Dosage

Intervention: 5 to 10 drops per day.
Treatment: 10-15 drops, 3 times per day max.

Directions for use

Shake before using. Take directly on the tongue or in a half glass of water or tea, 15 to 30 minutes
before meals. For long-term treatment, use 6 days out of 7.

Mode of Action
With so many saponins present in jiaogulan, adaptogenic action is its primary application. According to Selye, Brekhman, and the Eclectics, adaptogens have three characteristics: innocuous to the body, safe and non-toxic, non-specific in action, have a normalising effect, Increasing non-specific resistance to stress, the hallmark action of adaptogenic herbs, seems quite important, perhaps especially in this time in history. More than ever, it seems people are pulled in many different directions, juggling multiple tasks simultaneously, and trying to balance life on the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual levels. Food is obtained and eaten faster, sleep is more disturbed, and time to be in nature, to relax, and to reset keeps getting put on the back burner. Environmental pollutants may add to the load of stressors in the body. Adaptogenic herbs, Gynostemma pentaphyllum among them, are not a substitute for lifestyle choices that can diminish stress, but they may help lessen the impact of stress.

Endogenous antioxidants are as critical to quelling free radical activity than those found in foods or taken as supplements. These include enzymes needed for redox reactions, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (Gpx), and catalase (CAT). In addition, alpha lipoid acid (ALA), coenzyme Q10, selenium, copper, magnesium, carnitine, and vitamins B1 and B2 are needed as cofactors for these reactions. In a study done in China, 51 patients were given a panglycoside extract of Gynostemma pentaphyllum, 60 mg TID for 2 months, and the control group of 40 patients were given placebo. The treatment group showed increased erythrocyte SOD levels, decreased lipid peroxidase levels, and increased memory quotient compared to placebo. The antioxidant activity of jiaogulan may potentially protect tissues against oxidative damage, lessen development of chronic disease, slow aging, contribute to enhanced memory and learning, and help rejuvenate all body systems, increasing overall energy.

Gynostemma pentaphyllum extract and its component gypenoside XLIX have demonstrated an ability to modulate inflammation through inhibition of NF Kappa B. This anti-inflammatory activity may protect organ systems in the body, including the digestive, urinary, reproductive, and nervous systems.
Gynostemma pentaphyllum has been shown to have NO-regulatory activity, increasing and decreasing production as needed. Nitric oxide (NO) regulation is important in all body system functions. If too high or too low, it can be a significant contributor to disease. In the cardiovascular (CV) system in particular, NO has been identified as a signaling molecule. Statin drugs appear to play a role in increasing nitric oxide synthase activity, which may be helpful in managing oxidative damage and inflammatory activity in CV disease. Jianogulan’s NO-regulating effects may lead to: dilation of blood vessels, increasing blood flow interference with blood clotting mechanisms and reducing thrombosis.
improvement in lipid levels, including LDL, HDL, and VLDL prevention of oxidative damage to vessel walls, decreasing opportunity for plaque formation regulation of blood pressure changes in the inflammatory response.

Helpful Associations
Aswagandha extract (available at Blissdorf)

Reishi extract (available at Blissdorf)

Chaga extract (available at Blissdorf)

Gotu Kola extract (available at Blissdorf)

Ethnobotany
Gynostemma pentaphyllum has been found to support the reproductive system. Because it has been shown to increase nitric oxide levels, it may help improve penile erection, increase sperm production and motility, and protect sperm from oxidative damage in men, and may enhance ovarian function and egg development, and help to prepare the body for pregnancy and childbirth in women.
Neurodegenerative diseases may be related to life stressors, as well as toxins in the environment. The deeper reactional mode or diathesis is where disease seem to be expressed more and more. Anxiety and depression are showing up in many patients. The diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, sometimes interwoven with or mistaken as Lyme disease or chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS), is being untangled. A large number of patients express Parkinson’s disease, ALS, and Huntington’s disease, as well as the overwhelming challenge of Alzheimers dementia. Treatment of the disease expressions that are deep in the nervous system require complex therapeutic approaches. Nitric oxide regulation seems to be an important factor and antioxidant foods and antioxidant-inducing herbs are likely to have a role in treatment. Gynostemma pentaphyllum has potential in both prevention and treatment due to its ability to regulate NO and enhance antioxidant activity.

History
The documented history of jiaogulan goes back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) when it was harvested wild for food. The medical history of this lesser known herb goes back to 1578 AD, when a renowned herbalist, Li Shi-Zhen, included a sketch and description of jiaogulan in his classical book, Compendium of Materia Medica. He described the herb usefulness in treating hematuria, edema and pain of the pharynx, heat and edema of the neck, tumors and trauma.
People in the provinces of Guizhou, Guangxi, and Sichuan in the mountains of south central China have historically used jiaogulan, which they called xiancao, in place of green tea. A 1970s census in China showed a high percentage of centenarians, with low incidences of diseases that usually afflict the aging, in these regions. This led to research on jiaogulan’s possible antiaging properties. In 1972, The Research Group of Combined Traditional Chinese-Western Medicine of Qu Jing did the first study evaluating the therapeutic effects of the herb on 537 cases of chronic tracheo-bronchitis. To date, over 300 scientific papers have been published, and Gynostemma pentaphyllum has been included in the Dictionary of Chinese Materia Medica. The TCM qualities of jiaogulan are described as sweet, slightly bitter, neutral, warm, enhancing “yin” and supporting “yang,” and would be used to increase resistance to infection and to reduce inflammation.
The Japanese have also had an interest in Gynostemma pentaphyllum, which they call amachazuru. This interest began when the Japanese government called for research on plants that could be used as substitutes for sugar. Amachazuru was investigated because of its sweet taste (Amacha = sweet, cha = tea, guru = vine). In 1977-78, Dr Masahiro Nagai initially discovered the saponins similar to those in ginseng, which were named gypenosides. Over the next 10 years, another Japanese researcher, Dr Takemoto, along with his research group, identified 82 saponins in Amachazuru. Since then, 174 different gypenosides, 9 of whcich are also found in Panax, have been identified in Gynostemma pentaphyllum. 1

Contra-Indications
Pregnancy; Caution with breastfeeding and early childhood, people with blood-clotting deficiency or on blood-thinning medications. Discontinue if taking medicine to suppress immune function.

Interactions
Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs). Jiaogulan might slow blood clotting. Taking jiaogulan along with medications that also slow blood clotting might increase the risk of bruising and bleeding