IngredientsEucommia ulmoides, also called the Chinese or hardy rubber tree, is a deciduous tree belonging to the Eucommiaceae family. E. ulmoides is the sole living species of the genus Eucommia. Eucommia is the only genus of the family Eucommiaceae, and was formerly considered to be a separate order, the Eucommiales. The genus name derives from the Greek: eu meaning "good" and kommis meaning "gum," in reference to the sap. The specific epithet ulmoides refers to the similarity of the leaves to those of the elms.
It is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in Chinese herbology, where it is called dùzhòng (Chinese: 杜仲). It is also known by the Chinese names Mumian, Sizhong, Silk Cotton Skin, and Silk Pulled Skin. In Japan it is commonly called Tochu.
EU is an ancient tree species that existed more than 2 million years ago and is considered a living fossil in the plant kingdom. Due to the invasion of glaciers, many EU plants in Europe, Asia, and North America became extinct. Only a small amount was preserved in central and western China due to the complex terrain, and it became a unique tree species in China. Today, E. ulmoides is native to forest areas on hills and mountains of the provinces in central and eastern China, though it has been suggested that the species may be extinct in the wild. It is widely cultivated due to its use in Chinese herbal medicine. It is a national second-class precious protected tree, known as "plant gold."
It is a broadleaf deciduous tree, 40–60 ft (12–18 m) high and 30–50 ft wide (9–15 m), rounded to broad spreading at maturity. The alternate leaves are lightly toothed and glossy. A dioecious species, clusters of male flowers with brown stamens are borne on one tree, and the usually solitary females on another, producing ash-like fruits.
One of the most distinctive characteristics of the plant is its rubber content. The bark, leaves, seeds, and peels contain a kind of white colloidal substance called Eucommia ulmoides rubber (EUR). It is a natural polymer resource, and its molecular structure is trans-1,4-polyisoprene — an isomer with natural rubber, and is considered an ideal candidate to replace natural rubber. It is commonly known as gutta-percha internationally. The rubber content of EU leaves is 1–3%, that of EU bark and root is 6–10%, and the rubber content of EU fruit is 13–17%. Latex does not flow from wounded tissue, so it cannot be harvested by tapping.
The bark, leaves, seed, and even male flowers are commonly utilized as medical remedies and investigated in pharmacy. As documented in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, the main functions of E. ulmoides bark are to nourish the liver and kidneys, strengthen the tendons and bones, and calm the fetus; the leaves are used to nourish the liver and kidneys and strengthen the tendons and bones, and are sometimes used as an alternative medicine to the bark.
E. ulmoides is commercially available as a combination product or alone as a capsule, tablet, powder, or tea, primarily for treating hypertension. A tea made from Eucommia ulmoides leaves and bark is also part of the Japanese diet. With the deepening of research, EU has gradually developed from a single bark preparation to an all-round development of leaves, flowers, and fruits.
Eucommia ulmoides was first recorded in the Sheng Nong's Herbal Classic (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing) of the Han Dynasty in China, which details the alias, origin, properties, flavour and functions of E. ulmoides. Two thousand years ago, the bark was listed in this classic and was considered a "Middle grade" drug. In 1590, it was reported to enhance kidney, bones, and tendons in the most famous Chinese medical document, Ben Cao Gang Mu.
Known as "Du Zhong" in Chinese, Eucommia ulmoides contains lignans, iridoids, phenolics, steroids, flavonoids, and other compounds. These constituents have been used in Chinese Traditional Medicine (TCM) as a folk drink and functional food for several thousand years.
In China, extracts of the aerial parts of this plant have been widely used in famous botanical tonics and antirheumatic supplements for more than 2,000 years, and the plant is believed to "nourish the kidney and reinforce the Yang." It has been used alone or mixed with other compounds in TCM prescriptions to treat impotence, spermatorrhoea, prospermia, forgetfulness, osteoporosis, menopause syndrome, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, lumbago, ischialgia, aching knees, kidney deficiency pain, weak bones, bone fractures and joint diseases, and lower back pain.
As recorded in ancient medical textbooks, E. ulmoides was recommended for the treatment of lumbar pain, knee pain, osteoporosis, improving learning and memory, hepatoprotection, paralysis, intestinal haemorrhoids, vaginal bleeding, itching in the vaginal or scrotal region, dampness and residual draining of urine, abortion, pregnancy bleeding, spermatorrhoea, soreness and pain in the feet, foot fungus, and anti-aging.
In China, the stem and bark of Eucommia ulmoides have been recorded in the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China for the treatment of hypertension, impotence, lumbago, and ischialgia.
In East Asia, especially in China, Korea, and Japan, Eucommia ulmoides is widely used as traditional medicine with a long history of safety for its kidney-tonifying function. It is used to cure lumbago associated with kidney deficiency and to promote human longevity. In Japan, where the tree is called Tochu, the bark has historically been used as herbal medicine, while the leaves have been used as food materials.
Several ethnic groups in China use Eucommia in medicine, and the application of using it to treat hypertension, nourish the liver and kidneys, and strengthen the muscles and bones is consistent with the record in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Records from different historical periods highlight E. ulmoides and its officinal botanical parts, its usefulness in adaptation to disease, and its central role in Chinese medicine theory. There are also historical collection documents for ethnic minorities in China.
In folk medicine, the dried and heated outer portion of the stem has been used for supporting muscle and lung function, lowering blood pressure, preventing miscarriages, improving tone of the liver and kidneys, and increasing longevity. In traditional Chinese medicine, the seed oil is commonly used to treat hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, back pain in the lumbar region, and hip pain.
To date, 205 compounds have been identified from different medicinal parts of Eucommia ulmoides, including lignans, iridoid terpenoids, phenols, flavonoids, terpenoids and steroids, polysaccharides, and others. Among these compounds, lignans and iridoids are the two major constituents and are important chemotaxonomic markers.
The main lignan components — liriodendrin, (+)-pinoresinol di-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, and (+)-syringaresinol — have been shown to have anti-hypertensive effects. Pinoresinol diglucoside (also written as pinoresinol di-beta-D-glucoside, or PG) is one of the most studied individual compounds. It was identified as early as the 1970s as a principal anti-hypertensive constituent. Other key quantified metabolite markers include aucubin, geniposidic acid, chlorogenic acid, geniposide, rutin, hyperoside, and astragalin.
Aucubin and geniposide isolated from E. ulmoides, both belonging to the iridoid class, have been extensively studied for their biological activities involving anti-hypertension, anti-diabetes, neuroprotection, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-osteoporotic, hepatoprotection, and kidney protection. Geniposidic acid (GEA), an iridoid glycoside, has been identified as one of Tochu's important components of pharmacological relevance.
Aucubin is a highly active compound possessing extensive biological effects including antioxidant, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, anti-cancer, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and osteoprotective properties. Although aucubin has been shown to have poor oral bioavailability in rats, it is widely distributed in multiple organs including kidney, liver, heart, spleen, and lung, and there is a sex difference in the absorption of aucubin.
Key phenolic acids and flavonoids identified in E. ulmoides bark water extract by HPLC-MS include aucubin, chlorogenic acid, geniposidic acid, quercetin, protocatechuic acid, betulin, and pinoresinol diglucoside. Quercetin, kaempferol, β-sitosterol, chlorogenic acid, and pinoresinol diglucoside are considered putative quality markers of Eucommia ulmoides.
Polysaccharides represent an additional class of compounds isolated from E. ulmoides. Research has shown that eucommia polysaccharides significantly promoted osteoblast differentiation and increased the level of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and SMAD1/5/8 in cellular models, illustrating a mechanistic role in bone metabolism distinct from the lignan and iridoid fractions.
Unlike most medicinal plants, E. ulmoides also contains a structurally distinct non-pharmacological biopolymer. The bark, leaves, seeds, and peels contain Eucommia ulmoides rubber (EUR), a natural polymer whose molecular structure is trans-1,4-polyisoprene. This rubber polymer is not considered to be a pharmacologically active constituent but is of significant industrial interest.
Eucommia is an herbal medicine that, by increasing nitric oxide, reduced blood pressure in rats and humans in an uncontrolled clinical trial. A controlled clinical trial was conducted to evaluate an aqueous bark extract of Eucommia standardized to eight percent pinoresinol di-beta-D-glucoside (PG) for blood pressure (BP) reduction in humans. Tochu leaf glycoside, which contains geniposidic acid (GEA), has a blood pressure-lowering effect as demonstrated by preclinical studies in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs).
The evidence demonstrates that Eucommia ulmoides and its bioactive compounds — most notably aucubin, geniposide, rutin, and pinoresinol diglucoside — consistently promote osteoblastogenesis and inhibit osteoclastogenesis. These effects are mediated through the modulation of key signaling pathways, including BMP/SMAD, Wnt/β-catenin, OPG/RANKL, and MAPK/NF-κB.
Eucommia cortex extract can be used in the control of osteoporosis because it is actively involved in mechanisms which initiate osteoblast activity, enhance osteogenesis, decrease osteoclast activity, and thus prevent osteolysis.
The bark extract of E. ulmoides has been shown to prevent neurodegenerative disease processes such as those in Alzheimer's disease (AD) by modulating cleaved poly (ADP ribose) polymerase (PARP), cleaved caspase 3, Bcl-2, and Bcl-xL via inhibition of JNK, p38 MAPK, ERK1/2, and PI3K/AKT signaling in H2O2-treated human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. In ischemic stroke models, E. ulmoides could inhibit neuroinflammation by alleviating microglia activation and inhibiting the activity of the TLR4/p38 MAPK and NF-κB pathways.
In the context of Parkinson's disease, Duzhong antagonized the loss of striatal neurotransmitters and relieved associated anomaly in ambulatory locomotor activity in PD mice after a 3-day pre-treatment of crude extract. Five Duzhong compounds attenuated MPP⁺-induced dysfunction of protease activity and reduced MG132-induced cytotoxicity. The mechanism involves amelioration of the ubiquitin-proteasome system.
Administration over 3 months of eucommia leaf extract or green leaf powder stimulated several anti-obesity and anti-metabolic effects, including decreased ATP production in white adipose tissue, accelerated fatty acid beta-oxidation in the liver, and increased use of ketone bodies and glucose in skeletal muscle. Plasma levels of resistin, which induces insulin resistance, were decreased, and plasma levels of adipocytokines, which have an anti-arteriosclerotic effect and improve insulin sensitivity, were increased.
Administration of E. ulmoides aqueous leaf extract in diabetic osteoporosis mice eliminates oxidative stress in the body by regulating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. This promoted TRPV5/CaBP-D9k/PMCA-1b signaling in the intestine and kidney, which maintained calcium homeostasis and ultimately ameliorated diabetic osteoporosis.
Hypertension is the most extensively studied clinical application of E. ulmoides. The stem and bark of Eucommia ulmoides have been recorded in the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China for the treatment of hypertension.
Human/Clinical Evidence: A controlled clinical trial was conducted to evaluate an aqueous bark extract of Eucommia standardized to eight percent pinoresinol di-beta-D-glucoside (PG) for BP reduction in humans. Study 1 enrolled twenty-four healthy adult subjects with a BP between 120–160/80–100 mmHg who were randomized to Eucommia extract 500 mg three times daily for eight weeks, with 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring at baseline and after eight weeks. Study 2 evaluated whether Eucommia was a beta-adrenergic blocker using a human fat cell assay.
A more recent clinical study examined leaf extract. This exploratory single-arm clinical study was conducted on a total of 17 participants including those with mild chronic kidney disease (CKD) (n=9), who were administered a tablet product containing Tochu leaf extract for a short period (median: 33 days). Mean systolic blood pressure (SBP) of all the participants significantly decreased from 128.3 ± 12.3 mmHg at the start to 123.8 ± 10.2 mmHg at the end of the administration (p < 0.05). Analysis of CKD patients alone revealed that SBP decreased more substantially from 130.7 ± 12.9 mmHg to 121.2 ± 10.7 mmHg (p < 0.01), while the change in non-CKD patients was not significant.
A randomized placebo-controlled trial examining endothelial function was also reported: In a randomized and placebo-controlled clinical study, a drink containing 85 mg of geniposidic acid (GEA) per bottle was administered once a day to people with "high normal" blood pressure (SBP 130–139 mmHg or DBP 85–89 mmHg). Vascular endothelial function according to flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) was improved by this treatment in 4–8 weeks, accompanied by a decrease in blood pressure.
Although an uncontrolled Russian trial with Eucommia ulmoides demonstrated a 25/14 mmHg drop in blood pressure in human subjects with hypertension, no early placebo-controlled human clinical trials had been conducted to test its safety and efficacy prior to Greenway et al. (2011).
Evidence strength: The available clinical evidence is preliminary. Existing controlled trials are small in sample size (n=17 to 24) and of short duration. Larger, well-designed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are lacking.
This is among the best-studied areas in preclinical research. A 2025 scoping review identified ninety studies meeting the inclusion criteria. The evidence demonstrates that Eucommia ulmoides and its bioactive compounds, most notably aucubin, geniposide, rutin, and pinoresinol diglucoside, consistently promote osteoblastogenesis and inhibit osteoclastogenesis. In animal models, treatment improved bone mineral density (BMD), enhanced trabecular microarchitecture (increased bone volume fraction, trabecular number and thickness), and increased bone biomechanical strength.
Clinical studies, while preliminary, reported that Eucommia ulmoides-based formulations (e.g., Quanduzhong capsules, Eucommia granules) were associated with improved BMD, reduced bone resorption markers, and alleviated clinical symptoms in osteoporotic patients.
Daily oral administration of an Eucommia ulmoides cortex extract (100, 300, and 500 mg/kg/day started on week 4 after ovariectomy for 16 weeks) significantly inhibited ovariectomy-induced decreases in biomechanical quality of the femur and improved bone microarchitecture in an animal model.
Total glycosides from Eucommia ulmoides seed (TGEUS) have been shown to improve bone density and femur strength in rats. Daily administration of TGEUS at 400 mg/kg body weight/day to rats was reported to significantly increase bone mineral density and showed improvements in microarchitecture structure of the femur bone.
In vitro studies showed that crude water extract of Eucommia ulmoides enhanced proliferation of osteoblast-like cells by 45% when used at a concentration of 0.4 mg/ml in 48-hour co-cultures of UMR106 cells.
Evidence strength: Substantial preclinical evidence (in vitro and animal) supports bone-protective effects. Clinical human data are preliminary and limited to small trials using multi-herb formulations, making it impossible to attribute outcomes exclusively to E. ulmoides.
Modern pharmacological studies reveal therapeutic effects of E. ulmoides in Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, among other conditions. Aucubin (50 mg/kg) has been reported to exert neuroprotective effects against MPTP-induced Parkinsonian mice in part by reducing inflammation and preserving dopaminergic neurons. Aucubin (50 and 100 mg/kg) has also been revealed to inhibit seizure activity in pilocarpine-induced mice, with its action possibly related to the reduction of neuroinflammation and the regulation of neurotransmission.
A study involving mice with scopolamine-induced memory impairments found that E. ulmoides bark effectively improved the latency time in the Morris water maze test, increased BDNF expression, and inhibited AChE activity by enhancing cholinergic signaling. Other components of E. ulmoides including geniposidic acid, pinoresinol diglucoside, and macranthoin G have been documented with neuroprotective activities.
Evidence strength: Evidence for neuroprotection is entirely preclinical (in vitro cell cultures and animal models). No human clinical trials have been conducted for these neurological indications.
Eucommia ulmoides (Tochu) has been shown to possess a variety of beneficial effects on profiles affecting the onset of lifestyle- or aging-related diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, or obesity — primarily in preclinical models.
Sufficient in vivo or in vitro studies have confirmed the ameliorative effect of the aqueous extract of E. ulmoides leaves or the ethanol extract of E. ulmoides on hyperlipidemia in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or acute liver injury, involving type 2 diabetic, obese and hepatotoxic hyperlipidemia.
The leaf of this tree has also been studied as a functional food with anti-obesity properties.
Evidence strength: Research in this area is predominantly animal and in vitro. There are no large, well-controlled human trials specifically examining E. ulmoides for diabetes or obesity management.
In TCM prescriptions, E. ulmoides has traditionally been used to treat impotence, spermatorrhoea, and related conditions. Preclinical results have been reported to confirm aspects of this traditional use, but a wider range of doses should be studied to support the use of Eucommia ulmoides for curing erectile dysfunction and other impotence conditions.
Evidence strength: Evidence is preclinical only; clinical trials in human populations are lacking for this indication.
EU has several pharmacological properties including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, antimicrobial, anticancer, antiaging, cardioprotective, and neuroprotective properties demonstrated across a range of cell and animal studies. Iridoid glycosides and a flavonoid glycoside showed potent suppressive effects on nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW 264.7 cells, with IC50 values ranging from 17.11 to 22.26 μM in in vitro anti-inflammatory assays.
Evidence strength: Predominantly in vitro and animal data; translation to human outcomes remains unestablished by clinical trials.
In vitro and in vivo studies indicate that monomer compounds and extracts from Eucommia ulmoides possess pharmacological actions in treating various conditions, and anti-cancer effects have been noted in laboratory models. Their pharmacological effects include blood pressure-lowering, blood sugar-lowering, blood lipid regulation, prevention of osteoporosis, anti-inflammation, liver protection, and anti-cancer activities.
Evidence strength: Anti-cancer claims are supported only by laboratory (in vitro and animal) studies. No clinical trials in human cancer patients have been conducted.
E. ulmoides is commercially available as a combination product or alone as a capsule, tablet, powder, or tea.
The following dosages have been reported in specific studies:
The main active ingredients are lignans, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, iridoids, steroids, and terpenoids, which have pharmacological effects including lowering blood pressure, enhancing immunity, regulating bone metabolism, protecting nerve cells, protecting the liver and gallbladder, and regulating blood lipids.
Eucommia ulmoides Oliver is native to China and frequently used in traditional Chinese medicine formulations. While some studies show that extracts are potentially genotoxic and nephrotoxic, formal evaluation using the Ames test, bone marrow micronucleus assay, and chromosomal aberration assay found EUE to be non-genotoxic within the dose ranges of 0.0352–22 mg/plate, 22–88 g/kg body weight, and 2–20 mg/mL. The maximum tolerated dose of EUE was not less than 168 g/kg, which is 1,260 times that of clinical doses in human adults.
Long-term (13-week) administration led to a dose-dependent increase in nephrotoxicity-related indices and pathological changes in renal tissues. These changes were alleviated 5 weeks after ceasing the low dosage of 11.2 g/kg but persisted at the high dosage of 56 g/kg. These doses are substantially above any reported human clinical doses, but the nephrotoxic signal at high doses in animals warrants note.
One study found no acute toxic symptoms in mice treated with 6.68 g/kg of Eucommia lignans after 14 days.
Further studies indicate that Eucommia ulmoides is a rich source of new selective estrogen receptor modulators; evaluations of its health benefits and safety as a food additive should take into account the diverse phytoestrogen activities of the individual components. In a biological screening assay, some E. ulmoides estrogenic compounds exerted high potency on transactivating estrogen receptor-alpha but lacked selectivity for estrogen receptor-beta signaling. Selective estrogen receptor-alpha activity may increase the risk of estrogen receptor-alpha breast cancers, uterotrophic activities, and thromboembolic disorders.
Accordingly, the herb may be contraindicated in patients diagnosed with estrogen-dependent cancers.
Although aucubin has been shown to have poor oral bioavailability in rats, it is widely distributed in multiple organs. Tolerance of aucubin is good and no serious adverse reactions have been observed to date.
One clinical study of E. ulmoides documented moderately severe headache, dizziness, edema, and onset of a cold.
Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking. Notably, the herb has traditionally been used in TCM to prevent miscarriage and stabilize pregnancy, but this historical use has not been evaluated in modern controlled trials.
E. ulmoides is the only living species in the genus and is considered threatened in the wild, which has implications for the sustainability of wild-harvested bark. Cultivated sources are the standard for commercial use. Eucommia ulmoides leaves can be harvested in summer and autumn each year; with abundant resources, the annual production can reach tens of millions of tons, making it a renewable medicinal resource of good quality and low price.
Health conditions that Eucommia may help support.
Eucommia extracts and isolated compounds activate the Nrf2/Keap1 antioxidant pathway and upregulate SOD, glutathione, and catalase. A clinical trial measured significant reduction in blood oxidative stress index after eucommia leaf extract supplementation. Flavonoids, phenolics (chlorogenic acid), and iridoids contribute to this activity.
Eucommia leaf metabolites have demonstrated anti-atherosclerotic effects in rat models by reducing serum TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, and adhesion molecules, and by improving the lipid profile. Endothelial function improvement (flow-mediated dilatation) was shown in a placebo-controlled human study. Its antihypertensive and lipid-lowering actions collectively support arterial health.
In collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rat models, multiple E. ulmoides extracts significantly reduced ankle swelling, cytokine levels, joint destruction markers (MMP-9), and RANKL/OPG imbalance. In vitro, eucommia inhibits pro-inflammatory cytokines in human immune cells including macrophages. TCM records include joint pain as a classical indication.
Multiple human and animal studies support eucommia's blood pressure-lowering effect. A controlled clinical trial in 24 prehypertensive adults found significant BP reduction with standardized bark extract at 500 mg three times daily for 8 weeks. A 2025 single-arm trial (n=17) showed mean SBP fell significantly, especially in CKD patients. Proposed mechanism involves nitric oxide upregulation and lignans acting on the renin-angiotensin system.
Eucommia leaf extract shows antidiabetic activity across several animal models, improving glucose tolerance, reducing blood glucose, and enhancing insulin sensitivity. Active compounds including chlorogenic acid and quercetin glycoside improve glucose uptake and glycogen production. Human trial data are lacking.
A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis of 18 RCTs in osteoporotic rat models found eucommia extract significantly improved BMD (SMD=2.44), trabecular number, and bone volume fraction. Preliminary human clinical studies using eucommia-based formulations reported improved BMD and reduced bone resorption markers. Active constituents including aucubin, geniposide, and rutin promote osteoblastogenesis and inhibit osteoclastogenesis via BMP/SMAD, Wnt/β-catenin, and RANKL/OPG pathways.
Multiple preclinical studies show eucommia leaf extract lowers total cholesterol, LDL-C, and triglycerides in hyperlipidemic animal models, while raising HDL-C. Active compounds including quercetin, asperuloside, chlorogenic acid, and aucubin mediate these effects via PPAR activation and HMG-CoA reductase inhibition. Human clinical data for cholesterol specifically are lacking.
Anti-fatigue activity is among the documented pharmacological properties of eucommia across multiple published reviews and preclinical studies. The bark is noted in the Shennong Herbal Classic for 'relieving exhaustion,' and modern pharmacological research has confirmed anti-fatigue effects including enhanced energy metabolism and mitochondrial function.
Eucommia bark extracts significantly inhibited secretion of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 in human immune cell models (neutrophils, PBMC-derived macrophages, THP-1 cells). In animal models, eucommia reduces NLRP3 inflammasome activation, NF-κB signaling, and pro-inflammatory cytokines. These effects are mediated by lignans, iridoids, and caffeic acid derivatives.
Eucommia extracts demonstrate neuroprotective activity against Alzheimer's and age-related cognitive decline in preclinical models, suppressing AChE activity, reducing Aβ deposition, and enhancing cholinergic signaling. These are distinct from its Parkinson's-specific effects and overlap with healthy brain aging.
Eucommia extracts have demonstrated collagen synthesis-promoting effects in preclinical studies dating back to 1998. The bark is rich in compounds that support extracellular matrix integrity. TCM has long used it to 'nourish sinews and bones,' reflecting its role in connective tissue.
In STZ-induced diabetic rats, eucommia leaf extract (16 weeks) significantly increased intracavernosal pressure, NO levels, cGMP, and testosterone, and improved erectile function via the Akt-eNOS pathway and HPG axis enhancement. Traditional use for male impotence is well documented in TCM. Human clinical trials are lacking.
Eucommia leaf extract prolonged C. elegans lifespan by up to 14.7% and improved age-related muscle, intestinal, and mitochondrial health via pmk-1/p38 MAPK and Nrf2 pathways. Its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and multi-system protective properties place it among studied anti-aging botanicals. Traditional records also note anti-aging as a primary long-term benefit.
Eucommia leaf extract has demonstrated anti-obesity effects in multiple rodent models, reducing body weight, visceral and perirenal fat, and improving adipokine profiles. Mechanisms include enhanced thermogenesis, suppressed food intake, increased β-oxidation, and inhibition of lipogenesis. No human weight-loss RCTs have been published.
Eucommia's antihypertensive, lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects collectively benefit cardiac health. Preclinical studies show it reduces cardiac workload by lowering peripheral resistance and improving vascular tone. Human clinical evidence for direct cardiac endpoints is limited but indirectly supported via BP and lipid trials.
Eucommia leaf extract reduces HOMA-IR in fructose-fed rats and quercetin glycoside from the leaf improves insulin signaling in hepatocyte models. Mechanisms include enhanced PI3K/Akt/GLUT4 signaling and inhibition of IRS-1 serine phosphorylation. Evidence is preclinical.
Eucommia has both traditional and modern scientific support for kidney health. A 2025 single-arm clinical trial showed significant SBP reduction in CKD patients, and preclinical studies demonstrate protection against diabetic nephropathy and renal fibrosis. The TCM framework explicitly identifies eucommia as a kidney tonic.
Eucommia extracts show hepatoprotective effects in multiple preclinical models. In CCl4-induced chronic hepatotoxicity rats, leaf extract reduced liver injury enzymes (ALT, LDH, ALP), increased glutathione and antioxidant enzymes, and reduced histopathological liver lesions. Network pharmacology studies suggest mechanisms involving anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and cytoprotective targets.
Eucommia extract inhibits AChE (supporting cholinergic neurotransmission relevant to memory), reduces Aβ deposition, and is investigated in Alzheimer's models. Active components including aucubin and geniposide have documented neuroprotective and anti-Alzheimer's activity in preclinical studies. No human memory trials exist.
Eucommia leaf extract addresses multiple components of metabolic syndrome simultaneously in animal models: reducing body weight, visceral fat, blood pressure, plasma triglycerides, insulin resistance, and inflammatory adipokines. This multi-target action is consistent with published reviews describing eucommia's effects on hypertension, obesity, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia.
Eucommia extracts exhibit documented neuroprotective activity across multiple models including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, stroke, and oxidative stress-induced neuronal death. Active mechanisms include Nrf2 pathway activation, NLRP3 suppression, cholinergic enhancement, and dopaminergic neuroprotection.
E. ulmoides has been validated in multiple RCTs (animal models) and preliminary human studies for osteoporosis prevention, demonstrating consistent improvements in BMD and bone microarchitecture. Its multi-pathway mechanisms target both bone formation and resorption. This is one of the best-characterized areas of eucommia research.
Multiple preclinical studies demonstrate eucommia extracts protect dopaminergic neurons against MPTP/MPP+ toxicity (standard Parkinson's models), with anti-neuroinflammatory effects via p38/JNK-Fosl2 pathway regulation. A 2025 zebrafish study identified specific anti-PD active constituents in eucommia leaves acting via 4E-BP1 upregulation. No human clinical trials exist.
Eucommia is documented with anti-fatigue and stamina-enhancing properties in published pharmacological reviews. Its metabolic effects—increasing skeletal muscle utilization of ketone bodies/glucose, enhancing mitochondrial function, and reducing inflammatory cytokines—provide a mechanistic basis for improved endurance. Preclinical anti-fatigue studies support this.
E. ulmoides extracts significantly reduced joint inflammation, synovial cytokines, joint destruction, and MMP-9 expression in the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rat model—a standard preclinical model of rheumatoid arthritis. Effects were comparable across multiple extract fractions. Human trials are absent.
Eucommia leaf extract consistently reduces plasma triglycerides in multiple rodent models of hyperlipidemia and metabolic syndrome. Identified active components include asperuloside, geniposidic acid, and quercetin. Sympathetic nervous system activation and enhanced hepatic β-oxidation are proposed mechanisms. Clinical evidence remains preclinical.
Lower back pain (lumbago) is the primary classical indication for eucommia bark in TCM, documented in the Shennong Herbal Classic and the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. It is attributed to 'kidney yang deficiency' in TCM theory. No placebo-controlled human RCTs specifically for backache have been identified.
Eucommia (Du Zhong) bark is a foundational TCM herb for strengthening bones, tendons, and joints with over 2000 years of documented use for 'sinew and bone weakness.' Active constituents (chlorogenic acid, aucubin, genipin) promote chondrocyte anabolism and inhibit cartilage-degrading MMP enzymes in preclinical studies. Animal OA models confirm chondroprotective effects. Clinical RCTs for cartilage endpoints are lacking.
Eucommia (Eucommia ulmoides) bark is one of the most important tonics in traditional Chinese medicine, specifically used for musculoskeletal weakness, joint pain, and impaired mobility. Modern research shows its active compounds (chlorogenic acid, aucubin, geniposidic acid) support collagen synthesis and bone mineral density. TCM classifies it as a 'kidney and liver tonic' that strengthens tendons and bones.
Eucommia bark has been used in TCM for over 2,000 years to treat male sexual dysfunction including impotence and spermatorrhea, under the TCM framework of 'reinforcing Kidney Yang.' Preclinical data on HPG axis enhancement and testosterone support provide a partial scientific basis, but no human trials have addressed libido directly.
Eucommia bark is documented in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia specifically for 'calming the fetus' and preventing threatened miscarriage and pregnancy bleeding. It is a classical TCM herb for pregnancy support, with uterine-stabilizing properties attributed to it for over 2,000 years. Scientific studies on this indication are absent.
TCM documentation consistently records eucommia bark as supporting uterine health through its 'fetus-calming' and menstruation-regulating actions. Traditional indications include vaginal bleeding, threatened miscarriage, and uterine instability. Eucommia is identified as a source of SERMs which may have uterine tissue interactions. No human clinical data exist.
Body systems that Eucommia may help support.
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