Wednesday 3 July 2013

Honeysuckle and its uses

Honeysuckle is a kind of shrub which comes from the family 'Caprifoliaceae'. Its mostly native to the northern hemisphere with around 100 species found in China itself. Some widely known species of honeysuckle are Lonicera periclymenum, Lonicera japonica and Lonicera sempervirens.

The main active ingredients of the honeysuckle extract is chlorogenic acid (chlorogenic acid, CGA) and luteolin glycosides (Luteolin). The CGA of honeysuckle can be used in the preparation of drugs, health products and cosmetic's raw materials. Honeysuckle Flowers Extract has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties which enhances the immune function. It has relatively lower toxicity level and low side-effects.

To administer this anti-inflammatory and anti-pyretic effect a test was conducted on a rat. One such test revealed that Intraperitoneal injection of honeysuckle extract liquid measured 0.25g/kg can inhibit the rat carrageenan sexual swollen feet. Another analysis report concluded that the honeysuckle Injection of 30-40g/kg can reduce the degree of egg white swollen feet. In the next test Intraperitoneal injection of honeysuckle extract liquid measured 8g/kg was given twice a day for six consecutive days and was found that it also has significant anti-exudative and anti-proliferative effect. Early reports on honeysuckle revealed obvious antipyretic effect to the rabbit ear vein injection of cholera vaccine.

It has many significant usefulness. Honeysuckle is sometimes applied to the skin for inflammation and itching to kill germs. It is also used as honeysuckle tea as a home remedy for exhaustion and heat stroke. These various beneficiary properties proves how valuable a honeysuckle shrub could be.