Gastrodia elata.    天 麻 Tiān má- "Heavenly numb"  Gastrodia tuber   Family: Orchidaceae    
A perennial Orchid that grows in decaying organic matter. It is found in Nepal, Bhutan, India, Japan, North Korea, Siberia, Taiwan as well as mainland China. It grows at elevations of 400–3200 metres at the edge of forest.
Nature- neutral   FLAVOR: Sweet
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Anticonvulsives for Endogenous Wind (Convulsions)
1. Quiet spasm.[1]
2. Dispels flatus.[1]
INDICATIONS
1. Head- Dizziness.[1,2]Fainting.[1] Auditory vertigo.[2] Lateral and frontal headaches.[1]
2. Epilepsy.[1,2] Convulsion in children.[2] Muddled speech.[1] Convulsive spasms.[1] Apprehension.[1]
3. Numbness.[1,2] Numbness of limbs.[1] Joint pains.[1]
4. Hypertension.[2]
5. Infantile diarrhea.[1]
COMBINATIONS
- Upward disturbance of Wind-Phlegm: Eliminates Phlegm, subdues Internal Wind, strengthens the Spleen and dries Damp Pinellia & Gastrodia- Ban xia bai zhu tian ma tang.
- Internal Wind due to Hyperactivity of Liver Yang: Calms the Liver, extinguishes internal Wind, clears Heat, tonifies the Liver and Kidney, calms the Shen Gastrodia & Gambir- Tian ma gou teng wan.              
PREPARATIONS: Decoction. Dried tuber 8-15 g.
6-12g.[1] 9-15 g.[2]
       
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Research

The antidepressant effect of Gastrodia elata Bl. on the forced-swimming test in rats.
Chen PJ, Hsieh CL, Su KP, Hou YC, Chiang HM, Lin IH, Sheen LY.
Abstract
Depression is a common psychiatric disorder with a high morbidity and mortality rate. The pharmacotherapy used in clinic today is not suitable for all patients and causes certain side-effects. Thus, looking for alternative treatments with antidepressant effect and minimal side-effect is important. Gastrodia elata Bl. is a famous Chinese traditional medicine used for centuries. The aim of this study is to test the antidepressant effect of Gastrodia elata Bl. extract (GE) using forced-swimming test (FST). Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to control, GE, and fluoxetine groups, treated with 10 ml/kg bw (body weight) water, 1 g/kg bw of GE, and 15 mg/kg bw of fluoxetine, respectively. Those samples were administered by gavage to rats 23.5, 4.5 and 1 hour prior to the test session of FST. After FST, the animals were sacrificed and their brains were collected for monoamines analysis. The results indicated that the duration of immobility was significantly decreased in GE group compared to the control (p < 0.05). The concentration of serotonin (5-HT), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), and the ratio of 5-HIAA/5-HT in frontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus were not significantly different between GE and the control groups. However, administration of GE significantly increased the dopamine (DA) concentration (p < 0.05) and decreased the concentration of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) (p < 0.01) and DA turnover (p < 0.05) in striatum compared to the control. The results of this study show that Gastrodia elata Bl. extract modulates the turnover of DA in rats, and thus probably possesses antidepressant effect in rats.
PMID: 18306453 DOI: 10.1142/S0192415X08005618  Am J Chin Med. 2008;36(1):95-106.  ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of gastrodia elata on learning and memory impairment induced by aluminum in rats. [Article in Chinese]
Niu Q, Niu P, He S.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
In order to investigate the mechanism of the improvement of Gastrodia elata (G.E.) on learning and memory impairment of rats exposed to aluminum.
METHODS:
36 SD rats, adult and healthy, were divided into 6 groups at random: 1. normal saline, 2. Al3+ 5 mg/kg, 3. Al3+ 10 mg/kg, 4. normal saline +G.E., 5. Al3+ 5 mg/kg +G.E. and 6. Al3+ 10 mg/kg +G.E. Then, they were exposed to AlCl3 by intraperitioneal injection at a dose of 0.2 ml/d, 60 d. G.E. was administered by drinking water at a dose of 0.4 g/kg body weight.
RESULTS:
The results of learning and memory were recorded by Step-Down Test. It was showed that compared with the normal saline group, in the group of Al3+ 5 mg/kg, the content of brain cortex aluminum and EN1 increased significantly; the latency (LT) was shortened obviously(P < 0.01); the activity of AChE decreased and the activity of MAO increased (P < 0.01). In the group of Al3+ 10 mg/kg, the content of brain cortex aluminum, EN1 and EN2 increased significantly(P < 0.01), the LT is shortened obviously (P < 0.01), the activity of AChE decreased and the activity of MAO increased (P < 0.01). Compared with the group of Al3+ 5 mg/kg, in the group of Al3+ 5 mg/kg +G.E., EN1 decreased significantly (P < 0.05); the LT is prolonged obviously(P < 0.01), the activity of AChE increased(P < 0.05) and the activity of MAO decreased (P < 0.01). Compared with the group of Al3+ 10 mg/kg, in the group of Al3+ 10 mg/kg +G.E., both EN1 and EN2 decreased significantly(P < 0.01); the LT is prolonged obviously(P < 0.01), the activity of AChE increased (P < 0.01) and the activity of MAO decreased (P < 0.01).
CONCLUSION:
It is suggested that G.E. might decrease the content of brain cortex aluminum of rats. However it might improve the learning and memory ability possibly through regulating the cholinergic system and the monoaminergic system.
PMID: 15098477  Wei Sheng Yan Jiu. 2004 Jan;33(1):45-8. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Anxiolytic-like effects of Gastrodia elata and its phenolic constituents in mice.
Jung JW, Yoon BH, Oh HR, Ahn JH, Kim SY, Park SY, Ryu JH.
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to characterize the putative anxiolytic-like effects of the aqueous extract of the rhizome of Gastrodia elata along with its phenolic constituents, 4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol (HA) and 4-hyroxybenzaldehyde (HD), using an elevated plus maze (EPM) in mice. The mice were administered either the aqueous G. elata extract orally or received an intraperitoneal injection of the phenolic constituents, 1 h before the behavioral evaluation in the EPM. A single treatment of the aqueous G. elata extract significantly increased the percentage of time spent and arm entries into the open arms of the EPM versus the saline controls. Among the phenolic constituents of G. elata, HA and HD significantly increased the percentage of time spent and arm entries into the open arms of the EPM versus saline controls (p<0.05). Moreover, there were no changes in the locomotor activity and myorelaxant effects in any group compared with the saline controls. In addition, the anxiolytic-like effects of G. elata extract were blocked by both WAY 100635 (0.3 mg/kg, i.p.), a 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist, and flumazenil (10 mg/kg, i.p.), a GABA(A) receptor antagonist. The anxiolytic-like effects of HA were inhibited by WAY 100635 and the effects of HD were antagonized by flumazenil. These results indicate that G. elata is an effective anxiolytic agent, and suggests that the anxiolytic-like effects of G. elata via the serotonergic nervous system depends on HA and those effects of G. elata via the GABAergic nervous system depends on HD.
PMID: 16462028 Biol Pharm Bull. 2006 Feb;29(2):261-5. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Antitumor and Immunomodulatory Effect of Gastrodia elata on Colon Cancer In Vitro and In Vivo.
Kim NH, Xin MJ, Cha JY, Ji SJ, Kwon SU, Jee HK, Park MR, Park YS, Kim CT, Kim DK, Lee YM.
Abstract
Gastrodia elata Blume (GE) is a well-known kind of herb that has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. The extrusion of raw materials from it could improve flavor and enhance bioavailability in food and drug development. The purpose of this study is to investigate antitumor and immune boosting effects of extruded GE in human colon carcinoma cells, splenocytes, and mice-bearing CT26 colon carcinoma cell. Treatment with 100[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]g/mL of extruded GE decreased cell viability and induced the expression of Caspase-3 and Bax in HT29 cells ([Formula: see text]). When we performed DAPI staining, apoptotic bodies with condensed chromatin and fragmented nuclei, known as indicative of apoptotic morphology, increased 24[Formula: see text]h after treatment with 100[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]g/mL of extruded GE. Treatments with extruded GE significantly promoted splenocyte proliferation and IL-2 or IFN-[Formula: see text] secretion, compared with that of control cells ([Formula: see text]). The administration of extruded GE of 200 mg/kg/day decreased tumor growth and Ki-67 or [Formula: see text]-catenin expression in mice ([Formula: see text]). Additionally, we investigated the contents of compounds in extruded GE extracts using ultra performance liquid chromatography. The contents of p-hydroxylbenzyl alcohol and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde in extruded GE were 2.97[Formula: see text]mg/g and 0.04[Formula: see text]mg/g, respectively. It was supposed that antitumor and immunomodulatory effects of extruded GE might exert by the p-hydroxylbenzyl alcohol and p-hydroxybenzaldehyde of many compositions analyzed from extruded GE. These results suggest that extruded GE have the potential to be developed into a natural pharmaceutical and functional food as a cancer chemopreventive agent.
PMID: 28231745 DOI: 10.1142/S0192415X17500203 Am J Chin Med. 2017;45(2):319-335. doi: 10.1142/S0192415X17500203. Epub 2017 Feb 23. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Antidepressant-like effects of water extract of Gastrodia elata Blume on neurotrophic regulation in a chronic social defeat stress model.
Lin YE, Chou ST, Lin SH, Lu KH, Panyod S, Lai YS, Ho CT, Sheen LY.
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY RELEVANCE:
Gastrodia elata Blume (GE) is a traditional Chinese medicine commonly used to treat dizziness, epilepsy, paralysis and some emotional symptoms in east Asia. We previously showed that the water extract of Gastrodia elata Blume (WGE) possesses anti-depression like effects in a forced swimming test and chronic mild stress model.
AIM OF THE STUDY:
The aim of this study was to investigate the antidepressant-like effects of WGE and potential mechanisms related to brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) regulation in mice exposed to chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) model.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
Fifty C57BL/6 mice were divided into 5 groups as follows: a control (CTL) group, CSDS group, and 3 WGE groups receiving 250, 500 or 1000mg/kg body weight in the CSDS model. Mice were administered WGE for 24 days by oral gavage, and the social defeat stress paradigm began on day 14, except for the control group. A social interaction test was conducted to evaluate the antidepressant-like effects of WGE. Blood samples were collected to measure serum corticosterone levels, and the brain was dissected to investigate the expression of BDNF-related signaling pathway proteins using western blotting.
RESULTS:
Oral administration of WGE improved depression-like behaviors and stress-induced elevations of corticosterone. Further, WGE increased the protein expression of BDNF and promoted the hippocampal protein phosphorylation ratio of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) and protein kinase B (Akt).
CONCLUSION:
WGE exerts antidepressant-like effects on mice in a CSDS model, likely through activating of the BDNF/CREB/Akt pathway. Therefore, WGE has potential as a supplement or an adjuvant to prevent or treat clinical depressive disorders.
PMID: 29288827 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2017.12.044 J Ethnopharmacol. 2017 Dec 27;215:132-139. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2017.12.044. [Epub ahead of print] ncbi.nlm.nih.gov