What are the main benefits of wintergreen essential oil, and what are wintergreen's effects? Let's take a look together.
What effects does wintergreen essential oil have
1. It has certain effects on the cardiovascular system. In animal experiments, wintergreen significantly enhanced the contractility of some dogs and rabbits, blood pressure began to drop, and there was notable vasodilation. The effect of wintergreen leaves was stronger than that of wintergreen roots and stems. When wintergreen injection was injected into rabbits' ears, there was blood flow in the rabbits' hearts and front and hind limbs, so wintergreen's effect of dilating the coronary vessels of rabbits was stronger than its effect on the vessels of the front and hind limbs. 2. Wintergreen also has an anti-fertility effect. A female old-style rat took wintergreen every day for 10 consecutive days, and from the 5th day it was housed together with a male old-style rat for about one month; the rate of preventing pregnancy reached 100%. Taking wintergreen for 10 to 30 days could suppress the estrous cycle and also cause contraction of the ovaries and uterus in the body. Some other effects include tonifying the kidneys and replenishing deficiency, promoting blood circulation and regulating menstruation, and treating traumatic bleeding and other symptoms; it has a relatively good effect on rheumatic joint pain.
Wintergreen's effects
1. Antibacterial effect
Wintergreen decoction has an inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus, hemolytic streptococcus, pneumococcus, meningococcus, Shigella flexneri, typhoid bacillus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, among others. Wintergreenin also has an inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus, typhoid bacillus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus, Shigella sonnei, and Escherichia coli, with MICs of 12.5, 12.5-50, 20-50, 50, and 100 mcg/ml respectively.
2. Anti-fertility effect
Female mice were given wintergreen decoction daily for a total of 10 days, and from the 5th day they were caged together with male mice for 1 month; fertility was inhibited by 100%. Taking the medicine for 10-30 days could inhibit the estrous cycle and cause atrophy of the uterus and ovaries.
3. Immune-promoting effect
A 50% wintergreen decoction could increase active E-rosette formation. At 1:20, the rosette formation rate was 34.5±1.48%, while the rosette formation rate of the normal control was 21.8±2.15%. Wintergreen decoction could also promote lymphocyte transformation; at 1:20 the transformation rate reached 65.0±0.5%, while the transformation rate of the physiological saline control group was 1.0±0.5%, and the transformation rate of the PHA control group (50 hemagglutination units) was 76.0±1.0%.
4. Liver-protecting, kidney-protecting, and diuretic effects
Wintergreen can significantly increase the body's tissue cAMP content and tissue and organ blood flow, increase the activity of tissue glucose metabolism enzymes, promote cellular energy metabolism, increase renal blood flow, and improve microcirculation. The chemical component oleanolic acid in wintergreen has a liver-protecting use and has a significant protective effect against CCI4-induced acute liver injury in mice, and can promote liver cell regeneration; ursolic acid can lower serum transaminases. In addition, oleanolic acid and wintergreen glycoside also have diuretic effects.
5. Other effects
After oral administration, arbutin is rapidly hydrolyzed in the body to produce hydroquinone, which combines with glucuronic acid; in alkaline urine, hydroquinone can be released and has a bactericidal effect. However, its effectiveness in treating urinary tract infections is not strong. In the small intestine of voles and chicks, there is a common active transport system for arbutin and glucose; the affinity of this system for the above substances is enhanced by Na+ and inhibited by K+.