What is Achyranthes root extract powder?

Achyranthes root, or known as Huai Niu Xi in Pinyin, is a common bulk Chinese herb. Being one of the most famous Four Huai medicines, it has a long history of cultivation and application in China. And it got its name because it was mainly produced in the historical Huai Qing Fu, where locates in today’s Jiaozuo in Henan province. In addition, the reason for the name of Niu Xi is twofold: the cylindrical Achyranthes have angular stem and enlarged node that looks like a bull’s knee, plus the healing power of this herb is just like the power of a bull. In TCM remedies it is commonly used as a medicine to unblock collaterals and activate blood. Clinically physicians love to prescribe it for the treatment of a variety of arthritis, osteoproliferation, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases (including coronary heart disease, cerebral thrombosis, and cerebral arteriosclerosis), and gynecological diseases (including emmeniopathy, leukorrheal diseases, and various antenatal and postpartum illness). 

 Functions  

1. The total saponins contained have obvious excitation on uterine smooth muscle;

2. Its benzene extract has significant anti-fertility, anti-implantation and anti-pregnancy effects. And the active ingredient of antifertility is ecdysterone;

3. Its alcohol extract has cardiac inhibition on the experimental small animals;

4. Its decoction has myocardial inhibition on the anesthetized dogs;

5. Its decoction and alcohol extract have short-lived lowering blood pressure and mild diuretic effects, accompanied by respiratory excitatory effect;

6. It can reduce rat's whole blood viscosity, hematocrit, erythrocyte aggregation index, and it has anticoagulant effect too;

7. Ecdysterone has lipid-lowering effect, and thus can significantly lower blood sugar;

8. It has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. And it can improve immune function;

9. Its decoction inhibits the isolated intestine of mice and strengthens the contractions of isolated intestine of guinea pig.