Aspalathus linearis is a needle-shaped shrub that grows in the Cedarberg mountains in southern South Africa, with an extremely high medicinal value. In 2014, China has approved A. linearis as a new food material. Through retrieval in CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, Web of Science, PubMed and Scopus databases, the literatures were excluded, classified and summarized.On the basis of Chinese medicine theory, the traditional Chinese medicine properties were deducted. Finally, 264 relevant li-teratures were included and classified into 6 categories: review, planting, chemical composition, clinical study, pharmacological effects and safety. The traditional Chinese medicinal properties were deducted as sweet flavor and neutral property. It enters kidney, spleen, heart and liver channels. The major functions are to tonify the kidney and benefit the essence, nourish Qi and spleen, nourish Yin and prompt the production of body fluid, tranquilize mind, and relieve pain. It can be used for soreness of the waist and fatigue, sexual disinterest, limbs heaviness, thirst due to insufficiency of fluid and internal heat, irritability and insomnia, forget fulness, stomachache, joint pain, dysmenorrhea, headache. Preparation for external use can treat eczema itching. Water decoction(2-15 g) can also be used as tea directly. This paper defined the traditional Chinese medicine properties of A. linearis, so as to provide the theoretical basis for further clinical application.
Aspalathus ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Female ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

Many aging male suffer various andropause symptoms including loss of physical and mental activities. This study evaluated the putative alleviative effects of CRS-10 dandelion and rooibos extract complex (CRS-10) on the symptoms of andropause. The survival rate of TM3 Leydig cells (TM3 cells) treated with CRS-10 was measured based on typical physiological stress. After daily intake of CRS-10 for 4 weeks, the level of testosterone, physical activity and both the number and activity of sperm in older rats (18 weeks) were measured. Furthermore, thirty males were surveyed with AMS (Aging Males' Symptoms) questionnaire after intake of 400 mg of CRS-10. Overall, CRS-10 protected TM3 cells from serum restriction and oxidative stress via activation of ERK and Akt pathways. The level of testosterone and activation of spermatogenesis in rats were significantly enhanced. In addition, physical locomotion was markedly improved. Daily intake of 400 mg of CRS-10 improved the quality of life among agingmale respondents, according to a clinical survey using the AMS. The results indicate the potential of CRS-10 as a safe and efficacious natural substance for reducing or alleviating andropause symptoms.
Aging ; Andropause ; Animals ; Aspalathus ; Humans ; Leydig Cells ; Locomotion ; Male ; Motor Activity ; Oxidative Stress ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Rats ; Spermatogenesis ; Spermatozoa ; Stress, Physiological ; Survival Rate ; Taraxacum ; Testosterone

PURPOSE: To evaluate the therapeutic potential of green tea to treat renal stone, we examined the effect of green tea on the formation and the excretion of experimentally induced calcium oxalate (CaOx) stones in rat kidneys. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CaOx nephrolithiasis was induced by administering 1% ethylene glycol (EG) for 4 weeks. To investigate the effect of tea on the formation CaOx stones, the rats were simultaneously administered either 0.2% green tea or 0.5% rooibos tea. To verify the action of green tea on the excretion of CaOx stones, the rats were divided into four groups after the administration of 1% EG water for 4 weeks and then fed with either 0.2% green tea, 0.5% rooibos tea or 80mg/l furosemide-containing 1% EG water for 4 weeks. The right kidney was frozen for mRNA measurements, with the left fixed for counting crystal deposits. Twenty-four hour urine volume and urinary excretions of oxalate, uric acid, calcium and magnesium were measured. RESULTS: Urinary biochemistry and 24 hour urine output were apparently unchanged by taking either the green tea or rooibos tea. The increases of CaOx crystal deposits and osteopontin mRNA expressions in the kidneys by the administration of 1% EG water were markedly decreased by both tea intakes, while there were no significant differences in the mRNA levels of CuZn- and Mn-superoxide dismutases between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Green and rooibos teas significantly attenuated the calcium crystal depositions in the kidneys. Down-regulations of the osteopontin mRNA levels may be involved in the inhibitory effects of the teas on the renal CaOx stone formation.
Animals ; Aspalathus ; Biochemistry ; Calcium Oxalate* ; Calcium* ; Ethylene Glycol ; Kidney ; Kidney Calculi ; Magnesium ; Nephrolithiasis ; Osteopontin ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger ; Tea* ; Uric Acid ; Water

This study was designed to determine the impact of chrysoeriol on proliferation and cell cycle progression in the human multiple myeloma cell lines RPMI 8226 and KM3, and its related molecular mechanisms. Chryseoriol was identified by using the phosphorylated AKT-specific cytoblot high throughput assay. CCK-8 assay was employed to examine the growth inhibition rate and IC(50) (48 h) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs), RPMI 8226 and KM3 cells treated with chrysoeriol at various concentrations. Cells were labeled with 5-6-carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE), and the proliferation dynamics was detected by flow cytometry and analyzed with ModFit software. The cell cycles of RPMI 8226 and KM3 cells were measured by flow cytometry when the IC(50) concentration of chrysoeriol was adopted. The alterations in cell-cycle related proteins (Cyclin B1, Cyclin D1, p21) and proteins in PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway were determined by Western blot analysis. The results showed the proliferation of multiple myeloma cells was significantly inhibited by chrysoeriol, resulting in cell cycle arrest in G(2)/M phase. Chrysoeriol could significantly reduce the expression of p-AKT (s473) and p-4eBP1 (t37/46) protein, meanwhile enhanced Cyclin B1 and p21 protein expression. Similar effects were not observed in PBMNCs from normal donors. It was concluded that chrysoeriol was a selective PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway inhibitor. It restrained the proliferation of human multiple myeloma cells, but didn't affect proliferation of PBMNCs from normal donors. It might exhibit the cell cycle regulatory effect via the inhibition of PI3K-AKT-mTOR signal pathway.
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic ; pharmacology ; Aspalathus ; chemistry ; Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Flavones ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Multiple Myeloma ; pathology ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction ; drug effects ; physiology ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism