Gastrodia elata, also known as "Red Arrow", has the same medicinal and edible origin!

June 24, 2024

According to legend, in ancient times, Shen Nong stumbled upon a peculiar plant while picking herbs in the deep mountains. The round reddish brown stem had no leaves, as if an arrow had penetrated the ground. He collected and cooked food, cured many diseases. Shennong believed that this was a relic of the divine arrow, so he named it "Red Arrow", which is today's Tianma.

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Gastrodia elata, a medicine and food homology that has been passed down for thousands of years: Gastrodia elata

Tianma, included in the 2020 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, is a dried tuber of the Orchid plant Gastrodia elata Bl. Its tubers are round or oval in length, with ring patterns, thick and cylindrical in shape, and yellow brown in color. They grow in the thickest areas of the forest with rich humus, and the optimal temperature for growth is 15-28 ℃.
Tianma has a sweet taste, a mild nature, and belongs to the liver meridian. The Shennong Materia Medica Classic records that Tianma has the effect of "killing ghosts and spirits, poisonous and evil qi, long-term consumption of beneficial qi, long yin and fat health, and light body and increased age"; According to the Compendium of Materia Medica, "Gastrodia elata is a medicine used to separate liver meridians and qi.". In addition, the "Compendium of Materia Medica" records that Gastrodia elata can be used to improve head diseases, such as headache, dizziness, weak rotation, epilepsy, spasms, limb spasms, language difficulties, all strokes, and wind phlegm.

On November 9, 2023, Gastrodia elata was listed as a substance that traditionally serves as both a food and a traditional Chinese medicine. Tianma has a history of consumption in provinces such as Guizhou and Yunnan, mainly used for stewing meat, adding vegetables, hot pot, etc. It is generally consumed normally according to traditional habits. From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, Gastrodia elata has the equivalent effects of dispelling wind and calming shock, calming liver and calming wind, and relieving pain. Modern scientific research has found that Gastrodia elata also has the effects of increasing intelligence, strengthening the brain, and delaying aging.

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The Multiple Benefits of Gastrodia elata

Gastrodia elata contains various phenolic substances (such as gastrodin), polysaccharides, organic acids, Vitamin A and other active ingredients. These ingredients have functions such as protecting nerves, sedating and hypnosis, improving learning and memory, antidepressant, lowering blood pressure, promoting angiogenesis, and protecting myocardial cells.
Protecting the nervous system:
Multiple in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that gastrodin has an improving effect on central nervous system diseases such as epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease. Tianma su can significantly increase cell viability, reduce lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, and have a protective effect on damaged neurons. Tianma su can inhibit the decrease of catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR), and total antioxidant (T-AOC) levels, and inhibit the increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, thereby achieving neuroprotective and antioxidant effects.
In addition, the active compounds of Gastrodia elata (such as Gastrodia elata extract, 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, vanillin, etc.) have shown strong improvement effects on depression models. Their potential mechanisms include neurotransmitters, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, regulation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, neurotrophic effects, regulation of stem cells, enhancement of neural plasticity, and neuroprotective effects.
Hypnosis and sedation:
Tianma has hypnotic and sedative effects. Research has shown that the impact of fresh Gastrodia elata on sleep mainly comes from phenolic substances, and the role of Gastrodia elata extract is particularly prominent among phenolic substances. The mechanism of hypnosis and sedation in Tianma may be related to regulating the activity of the central dopamine system and regulating monoamine neurotransmitters in the hypothalamus and hippocampus.
Protecting myocardial cells:
Research has shown that the protective effect of Gastrodia elata on myocardial cells is mainly related to Gastrodia elata extract. Tianma su can inhibit the opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) during oxidative stress injury in cardiomyocytes, thereby reducing cell apoptosis and alleviating oxidative stress injury. Tianma su can upregulate the expression of 14-3-3 β - protein, inhibit oxidative damage in myocardial cells, downregulate the degree of oxidative stress in myocardial cells, reduce cell apoptosis, and have anti-inflammatory effects.
Liver protection:
Tianma su can prevent the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential caused by alcohol in liver cells, reduce the release of mitochondrial cytochrome C, inhibit the activation of caspase-3 in liver cells, thereby inhibiting liver cell apoptosis, restoring abnormal liver function to normal, and effectively improving pathological changes in the liver.
Boosting immunity:

Tianma polysaccharides can promote the increase of immunoglobulin levels in mice, and increase thymus index and spleen index. In addition, Tianma injection can improve the phagocytic function and serum lysozyme activity of mice, enhance the immune response and non-specific effects of mouse T cells, and promote the formation of specific antibodies.

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A variety of Gastrodia elata products

As a local medicinal and food homology, Gastrodia elata is mainly produced in provinces and regions such as Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Shaanxi, Hubei, and Hunan in China. Since 1999, there have been large-scale planting in provinces such as Henan, Shanxi, and Jiangxi. In China, Gastrodia elata is mainly used in pharmaceuticals and health foods. The extremely high nutritional value of Gastrodia elata makes its application in the healthcare industry unique. Currently, there are various types of Gastrodia elata products, including lozenges, capsules, granules, powders, etc.
Hunan Dehai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. has launched a Tianma Yangshen lozenge, which is mainly effective in delaying aging.
Korean Good Herb brand has a 100% pure gastrodia powder health food that can be consumed with water, milk, yogurt, or used for baking.
Hawaiian Pharmaceuticals has launched a liquid supplement of Gastrodia elata dry tuber powder, which is mainly composed of wild harvested Gastrodia elata dry tuber powder and does not contain genetically modified or gluten.

In addition, more and more research and development teams are exploring new application pathways of Gastrodia elata in the food industry. For example, research and development personnel use Gastrodia elata and honey as the main raw materials, and through reasonable processes and scientific blending, produce a sour, sweet, and delicious Gastrodia elata health drink. Some people also add fresh Tianma juice to milk to produce milk drinks, which can improve blood circulation and alleviate dizziness symptoms in the human body.

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2024-06-24

Shaanxi Huike Botanical Development Co., Ltd.

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Gastrodia elata, also known as "Red Arrow", has the same medicinal and edible origin!

01 Gastrodia elata, a medicine and food homology that has been passed down for thousands of years: Gastrodia elata

02 The Multiple Benefits of Gastrodia elata

03 A variety of Gastrodia elata products

01
Gastrodia elata, a medicine and food homology that has been passed down for thousands of years: Gastrodia elata

02
The Multiple Benefits of Gastrodia elata

03
A variety of Gastrodia elata products