Introduction:
Shanzha (crategeous pinnatifida) is also known as “Hawthorn” in some regions. In China, shanzha has been eaten for improving digestive ailments and cardiovascular disorders. Shanzha is utilized together with other herbs in prescription formulas to dissolve food and resolve stagnant digestion caused by accumulations of poor digested foods, characterized by abdominal distention and pain, or diarrhea; it is also used alone or in combination with other herbs for the treatment of cardiovascular disorders. Shanzha preparations are also commonly prescribed by physicians in Germany and elsewhere for the treatment of diminished heart performance at the early stages of congestive heart failure (CHF), for angina pectoris, and to help in long-term recovery from heart attacks. It is also used to reduce a sensation of pressure or anxiety in the heart area, age-related heart problems, mild forms of arrhythmias, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis).
Studies in China and other countries show that shanzha extract lowers serum cholesterol levels and improves cardiac oxygenation and contractility; is useful in the prevention and treatment of arteriosclerosis; and improves circulation to the extremities by helping to reduce resistance in the arteries.
Shanzha apparently lowers serum cholesterol through inhibition of LDL receptor down-regulation. Typically, in a hypercholesterolemic subject, the LDL receptor is down regulated, and the further removal of intermediate density lipoproteins (IDL) and LDL from the plasma is prevented. By inhibiting this down-regulation, shanzha enables hepatocytes to take up more LDL from the blood. Cholesterol in the hepatocytes is then cleared through excretion as bile acids or free cholesterol into the biliary system, which drains into the small intestine. This mode of action in reducing serum LDL complements that of the HMGCoA reductase inhibitors, since shanzha can act in combination with these drugs to produce an even more powerful method of treatment of hypercholesterolemia.
This discovery allows shanzha to be used as a therapeutic agent to treat hyperlipidemia, hyperlipoproteinemia, hypercholesterolemia, and diseases associated with each of these, such as atherosclerosis and pancreatitis.
Shanzha can be used for the treatment of hyperlipidemias, including hypercholesterolemia; hyperlipoproteinemia, including high serum levels of LDL and IDL; and disease states associated with each, such as atherosclerosis and pancreatitis. Shanzha can also be used in normal subjects as a preventative measure to prevent the occurrence of these disorders. People suffering from any of these disorders or wishing to prevent any of these disorders can be treated with shanzha 5:1 extract powder, in an amount effective to decrease blood lipids.
Typical dosages of shanzha 5:1 concentrated extract powder:
Adult dosage range: 1-2 teaspoonfuls b.i.d. or t.i.d. (equivalent to 40-50 gm of crude extract per day for a 60 kg of body weight). Preferably, 3 times a day, in the morning, afternoon, and at night.
Patients can be maintained on shanzha during a short time or long time period to achieve and maintain low serum cholesterol levels of between 160 and 200 mg/dl. Patients undergoing treatment with conventional blood thinner medications should not take shanzha without consulting his/her doctor.
Shanzha 5:1 concentrated extract powder (pharmaceutical graded) is available from our clinic in Miami.
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