Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Foremost Among Medicinal Orchids: Tianma, Chijian (Gastrodia elata)

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Orchids as Aphrodisiac, Medicine or Food

  • 823 Accesses

Abstract

Stories on the legendary origin of Tiama or tubers of the parasitic orchid, Gastrodia elata, are used to open the chapter to highlight the observation that efficacy in traditional herbal medicine is almost invariably ‘proven’ by anecdotes. Chinese scientists determined to prove that the herb is truly effective in managing ‘diseases of wind’ (strokes and other diseases of the nervous system) have isolated over a hundred compounds from Tianma. In vitro and animal experiments which suggest that crude Tianma extracts and several pure compounds both exhibit neuroprotective properties are discussed and explained. Hopefully this will translate into clinically proven items for the management of neurological disorders of old age. Cultivated Tianma accounts for approximately 80% of the tremendous market demand exceeding 100 tons.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 49.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 49.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Anonymous (trans) (1974) Barefoot doctors manual. NIH, Bathesda

    Google Scholar 

  • Arditti J (1992) Fundamentals of orchid biology. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Bensky D, Clavey S, Stoger E, Gambie A (2004) Herbal medicine materia medica, 3rd edn. Eastland Press, Seattle, WA

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernard N (1908) La culture des orchids dans ses rapports avec la symbiose. J Soc Nat Hort France 4th Ser 24:180–185

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernard N (1909) L’Evolution dans la symbiose, les orchidees et leur champignons commensaux. Ann Sci Nat Bot Ser 9 9:1–196

    Google Scholar 

  • Bie X, Chen Y, Han J et al (2007) Effects of gastrodin on amino acids after cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rat striatum. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 16(Suppl 1):305–308

    Google Scholar 

  • Burgeff H (1909) Die Wurzelpilze der orchideen ihre kultur und ihr leben in der Pflanze. G Fisher, Jena, p 220

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen SC, Tang T (1982) A general review of the orchid flora of China. In: Arditti J (ed) Orchid biology. Reviews and perspectives II. Cornell University Press, Ithaca

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen SC, Tsi ZH, Luo YB (1999) Native orchids of China in colour. Science Press, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Cribb P, Fischer E, Killmann D (2010) A revision of Gastrodia (Orchidaceae: Epidendroideae, Gastrodieae) in tropical Africa. Kew Bull 65(2):315–321

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dharmananda S (2009) Modernizing Chinese medicine. The case of Amillaria as Gastrodia substitute. Google 2009

    Google Scholar 

  • Ding CS, Shen YS, Li G et al (2007) Study of a glycoprotein from Gastrodia elata: its effects of anticoagulation and antithrombosis. Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi 32(11):1060–1064

    Google Scholar 

  • Fan L, Guo SX (1998) The development of orchid mycorrhizal fungi research. Microbiology 25:227–230

    Google Scholar 

  • Fan L, Guo SX, Cao WQ et al (1996) Isolation, culture, identification and biological activity of Mycena orchidicola sp. nov in Cymbidium sinense (Orchidaceae). Acta Mycol Sin 15(4):252–255

    Google Scholar 

  • Fratkin J (1997) Chinese herbal patent formulas: a practical guide. Pelanduk Publications, Selangor, Darul Ehsan

    Google Scholar 

  • Guo SX, Fan L (1999) Mycena dendrobii, a new mycorrhizal fungus. Mycosystema 18:141–144

    Google Scholar 

  • Guo SX, Fan L, Cao WQ et al (1997) Mycena anoectochila sp nov isolated from mycorrhizal roots of Anoectochilus roxburghii from Xishuangbanna, China. Mycologia 89:952–954

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Han ST et al (1998) Medicinal plants in the Republic of Korea: information on 150 commonly used medicinal plants. WHO Regional Office of the Western Pacific, Manila

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayashi J, Sekine T, Deguchi S et al (2002) Phenolic compounds from Gastrodia rhizome and relaxant effects of related compounds on isolated smooth muscle preparation. Phytochemistry 59(5):513–519

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hsu TC, Kuo CM (2010) Supplements to the orchid flora of Taiwan (IV): four additions to the genus gastrodia. Taiwania 55(3):243–248

    Google Scholar 

  • Hu SY (2005) Food plants of China. The Chinese University Press, Hong Kong

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang SY, Shi JG, Yang YC, Hu SL (2002) Studies on chemical constituents from Tibetan medicine wangle (rhizome of Coeloglossum viride var. bracteatum). Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi 27(2):118–120

    Google Scholar 

  • Ji N, Li Y (2009) Effect of different strains of Armillaria mellea on the yield of Gastrodia elata f. glauca. J Fungal Res 6(4):231–233

    Google Scholar 

  • Jin XH, Zhao XD, Shi XC (2009) Native orchids from Gaoligongshan Mountains, China. Science Press, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim HJ, Lee SR, Moon KD (2003) Ether fraction of methanol extracts of Gastrodia elata, medicinal herb protects against neuronal cell damage after transient global ischemia in gerbils. Phytother Res 17:909–912

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kusano S (1911) Gastrodia elata and its symbiotic association with Armillaria mellea, vol IV(I), vol 4016. College of Agriculture, Imperial University of Tokyo, Tokyo, pp 1–73

    Google Scholar 

  • Li S (1596) Bencao Gangmu

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu Y, Tang X, Pei J et al (2006) Gastrodin interaction with human fibrinogen: anticoagulant effects and 4124 binding sites. Chemistry 12:7807–7815

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu J, Yu ZB, Ye YH, Zhou YW (2008) Chemical constituents from the tubers of Cremastra appendiculata. Yao Xue Xue Bao 43(2):181–184

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayr H (1998) Orchid names and their meanings. Gantner-Verlag K.G., Vaduz

    Google Scholar 

  • Mo L, Kang JC, He J et al (2009) A preliminary study of the composition of endophytic fungi from Gastrodia elata. J Fungal Res 6(4):211–215

    Google Scholar 

  • Nah ELQ, Ng XW, Chen KS (2010) An in-vitro study of the effect of gastrodin on neuronal cells. Recent development in Chinese herbal medicine. Programs and Abstracts. Nanyang Technological University, p 67

    Google Scholar 

  • Park EJ, Ahn JK, Lee WY, Kim ST (2008) Establishment of in-vitro production system of Gastrodia elata immature tubers followed by symbiotic seed germination. Plant Biol (Rockville) 2008:172–173

    Google Scholar 

  • Perner H, Luo Y (2007) Orchids of Huanglong. Sichuan Fine Arts Publishing House, China

    Google Scholar 

  • Pyo MK, Jin JL, Koo YK, Yun-Choi HS (2004) Phenolic and furan type compounds isolated from Gastrodia elata and their anti-platelet effects. Arch Pharm Res 27:381–385

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qiu H, Tang W, Tong X et al (2007) Structure elucidation and sulfated derivatives preparation of two alpha-D-glucans from Gastrodia elata Bl. and their anti- dengue virus bioactivities. Carbohydr Res 342:2230–2236

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rong LH, Cai CT (2010) Effect of different woods on the yield of Gastrodia elata. Wuhan Zhiwuxue Yanjiu 28(6):761–766

    Google Scholar 

  • Sekizaki H, Kuninaga S, Yamamoto M (2008) Identification of Armillaria nabsnona in Gastrodia tubers. Biol Pharm Bull 31:1410–1414

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stuart GA (1911) Chinese materia medica: vegetable kingdom (A revision of a work by F. Porter Smith.). American Presbyterian Mission Press, Shanghai

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu JT (1989) Studies on the life cycle of Gastrodia elata. Zhongguo Yi Xi Xue Ke Xue Yuan Xue Bao 11:237–241

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu J (1990a) Cytological observation on hyphae invading Mycena osmundicola in the process of germination of Gastrodia elata Bl. Zhongguo Yi Xue Ke Xue Yuan Xue Bao 12:313–317

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu J (1990b) Studies on nutrition source of seeds germination of Gastrodia elata Bl. Zhongguo Yi Xue Ke Xue Yuan Xue Bao 12:431–434

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu J, Guo S (2000) Retrospect on the research of the cultivation of Gastrodia elata Bl, a rare traditional Chinese medicine. Chin Med J 113:686–692

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang YL, Wu KJ, Lu G (eds) (1999) Traditional Chinese materia medica. Wuhan University Press, Wuhan

    Google Scholar 

  • Yu SJ, Kim JR, Lee CK et al (2005) Gastrodia elata Blume and an active component, p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol reduce focal ischemic brain injury through antioxidant related gene expression. Biol Pharm Bull 28:1016–1020

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeng X, Zhang S, Zhang L et al (2006) A study of the neuroprotective effect of the phenolic glucoside gastrodin during cerebral ischemia in vivo and in vitro. Planta Med 72L:1359–1365

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeng XH, Zhang Y, Zhang SM, Zheng XX (2007) A microdialysis study of effects of gastrodin on neuro-chemical changes in the ischemic/reperfused rat cerebral hippocampus. Biol Pharm Bull 30:801–804

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Q, Yang YM, Yu YG (2008) Effects of gastrodin injection on blood pressure and vasoactive substances in treatment of old patients with refractory hypertension: a randomized controlled trial. Zhong Xi Yi Jie He Xue Bao 6:695–699

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu HL, Dai PG, Zhang W et al (2010) Enzymic synthesis of gastrodin through microbial transformation and purification of gastrodin biosynthesis enzyme. Biol Pharm Bull 33(10):1680–1684

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Singapore, Singapore

    Eng Soon Teoh

Authors
  1. Eng Soon Teoh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Teoh, E.S. (2019). Foremost Among Medicinal Orchids: Tianma, Chijian (Gastrodia elata). In: Orchids as Aphrodisiac, Medicine or Food. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-18255-7_3

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation