Lindera aggregata

Lindera aggregata is a plant species belonging to the genus Lindera.

Other names

Engl.: evergreen lindera, Japanese evergreen spicebush.
TCM: trad. 烏藥, simpl. 乌药 or 乌乐, pinyin: wūyào.
Bot. syn.: Benzoin strychnifolium Kuntze, Daphnidium strychnifolium Sieb. & Zucc., Laurus aggregata Sims, Lindera eberhardtii Lecomte, Lindera strychnifolia Fern.

Use

乌药, radix lindera, is present in the Compendium of [Materia Medica] and Kampo [herb list]. It is an ingredient in the traditional Chinese medicine pill Chaihu Shugan Wan against "stagnation of liver qi, distension of chest and hypochondria, indigestion, and acid eructation", and in the Lindera Combination Teapills, a Chinese [classic herbal formula].

Biochemistry

An A type proanthocyanidin trimer -entcatechin- can be found in Lindera aggregata. In a study this compound showed cytoprotective action against ethanol-induced gastric injury in Sprague-Dawley rats.
Four alkaloids can also be found in L. aggregata.