Jiaogulan or five-genist gynostemma: useful properties and application

Gynostemma fivefold of the Pumpkin family is a curly liana that grows naturally in the countries of Southeast Asia, China and Japan. Over the past decades, it has been actively studied in Europe and other regions of the world as a valuable medicinal plant, although it has been used in folk Chinese medicine and as a food product since 1400.From his leaves are prepared decoctions and make teas, which have a pronounced tonic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulating, adaptogenic action.

In the eastern countries, the plant is called Jiaogulan, Jiaogulan, Jiao Gu Lan or Qiaogulan, which translates literally as "a winding orchid".Gynostemma five-leaved does not require special care and can be used for decorative purposes to decorate garden areas. The plant, thanks to its amazing healing properties, is also known as the herb of immortality or the grass of longevity, southern or cheap ginseng.

Botanical Description

Five-leaf gynostemma is a perennial deciduous herbaceous plant. In natural conditions, it grows in the form of grassy or semi-arid thickets in well-lit places and in partial shade. It can be found in bushes, along roadsides, in lowlands and on slopes about 3000 m above sea level. Propagated by seeds, cuttings and layers.



The root of the plant is creeping. Stems are thin, cross-section angular-furrowed, sometimes covered with whitish pubescence, sometimes rusty at the base. Due to the presence of bifurcated antennae, they climb, they easily cling to a nearby support. Under favorable conditions, shoots can reach up to 8 m in length.

The opposite of the sheet. Leaves are complex, with long petioles. The form of the leaf blade of the palchator is individual, includes 5, rarely 3, 7 or 9 leaflets. Leaflets are bright green with a shiny surface and serrated edges, oval-elliptical or narrow-ovate, up to 8 cm long and 3 cm wide. With the onset of autumn, they acquire a red color.

The plant is dioecious, blooms from July to August. The flowers are small, unattractive, greenish-yellow or greenish-white in color, collected in the inflorescences of a brush or panicle up to 15 cm long. Male inflorescences are longer than females. In male flowers, longer stamens and reduced pistils. Corolla of flowers tubular with five narrow-lanceolate, deeply dissected lobes.

Fruits are berries up to 8 mm in diameter, black-green color, non-cracking. Within them are 2-3 seeds of broad-ovoid form with a small spine-like growth.

Interesting: The grass of jiaogulan is of decorative value. It is used for landscaping arbors, arches, as a ground cover and ampel plant. By its appearance and the nature of its growth, it somehow resembles wild grapes.

Cultivation at home

Self-cultivation of gynostemma five-leaved at home in an apartment or in garden plots is not difficult. To form seeds, it is necessary to plant lianas of both sexes. The plant is not very resistant to colds. When growing outdoors for the period of cold weather, it is recommended to cover it with leaves or other material and to warm the roots. The terrestrial part of the grass for the winter dies off, and in the spring new shoots appear.

Jiaogulan prefers neutral or slightly acidic, fertile, drained, well-moistened soils. At home, it is grown in sunny or slightly dark places, on window-sills in pots, pots and hanging pots. Before sowing the seeds are soaked for a day in warm water, then put them in pots with compost to a depth of about 2 cm. The optimal temperature for seedling is 20 - 22 ° C, the germination period is from 3 to 6 weeks. Before emergence, the pot with seeds is covered with a film. In order for the plant to branch well and grow faster, establish a support. When planting in an open ground, choose places near fences, walls, fences, arbors or specially installed supports.

Water jiaogulan should be abundant and evenly, as the soil dries up, regular fertilizing is not necessary, it is enough to fertilize the plant once a year in the spring.

Tip: When drought, the leaves are recommended to be sprayed with water in the morning to ensure a sufficient level of humidity.

Chemical Composition

For medicinal purposes, leaves and, more rarely, jiogulan seeds are used. The composition of the plant found many useful to the human body compounds:

• saponins;
• flavonoids;
• polysaccharides;
• proteins;
• amino acids;
• vitamins( B1, B2, E, C);
• minerals( Se, Ca, Zn, Mg, Mn, Fe, etc.).

Five-gened gynostemma contains more than 80 different species of saponins, 4 of which are the same as in the known for each medicinal plant ginseng. At the same time, in the ginseng itself the amount of saponins reaches only 28.

Important: In jiaogulan unlike other plants of the Pumpkin family, there is no cucurbitin compound, characterized by an unpleasant bitter taste and a nonspecific toxic effect on the body.

Useful properties

Five-leaf gynostemma is not currently a pharmacopeia plant and is not used in official medicine. However, the healing properties of the "grass of immortality" are amazing. It helps with many diseases, improves the functioning of the body, increases vitality, eliminates nervous stress, and stops aging processes. According to the research, the spectrum of biological activity of jiaogulana-based agents is comparable to ginseng, but in some diseases they are more effective. That is why the plant is often called "southern ginseng": "southern", as it grows in the south of the central part of China, and "ginseng", because it reminds ginseng of therapeutic effect.

The greatest therapeutic effect of gynostemma pyatilistic manifested with prolonged use of small doses than with short-term high. It has a beneficial effect on the functions of the digestive, cardiovascular, nervous, immune and reproductive systems, helps to strengthen the body during recovery from severe illnesses, is effective for the prevention and treatment of cancer.

The products based on jiaogulana grass have the following curative effect on the human body:

• tone, enhance physical and nervous endurance;
• reduces nervousness, prevents stress and helps them to survive;
• promote the elimination of toxic substances;
• improve metabolic processes and oxygen supply to cells;
• normalizes body weight;
• have a hypoglycemic effect;
• improves memory and cerebral circulation;
• strengthens the immune system;
• promotes the normalization of blood pressure;
• have antioxidant activity;
• normalizes the level of cholesterol in the blood;
• stops the growth of cancer formations;
• prevent the formation of blood clots.

Southern ginseng or gynostemma five-leaf can be used in the complex treatment of problems such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, arrhythmia, atherosclerosis, hepatitis, nervous exhaustion, chronic fatigue syndrome. It is effective for the prevention of heart attack and stroke. Jiaogulan helps with bronchitis, some diseases of the genitourinary and digestive system. Funds from the gynostemma will be very useful for professional athletes and people who are daily subjected to heavy physical stress.

Interesting: Wild jiaogulan, local Chinese residents living in the areas where it grows have long been brewing as tea. The scientists noted that among these people there are many, whose age exceeds 100 years and at the same time they are able to independently do household work and even earn extra money.

Fresh leaves and jiaogulana fruits are edible. The leaves can be added to vegetable salads, soups, side dishes. They have a sweet taste, so they are used as a sweetener or seasoning in the preparation of certain dishes and desserts.

Useful properties of gynostemma five-leaved have found application not only in folk medicine, but also in cosmetology. It has astringent action, removes inflammation, softens and moisturizes the skin, stimulates cell regeneration processes, slows down its aging processes. Adding it to face masks will delay the appearance of age-related changes, remove swelling, tighten and smooth the skin.

Procurement of raw materials

Leaves of jiaogulana are harvested in summer. They are torn off, cleaned of foreign impurities and damaged leaves, put on a sheet of natural cloth in a thin layer and dried in the shade in the open air for 10-14 days, periodically turning over. After the drying is over, the raw materials are packed in suitable fabric bags, glass jars or plastic containers. Store finished raw materials should be within a year in a dry room.

Despite the fact that the gynastemma can be successfully grown at home, for use in medicinal purposes it will have less valuable useful properties than the raw material growing in the natural area. The same applies to plants grown in greenhouses on an industrial scale. However, such a plant can still be used for making tea or salads. The quality and chemical composition of the jiaogulana grass depends on the region of growth.

Ways of using

The most popular remedy of the five-piece gynostemma or the "herb of immortality" is a leaf tea. This drink has a pronounced tonic effect on the body, so it is recommended to use it in the morning. Tea from jiaogulana is characterized by a pleasant spicy-sweet herbal aroma and a sweet slightly tart taste with light bitter taste.

Preparation of tea

For preparation of tea from jiaogulana it is possible to use both fresh and dry leaves of a plant. In order to get the maximum benefit, it is important to strictly follow the cooking technology. It is better to take water for tea purified through a filter or bottled, and not from a tap. Preparing a drink at the rate of 2 tsp.fresh or 1 tsp.dry the leaves of the plant with 250 ml of water. The optimum temperature for brewing tea is 80 - 85 ° C.After the leaves are filled with hot water, they are insisted for no more than 3 minutes, and then filtered and drink the resulting beverage. Use this tea should be after eating. The same leaves can be brewed several times, but each time it will be necessary to increase the infusion time. Naturally, the taste and medicinal value of the plant will decrease after each brewing.

Advice: When preparing tea, it is not recommended to use steep boiling water for brewing, since in this case the taste of the drink will acquire more bitterness.

Precautions

Contraindications of the five-genist gyno-system include individual intolerance or allergy to the plant. Also, it can not be used by pregnant women, nursing women and children due to the lack of sufficient studies to confirm its safety for these categories of people.

As with any medicinal plants, you should consult your doctor before starting tea or other medicines from jiaogulana. With care, it is necessary to treat this plant with patients with hypertension, kidney failure, sleep disorders.

Video about healing properties of gynostemma five-leaved: