radix achyranthis bidentatae

Radix achyranthis bidentatae is the dried root of Achyranthes bidentata Blume (family Amaranthaceae), a perennial herb widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for over a thousand years. Known as "Niu Xi" in Chinese, it is traditionally prescribed to nourish the liver and kidney, strengthen bones and muscles, promote blood circulation and menstruation, relieve pain from blood stasis or trauma, and treat conditions such as osteodynia of the lumbar/knees, spasms or flaccidity of limbs, amenorrhea/dysmenorrhea (irregular menstruation), back pain/weakness of lower limbs/joints. Modern pharmacological studies have demonstrated that radix achyranthis bidentatae possesses anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory (notably via polysaccharides activating TLR4/NF-κB signaling), anti-tumor/anti-metastatic effects on certain cancer cells in vitro/in vivo models; it also exhibits anti-osteoporosis activity by modulating metabolic pathways and gut microbiota composition. The main active constituents include triterpenoid saponins (e.g., chikusetsusaponin V derivatives), polysaccharides (ABPS), sterols such as sitosterol/sigmasterol. It is generally administered orally as decoction or powder[1][2][3][6][7][8].

Other names

Achyranthes rootNiu XiHuai Niu Xi牛膝Achyranthis RadixAR