Lemon verbena

Chinese Name: Ma Bian Cao
Medical Name: Herba verbenae
Latin Name: Aloysia triphylla (Lippia citriodora) family Verbenaceae
Origin:
Taste:

Quotes from Chinese historical sources

OTHER CLASSIFIED RECORDS OF FAMOUS DOCTORS: "Treats malignant boils on the lower body."

RI HUAZI MATERIA MEDICA: "Assists menstruation, and is effective in treating cases of amenorrhea due to the stasis of blood and energy in the abdomen, and in cases of abnormal menstruation."

SUPPLEMENT TO THE AMPLIFIED MATERIA MEDICA: "Treats wounds inflicted with metal and promotes the circulation of blood."

Western Research

Biol Pharm Bull. 2002 Oct;25(10):1324-7
Studies on the antioxidant activity of Lippia citriodora infusion: scavenging effect on superoxide radical, hydroxyl radical and hypochlorous acid.
Valentao P, Fernandes E, Carvalho F, Andrade PB, Seabra RM, de Lourdes Basto M.
CEQUP/Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Porto University, Portugal.
Lippia citriodora is an herbal species which contains several flavonoids and phenolic acids. In view of the pharmacological interest in natural phenolic compounds as antioxidants, this study examined the superoxide radical, hydroxyl radical and hypochlorous acid scavenging activities of L. citriodora infusion. Superoxide radical was generated either in an enzymatic or in a chemical system, and scavenging ability was assessed by the inhibition of nitroblue tetrazolium reduction. Hydroxyl radical was generated by the reaction of an iron-EDTA complex with H2O2 in the presence of ascorbic acid, and was assayed by evaluating deoxyribose degradation. Hypochlorous acid scavenging activity was tested by measuring the inhibition of 5-thio-2-nitrobenzoic acid oxidation. The results demonstrate that this infusion has a potent superoxide radical scavenging activity and a moderate scavenging activity of hydroxyl radical and hypochlorous acid. The chemical composition of the lyophilized infusion was also determined in an attempt to establish its relationship with the antioxidant activity found in the present study.

Biol Pharm Bull 2002 Oct;25(10):1324-7
Studies on the antioxidant activity of Lippia citriodora infusion: scavenging effect on superoxide radical, hydroxyl radical and hypochlorous acid.
Valentao P, Fernandes E, Carvalho F, Andrade PB, Seabra RM, de Lourdes Basto M.
CEQUP/Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Porto University, Portugal.
Lippia citriodora is an herbal species which contains several flavonoids and phenolic acids. In view of the pharmacological interest in natural phenolic compounds as antioxidants, this study examined the superoxide radical, hydroxyl radical and hypochlorous acid scavenging activities of L. citriodora infusion. Superoxide radical was generated either in an enzymatic or in a chemical system, and scavenging ability was assessed by the inhibition of nitroblue tetrazolium reduction. Hydroxyl radical was generated by the reaction of an iron-EDTA complex with H2O2 in the presence of ascorbic acid, and was assayed by evaluating deoxyribose degradation. Hypochlorous acid scavenging activity was tested by measuring the inhibition of 5-thio-2-nitrobenzoic acid oxidation. The results demonstrate that this infusion has a potent superoxide radical scavenging activity and a moderate scavenging activity of hydroxyl radical and hypochlorous acid. The chemical composition of the lyophilized infusion was also determined in an attempt to establish its relationship with the antioxidant activity found in the present study.