Clears heat and relieves toxicity — used for tonsillitis, pharyngitis, upper respiratory infections, bronchitis, pneumonia with yellow phlegm, and heat toxicity patterns
Cools blood and stops bleeding — used for hemoptysis, epistaxis, hematemesis, and hematuria from heat entering the blood level
Secondary Actions
Resolves phlegm and relieves cough — used for productive cough with yellow phlegm and asthmatic wheezing from Lung heat
Reduces swelling and dissipates masses — used for furuncles, carbuncles, and breast lumps from heat toxicity accumulation
Modern Research
Active Compounds
Neo-clerodane diterpenoids (ajugaciliatins A–J) — series of 10 new diterpenoids unique to A. ciliata; moderate neuroprotective effects against MPP+-induced dopaminergic cell death
Ecdysteroids (20-hydroxyecdysone, cyasterone, ajugasterone B, ajugasterone C, ajugalactone) — phytoecdysteroids with anabolic, adaptogenic, anti-inflammatory, and hepatoprotective properties
Polyphenols — antioxidant flavonoids and phenolic acids
Saponins and alkaloids — additional bioactive secondary metabolites
Studied Effects
Neuroprotective neo-clerodane diterpenoids — isolation of 10 new ajugaciliatins (A–J) and 17 known analogues from whole plant; multiple compounds exhibit moderate neuroprotective effects against MPP+-induced neuronal death in dopaminergic SH-SY5Y cells, suggesting potential in Parkinson's disease research (PMID 21682262)
Cold-type cough and Spleen-Stomach deficiency-cold — bitter-cold nature contraindicated in cold-deficient constitutions without Lung heat or heat toxicity
Cautions
MSK page not found — drug interaction data not available from Memorial Sloan Kettering integrative medicine database