Here’s Why Female Ginseng Could Be A New Treatment Option For Millions of Americans Suffering from One of the Most Common Age-related Disorders
Female ginseng or Dong quai, also known as dang gui (Angelica sinensis), is a perennial herb indigenous to China. With a rich heritage in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), it is often hailed as the “women’s tonic” for its historical role in promoting women’s health according to practitioners.
As life expectancy rises, treating age-related diseases like osteoporosis becomes more difficult. While there are effective medications for treating this metabolic bone disease, some patients may not be able to get them due to cost and adverse effects.
In a quest for alternative treatment options, scientists, as detailed in ACS Central Science, have identified and successfully reproduced a compound derived from female ginseng, showcasing robust anti-osteoporotic properties in cellular assessments.
The International Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that 54 million American individuals over 50 suffer from osteoporosis and poor bone density. As the illness worsens, patients may have severe disability (such as hip and spine fractures) and financial hardship (such as missed work and hospital stays).
Several medications are beneficial in reducing bone loss or stimulating bone development, but each has the potential to cause adverse effects such as jaw and leg bone damage.
When looking for alternative therapies, Hao Gao, Xin-Luan Wang, and colleagues turned to female ginseng (Angelica sinensis), which has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat osteoporosis.
Using chemical extraction, the researchers isolated two novel compounds from the medicinal plant, which they named falcarinphthalide A and B. These compounds differed structurally from other chemicals found in female ginseng.
Additionally, they identified possible metabolic pathways and substrates for biosynthesis that the plants use to produce these chemicals.
The group then developed lab methods for synthesis and generated the chemicals in sufficient quantities for biological testing, using these processes as a basis. Motivated by the historical effectiveness of female ginseng, the group examined the compounds’ effects on osteoclast formation—a process that promotes bone loss.
They discovered that only falcarinphthalide A and its predecessors have osteoclast inhibitory action and an anti-osteoporotic effect.
Further investigation revealed that falcarinphthalide A inhibited critical molecular pathways involved in osteoclast formation.
According to the team, this result opens the door to novel osteoporosis therapies based on female ginseng compounds, either in their present form or as a structural template for future drug development.
Source: 10.1021/acscentsci.3c01414
Image Credit: iStock
