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Herbal Supplement Corydalis ambigua Extract Powder

2016-09-20

  Corydalis extract extract has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine as a blood mover, sedative and painkiller since the eighth century A.D. in China.  Today, it is still used alleviate abdominal and menstrual cramps and as an herbal sleep aid to relieve insomnia.   Moreover, it is thought to protect against heart attacks and stroke, and is said to be a superior herb for increasing blood circulation, moving stagnant blood and improving heart arrhythmia.

Corydalis extract is a bitter, slightly acrid and warm herb that has been used effectively as a sedative and tranquilizer.  Of the full range of alkaloids, the most powerful of these, tetrahydropalmatine (THD), has demonstrated many pharmacological actions on the central nervous system.  When properly used, Corydalis extract has been effective in easing palsy, trembling hands and general excitement.  It has also been employed to help treat anxiety, restless leg syndrome and has been included in herbal preparations for Parkinson's disease.

As a sedative, Corydalis extract is said to induce sleep without adverse side effects, which is of great help to those who suffer from insomnia.  The alkaloid, dl-THP, has been found to block certain receptor sites (i.e., dopamine) in the brain to cause sedation.  In human clinical trials, patients with insomnia who were given dl-THP have demonstrated an improved ability to fall asleep, and there were no drug hangover symptoms, such as morning grogginess, dizziness or vertigo reported by those people taking the alkaloid extract. Corydalis extract is also thought to increase the sleep-inducing effect of barbiturates. The herb is said to be particularly useful for counteracting the effects of caffeine or amphetamines.

Corydalis extract is also considered an herbal analgesic and antispasmodic that diminishes pain. The THP acts on the central nervous system to reduce nerve pain, and reports from Chinese researchers have noted that the herb was effective in reducing nerve pain in seventy-eight percent of the patients tested.  As a painkiller, Corydalis extract is believed to be especially helpful in cases of dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation) and abdominal pain after childbirth. It is also said to relieve abdominal cramping and spasms (confirming the herb's historic applications in Traditional Chinese Medicine). Its painkilling effects also have helped to relieve headache and lumbago, as well as the pain of traumatic injury. Beth Isreal Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School speak of Corydalis extract in terms of of Western medical diagnostic categories, noting that Corydalis extract may be recommended for soft tissue injuries (rotator cuff, etc.); however, they caution that because of the alkaloids content (notably THP), it can be dangerous without benefit of further studies.

Recent laboratory studies have indicated that the alkaloids in Corydalis extract possess cardiovascular actions and may help to protect against heart attacks and strokes. The reports claimed that the THP in the herb helped to lower heart rate, and the dl-THP increased circulation and decreased both blood pressure and the stickiness of platelets in the blood, which protects against stroke.  In clinical trials patients who were suffering from a specific type of heart arrhythmia (i.e., supra-ventricular premature beat or SVPB) were given dl-THP, and demonstrated significant improvement.   It is considered a fine blood tonic that can help to stimulate and move stagnant blood (blood stasis) and improve blood circulation to all areas of the body.  In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), Corydalis extract has been used for centuries to invigorate the blood, moving stagnant blood and facilitating the movement of "Qi" - the vital energy of body fluids, bloods, moving particles, etc., throughout the body.

Corydalis extract may be useful in treating stomach ulcers. In clinical trials, patients suffering with stomach and intestinal ulcers or chronic inflammation of the stomach lining were given Corydalis extract. Seventy-six percent of the patients reported improved healing, and their symptoms were eased.

There are currently many additional studies being conducted for a variety of applications using Corydalis. Corydalis  Extracts are said to slow the formation of cataracts associated with diabetes (but should be used under direction of physician), and it is also said to have antibacterial properties.