Gardenias are a natural remedy for cholestasis

A study published in the journal Chinese Herbal Medicines reported that Gardenia jasminoides (gardenia), which is called Zhizi in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), can help treat a liver disease called cholestasis. For the study, researchers tested the medicinal properties of G. jasminoides on rat models.

• G. jasminoides belongs to the Rubiaceae family. In TCM, the plant is used to treat conditions like cholestasis and jaundice. While TCM practitioners believe that Zhizi could “dispel dampness and heat via the urine to execute its choleretic effects,” the potential molecular mechanism of the plant has yet to be verified.
• In the study, researchers examined the effect of different doses of G. jasminoides aqueous extract powder on the urinary excretion of bile acids (BAs) in rats.
• The team of scientists also set out to determine the potential mechanism of the plant extract via renal BAs efflux transporters multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (Mrp2) and Mrp4 in normal rats.
• For the study, researchers orally administered either 0.3 milligrams of the extract for each kilogram of the male Wistar rats’ body weight daily or 0.9 g/kg/d for a period of two weeks.
• Based on the study findings, high doses of Zhizi aqueous extract powder can help minimize hepatic total BAs concentration. The researchers added that while the bile flow and biliary excretion of the rats had no remarkable difference, the urinary excretion of BAs in the subjects increased due to the plant extract.
• Compared to the control group of rats, the Zhizi extract also up-regulated renal Mrp2 expression two- and three-fold.

The researchers concluded that Zhizi, or G. jasminoides, can be used to successfully reduce hepatic total BAs level by increasing urinary excretion instead of the biliary excretion of BAs. They are hopeful that with further study, Zhizi can be used to develop a natural cure for conditions like cholestasis and other liver diseases.

Read more articles about gardenias and other medicinal plants at Healing.news.

Journal Reference: 

Zhang F, Wei Y-H, Duan Y-T, Zhao Y-S, Xi L-L, Rao Z, Zhang J-P, Zhang G-Q, Wu X-A. POTENTIAL MECHANISM OF CHOLAGOGIC EFFECT ABOUT GARDENIA JASMINOIDES ELLIS (ZHIZI)-MEDIATED INCREASE OF BILE ACIDS URINARY EXCRETION IN NORMAL RATS. Chinese Herbal Medicines. 2018;10(4):431–436. DOI: 10.1016/j.chmed.2018.08.008