Cnidium Fruit Extract
Latin name: Cnidium monnieri ( L. ) Cuss
Chinese name: She Chuang Zi
Family: Umbelliferae
Genus: Cnidium
Plant original: Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cuss
Part used: Seed
Specifecation: 10%Osthole Test By HPLC
1 The summary
ShapeBeing as herbaceous thriving within one or two years, with
stem height 25—80 cm and braches around. The surface is rough with
edges. There are some short leaf sheaths on the root, with 5 pieces
of petal, white color. Double suspending fruits present long &
round shape, color in grey yellow or yellowish-brown, with
fragrance. They are divided into two pieces when being ripe.
Florescence: April to July; Fruit period: June to August.
There are epidermis cells on the fruit skin, covered by cuticle,
and with several layers of thin cell walls inside the skin, along
with brown fat inside the fruit, and rich endoderm milk also. two
piece of cotyledon.
Cultivation: Suitable for warm, humid condition in nature;
resistant to low temperature, drought-enduring as well. Not so much
relying on the soil, it can be grown in ordinary wasteland, canal
and beside the field, but better in the arenaceous soil against
sunshine and with good drainage. Breeding by seed, it is sown in
the north during March—April, gathering fruits by autumn in the
same year; and in the south during Sep.—Oct., gathering fruits by
June or July next year. It will be favourable for the fruit to
spread nitrogenous fertilizer during growth period and to spread
phosphate fertilizer during florescence.
GatheringDuring summer and autumn upon ripe fruit. Remove weeds,
leave it to dry and store in ventilated & dry places.
Distribution: Distributed in most provinces in China, mainly in Hebei, Zhejiang,
Jiangsu and Sichuan, etc. Due to different geographical position
and ecological environment, some variation occurs in the size,
shape & content of coumarin in Cnidium Fruit from different
area.
2 The main chemical composition:
Mainly as volatile oil and compounds of coumarin
Volatile oil: containing about 1.3% in the fruits, mainly as
pinene, camphene, bornyl isovalerate, isoborneol, etc.
Compounds of coumarin: mainly as esthole, osthole, xanthotoxin,
isopimpinellin, bergapten, xanthotoxol, etc.
Polysaccharides: soluble in water, consisting of several
monosaccharides. Through test by PC and HPLC, it was found that
polysaccharides are formed of
L-rhamnose（11%）D-xylose（5.3%）L-arabinose (9.8%), D-glucose and
D-galactose (73.2%).
Other ingredients: mainly as palmitic acid, -sitosterol, 5-Methyl
Uracil, Uracil, Valine, Phenylalanine, etc. and some other
inorganic elements, such as copper, manganese and zinc, etc.
Physical and chemical Properties of Osthole
CAS No.: 484-12-8
Molecular formula & molecular weightC15H16O3 244.29．colorless
raphide（ethanol）mp80～82℃UVmax(EtOH)nm(lg):249.5（3.63）,258（3.68）,322（4.15）IRmax(KBr)cm-1：1715160515601480MS
m/z:244(M+),229213201189175159131115
3 The efficacy and mechanism
The efficacy of Cnidium Fruit to invigorate the kidney &
strengthen yang has been quite researched and taken clinical
practice at every historic period in China.
More than 2,000 years ago, there was recorded that Cnidium Fruit is
with efficacy to warm kidney & strengthen yang and cure yin
cold for women. There was also records in medical skill in the
first years of Dong-Han ( Dynasty ) to cure sterility for men by
using Cnidium Fruit.
It’s proved through modern pharmacology research that Cnidium Fruit
has effect for stronger and strengthening sperm to mice. The
extract either by ethanol or by water can increase the weight of
chest gland and spleen of mice in deficiency of yang, also increase
the activation of total SOD in serum of mice.; The extract of
Cnidium Fruit has similar hormone effect to mice, which extends its
passionate period, thus increasing the weight of ovary, womb,
prostate, seminal vesicle . All these experimental results further
support the point of view in the ancient documents.
The level of T3 and T4 for the patient in asthenic yang is clearly
lower than those in good health, and TSH also clearly lower than
normal level. The level of T3 and T4 may be recovered by using
aid-yang medicines. The research shows that the level of T3, t4 and
TSH may be recovered by taking Osthole. It may be regarded as one
of the mechanisms of Cnidium Fruit’s effect to invigorate the
kidney & strengthen yang, by affecting the function of
pituitary-thyroidal axis an
