TABLE 1.
Medicinal properties of materials frequently used in galactogenous prescriptions (RFC ≥ 0.2) and modern pharmacological research on their applications for women.
| No | Scientific name/local name | Family | Part used | RFC a | Flavor and property | Traditional usage | Literature on gynecological medicinal properties and effects (PubMed) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Angelica sinensis (oliv.) diels/Tang kuei | Apiaceae | Radix | 0.93 | Sweet and pungent; warm | Enriching blood and promoting blood circulation, regulating and alleviating menstruation pain, lubricating intestines, and relieving constipation | 1. Anemia Chang et al. (2016), Chen et al. (2018), Li et al. (2012), Liu J. et al. (2019), and Zhang W.L. et al. (2012)
2. Blood stasis syndrome Jin et al. (2017), and Yuan et al. (2019) 3. Breast cancer He et al. (1986), Rock and DeMichele (2003), Zhou et al. (2015), Lin et al. (2017), Ma et al. (2017), Qi et al. (2017), and Su et al. (2018) 4. Female reproductive problems Du et al. (2014), Hook (2014), Gong et al. (2016) 5. Female sexual dysfunction Mazaro-Costa et al. (2010) 6. Gynecological cancer b Cao et al. (2010), and Lang et al. (2018) 7. Hair loss Kim et al. (2014) 8. Mastitis Wang et al. (2012), and Mullen et al. (2014) 9. Obesity Zhong et al. (2017) 10. Osteoporotic Rock and DeMichele (2003), Xie et al. (2012), Lim and Kim (2014), and Li et al. (2016) 11. Puerperal metritis Huang et al. (2018) |
| 2 | Tetrapanax papyrifer (Hook.) K. Koch/T’ung ts’ao | Araliaceae | Medulla | 0.86 | Sweet and plain; cold | Clearing heat, promoting urination, dredging qi, and promoting lactation | None |
| 3 | Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz./Hung ch’I | Leguminosae | Radix | 0.83 | Sweet; warm | Tonifying qi, lifting yang, consolidating exterior, reducing sweat, promoting urination, alleviating edema, regenerating body fluids, nourishing blood, activating stagnation, alleviating arthralgia, eliminating toxins, expelling pus, healing sores, and promoting granulation | None |
| 4 | Lycium chinense Mill./Kou ch’I | Solanaceae | Fructus | 0.64 | Sweet; plain | Nourishing liver and kidneys, enriching essence, and improving eyesight | 1. Breast cancer Li et al. (2009), Zhang et al. (2011), Wawruszak et al. (2016), Georgiev et al. (2019)
2. Endometrial damage Lee et al. (2016), Shan et al. (2017) 3. Gynecological cancer Zhang et al. (2011) 4. Obesity Amagase and Nance (2011), de Souza Zanchet et al. (2017), Kim et al. (2017a) 5. Osteoporotic Yin et al. (2004), Kim et al. (2017b) 6. Ovarian injury Wei et al. (2011), Yang D.M. et al. (2017) 7. Polycysticovarian syndrome Jang et al. (2014) 8. Premature ovarian failure Chao et al. (2003) |
| 5 | Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch./Kan ts’ao | Leguminosae | Radix | 0.56 | Sweet; plain | Invigorating spleen, enriching qi; clearing heat; removing toxicity; resolving phlegm; relieving cough, spasm, and pain; and coordinating mechanisms of several medicinal materials simultaneously | 1. Breast cancer Hu et al. (2009), Seon et al. (2012), Park et al. (2016), Huang et al. (2019)
2. Female reproductive problems Hajirahimkhan et al. (2013), Jia et al. (2013), Arentz et al. (2014), Hajirahimkhan et al. (2015) 3. Gynecological cancer Liu et al. (2017) 4. Obesity Lee H. E. et al. (2018) 5. Polycystic ovarian syndrome Arentz et al. (2014) 6. Puerperal metritis Huang et al. (2018) 7. Uterine contraction Yang L. et al. (2017) |
| 6 | Ligusticum striatum DC/Ch’uan ch’iung | Apiaceae | Rhizoma | 0.54 | Pungent; warm | Activating blood and qi circulation, expelling wind, and relieving pain | 1. Anemia Li et al. (2012)
2. Puerperal metritis Huang et al. (2018) |
| 7 | Ziziphus jujuba Mill./Hung tsao | Rhamnaceae | Fructus | 0.51 | Sweet; warm | Strengthening middle warmer and enriching qi, nourishing blood, and calming nerves | 1. Breast cancer Plastina et al. (2012)
2. Gynecological cancer Tahergorabi et al. (2015) 3. Hair loss Yoon et al. (2010) 4. Obesity Tahergorabi et al. (2015), Kawabata et al. (2017) |
| 8 | Vaccaria hispanica (Mill.) Rauschert/Wang pu liu hsing) | Caryophyllaceae | Semen | 0.49 | Bitter; plain | Activating blood circulation, unblocking menstrual flow, promoting lactation, reducing swelling, promoting urination, and treating stranguria | 1. Breast cancer Shoemaker et al. (2005)
2. Milk synthesis Yu et al. (2020) 3. Osteoporotic Shih et al. (2009) |
| 9 | Codonopsis pilosula (Franch.) Nannf./Tang san | Campanulaceae | Radix | 0.49 | Sweet; plain | Invigorating spleen, ameliorating lungs, nourishing blood, and regenerating body fluids | 1. Breast cancer Wang et al. (2014), Fu et al. (2016) |
| 10 | Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaertn.) DC./Shu ti huang | Plantaginaceae | Radix | 0.47 | Sweet; warm | Enriching blood, nourishing yin, enriching essence, and replenishing marrow | 1. Anemia Liang et al. (2004)
2. Blood stasis syndrome Kubo et al. (1994) 3. Endometrial abnormality Lee et al. (2016) 4. Breast cancer Li et al. (2014), Liu C. et al. (2015) 5. Hair loss Lee C.Y. et al. (2018) 6. Obesity Han et al. (2015) 7. Osteoporotic Gong et al. (2019), Lai et al. (2015), Lim and Kim (2013), Liu C. et al. (2019), Oh et al. (2003), Ok et al. (2015), Yin et al. (2004) 8. Ovarian failure Chao et al. (2003), Wei et al. (2014) 9. Polycystic ovarian syndrome Liang et al. (2008), Jang et al. (2014) |
| 11 | Paeonia lactiflora Pall./Pai shao | Paeoniaceae | Radix | 0.39 | Bitter and sour; cold | Nourishing blood, regulating menstruation, making yin astringent, reducing sweat, softening liver, relieving pain, and suppressing hyperactive liver yang | 1. Anemia Lee et al. (2014)
2. Blood stasis syndrome Sun et al. (2016), Cheng et al. (2018) 3. Breast cancer Liu Y.T. et al. (2019) 4. Female reproductive problems Arentz et al. (2014), Moini Jazani et al. (2018) 5. Menopausal hot flushes Li et al. (2019) 6. Osteoporotic Tsai et al. (2008) 7. Polycystic ovarian syndrome Arentz et al. (2014), Arentz et al. (2017) 8. Uterine myomas Sakamoto et al. (1992) |
| 12 | Melastoma malabathricum L./Yeh mu tan | Melastomataceae | Caulis & radix | 0.38 | Sour and astringent; cool | Removing retained food, promoting urination and blood circulation, stopping bleeding, clearing heat, and removing toxicity | 1. Breast cancer Hamid et al. (2018) |
| 13 | Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz./Pai chu | Compositae | Rhizoma | 0.26 | Bitter and sweet; warm | Invigorating spleen, enriching qi, eliminating dampness, promoting urination, reducing sweat, and preventing miscarriage | 1. Breast cancer Wang et al. (2014), Fu et al. (2016)
2. Gynecological cancer Long et al. (2017) 3. Obesity Song et al. (2018), Zhu et al. (2018) 4. Uterine contraction Zhang et al. (2000) |
| 14 | Chaenomeles speciose (sweet) Nakai/Mu kua | Rosaceae | Fructus | 0.23 | Sour; warm | Relaxing tendons, activating collaterals, harmonizing stomach, and eliminating dampness | None |
| 15 | Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J. Presl/Kuei chih | Lauraceae | Ramulus | 0.23 | Pungent and sweet; warm | Inducing perspiration, dispelling pathogenic factors from muscles, warming and dredging meridians, supporting yang, transforming into qi, suppressing upward surge of qi, and descending qi | 1. Breast cancer Rad et al. (2015), Yu et al. (2019)
2. Gynecological cancer Koppikar et al. (2010) 3. Infertility Iwaoka et al. (2010) 4. Obesity Zhang et al. (2019) 5. Osteoporotic Huh et al. (2015) 6. Polycystic ovarian syndrome Arentz et al. (2014) 7. Uterine contraction Sun et al. (2016), Sun et al. (2017) 8. Uterine myomas Sakamoto et al. (1992) |
| 16 | Eucommia ulmoides Oliv./Tu chung | Eucommiaceae | Cortex | 0.22 | Sweet; warm | Tonifying liver and kidneys, strengthening bones and tendons, and preventing miscarriage | 1. Obesity Zhang W. et al. (2012)
2. Osteoporotic Yin et al. (2004), Zhang et al. (2009), Zhang et al. (2014), Zhang W. et al. (2012) 3. Uterine contraction Ho et al. (2011) |
| 17 | Poria cocos (Schwein.) F.A. Wolf/Fu ling | Polyporaceae | Sclerotia | 0.21 | Sweet and plain; plain | Promoting urination, eliminating dampness, invigorating spleen, and calming heart | 1. Anemia Shen et al. (2005)
2. Breast cancer Zhang et al. (2006), Ling et al. (2011) 3. Gynecological cancer Tao et al. (2016) 4. Osteoporotic Xia et al. (2014) 5. Polycystic ovarian syndrome Jang et al. (2014) 6. Uterine contraction Sun et al. (2016) 7. Uterine dysfunction Lee et al. (2016) 8. Uterinemyomas Sakamoto et al. (1992) |
| 18 | Ziziphus jujuba Mill./Hei tsao | Rhamnaceae | Fructus | 0.20 | Sweet; warm | Tonifying spleen and stomach, enriching qi and blood, calming heart and nerves, regulating ying and wei, and harmonizing medicinal properties of various ingredients simultaneously | 1. Breast cancer Plastina et al. (2012)
2. Gynecological cancer Tahergorabi et al. (2015) 3. Hair loss Yoon et al. (2010) 4. Obesity Tahergorabi et al. (2015), Kawabata et al. (2017) |
| 19 | Dimocarpus longan Lour./Kuei yüan | Sapindaceae | Arillus | 0.20 | Sweet; warm | Tonifying heart and spleen, nourishing blood, and calming nerves | 1. Breast cancer Khan et al. (2018)
2. Gynecological cancer Li et al. (2018) |
a
RFC, relative frequency of citation.
b
Gynecological cancer includes cervical, ovarian, and uterine cancers.