Bupleurum

Bupleurum is a traditional Chinese medicine used to protect the liver where it exerts anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective actions. This suggests it may be beneficial in diseases associated with poor liver function, acute and chronic liver disease including hepatitis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and liver cancer. The root was traditionally used as a tonic for influenza and the common cold, to treat the associated fever (because it is cooling), inflammation and pain, as well as prolapse of the uterus and rectum. 

The anti-inflammatory action extends to chronic inflammatory disorders and autoimmune diseases such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, dementia, pancreatitis, hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. Bupleurum also protects the stomach and kidneys from toxic damage making it helpful for people who get frequent urinary tract infections. 

Bupleurum can also improve liver enzyme activity in regard to oestrogen clearance making it effective in endometriosis, irregular menstruation and the symptoms of perimenopause such as hot flushes and depressive mood change. More recently it has been used in the management of miscarriage cases where it plays an important role in immune modulation, and inflammatory management, for autoimmune mediated recurrent miscarriage cases and as an adaptogen to assist in adrenal recovery to overcome debility associated with recurrent pregnancy loss. 

References

van Wyk B, Wink M. Medicinal Plants of the World. Pretoria: Briza Publications; 2004. p. 73

Ren M, McGowan E, Li Y, et al. Saikosaponin-d Suppresses COX2 Through p-STAT3/C/EBPβ Signaling Pathway in Liver Cancer: A Novel Mechanism of Action. Front Pharmacol. 2019;10:623. Published 2019 May 29. doi:10.3389/fphar.2019.00623

HEC condition guides

Hechtman L. Advanced Clinical Naturopathic Medicine. Elsevier Australia:Chatswood. 2020. p. 374.

Sarris J, Wardle J. Clinical Naturopathy, 2nd ed. Chatswood:Elsevier. 2014. p.443.

Yeom M, Kim EY, Kim JH, Jung HS, Sohn Y. High Doses of Bupleurum falcatum Partially Prevents Estrogen Deficiency-Induced Bone Loss With Anti-osteoclastogenic Activity Due to Enhanced iNOS/NO Signaling. Front Pharmacol. 2018;9:1314. Published 2018 Nov 16. doi:10.3389/fphar.2018.01314