Chinese Liver Balance

  • Stock #1008-8 (30 capsules)
This information is provided by YourRoadLessTraveled.com
 
Chinese Liver Balance provides a blend of herbs that not only protect the liver and support healthy liver function, but also promote the health of the gallbladder, spleen and stomach. The herbs in Chinese Liver Balance work synergistically to help prevent liver damage from drugs and environmental toxins, as well as improve circulation and digestion, lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, relieve inflammation and pain, reduce fever, fight infection, relax muscle spasms, and calm anxiety and irritability often associated with liver problems.

Chinese Liver Balance can be used for various liver ailments, such as cirrhosis (a chronic liver disease) and hepatitis(inflammation of the liver), as well as abdominal cramps and distension (bloating), diarrhea, dyspepsia (indigestion), edema (fluid retention), fever, flatulence (intestinal gas), weak gallbladder function, and nausea and vomiting.

Bupleurum (Bupleurum chinese) is considered one of the best Chinese herbs for treating serious liver problems such as hepatitis and cirrhosis, especially when combined with other herbs that have liver-specific actions. Bupleurum contains compounds known as saikosides, which have been shown to protect the liver against damage from drugs and environmental toxins. Bupleurum helps prevent fatty liver, clears liver congestion, slows tissue changes resulting from chronic hepatitis, and reduces levels of the liver enzymes involved in cell death. Through its action on the liver, bupleurum may also indirectly lower serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Bupleurum also has a beneficial effect on the gallbladder. In addition, bupleurum has been shown to reduce alternating chills and fever associated with upper respiratory infections and is commonly used to treat the common cold and flu, even in children and pregnant women. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, bupleurum is combined with licorice for treating hepatitis and with scutellaria for restoring normal liver function. 1-7

Peony (Paeonia lactiflora), which is regarded as a blood tonic, is the standard herb for detoxifying the blood in Japanese herbal medicine. It is also used throughout Asia and Europe for improving blood flow. In addition, peony has demonstrated analgesic (pain-relieving), anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, diuretic and sedative effects, which support its use for regulating the menses, normalizing menstrual dysfunction, and relieving painful abdominal muscle spasms and cramping pain in the hands and feet. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, peony is combined with licorice to treat muscle spasms, especially of the calf. 3,4,6,8-10

Typhonium (Typhonium flagelliforme) is closely related to Pinellia ternata and is often used by Chinese herbalists in the United States in place of Pinellia. Thus, typhonium is used to soothe the stomach, combat nausea and vomiting, and reduce epigastric and abdominal distention. In addition, typhonium relieves pain and inflammation and relaxes spasms. Typhonium is also used for lymphatic swellings. Furthermore, research has identified a substance in typhonium with significant antihepatotoxic (protecting the liver from toxins) activity. 6,11-15

Cinnamon twig (Cinnamomum cassia) is one of the most important circulatory herbs in Chinese herbal medicine and is used to enhance the circulation of blood and promote urination. Cinnamon twig exhibits analgesic, antipyretic (fever-reducing), diaphoretic (promote perspiration) and stimulant activity and is recommended for abdominal cramps and pain, arthritic and rheumatic conditions, cold extremities, diarrhea, edema (fluid retention), fatigue, lower back pain, muscle spasms and numbness. Cinnamon twig also demonstrates antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella infantis and Staphylococcus aureus, all of which can cause food poisoning. In addition, an extract of cinnamon twig has been shown to inhibit the activity of xanthine oxidase (XO), an enzyme that plays a crucial role in gout. 1,3,4,6,16-19

Dang gui (Angelica polymorpha) is used as a blood tonic in Traditional Chinese Medicine to purify blood quality and improve circulation. Dang gui is also regarded as the most important herb in Japanese herbal medicine for stimulating blood circulation. In addition, dang gui exhibits confirmed anti-inflammatory activity and has also been shown to protect the liver in animal studies. According to the World Health Organization’s medicinal plant monographs, dang gui has been used for the treatment of chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis of the liver. 1,2,4,6,20-23

Fushen (Poria cocos) has long been used as a diuretic and sedative in Traditional Chinese Medicine. In fact, fushen, or “fu shen,“ is considered to have superior sedative properties compared to other portions of the mushroom, particularly in regards to the heart and nervous system. Fushen is used to calm the mind and “quiet the spirit“ and relieve anxiety, insomnia, irritability and palpitations. Fushen is also used as a tonic for the spleen to strengthen weak spleen function. 1,3,4,6,24,25

Scute (Scutellaria baicalensis) is used for a variety of symptoms affecting the gallbladder, liver, large intestine and heart. Scute has been shown to reduce inflammation, promote circulation, stimulate the gallbladder to release bile, fight infection, and dilate blood vessels and stimulate urination to lower pressure. Scute is indicated for symptoms of diarrhea, dysentery, jaundice, urinary tract infections, and skin diseases. Animal research has also shown that scute inhibits liver fibrosis, a type of liver damage resulting from inflammation. Scute is often used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to “sedate energy that ascends from the liver,“ which can manifest as headache, irritability, red eyes, flushed face, and a bitter taste in the mouth. Scute is also used during pregnancy to calm the unborn child in the womb that is restless or kicking excessively, especially when combined with atractylodes and dang gui. 3,4,6,26

Zhishi (Citrus aurantium) is a cooling herb used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to break up and move stagnant energy within the body. Indications for such use include indigestion with flatulence, epigastric or abdominal pain and distension, constipation, and “blocked“ feelings in the chest or abdomen. Research has confirmed that zhishi acts as a carminative—a substance that prevents the formation of and relieves intestinal gas and abdominal bloating—and improves blood circulation through the heart and cerebral (brain) tissue. Zhishi contains synephrine, a chemical that causes the blood vessels to constrict to raise low blood pressure resulting from arterial failure. Another compound found in the herb, known as natsudaidain, increases heart rate in small doses. In addition, zhishi directs fluid from inflamed muscles to reduce swelling. 4,6,27

Atractylodes (Atractylodes lancea) has been shown to provide antihepatotoxic activity in vitro. Atractylodes also improves digestion, relieves pain in the joints, strengthens the spleen, reduces intestinal gas, relieves nausea and vomiting, and acts as a mild diuretic.1-4,6,28

Ginseng (Panax ginseng) has demonstrated a clear hepatoprotective (liver-protective) effect in animals studies by increasing the antioxidant capacity of the liver. Ginseng may also help prevent liver damage resulting from exposure to drugs and other environmental toxins. In human case-control studies, ginseng intake has been associated with a significant reduction in the odds of developing liver cancer. In addition, ginseng has been shown to reduce total serum cholesterol, triglyceride and low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels and increase high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels in humans. Animal studies also show that ginseng can suppress the formation of and improve fatty liver by reducing hepatic (liver) cholesterol and triglyceride contents. 4,29-33

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is recognized as one of the best remedies for nausea associated with motion sickness. Ginger is also used as an antiemetic (prevents or alleviates vomiting) for cancer chemotherapy and may help improve gastrointestinal side effects such as nausea, vomiting and inhibition of gastric emptying. Ginger aids digestion and assimilation and has been shown to stimulate the secretion of gastric juices, as well as lipase activity in animal studies. Ginger is widely used for the treatment of gastrointestinal problems, including abdominal discomfort and bloating, dyspepsia, diarrhea, and nausea stemming from motion sickness and hyperemesis gravidarum (morning sickness). In addition, ginger root extracts have been shown to inhibit the growth of Helicobacter pylori in vitro and prevent the occurrence of gastric ulcers induced by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in rats. 3,4,6,34-39

Licorice (Glycyrrhiza uralensis) is a cholagogue (promotes bile flow) that tonifies the digestive tract and relieves diarrhea. Licorice also acts as an anti-inflammatory with action similar to that of cortisone (a potent anti-inflammatory drug). In addition, licorice tones the spleen, promotes energy, strengthens stomach weakness, protects the liver, reduces fever, relieves pain, and relaxes spasms, particularly in the abdomen. Licorice contains the active ingredient glycyrrhizin (glycyrrhizic acid), which demonstrates a wide range of pharmacological properties (anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, antioxidant, anti-tumor, anti-viral, hepatoprotective (liver-protecting), etc.) and is one of the leading natural compounds used in clinical trials of chronic active viral hepatitis. Licorice also contains the flavonoids licoricidin and licoisoflavone B, which exhibit inhibitory activity against the growth of Helicobacter pylori in vitro. Furthermore, licorice has been shown to induce apoptosis (cell death) in human gastric cancer cells.2-4,6,40-43

This information is provided by YourRoadLessTraveled.com
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