The Many Unknown Benefits Of Eucommia

The bark of the Eucommia ulmoides plant, known by the Chinese as “Du Zhong”, has been used for over 3000 years by practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to deal with numerous medical conditions. Since the plant grew mainly in China (at least until recently), not many other cultures are familiar with the herb, nor with its wonderful qualities.

Below are the main benefits of using the herb. These benefits may have been discovered and verified by thousands of years of clinical experience, or have been proven scientifically in the laboratories.

Eucommia and backaches

The Eucommia bark has been traditionally used by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners for treating those with backaches. And scientific studies have found supportive data for such use of the herb.

In 2000, Japanese researchers from Nihon University (Chiba, Japan) found that the bark of Eucommia (as well as its leaves) contained a substance that promoted collagen development in rats. Since collagen is needed for healthy connective tissues, and connective tissues like tendons and ligaments are found extensively along the back, it helped explain why Eucommia has a beneficial effect for those suffering from backaches. [1]

Eucommia and high-blood-pressure

Investigative studies since the 1970s have been showing the blood-pressure lowering properties of Eucommia, which some researchers have attributed to its mild diuretic actions [2]. But unlike pharmaceutical drugs, the herb does not further lower blood-pressure in those already with low blood pressure.

A 2011 clinical trial testing study published in the journal Alternative Medicine Review pointed out that the herb deserves consideration as a nutraceutical intervention in people with “prehypertension”. Since people in this category had what seemed like borderline hypertension with systolic blood pressure of 120-139 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure of 80-89 mmHg, the researchers suggested that this group might be better treated with dietary and lifestyle modification instead of the use of pharmaceutical drugs. [3]

In another study where Eucommia was used with other herbs traditionally prescribed to deal with high blood pressure, namely Lonicera japonica (忍冬), Scutellaria baicalensis (黄芩), Prunella vulgaris(夏枯草), and Loranthus parastiticus, more than 90% of the study subjects experienced significant reductions in their blood pressures in just a week. Many of the hypertension symptoms they experienced (e.g. numbness, tinnitus, headaches, dizziness, palpitations and insomnia) were also reduced. [2]

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