Arundina graminifolia

Arundina graminifolia (D. Don) Hochr.

Photo Michel Rathwell

Latin Name: Arundina graminifolia (D. Don) Hochr.

Family: Orchidaceae; Genus: Arundina

Synonym Name: Bletia graminifolia D. Don; Arundina bambusifolia Lindley; Arundina chinensis Blume; Arundina chinensis var. major S. Y. Hu; Arundina graminifolia var. chinensis (Blume) S. S. Ying; Arundina stenopetala Gagnepain.

English Name: Chinese Arundina, Bamboo Orchid, Bamboo Or Bird Orchid.

Bangladesh: Ghasphul.

Vietnam: Lan sậy

Chinese: Zhu ye lan. 竹叶兰

French: Orchidée bambou.

Indonesian: Hui bini, Hui laki

Lithuanian: Siauralapé arundina.

Malay: Orkid buluh.

Nepal: Teet pindalu.

Others: Arundina, Phanyar.

Description: Plants 40-100(-150) cm tall. Stem rigid, enclosed by leaf sheaths. Leaves numerous, 8-20 × 1-2 cm, leathery or papery, apex acuminate; sheaths 2-4 cm. Inflorescence 2-20 cm, racemose or 1- or 2-branched at base and paniculate, 2-10-flowered, flowers opening in succession; floral bracts broadly ovate-triangular, 3-5 mm, sheathing at base. Flowers white or pink, sometimes slightly tinged with purple; pedicel and ovary 1.5-3 cm. Sepals narrowly elliptic to narrowly elliptic-lanceolate, 25-40 × 7-9 mm. Petals ovate-elliptic, 25-40 × 13-15 mm; lip 25-40 × 12-24 mm, apical margin undulate; lateral lobes incurved, embracing column, rounded; mid-lobe subsquare, 8-16 × 10-16 mm, apex shallowly divided; disk with 3 (rarely 5) lamellae. Column slightly arcuate, 20-25 mm. Capsule 28-35 × 8-15 mm. Flowering: September to October, Fruiting: October to November.

Distribution: Growing in forest edges, tussock on mountain slopes at altitude 1,700m, couch grass mountain, and riverbank tussock. Distributed in Southwest China, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Taiwan, Hunan, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Tibet.

Part Used: Medical part: entire plant and rhizome. Chinese name: Changganlan.

Harvest & Processing: Collected the year round, well washed, used fresh or sliced and sun-dried.

Chemistry:

- Flowers and stems contain campesterol, stigmasterol and sitosterol.

- The tuber of Arundina graminifolia (2E)-, 2-propenoic acid, 3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-decosyl ester, p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, triacontanol and p-hydroxybenzylethyl ether, 3-hydroxy-5-methoxybibenzyl

Pharmacology: Stigmasterol can reduce blood cholesterol.

• Cytotoxicity against Five Cancer Cell Lines: Study isolated eight new C-4 alkylated deoxybenzoins, three new diphenylethylenes, and five known diphenylethylenes. Evaluated for cytotoxicity, compounds 4, 5, and 9-11 showed significant cytotoxicity against five cancer cell lines.

• Diphenylethylenes/Anticancer: Study of Arundina graminifolia isolated two new dephenylethylenes, gramniphenols H and I (Compounds 1 and 2), together with six known diphenylethylenes. Compounds 1 and 2 were evaluated for cytotoxicity against five human tumor cell lines. Compound 1 showed cytotoxicity against PC3 cells, while compound 2 showed cytotoxicity against NB4 and PC3 cells.

• Bibenzyl Derivatives/Anti-Tumor Activity: Study isolated bibenzyl derivatives from the tuber of Arundina graminifolia. Compound 3 with bibenzyl ring opening exhibited stronger anti-tumor activity than compounds 1 and 2 with bibenzyl ring closing.

• Antioxidant: Study investigated the scavenging effects of Arundina graminifolia on active oxygen species OH and O2 generated by Fenton reaction and riboflavin photosensitization. Results suggest AG showed significant scavenging and antioxidant activity.

• Antitumor Stilbenoids and Antidepressant YL102: Study of tubers yielded isolated 34 compounds: two were new, both stilbenoids (arundinan andarundinaol), and 22 compounds were isolated for the first time. Pharmacologic evaluation showed the bibenzyls possessed remarkable anti-tumor activity in vitro. A new antidepressant fomulation YL102 was investigated and developed on the basis of clinical uses and bioactivities.

• Flavonoids / Anti-Tumor / Cytotoxicity: Study of whole plant yielded a new flavonoid, together with ten known flavonoids. Compound 1—3(S),4(S)-3',4'-dihydroxyl-7,8,-methylenedioxylpterocarpan—was evaluated against human tumor cells lines. Compound 1showed high cytotoxicity against HSY5Y cell with IC50 values of 2.2 μM and moderate cytotoxicities with IC₅₀ valves 5-10 μM for other four tested cell lines. (see constituents above)

• Anti-Viral Phenolic Compounds: Study isolated five new phenolic compounds, gramniphenols C-G (1-5) and eight known compounds (6-13). Compounds 1, 4, and 5 showed anti0tobacco mosaic activity with IC₅₀ of 20.8, 40.8, and 57.5 µM, respectively. Compounds 2, 3, and 6 showed anti-HIV-1 activity with therapeutic index values above 100:1. (14)

• Inhibition of Lipid Peroxidation Induced by Carbon Tetrachloride: Study of an acetic ether extract showed an inhibitory effect on lecithin lipid peroxidation induced by y-Fenton radical, LPO induced by carbon tetrachloride. Results suggest the detoxification mechanism could be related to its strong inhibition effect on lipid peroxidation induced by chemical poison. (15)

• Phenanthrenes/Antibacterial/Anti-Hemolytic: Study of A. graminifolia isolated six phenanthrenes. The compounds exhibited antibacterial and anti-hemolytic activities. Compounds 1 and 2 showed medium activity against S. aureus, B. subtilis, and E. coli. Study of bactericidal mechanisms observed rupture of cell wall and membrane and leakage of nuclear mass. Compounds 1-3 attenuated erythrocyte damage. Compounds 1 and 2 showed significant anti-hemolytic activity.

• Cytoprotective / Aerial Parts: Aerial parts of A. graminifolia yielded two new phenanthrene derivatives, together with a known lignin dimer and seven known stilbenoids. Isolated compounds were studied for cytoprotective activity via reduction of beta amyloid induced toxicity on undifferentiated PC12 cells. Compound 8 showed moderate cytoprotective activity at 0.5 µmol/L (71% of cell viability).

• Stilbenoids/Anti-Hepatic Fibrosis Activity: Study isolated ten stilbenoids which were examined for anti-hepatic fibrosis activity against HSC-T6 cells in vitro. Compounds 4 (3,3'-dihydroxy-5--methoxy-bibenzl) and compound 5 (7-hydroxy-2,8-dimethoxy-phenanthrene-1,4-dione) exhibited moderate growth inhibitory effects with IC50 61.9 µg/mL and 53.7 µg/mL, respectively.

• Cytotoxic Deoxybenzoins and Diphenylethylenes: Study yielded eight new C-4-alkylated deoxybenzoins (1-8), three new diphenylethylenes (9-11) and five known diphenylethylenes. Compounds 1-11 were evaluated for cytotoxicity against five human tumor cell lines. Compounds 4,5, and 9-11 showed significant cytotoxicity evaluated against five cancer cell lines, with IC₅₀ ranging from 1.8 to 8.7 µM.

Properties & Actions: Clearing heat, detoxifying, removing wind and inducing urination.

Indications & Usage: Pyretic stranguria, jaundice, edema, beriberi and puffiness, hernia and abdominal pain, rheumatic arthralgia, venomous snake bites, anthracia and swelling, injuries from falls. Internal: decocting, 15-30g. External: appropriate amount, fresh used, triturated for application.

Examples      

1. Various diseases after delivery: scandent schefflera root leaves 10g, alstonia scholaris leaves 10g, beautiful St. Johnwort 10g, Chinese arundina 15g. Decoct and swallow.

2. Treat scorching pain of urine, urinary calculus or sores in mouth or on tongue: beal's mahonia 30g, rhubarb 15g, mappianthus iodoides 30g, Chinese arundina 30g, european verbena 15g, plantain 30g, spicate clerodendranthus herb 15g. Decoct and take orally.

Edibility: Flowers reportedly edible.

References

- Chinese Medicinal Material Images Database

- efloras.org

- Theplantlist

- Liu MF, Han Y, Xing DM, Wang W, Xu LZ, Du LJ, Ding Y; Chemical constituents from the rhizoma of Arundina graminifolia; Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2004 Feb;29 (2):147-9.