Gulin Gansu

Gulin Gansu

Gulin Gansu is a protected geographical indication product.

　　The Gansu Granules in the Gulin Gansu product line were awarded the Gold Prize for Outstanding Scientific and Technological Achievements by the Sichuan Provincial Health Department. In 1997, this product was included in the "Thirteenth Volume of Traditional Chinese Patent Medicine Preparations of the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China." In 1988, it received the Gold Prize for National Spark Program Achievements. In 2001, it was listed in the National Development and Reform Commission’s key demonstration project for the industrialization of high-tech traditional Chinese medicine. By the end of 1998, it was reviewed and approved by the State Drug Administration to be included in the "National Essential Drug List." In May 1999, it received the "Certificate of Protected Traditional Chinese Medicine Variety." In 2002, it was included by the Sichuan Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine as the only key promoted scientific achievement for treating liver diseases in the entire province. Clinical evidence has shown that the Gulin Gansu product is significantly effective in preventing and treating various types of hepatitis. Over its more than ten years on the market, no significant toxic or side effects have been reported, and it is well received by patients.

　　Ingredients

　　　　The main ingredient of Gulin Gansu, Ganhua Cao (Herba Lysimachiae), is a commonly used folk medicinal herb first recorded in the "Jiuhuang Bencao" (Materia Medica for Famine Relief). It is now included in the "Thirteenth Volume of Traditional Chinese Patent Medicine Preparations" under the Ministry of Health standards. It is associated with the liver, gallbladder, spleen, and bladder meridians, with a neutral nature and a slightly bitter and acrid taste. When used alone, it clears heat and removes dampness, benefits the gallbladder and reduces jaundice, strengthens the spleen, promotes urination, and reduces swelling. It has been used medicinally by the Miao people for thousands of years, and its preparation—Gansu Granules—has been used clinically for the treatment of liver diseases for over a decade.

　　The main ingredient of Gulin Gansu, Ganhua Cao, is an authentic medicinal material from Gulin County, also known as Chigen Cai. It is the dried aerial part of the Saxifragaceae plant, Chigen Cai (Lysimachia christinae). It is mainly distributed in the Wumeng Mountain area at altitudes of around 1,000 meters. Its growth and survival have strict requirements for soil, sunlight, temperature, and precipitation. Gulin County lies in a transitional zone between warm temperate and subtropical climates, featuring a subtropical monsoon climate. The area is mountainous with deep valleys and crisscrossing slopes and gullies, with elevations ranging from 300 to 1,843 meters and distinct vertical climates—"three seasons in one year, different weather within ten miles." The annual average temperature is 17.6°C, with annual precipitation of 700–800 cm and a frost-free period of over 300 days. Due to its unique geographic location and environmental climate, the region boasts abundant medicinal herbal resources, making it the optimal environment for the growth and development of Ganhua Cao, which has thus become an authentic medicinal material of Gulin County. The county has a population of over 710,000, comprising 11 ethnic groups, with the Miao being the main minority. Gulin County was a site of the Long March where the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army fought and moved through. The famous “Four Crossings of the Chishui River” campaign primarily took place within Gulin County, making it a revolutionary base area. The region is rich in medicinal herbal resources, and local residents have a long-standing tradition of cultivating medicinal plants.

　　Efficacy

　　　　Gulin Gansu helps reduce enzyme levels, protect the liver, eliminate jaundice, and strengthen the spleen. It is used for chronic active hepatitis, hepatitis B, and can also be applied to acute viral hepatitis. Clinical research has found that Gansu Granules have a certain inhibitory effect on the replication of hepatitis B virus DNA. Gansu Granules can effectively reduce enzyme levels and eliminate jaundice, rapidly improving the patient’s symptoms and signs. The therapeutic effect is not prone to relapse after discontinuation, demonstrating excellent long-term efficacy. Clinical controlled studies have confirmed that Gansu Granules achieve a total clinical effectiveness rate of 90.1% in treating chronic active hepatitis, an 86% clinical cure rate for acute icteric hepatitis, and a 90.48% clinical cure rate for pediatric acute hepatitis B, with no significant toxic or adverse reactions observed. In vitro experiments have shown that the water extract of Ganhua Cao inhibits the secretion of HbsAg and HbeAg by the HBV DNA-transfected cell line 2215, demonstrating certain anti-hepatitis B virus activity in vitro. In animal experiments with duck hepatitis B, administration of the water extract of Ganhua Cao for four weeks significantly or extremely significantly reduced the overall titer level of DHBV DNA in the serum, with the antiviral effect being dose-dependent. Research on the treatment of DEN-AAF-induced experimental precancerous nodules in rats with Gansu Granules showed that the extract of Ganhua Cao significantly blocked and delayed the occurrence of DEN-AAF-induced liver cancer.

　　Origin

　　　　Produced in Gulin County, Sichuan, located in the Wumeng Mountain area, Gulin Gansu is considered the “fairy grass” of the Miao people and is mainly found in the border regions of Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan.