Chang Shan, the Blue Evergreen Hydrangea Root is Used to Treat Fever and Malaria
For over 2,000 years, the Chinese have used an herb known as chang shan. This is derived from the root of the blue evergreen hydrangea. It has been used to treat fever as well as malaria. The Chinese have been using it since the Han Dynasty in 206 B.C., however U.S. researchers have begun looking into the active ingredient more recently, which is febrifuginone. Pharmaceutically, it is made into a molecule known as halofuginone.
The scientists have found that halofuginone is able to prevent the production of rogue th17 immune cells, which commonly attacks healthy cells, that often leads to a fever.
Essentially, the halofuginone is able to block molecules responsible for transferring RNA. It has also been able to block protein assembly to prevent malaria parasites from being able to live in the blood.
The blue evergreen hydrangea root, chang shan has been able to do a lot of good. Drug engineers have even been looking at Halofuginone as a way to treat cancer, muscular dystrophy and even rheumatoid arthritis.
It has been used in Chinese medicine for years. Now that the herb root is being researched by the United States, it may be used in a variety of other herbal medicines to help treat diseases that commonly ail the population.