Baikal pine cone

Photo: Andrey Korzun
Scutellaria baicalensis

Description

Baikal coneflower is an herb of the family of the deaf-ears, subfamily Scutellaroideae. It is a perennial herb growing to a height of 15-50 cm. It flowers in late summer to autumn with striking blue flowers. The fruits are cone-shaped – they give the coneflower its name. It grows mainly in the forested areas of Zabaikalye and the Far East, but it can be grown here too – it requires no special care and overwinters well. The medicinal drug is the root.

History

Baikal coneflower is one of the basic herbs of traditional Chinese medicine. It has been used for more than 2000 years, the first mention of it can be found in Shen Nong’s Canon of Medicinal Plants, which was written during the Han Dynasty (25-220 AD). Another very old written record of it comes from a tomb in northwestern China from the 2nd century AD, where it was listed as an ingredient in several medicinal preparations. Chinese medicine still uses it to this day, especially to treat fever, coughs, digestive and urinary problems, but also inflammation, allergies and cardiovascular diseases.

Active ingredients

Baikal coneflower contains a number of unique substances, especially from the group of glycosides and polyphenols. Among the most important are vogonin, baicalein, baicalein, oroxylin A, scutellarin, chrysin, viscidulin, luteolin and scullcapflavone.

Effects

Baikal coneflower is used in traditional medicine to treat a wide range of diseases. Research conducted over the last two decades has shown that many of the effects of Baikal coneflower are due to the epigenetic action of some of the substances it contains. For example, vogonin can regulate the activity of enzymes called histone deacetylases, which, as their name suggests, are involved in a reaction called histone acetylation. (3) Histones are proteins that form the spatial structure of DNA, and the degree of acetylation determines whether the genes in question will be ‘read’. This process plays a very important role, for example in the prevention and treatment of cancer.

Anxiety

A very interesting area is the effect of the pineal gland on the psyche. Its active ingredients are one of the few substances that can overcome the barrier between the bloodstream and the brain. There, vogonin and baicalein bind to the so-called GABA receptors. These are where gamma-aminobutyric acid, a neurotransmitter (a substance that mediates the transmission of nerve impulses) with depressant effects, normally binds. Vogonin binds directly to the so-called benzodiazepine binding site, which is where drugs such as benzodiazepines, which are used to treat anxiety, otherwise go. Pine cones, especially the baicalein contained in them, have one big advantage over anxiolytics: unlike anxiolytics, they bind only to certain subunits of the GABA receptor, so they can effectively reduce anxiety, but they do not have a downright sedative effect, so they do not cause excessive drowsiness or loss of attention. This makes it possible to use it, for example, in driving or other attention-demanding activities. It is also not addictive (40-42).

The pine cone is also effective for depression.

Sleep

The calming effect of the coneflower and its ability to bind to GABA receptors may also be beneficial for people suffering from sleep disorders. Thanks to them, this herb facilitates falling asleep and positively influences the quality of sleep (57).

ADHD

Another area where the above-mentioned properties of the pineal gland are positively manifested is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD for short (58).

Tumour diseases

Pine cone can very strongly inhibit the cell growth of cancer cells because it reduces the concentration of cyclooxygenase COX2, which is necessary for the production of prostaglandin E2. In fact, inflammatory processes, which are caused by prostaglandin production, promote tumour cell growth. This effect is evident in a number of tumour types, but breast and prostate tumours are the most sensitive to the effects of pineal gland (5).

At the same time, a substance called luteolin, isolated from the Baikal cone, has a major effect on apoptosis, or programmed cell death. This ability is impaired in cancer cells, leading to their uncontrolled proliferation.(8) Another component of the pine cone, phenophorbide, has a similar effect, suppressing the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 and thus promoting apoptosis.(10) An extract from the plant also reduces proliferation, the ability to multiply rapidly, also typical of cancer cells. This effect has even been shown in liver cancer, which is one of the most aggressive types of cancer. (9) Another very effective substance is vogonin, which has epigenetic effects – by regulating the acetylation of histones, it influences the reading of genetic information and thus affects apoptosis and proliferation of cancer cells in particular.

An animal study showed a 50% reduction in tumours after a seven-week treatment with Baikal coneflower.(6) Smokers will be pleased to know that coneflower protects the DNA of cells from damage caused by cigarette smoke, helping to reduce the risk of cancer.(15)

The ability of the pineal gland to influence apoptosis has also been demonstrated in leukaemia. (11)

Immunity and inflammatory processes

As we have already mentioned, Baikal coneflower reduces the concentration of cyclooxygenase COX2, and thus suppresses the course of virtually all inflammatory processes in the body. In addition, its ability to suppress the production and activation of other compounds that promote inflammation, such as NF-kB factor or cytokines, is also anti-inflammatory.(5, 30) However, it can also directly affect immunity, especially by activating immune cells called macrophages. (4)

Diseases of the heart and blood vessels

In animal experiments, the ability of pine cones to affect blood cholesterol levels has been demonstrated. When given to mice fed a high-fat diet, they showed a reduction in cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It is also used in Chinese medicine to treat high blood pressure, atherosclerosis and varicose veins (1), and its effectiveness against atherosclerosis and thrombosis has been confirmed by some scientific studies (20). In one study, the combination of Baikal coneflower with sanhuang was even able to reduce the formation of atherosclerotic plaques as effectively as taking 50 mg of aspirin daily, but without the negative side effects (21).

Bacterial and viral infections

Baikal coneflower helps to suppress a number of bacterial infections, including those caused by antibiotic-resistant golden staphylococcus aureus or chlamydia.(14, 18, 45, 46) Its antiviral effects have also been demonstrated, for example against influenza A and B viruses.(19) The baikalein it contains is even capable of limiting the multiplication of HIV!(29)

Fungal and yeast infections

Baikal coneflower also effectively kills the most common causative agent of fungal disease, Candida yeast, even in cancer patients who have developed this infection after chemotherapy treatment (69).

Anemia

Baikalin and other components of coneflower positively affect the production of red blood cells or haemopoiesis. It acts even if the flow of blood cells has been disturbed by sleep deprivation or psychological stress. (16)

Alzheimer’s disease and memory disorders

The pineal gland also represents some hope for Alzheimer’s dementia patients, whose numbers have been rising steeply in recent decades. It turns out that the substance oroxylin A, which it contains, is able to alleviate memory disorders caused by beta-amyloid plaques, which are one of the main manifestations of this disease.(25) Moreover, baicalein and orolyxin A have a neuroprotective effect – they are able to protect brain cells from destruction, which is important not only in Alzheimer’s disease, but also, for example, in stroke. It improves the protection of nerve cells against ischemia or lack of oxygen, because the pineal gland affects the function of their mitochondria and thus the ability to produce energy. In fact, mitochondrial dysfunction is considered one of the possible causes of the disease.(13, 26) Moreover, pineal gland enables the brain to better resist the deterioration of memory, learning and other cognitive functions that are caused not by disease but by natural processes associated with ageing.(27)

Allergies

Baikal coneflower has been used as an anti-allergic in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine and this ability is confirmed by modern science. It is most effective when administered 48 hours before an allergen encounter – when the encounter occurs afterwards, the release of histamine and therefore the intensity of the allergic symptoms is reduced. Hemp can thus be used preventively, for example in the pollen season (28).

Obesity

Pine cones can even be very effective for people who are trying to lose weight – especially those who are already in the obese stage. This is due not only to its anti-inflammatory action (obesity is accompanied by cellular inflammation, which hinders weight loss and has a number of negative health effects), but also to its ability to influence the formation and oxidation of fatty acids.(31, 32) In addition, the scutellarin it contains is able to reduce the concentration of substances that allow the formation of new fat cells.(33)

The pine cone also helps to alleviate some of the effects of an unhealthy diet, especially a diet high in saturated fat. In these cases, for example, it alleviates metabolic disturbances and liver damage. (44)

Diabetes

Rosehip can also be a very effective weapon in the prevention of diabetes, as it can reduce blood glucose levels very effectively after only four weeks of use (34-37).

Osteoporosis

Drugs for osteoporosis can be divided into two categories: the first, called antiresorptive agents, prevent the loss of minerals from the bones, while anabolic agents promote the construction and growth of bone mass. At the same time, research suggests that baicalin and other flavonoids contained in coneflower root may act on bone through both of these pathways – effectively activating genes that control the differentiation of bone cells called osteoblasts, while promoting bone mineralisation. One of its key principles of action is the harmonisation of the RANKL/OPG system, two proteins that play an important role in the development of osteoporosis. RANKL is produced by osteoclasts, bone cells that play a major role in bone resorption (reabsorption of bone-forming substances). OPG binds to activated RANKL, preventing it from functioning. Osteoporosis is characterised by RANKL being superior to OPG, so that resorption outweighs the formation of new bone mass. This is what the pineal gland helps to prevent. (43)

Lupenka

Dandruff, or psoriasis, is an inflammatory, immune-mediated skin disease, with many patients responding only to limited conventional treatment. Baikal coneflower, in particular, can help bring them relief. The baicalein it contains reduces the production of inflammatory interleukins and the penetration of immune cells into the skin, thereby significantly reducing inflammation. Erythema and skin necrosis are also reduced. (47)

Kidneys

Elderberry is beneficial for a number of kidney problems. It has a general anti-inflammatory effect on this organ, reduces the production of inflammatory cytokines, has a beneficial effect in glomerulonephritis, kidney fibrosis, protects the kidneys of patients with diabetes and generally improves the condition of people with chronic kidney damage and insufficient kidney function. It is particularly effective in people who also suffer from high blood pressure. Interestingly, it also helps to restore the balance of the gut microbiome, which is often disturbed in people with kidney problems (48-51).

Joint disease

Rosehip can be particularly effective in arthritis, where it helps to reduce inflammation and pain in affected joints and increase their mobility and overall comfort.(52) In addition, the vogonin it contains has a direct protective effect on cartilage cells.(66)

Liver

Another organ whose health is positively influenced by the pineal gland is the liver. It protects them from the harmful effects of free radicals, alcohol, high-fat diet and some toxic chemicals (e.g. aflatoxin), and promotes their function and regenerative abilities (17, 44, 62-65).

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is the most common gynecological disease of women of reproductive age. The cells of the uterine lining (endometrium) are found outside the uterus, most often in the ovary, fallopian tubes or elsewhere in the abdominal cavity. However, these cells behave similarly to those in the uterus, including responding to sex hormone levels. Thus, at the time of menstruation, there is a marked increase in inflammatory processes and bleeding in the abdominal cavity, which is associated with very severe menstrual pain. The vogonin contained in the pineal gland effectively inhibits the proliferation or rapid multiplication of mucosal cells, while promoting apoptosis (cell death) in mucosal lesions. Vogonin also blocks the estrogen receptors in these cells, thereby mitigating their response to changes in sex hormone levels during the menstrual cycle (67).

Use of

Baikal coneflower is usually used as part of a four-week treatment, after which it is advisable to take a week’s break. The usual daily dose is 500 mg of the extract (39).

Side effects and contraindications

So far, no side effects have been reported with the use of Baikal coneflower. It is not recommended for use by children and pregnant women as the necessary research has not yet been done to prove that it is safe for them.

However, it is important to bear in mind that coneflower can interfere with the effects of some drugs. Its ability to lower blood sugar levels can be problematic for people who are also taking antidiabetic drugs or insulin, in which case it should only be used under the supervision of a doctor. Another problem may be the ability of the pineal gland to increase the effect of some antixiolytics (anti-anxiety drugs), particularly benzodiazepines, barbiturates, anticolvulsants, insomnia drugs and tricyclic antidepressants. Concomitant alcohol consumption may also be problematic.(38) It should also not be used in conjunction with oestrogen therapy and blood pressure lowering drugs.(53)

Suitable combinations

Baikal coneflower is an herb that is very suitable for combining, both with other herbs (not only those used in traditional Chinese medicine), but also with epigenetically acting nutrients. Here are some suitable combinations:

Anxiety and sleep disorders: coneflower + passionflower (56)

Depression: coneflower + rhodiola (60)

Cancer: coneflower + resveratrol, coneflower + curcumin, coneflower + OPC, coneflower + ginger (54)

Heart and blood vessels: pine cone + resveratrol, pine cone + OPC

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory action: coneflower + OPC (55), coneflower + curcumin (61), coneflower + rosemary

Antimicrobial effect: coneflower + curcumin (61)

Arthrosis: coneflower + acacia catechu (52), coneflower + genistein

Weight loss: pine cone + bamboo (59), pine cone + egcg

Liver: conkers + curcumin (62)

Osteoporosis: pine cone + resveratrol, pine cone + OPC, pine cone + genistein

Protection of nerve cells: pine cone + resveratrol, pine cone + omega-3

Pupa: cone + egcg

Endometriosis: coneflower + rosemary (67)