Pinellia ternata

Pinellia ternata, also known as Ban-xia, is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb with a history of approximately 2000 years, primarily used for alleviating cough and vomiting. Its therapeutic applications extend to treating cancer (raw tubers) and addressing coughing and phlegm (processed tubers). Research indicates its efficacy in various conditions, including suppressing *Helicobacter pylori* colonization, alleviating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) through components like baicalein, and managing obesity-type polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) as part of traditional prescriptions. It also shows potential in treating chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, neuroinflammation related to Alzheimer's disease, and papillary thyroid carcinoma. The herb's diverse pharmacological activities are attributed to its components, such as polysaccharides, which exhibit immunostimulatory effects by upregulating NF-κB and MAPK pathways, and baicalein, which inhibits HIF1A-mediated oxidative stress and inflammation. Additionally, Pinellia ternata contains compounds that regulate heat tolerance in plants and confer resistance against insect pests. Its polysaccharides, like PTTBP-2-2, demonstrate anti-neuroinflammatory activity by regulating NF-κB and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways. The herb is also being explored for synthesizing bioactive selenium nanoparticles with antioxidant and antibacterial properties.

Other names

Ban-xiaPinellia ternata (Thunb.) Breit.Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Ten. ex Breitenb.