What is Jiaogulan?

One herb that is growing in popularity in the US is known as Jiaogulan.  Also known as Gynostemma Pentaphyllum, "Poor Man's Ginseng" or "Southern Ginseng" because of the similarity of some compounds found in both ginseng, and jiaogulan.  Jiaogulan is a twisted, twining vine that defies cultivation because of it's tangly growth patterns and wild nature.  When translated from Chinese to English, the name "絞股藍" means "Herb of Infinite Blue Entanglement".

jiaogulan extract

It's definitely a tangly plant.  The vines grow long and quick, with a leaf group every 6 inches or so.  Each leaf has a single growth node that usually includes a tendril that is tenacious at grasping onto fences, wires or other plants.  The plant also grows with very little light.  It prefers partial shade, and grows quite well in the understory of a forest without any direct light at all.  

Jiaogulan is touted as an adaptogen, helping the human body to recover from stress quicker.  It has also been used to help people who have trouble regulating their blood sugar levels.  In terms of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), we could say that it has a balancing effect on the Chi.  It helps the body to regulate it's own energy levels, so that theoretically, an overweight person who consumes jiaogulan would tend to have a more balanced metabolism, which would result in a healthier body weight.

Long distance runners use jiaogulan to increase their stamina.  Horse owners use it to help treat laminitis in their horses.  It is known for helping people to regulate body weight and for regulating bad cholesterol levels in the blood.  It also contains saponins that have been known to improve heart health and colon health.  

While I have no personal experience with ingesting jiaogulan, I am growing it fairly successfully and am interested to learn more about how it can benefit people.  I have found many positive references to it and not a single negative comment about it's effectiveness.