Niu Dali

Benefits & Efficacy

Benefits

Nourishes deficiency and moistens the lungs; strengthens tendons and activates meridians.

Indications

Used for lumbar muscle strain, rheumatoid arthritis, lung heat, cough due to lung deficiency, tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis, chronic hepatitis, nocturnal emission, and leukorrhea.

Precautions

Not yet established.

Chemical Constituents

To date, various chemical constituents have been isolated and identified from the roots of *Cissus quadrangularis*, primarily including flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids, terpenoids, lignans, coumarins, organic acids, and polysaccharides. 1. Flavonoids: Flavonoids are among the most common naturally occurring phytochemicals. To date, 36 flavonoid compounds have been isolated and identified from Niudali, namely Sophoraflavone (A-1), 3',7-dihydroxy-2',4'-dimethoxyisoflavone (A-2), palyastol (A-3), 2',4,4'-trihydroxychalcone (A-4), bis-deoxycurcumin (A-5), isoliquiritigenin (A-6), and morin (A-7), among others. 2. Alkaloids: Alkaloids are a class of nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds isolated from plants and are naturally occurring specialized metabolites.To date, four alkaloids have been isolated and identified from the roots of *Cissus quadrangularis*; these have been identified as cissine (B-1), N-methyl-cissine (B-2), 6-methoxy-dihydro-cissine (B-3), and orange-yellow piperamide acetate (B-4). 3. Steroids and Terpenes: Steroids are a unique class of lipids with a cyclopentane-fused hydroxyphenanthrene skeleton. Terpenes are a class of natural compounds found in all living organisms, also known as polyisoprenes.To date, steroids and terpenoids have also been isolated from Niu Dali, specifically: asterone (C-1), caffeic acid lupeol ester (C-2), 7-carbonyl-β-sitosterol (C-3), pyroctonic acid (C-4), stigmasterol (C-5),β-sitosterol (C-6), stigmasterol-3-O-β-D-glucoside (C-7), carotene (C-8), glycyrrhizic acid (C-9),7-hydroxy-chrysophanol (C-10), iron-holly acid (C-11), gua-holly glycoside (C-12), β-sitosterol acetate (C-13). 4. Lignans and coumarins: Lignans are a class of complex polyphenolic compounds and serve as important “specialized metabolites” in plants; coumarins are a class of natural compounds with heterocyclic structures that possess a sweet, aromatic scent.To date, lignans and coumarins have also been isolated and identified from Niudali, specifically open-ring isolaricetinol (D-1), bisdihydrosiringenin (D-2), polystachyol (D-3), eugenol (D-4), psoralen (D-5), and schisandrol acetate (D-6). 5. Organic Acids: Natural organic acids are present in the roots, stems, and leaves of plants. To date, the organic acids isolated from Niudali roots include adonic acid (E-1), cerotic acid (E-2), gentisic acid (E-3), vanillic acid (E-4), maleic acid (E-5), and cinnamic acid (E-6).Through GC-MS analysis of the fat-soluble components in Niudali roots, palmitic acid, myristic acid, cerotic acid, and linoleic acid were identified. Through GC-MS analysis of the fat-soluble components in Niudali vine leaves, the following organic acids were identified: lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, and heptadecanoic acid. 6. Polysaccharides: Polysaccharides are macromolecular compounds formed by the condensation and dehydration of 20 to 10,000 monosaccharide units; they are the primary active constituents in medicinal plants. Niudali is rich in polysaccharides, which are also its main active components.

Pharmacological Actions

Niu Dali is a plant with both medicinal and edible uses, exhibiting pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, liver-protective, immunomodulatory, anti-fatigue, anti-stress, expectorant, antitussive, and bronchodilatory properties.