead of triglycerides. Triglycerides are stored as fatty deposits in the body. AMPK is an enzyme that acts as a significant metabolic switch. It decides whether the energy should be used to meet immediate energy requirements at hand or stored as fat for future use. Gynostemma Extract is beneficial to AMPK activation. The enzyme signals the body to start consuming the energy rather than storing it as fat.
Besides, Gynostemma extract can inhibit cholesterol absorption by the body. Our body needs cholesterol to make bile acids, which are released into our intestines to digest food. Jiaogulan extract can bind the bile and cholesterol molecules to prevent their reabsorption by the body. These adhering fat molecules are excreted from the body.
Anti-tumor
Gynostemma extract has a significant anti-tumor effect in vitro and in vivo. Its mechanism of action is to inhibit the growth and reproduction of cancer cells through direct cytotoxicity. Some studies have shown that gynostemma extract has significant inhibitory effects on cultured melanoma cells (B16), Leukemia cells (L1210), lung cancer cells (3LL), and liver cancer cells (MH1C1). The inhibition effect was correlated to the concentration of GpM in the range of 2-10 ug/mL. Also, there was no adverse effect on the proliferation of normal cells.
Besides, the total saponins of gynostemma extract have direct effects on killing cultured mouse ascites cancer (EAC) and cervical cancer cells (HeLa S3). The extracts also have visible lethal effects on human gastric cancer, cervical cancer, tongue cancer, and other cultured cancer cells.
Heart healer & Improved Circulation
Animal experiments show that gypenoside have extensive protective effects on the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular system. It has a protective effect on myocardial ischemia and systolic cardiac function. It can improve the cardiotonic impact and play a critical role in central inhibitory by inhibiting the activities of Na+, K+-ATPase in the heart and brain.
It can protect against heart damage from oxygen free radicals, benefit the integrity of the myocardial cell membrane and improve the diastolic function of the myocardium during acute myocardial ischemia.
Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus has become the third-largest chronic disease in the world. In recent years, many studies have found that gynostemma pentaphyllum extract has obvious effects on controlling blood glucose and reducing the symptoms of polydipsia, polyphagia, and polyuria in diabetes. Gynostemma pentaphyllum extract has been gradually applied in clinical practice.
Yeo JY et al.found that gynostemma pentaphyllum polysaccharides can significantly reduce blood glucose levels by altering the activity of glucose metabolic enzymes.
Zhang HJ et al. found that GpM could significantly reduce insulin resistance parameters and increase glycogen concentration in the liver.
Huang Ping et al. reported that after patients with type 2 diabetic nephropathy took gynostemma extract, their blood lipid was decreased and their renal function was improved significantly, thereby reducing the amount of urinary protein in patients.
Antioxidant and Anti-aging
Gynostemma extract significantly prolongs the life of normal cells. It can inhibit lipid peroxide, reduce Ca2+ influx, and restrain cell apoptosis induced by glutamate, thereby making the weak healthy and energetic.
Gypenosides play an anti-glutamate oxidation role in immature cortical cells, thus inhibiting the apoptosis of immature cortical cells.
Gynostemma pentaphyllum saponins can also reduce the accumulation of peroxides in cells, decrease the consumption of GSH and increase the intracellular GSH content. Gynostemma pentaphyllum extract can delay natural aging by improving SOD activity and reducing free radical activity in blood.
Interactions with medications
Medications that lower the immune system
Interaction Rating: Use this combination sparingly.
Gynostemma extract can increase the activity of the immune system and decrease the effectiveness of medications. Consult with your health provider, when you take it.
The common Medications that can decrease the immune system are listed below:
sirolimus (Rapamune), prednisone (Deltasone, Orasone), muromonab-CD3 (OKT3, Orthoclone OKT3), basiliximab (Simulect), corticosteroids (glucocorticoids), azathioprine (Imuran), mycophenolate (CellCept), tacrolimus (FK506, Prograf), cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune), daclizumab (Zenapax), and others
Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs
Interaction Rating: Be cautious with this combination.
Jiaogulan extract can slow blood clotting. It will increase the chances of bruising and bleeding if you take Jiaogulan extract along with medications that slow clotting. Confirmed with your health provider, when you plan to take it.
The common medications that can slow blood clotting:
ticlopidine (Ticlid), aspirin, heparin, enoxaparin (Lovenox), warfarin (Coumadin), dalteparin (Fragmin), indomethacin (Indocin), and others.
How to take Gynostemma Extract
It is possibly safe to use even in high dosage based on long-term use of Gynostemma. For patients with high cholesterol, the standard dose of Gynostemma extract is 30 mg /day taken in three doses of 10 mg.
For the best curative effect of Gynostemma extract, it is recommended to take 30-60 mg of pure gypenosides daily.
If you take less than 5mg a day, it will most likely not contribute anything. When mixed with other medicinal herbs, a lower dose (5-10mg) of Jiaogulan extract might be sufficient.
Safety concerns
Many clinical trials proved that Gynostemma extract is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken orally short-term (up to 120 days). While the safety of long-term use is not known. Most people who take Gynostemma extract don’t experience problematic side effects. But some users may have side effects such as increased bowel movements and severe nausea.
Special Precautions & Warnings:
Pregnancy and suckling period: Jiaogulan is POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken during pregnancy. As one of the chemicals in jiaogulan extract has been linked to possible congenital disabilities. Please confirm with your doctor.
Where to buy Gynostemma extract in bulk?
Wuxi Cima Science Co., Ltd is a professional manufacturer of Gynostemma extract for more than 15years with high quality, full specification, and stable stock. You can get professional technical knowledge and a more comfortable price from us.
For American customers, you can get the bulk as soon as you need, as we can keep the stock for you in our US warehouse.
Just feel free to contact me, if you want to know more information about the price, the certificate of analysis, MSDS, and so on.
