Jiaogulan from Gucheng

Jiaogulan from Gucheng

　　A herbaceous vine. The stem is tender. The leaves are palmately divided into 5–7 small leaflets. Flowers are unisexual, with both male and female inflorescences being conical, small in size, and bearing spherical fruits that turn black when ripe. It belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. Jiaogulan contains carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins B1, B2, C, E, carotene, and trace elements such as potassium, sodium, calcium, iron, and phosphorus, as well as 82 types of saponins, four of which have a molecular structure identical to that of ginsenosides, along with flavonoids and other components. Jiaogulan is non-toxic and can help lower blood lipids and blood pressure, increase coronary and cerebral blood flow, resist DNA mutation, enhance immune function, and prevent or treat conditions such as arteriosclerosis, coronary heart disease, hypertension, obesity, cancer, as well as acute and chronic hepatitis.