Gleditsia sinensis
1、 Pharmacopoeia standard of Gleditsia sinensis       This product is the dried and mature fruit of Gleditsia sinensis lam., a legume. The fruits are picked when they are ripe in autumn and dried in the sun.
      [properties] this product is in the shape of a flat long sword sheath, some of which are slightly curved, 15-40cm long, 2-5cm wide, and 0.2-1.5cm thick. The surface is brown or purple brown, and is covered with gray powder. After being wiped off, it is shiny, and the seed is raised. The base is gradually narrow and curved, with short fruit stalks or fruit stalk scars, and obvious longitudinal edges on both sides. It is hard in quality, with sound when shaking, easy to break, yellow in section, and fibrous. . It is special, pungent and spicy.
      . In addition, take LG, the control medicinal material of Gleditsia sinensis, and prepare the control medicinal material solution by the same method. According to the test of thin-layer chromatography (general rule 0502), suck 10 μ l of each of the above two solutions, dot them on the same silica gel G thin-layer plate, use the lower layer solution of chloroform methanol water glacial acetic acid (18:1:0.6:0.2) as the developing agent, develop, take out, dry, spray 10% sulfuric acid ethanol solution, heat at 105 ℃ until the spots are clear. In the chromatogram of the test sample, spots of the same color appear on the corresponding position of the chromatogram of the control medicinal material.
      Decoction pieces
      .
      [character] [identification] is the same as that of medicinal materials.
      [nature, taste and meridian tropism] spicy, salty and warm; . Return to lung and large intestine channels.
      [functions and indications] dispel phlegm and resuscitate, disperse nodules and reduce swelling. It is used for stroke, mouth shudder, coma, epilepsy, excessive phlegm, obstruction of the orifices, throat obstruction and phlegm obstruction, persistent phlegm and cough, uncomfortable expectoration, and dry stool; External treatment carbuncle.
      [usage and dosage] 1-1.5g, multi entry pill powder. For external use, use appropriate amount, blow nose and sneeze at the end of grinding or apply on the affected area at the end of grinding.
      [note] pregnant women and patients with hemoptysis and hematemesis should not take it.
      [storage] store in a dry place to prevent moths.


2、 Chemical constituents of Gleditsia sinensis
The pod contains triterpenoid saponins and tannins. In addition, it also contains wax alcohol, octadecaneStigmasterol、β - sitosterolEt al. The leaves of the same genus Gleditsia triacanthos L. contain a large amount of alkaloid Gleditsia triacanthos L.


3、 Pharmacological effects of Gleditsia sinensis

① General characteristics of saponins: there are many plants containing saponins, including at least 400 plants of 50 different families. It can reduce the surface tension. When the solution (1:10000) is shaken, the surface of each bubble in the solution can be surrounded by saponin to form a film, so the bubble will last forever. Similarly, in case of oil substances, emulsion can also be formed by saponin film. It can change the permeability of the cell surface and become a general protoplasm toxin. It has a special affinity for cholesterols and has a strong hemolytic effect (acting on lipids on the surface of blood cells). Cholesterols can resist its hemolytic effect. . However, if the dosage is too large or the gastrointestinal mucosa is damaged or injected, systemic toxicity and hemolysis can occur; In particular, it affects the central nervous system, first spasticity, then paralysis, and respiratory center paralysis leads to death. In China, it has been reported that there were poisoning deaths after taking soap capsule Decoction (200g plus 1 cup of vinegar). The saponins contained in a large amount of saponin pods not only stimulate the gastrointestinal mucosa, but also vomiting after 10 minutes and diarrhea later; Moreover, it corrodes the gastric mucosa and causes absorption poisoning.
② Expectorant effect: drugs containing saponins can stimulate the gastric mucosa and reflexively promote the secretion of airway mucus, producing expectorant effect (nausea expectorant). In cats, Gleditsia sinensis can increase the secretion of respiratory tract, but it is worse than Platycodon grandiflorum and Peucedanum praeruptorum, and the duration is shorter
③ Antibacterial effect: in the test tube, Gleditsia sinensis can inhibit some gram negative intestinal pathogenic bacteria. Its water extract (1:3) also has inhibitory effect on some skin fungi in test tubes.
④ Acanthopanax saponin contained in Gleditsia sinensis has papaverine like effect, which can treat hypertension, bronchial asthma, peptic ulcer and chronic cholecystitis.