1. Astragalus
Astragalus has the effects of replenishing qi and strengthening the exterior, expelling toxins and pus, diuresis, and promoting tissue regeneration. It is used for qi deficiency and fatigue, chronic diarrhea and prolapse of the anus, spontaneous sweating, edema, prolapse of the uterus, proteinuria in chronic nephritis, diabetes, and wounds that do not heal for a long time. Astragalus has the effects of enhancing the body's immune function, protecting the liver, diuresis, anti-aging, anti-stress, lowering blood pressure, and a wide range of antibacterial effects. Astragalus can eliminate experimental nephritis proteinuria, enhance myocardial contractility, and regulate blood sugar levels. In addition, astragalus can not only dilate coronary arteries, improve myocardial blood supply, and enhance immune function, but also delay the process of cell aging.Pharmacological studies have shown that astragalus has the effects of strengthening myocardial contractility, relaxing coronary blood vessels, lowering blood pressure, protecting liver cells, and lowering blood sugar. In clinical practice, astragalus is often used in combination with yin-nourishing drugs (such as Radix Rehmanniae, Scrophulariae, Radix Ophiopogonis, etc.) to treat diabetes.
2. Lycium bark
The root bark of Lycium barbarum is a plant of the Solanaceae family. The root bark contains betaine, lycium amide, β-sitosterol, cryptomeria, mead acid, linoleic acid and cinnamic acid. The root bark has the effects of clearing away heat and cooling blood. It can treat consumptive fever, night sweats, lung heat cough and asthma, vomiting blood, epistaxis, hematuria, diabetes, hypertension, carbuncle, malignant sore and other symptoms.Pharmacological studies have shown that Radix Lycii has a significant effect of lowering blood pressure and blood sugar. When rabbits are given Radix Lycii decoction, their blood sugar first rises for a short time and then drops permanently.
3. Pueraria root
Pueraria root is used for medicinal purposes. It has the functions of relieving fever, promoting body fluid and quenching thirst, and stopping diarrhea. It can also improve the symptoms of stiff neck, dizziness, headache, tinnitus, etc. in patients with hypertension. The active ingredients are daidzein, flavonoids and puerarin. The isoflavones contained in Pueraria root can moisturize the skin and restore skin elasticity. It can also slow down the aging of bone tissue cells, help calcium absorption, reduce bone calcium loss, increase bone density and prevent hollow dissolution of bones, thus avoiding osteoporosis. The active ingredients in Pueraria root can prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and effectively relieve menopausal syndrome, and can also prolong life and improve health.Flavonoids extracted from Pueraria root can increase brain and coronary blood flow, reduce vascular resistance, and have a blood pressure lowering effect. Puerarin can significantly reduce blood sugar in alloxan-induced diabetic mice, and the hypoglycemic effect is long-lasting.
4. Coptis chinensis
Coptis chinensis is cold in nature and bitter in taste. It has the functions of clearing away heat and dampness, purging fire and detoxifying. It is generally used for diarrhea, dysentery, vomiting, excessive heat and fire, irritability, carbuncle, sore and other symptoms caused by damp heat in the stomach and intestines. Modern research shows that Coptis chinensis contains ingredients such as berberine and coptisine, which have strong antibacterial effects. It also has the effects of dilating blood vessels, lowering blood pressure, lowering blood sugar, promoting bile secretion, relieving fever, anti-inflammatory, strengthening the heart, diuresis, analgesia, sedation, lowering intraocular pressure, and anti-cancer.According to clinical reports, berberine can significantly reduce blood sugar in the treatment of diabetes, and berberine decoction can reduce blood sugar in normal mice and alloxan-induced diabetic mice. Experiments have shown that berberine's hypoglycemic mechanism does not affect the secretion and release of insulin, nor does it affect the number and affinity of insulin receptors in liver cells. Instead, it produces a hypoglycemic effect by inhibiting gluconeogenesis and promoting glycolysis.
5. Ginseng
Ginseng tastes sweet, slightly bitter, and warm in nature. It enters the spleen, lung, heart, and kidney meridians. It has the effects of regulating qi and nourishing blood, calming the mind and improving intelligence, promoting fluid production and relieving cough, and nourishing and strengthening the body. It is known as the "king of herbs." Ginseng mainly contains more than 10 kinds of ginsenosides, as well as ginsenoside, β-elemene, sugars, multiple amino acids, and vitamins.Pharmacological studies have shown that ginseng has a blood sugar-lowering effect on normal dogs and alloxan-induced diabetic dogs, and has a significant blood sugar-lowering effect on alloxan-induced diabetic mice. Ginseng total saponins can significantly inhibit the hyperglycemia of alloxan-induced diabetic mice, and the effect can be maintained for 1 to 2 weeks after drug withdrawal. Clinical studies have shown that ginseng can not only improve general symptoms such as fatigue, thirst, and weakness in the treatment of diabetes, but also reduce blood sugar and urine sugar. It is suitable for patients with mild and moderate diabetes. It is more effective for patients with kidney deficiency and qi and yin deficiency according to TCM syndrome differentiation. It is not suitable for patients with yin deficiency and dryness and heat.
6. Raw Rehmannia root and Rehmannia root
Radix Rehmanniae: sweet, cold. Enters the heart, liver and kidney meridians. Has the effects of clearing heat and cooling blood, nourishing yin and promoting body fluid. Used for fever, red tongue, thirst, yin deficiency, internal heat, bone steaming, internal heat and thirst, vomiting blood, epistaxis, spots and rashes.Rehmannia root: sweet, slightly warm. Enters the liver and kidney meridians, nourishes yin and blood, replenishes essence and fills marrow. Used for liver and kidney yin deficiency, soreness of waist and knees, bone steaming and hot flashes, night sweats and spermatorrhea, internal heat and thirst, blood deficiency and sallow complexion, palpitations, irregular menstruation, metrorrhagia, dizziness, tinnitus, and premature graying of hair.
Pharmacological studies have shown that both have hypoglycemic effects and can inhibit experimental hyperglycemia. Their hypoglycemic ingredient is rehmannia.