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Radix Isatidis (or Isatis tinctoria) is a traditional Chinese medicine herb that is used for treating influenza, especially viral influenza. Radix Isatidis is a flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae. The dried root of the plant Isatidis indigotica Fort (family Cruciferae) is traditionally used as an anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-endotoxic, and immune regulatory agent in the folk medicine of Korea and China.

Other names: Banlangen in Chinese, Ban Lan Gen, Ban Lang Gen, Chinese Indigo, Da Qing Ye, Da Quing Ye, Dyer’s Woad, woad, Indigowoad Root, Asp of Jerusalem.

Ban Lang Gen refers to the isatis root. Da Qing Ye refers to the leaf.

The herb is cultivated in various regions of northern China, namely Hebei, Beijing, Heilongjiang, Henan, Jiangsu, and Gansu. The roots are harvested during the autumn and dried. The dried root is then processed into granules, which are most commonly consumed dissolved in hot water or tea. Most Radix Isatidis products, called Ban Lan Gen Beverage (Banlangen Keli), are in powder form, which has to be dissolved in hot water.

History:

Woad was known “as far back as the time of the ancient Egyptians, who used it to dye the cloth wrappings applied for the mummies. Egyptians created their blue dye by using indigotin, otherwise known as blue woad (Isatis tinctoria). The dye chemical extracted from woad is indigo.

In manufacturing, isatis is used to make indigo dye.

Chemical constituents:

Chemicals from woad might be used to prevent cancer, as it can produce high levels of glucobrassicin which might keep cancer cells from multiplying. Young leaves when damaged can produce more glucobrassicin, up to 65 times as much.

Radix Isatidis is the rhizome of Isatis tinctoria, a kind of biennial plant having many kinds of amino acids, sitosterol, indigotin and indirubin.Thepharmacological experiments and clinical studies showed that Radix Isatidis is with effects of clearing heat and detoxicating, removing heat from the blood, antivirus and antibacteria, and with protective and therapeutic effect on influenza, epidemic meningitis, parotitis, pneumonia and hepatitis.

Isatis might be able to fight bacteria and viruses that can cause infections. It also seems to be able to reduce fever and swelling.

Medical Usage:

Radix Isatidis is used to treat the common cold and other infections of the nose, clear skin blemishes, remove toxic heat, soothe sore throat and to treat influenza,measles, mumps, syphilis, or scarlet fever, and sinuses (upper respiratory tract infections), as well as infections of the glands that make saliva (parotitis).

It is also used for pharyngitis, laryngitis, erysipelas, and carbuncle, and to prevent hepatitis A, epidemic meningitis, cancer and inflammation.

It can be used for encephalitis, a swelling of the brain that is usually caused by infection; a liver disorder (hepatitis); pockets of infection (abscesses) in the lungs; digestive tract infections including dysentery and acute gastroenteritis; prostate cancer; and AIDS/HIV.

Side Effects:

Radix Isatidis is very popular throughout China because people there believe it has fewer side affects than western medicines.

Possible minor side effects include allergic reactions and dizziness; only large dosages or long term usage can be toxic to the kidneys. These treatments have not generally been evaluated clinically.