Cotton root

Cotton root

(commonly used Chinese herbal medicine in Shanghai)

[synonym] Gossypium hirsutum root bark (Chinese medicine plant Atlas), honey root (commonly used Chinese herbal medicine in Shanghai).

[source] it is the root or root bark of Malvaceae plant Gossypium hirsutum. See "cotton" for plant morphology.

[herbal medicine] the dried root bark is tubular fragments or bundles, about 30 cm long and 0.5-1 mm thick. It is light brown on the outside, with longitudinal stripes and small pores. The cork is rough and easy to fall off. It is light brown on the inside with longitudinal lines. The fracture surface is strong and tough, and the endothelium is the fibrous layer, which is easy to separate from the outer layer. The gas is weak and the taste is pungent.

[chemical constituents] gossypol 1.8% (dry cotton root), flavonoids, vanilla acetophenone, phenolic acid, salicylic acid, colorless phenols, yellow acids, betaine, fatty alcohols, sterols and so on are contained in the root bark of Gossypium hirsutum. The root contains saponins, flavonoids and phenolic components.

(1) antitussive effect

Gossypol or asparagine separated from root bark of mice by oral cotton root bark decoction or asparagine has obvious antitussive effects (ammonia spray cough). Cotton roots were first extracted with ether to obtain "cotton ether", and then the residues were extracted with chloroform, ethyl acetate, absolute ethanol and water. The extracts were called "cotton chlorine", "cotton ester", "cotton alcohol" and "cotton water" respectively. Intraperitoneal injection of cotton root decoction or "cotton chloride" or "cotton water" also had antitussive effect in mice. However, "cotton ether", "cotton ester", "cotton alcohol" and crude extract resin of cotton root bark had no obvious antitussive effect.

② Expectorant effect

Oral administration of crude extract resin of cotton root bark in mice had obvious expectorant effect (phenol red method), but water decoction, gossypol and asparagine had no obvious effect. Intraperitoneal injection of cotton root decoction or "cotton chloride" or "cotton water" also had obvious expectorant effect, while "gossypol", "cotton ester" and "cotton ether" had only weak effect.

③ Antiasthmatic effect

Guinea pigs had a certain antiasthmatic effect (histamine spray) by oral crude extract resin or asparagine, and the decoction was ineffective. Intraperitoneal injection of cotton root extract or "cotton ether", "cotton chloride", "cotton ester", "cotton alcohol", "cotton water" had no obvious antiasthmatic effect.

④ Antibacterial and antiviral effects

In vitro, cotton root bark Decoction and its various extracts have certain inhibitory effects on pneumococcus, hemolytic streptococcus, Catacoccus, influenza bacillus, etc. Gossypol had weak antibacterial activity (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus hemolyticus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis) and antigenic activity (Trichomonas vaginalis and Amoeba histolytica), but had no effect on fungi. Gossypol has antiviral effect. Injection into allantoic cavity of chicken embryo can inhibit the reproduction of influenza A virus PR8, and its effect is stronger than that of amantadine. Gossypol nasal drip can prevent the death of mice caused by influenza A virus PR8, and it can treat the experimental pneumonia caused by the above virus for 8 days.

⑤ Anticancer effect

The contact test showed that gossypol had a significant inhibitory effect on Yoshida sarcoma and had a certain effect on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma. In the experimental transplanted tumor, the effect on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma in mice is remarkable, and it also has certain effect on sarcoma-37, sarcoma-180, ascites type liver tumor in rats, wacker's carcinosarcoma and breast cancer in mice.

⑥ Effect on uterus

The decoction or water extract of leaves and stems (i.e. the decoction plus alcohol to remove the precipitate) can excite the isolated uterus of rats and the ileum of guinea pigs. The water extract of Herba gossypii seed can excite the isolated guinea pig uterus, and it can also strengthen the contraction of the uterus.

⑦ Other functions

The water decoction of cotton root bark had no adrenocortical hormone, sex hormone or anabolic hormone like effect in rats or mice after 7-14 days of oral administration. The oxygen consumption of liver, kidney and gonad was not affected by tissue respiration. The results showed that the water extracts of leaves and stems had vasodilative effect in hind limb perfusion test of rats. Cottonseed cake can hinder the absorption of thyroxine in intestine and liver intestine circulation, so it has anti thyroid effect. The extracts from the roots of Gossypium barbadense and Gossypium barbadense can also increase blood coagulation.

[toxicity] mice were intraperitoneally injected with 0.5g crude drug of leaf and stem decoction, 2 mice died, and water extract 1g crude drug had the same toxicity. The median lethal dose (LD50) of cotton root bark decoction was 21.5 g / kg by intraperitoneal injection. Mice were given 5 g / kg of cotton root bark Decoction daily for 40 days. No obvious pathological changes were found in heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney and testis. 5 g / kg / day for 28 days. Except for decreased activity and appetite, no abnormality was found in ECG, liver and kidney function and hemogram. Myocardial fiber necrosis was found in some pathological sections. The median lethal dose of gossypol was 315 mg / kg. If the mice were orally given 25 mg / kg, 50 mg / kg and 75 mg / kg daily, there were weight loss, loss of appetite, diarrhea (bloody stool) and mental depression. In the small dose group, 4 / 10 mice died within 40 days. The main pathological changes were turbid swelling of myocardial cells, edema and degeneration occasionally. In the large dose group, focal rainbow of lung could be seen. The above results showed that gossypol had obvious accumulation effect.

The rats were fed with gossypol 35 mg / kg (containing 10-15% cottonseed oil) every day. One and a half months later, they lost weight. After 3-5 months, they were killed. Pathological examination showed that the testis was significantly reduced, the spermatids were significantly reduced or even completely disappeared: the uterus was significantly reduced, the inner membrane and glands were atrophied, the ovaries and some liver cells were slightly atrophied, and the renal parenchyma cells were slightly swollen. Male rats fed with 2.5% bromine treated cottonseed oil for 80 days had growth arrest, mild anemia, cardiac enlargement, myocardial steatosis with myocytolysis, thyroid hyperplasia, hepatic steatosis, testicular atrophy, vacuolar degeneration of renal tubular epithelium, etc. Taking 2500 mg / kg for 3 days, the heart was enlarged, and slack, weak yellow, and microscopic examination showed small vacuoles (fat stained positive) with different sizes. Electron microscope showed extensive fat infiltration and obvious steatosis in liver. Biochemical tests showed that at different doses, the metabolism of pyruvate or palmitate in liver or myocardial homogenate decreased, which may be due to the damage of myocardial utilization of fatty acids.

The dogs were given gossypol 1.5 mg / kg, 3 mg / kg and 30 mg / kg / D orally. After 3-4 days of administration, the dogs in the high-dose group developed anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, less movement, tarry stool, finally refused to eat, lost weight and presented cachexia. Most of them died within 24-28 days of administration. The symptoms of moderate dose poisoning were mild. All 4 dogs died in 43-64 days. In the low-dose group, mild anorexia occurred 60 days after administration, one dog died 60 days after administration, and the other three dogs showed no abnormality 80 days after administration. The death in the high dose group seems to be related to the whole body consumption and cachexia, while the symptoms in the middle dose group are not obvious, but the myocardium is turbid, swollen and degenerative. All of the 4 dogs died suddenly without aura, which was consistent with the manifestation of acute heart failure. Chronic poisoning caused by cotton seed feeding in dogs, rabbits and cats also includes diarrhea, anorexia, emaciation, pulmonary edema, dyspnea, perineal edema, neuritis and paralysis; digestive and nutritional disorders are caused by intestinal obstruction and hemorrhagic enteritis. The injection of gossypol in alkaline solution or oil solution has strong local irritation. Intravenous or intraperitoneal injection can cause visceral hemorrhage, cardiac dilatation, pulmonary edema and death, and has no specific effect on the heart and isolated intestine. The anticoagulant effect is similar to that of dicoumarin but faster. In chronic gossypol poisoning, visceral hyperemia, increased pleural and peritoneal exudation, gastroenteritis and multiple necrotic foci of large intestine were observed.

When cattle and sheep were fed a small amount of cottonseed cake for a long time, the general condition of the animals became worse, anemia occurred and they could die. A large number of gastric hemorrhagic inflammation, bloody diarrhea, hematuria. Jaundice, myasthenia, dyspnea, paralysis, abortion and blindness. Cows fed cottonseed cake had poor quality and high viscosity cream. After death, internal organs bleeding, pleural effusion, abdominal cavity and cardiac cavity effusion, myocardial degeneration, pulmonary edema, hepatomegaly and steatosis, acute nephritis and enteritis were found.

Gossypol (35.6 mg / kg or 20.3 mg / kg) was given orally to male rats every day for 42 days, which could significantly inhibit the fertility of male rats. The sperm activity of epididymis disappeared completely, and there were degenerated sperm cells. Female rats were orally given 25.4 mg / kg daily for 20 days. Vaginal smears showed no effect on estrus. Adult men take gossypol 59-71 mg daily for 35-42 days, with a total dose of 2.4-2.5 g. generally, sperm are killed in a short period of time after treatment, and gradually disappear from the semen, but have no effect on sexual life. In South America, there are people taking cotton root decoction for contraception.

The toxicity of cottonseed can be made harmless by high-pressure heating, ferric salt oxidation or precipitation. The gossypol in cottonseed cake is not toxic because of its binding with protein. Apogossypol was prepared by the treatment of gossypol with strong alkali (sodium hydroxide). The toxicity of apogossypol was also small. The minimum lethal dose of apogossypol for intraperitoneal injection to rats was 60-75 mg / kg.

[function indications] tonifying deficiency, relieving asthma and regulating menstruation. Treatment of body deficiency, cough and asthma, hernia, collapse band, uterine prolapse.

① "A collection of commonly used folk herbal medicines": treating hernia and band collapse. "

② Chinese medicine plant Atlas: "it is used for menstruation and hemostasis. "

[usage and dosage] oral administration: decoction, root: 1-2 Liang; root bark: 0.3-1 Liang.

[should avoid] pregnant women should not take it.

[formula selection] 1. To treat children's malnutrition: five to one or two cotton roots and ten red dates. Decoct in water, add sugar when taking. (commonly used Chinese herbal medicine in Shanghai)

② Treatment of body deficiency, cough and asthma: cotton root, sunflower head, yes

Chinese PinYin : Mian Hua Gen