Journal of Medicinal Food Vol. 2 (1), pp. 10-11, January – June 2010 Available online at htt://www.jmedfoodplants.com ISSN 1947-3710 © Su 2010

Concise Review Snake needle grass ( diffusa): a mini review

Chen Su

Research and Development Department, Tahitian Noni International, American Fork, Utah, USA.

Accepted 19 April 2010

Snake needle grass (Hedyotis diffusa) is a popular folk medicine and has a long history of pharmacological uses in . Its main functions include anti-cancer, immune modulation, anti-inflammation, antibiotic, etc. It contains iridoids, phenolphelic com- pounds, and anthraquinones. In last 10 years, snake needle grass has been widely studied in Chinese medical and scientific fields.

Keywords: Snake needle grass, Heydotis diffusa, iridoid

Snake needle grass (SNG), Hedyotis The safety of snake needle grass was diffusa in Latin (alternate name is Olden- tested in vitro, and the result showed that landia diffusa), is widely found in China, there was no toxicity to cells at the con- Taiwan, Japan, Korea, , Malasia, Phil- centration level ranging from 100g/L to ippines and Singapore. It is an annual 1,000 g/L [2]. and belongs to family. It It is generally thought to be of low grows to 10-15 cm tall and hangs down toxicity, with a suggested daily dosage up loosely. The leaves are linear shape, about to 60 grams [1]. 1-3.5 cm long, the flowers are white, and Dozens of chemical compounds have fruits are spherical. This plant grows in been identified in SNG including iridoids, wet and warm fields [1]. falvonoids, anthraquinones, ursolic acid, ß A legend in China states that SNG ob- -sitosterol, γ-sitosterol, p-coumaric acid, tained its name when it was first discov- and organic volatile compounds [3-6]. ered to be useful in treating poisonous Li et al. found that the plant contained snake bites. There are accounts of this 3.5% of polysaccharides [7]. Zhou et al. herb in many local medical herb chronides analyzed the plant and reported that it in China [1]. It has been used both inter- contained Fe, Mn, Al, Si, Ca, and Ti [8]. nally and externally, served fresh or dried, One of the major therapeutic usages cooked with water, placed on affected of SNG in folk medicine is its anti-cancer areas of the skin, used to treat many dis- property [1]. It is also one of the most eases, such as different types of cancers studied areas in the scientific field. Zhang (lymphoma, lung cancer, nasal cancer, et al. [9] investigated the effect of SNG to gastric cancer, esophageal cancer, liver the target genes of human hepatoma cancer, rectum cancer, bladder cancer, cells, SMMC-7721. The result showed SNG leukemia, etc.), hepatitis, bronchitis, uri- significantly down-regulated oncongenes nary tract infections, tonsillitis, appendici- of pim-1, rel, ras, fos, myc, met and Bcl-2 tis, poisonous snake bites, swollen car- and up- regulated tumor suppressor gene, buncles, boils, etc. [2]. NF2 and a series of suppressor factors.

Correspondence to: Chen Su, Research and Development Department, Tahitian Noni International, 737 East, 1180 South, American Fork, Utah, USA, 84003. Email: [email protected]

Su

Research demonstrated that SNG owned duced by acetic acid. They concluded that its anti-cancer property on many different the total flavones from SNG have anti- kinds of cancers including gastric, lung, inflammatory property. cervical, skin, giloma, lymphoma, etc. As its anti-cancer and anti- [10]. inflammatory properties, SNG’s antibiotic SNG’s immune modulation effect has effect has been considered one of its most been studied widely [11]. SNG was found important therapeutic properties. The al- to promote the proliferative activity of cohol extract of SNG inhibited E. coli, spleen cells in mice, enhance the specific Agrobacterium, and Staphylococcus [13, lethal activities of human and mouse NK 14]. Additionally, iridoid glycosides iso- cells, increase B cells antibody and mono- lated from this plant were shown to inhibit cyte cytokine production, and increase LDL-oxidation [15]. Iridoid glycosides are monocytes phagocytosis of tumor cells. the main constituents of this plant [16]. Another major usage in the therapeu- SNG is well known in China and some tic treatments is SNG’s anti-inflammation of its extracts have been made as an in- property. SNG has been one of the major jection drug to treat cancers. However, ingredients in the Chinese medicine pre- SNG is hardly known in western countries, scription to treat varies inflammation dis- including the United Sate. Due to its long eases [12]. Wang et al. studied the anti- history of therapeutic usages in human, inflammatory effect of total flavones from its well studied medical properties, low SNG using several models; dimethyl- toxicity, and food use [17], introducing benzen-induced ear swollen in mice, tur- SNG to the west may open a new world in pentine-induced granuloma pouch in rats, both medical and health fields. paw edema induced by egg white in rats, and increased vascular permeability in-

References 1. Jiangsu New Medical Institute. Chinese Medicine 10. Deng YH, Gao BA, Cheng SX. The progress of Dictionary. Shanghai Scientific and Technical Pub- anti-cancer experiment and investigation of He- lisher. Shanghai. 1978. Pp. 754. dyotis diffusa. Mod. J. Integ. Trad. Chin. West. 2. Wang JY. The progress of pharmacological and Med. 18(16). 2009. clinical applications of snake needle grass. J. 11. Dan BH, Zhang JY, Du XN, Li QX, Shangxia YY, Chin. Med. Infor. 14 (13). 2007. Jietian AH, Shang PM. The immune modulation 3. Nishihama Y, Masuda K, Yamaki M, et al. Three and anti-tumor activites of snake needle grass. J. new iridoids glucosides from snake needle grass. Comb. Chinese & West. Med. 21(5):370-374, J. Planta Med, 43(1): 28-33 2001. 4. Wu RS, Zhang K, Tan GY, et al. Studies on consti- 12. Zhang WP, Yi XL, Research overview of snake tuents of diffusa Willd. Chin Pharm J needle grass. A Er Bing Med. 20(2):71-72. 2002. 40: 817-818. 2005 13. Jiang D, Wand GL. The antibiotical property inves- 5. Tong-Ing H, Gen-phon C. An anthraquinone from tigation on 22 Chinese herbs. J. LiaoNing High Hedyotis diffusa, J. Phytochem 25(8):1988-1989. Tech. 5(4):140-142. 2003. 1986. 14. Zheng XB, Song YW, Zhang SH, et al. The pig 6. Cai CL, Qian XX, Jiang DH. Chemical investigation diarrhea prevention by Chinese medicine lini- of Oldenlandia diffusa (willd.) Roxb. I. Yao Xue ments. J. Vet. (2):4-8. 2001. Xue Bao. 11:809-814. 1964. 15. Kim DH, Lee HJ, Oh YJ, et al. Iridoid glycosides 7. Li GP, Yang LS, Huang QC. The extraction and isolated from Oldenlandia diffusa inhibit LDL- determination of polysaccharides from the tissue oxidation. Arch Pharm Res. 28(10):1156-60. cells of Hedyotis diffusa. Anhui Agri. Sci. Bull. 2005. 13(3):57-58. 2007. 16. Liang ZT, Jiang ZH, Leung KSY, Zhao ZZ. Deter- 8. Zhou JP, Long SH, Huang CL. The trace metal mination of iridoid glucosides for quality assess- analysis in Hedyotis diffusa. J. Chin. Herb Med. ment of Herba Oldenlandiae by high-performance 15(12):36. 1990. liquid chromatography. Chem Pharm Bull 9. Zhang S, Song HQ, Zhous S, et al. The flavonoids 54(8):1131-1137. in Hedyotis diffusa inhibited human hepatoma 17. Kayang H. Tribal knowledge on wild edible plants cells and modulated target genes. J. Chinese Di- of Meghalaya, Northeast India. Indian Journal of gest. 15(10):1060-1065. 2007. Traditional Knowledge 6(1):177-181. 2007.

11