Evidence supporting the use of: Polygonum
For the health condition: Cholesterol (high)
Synopsis
Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2
Polygonum species, particularly Polygonum multiflorum (also known as He Shou Wu or Fo-Ti), have a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine for a variety of health conditions, including support for cardiovascular health. Traditional texts and herbal compendia often cite its use for "nourishing the blood," "strengthening the liver and kidneys," and promoting "longevity," which are sometimes interpreted as supportive of healthy cholesterol metabolism. There are anecdotal reports and historical records indicating its traditional employment for managing symptoms associated with hyperlipidemia (high cholesterol), though the condition itself was not defined as such in ancient times.
Modern scientific evidence for Polygonum's efficacy in lowering cholesterol is limited and primarily based on preclinical studies. Some animal studies and in vitro experiments suggest that extracts of P. multiflorum may have lipid-lowering effects, such as reducing total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. However, robust clinical trials in humans are lacking, and most evidence remains preliminary or indirect. Other Polygonum species (e.g., P. aviculare or P. cuspidatum) are less commonly referenced for cholesterol management in either traditional or scientific literature. Therefore, while traditional use is established, scientific validation remains weak, justifying a low evidence rating.
Other ingredients used for Cholesterol (high)
AcaciaAcai berry
Adzuki bean
Aegeline
Ajoene
Akkermansia muciniphila
Alcohol
Alfalfa
Algae
algal oil
Algal protein
Allicin
Alliin
Allium tuberosum
Almond fruit
Alpha methyl tetradecylthioacetic acid
Alpha phytosterol
alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
alpha-lipoic acid
alpinia galangal
amaranth
AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)
ampelopsin
andrographolide
Angelica
ankaflavin
anthocyanidins
anthocyanins
Antrodia camphorata
apple
apple cider vinegar
arabinoxylan
argan nut oil
arjun tree
arjuna
arjunic acid
Arjunolic acid
Aronia melanocarpa
artichoke
Ascophyllum nodosum
ashitaba
ashwagandha
Aspergillus
astaxanthin
astragalin
astragaloside
astragalus
atractylodes
Auricularia
avocado
Bacillus
bacillus coagulans
bacillus subtilis
bacoside
bacteria
bael
baicalein
banaba
baobab
barberry
barley
Basidiomycota
basil
Bassia scoparia
Bauhinia
bayleaf
bean
bee pollen
bee products
beet
berberine
Berberis (unspecified)
bergamot
beta-glucan
beta-sitosterol
Bifidobacteria
Bifidobacterium
Bifidobacterium animalis
Bifidobacterium bifidum
Bifidobacterium lactis
Bifidobacterium longum
bignay
bile acid
biochanin
birch
bishop\'s weed
bitter grass
black cumin
black currant
black galingale
black garlic
black ginger
black seed
black tea
blackberry
Blue-Green Alage
blueberry
Boerhavia diffusa
Bombax
bonito peptide
bottle gourd
bran
Brassica
Brazil nut
breadnut
broccoli
Brown Algae
Brussel sprouts
brutieridin
Buckwheat
burdock
bасора
C-phycocyanin
cabbage
cactus
Caesalpinia crista
calamari oil
Calanus finmarchicus
California chia
camelina oil
Camellia sinensis
campestanol
campesterol
capillary artemisia
capsinoids
cardarine
carnosic acid
carob
carqueja
carrot
cashew
cassia bark
catechins
caterpillar mushroom
cauliflower
celery
cereal grass
champignon
charantin
chebulic acid
chia seed
chia seed
chickpea protein
chicory
Chinese fleeceflower
Chinese Ligustrum berry
Chinese salvia root
Chinese silkvine
chitin
Chitin-Glucan Complex
chitosan
chlorella
chlorogenic acid
chokeberry
Chordaria cladosiphon
cinnamaldehyde
Cinnamomum
cinnamon
Citrus
citrus pectin
citrus sinensis (proprietary)
Clostridium butyricum
cloudberry
clove
cocoa
cod liver oil
collard
conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)
cordyceps
coriander
costus
cowpea
crocetin
cruciferous
Crypthecodinium
cumin
Curcuma
curcumen
curcumin
Curcuminoid
curry leaf
cyanidin
cyanobacteria
Cyclanthera pedata
cynarin
daidzein
dandelion
danshen
date
dextrin
DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)
diacylglycerol
diallyl disulfide (DADS)
diallyl sulfide
diallyl trisulfide (DATS)
dioscorea
diterpenes
docosahexaenoic Acid
DPA (docosapentaenoic acid)
dragon fruit
Dumontiaceae
Dunaliella
Echium
Ecklonia
eggplant
eicosapentaenoic acid
emblicanin
endive
enokitake
EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid)
epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)
equol (proprietary)
eriocitrin
erythrodiol
Eucheuma
Eucommia ulmoides
Euglena gracilis
Fagopyrum
false flax
fatty acids
fenugreek
ferulic acid
fiber
fiber blend (proprietary)
fig
fish
fish oil
fish protein
Flammulina velutipes
flavanols
flavanones
flavans
flavones
flavonoids
flavonols
flavonones
flaxseed
fo-ti
Foxtail millet
fructooligosaccharides (FOS)
fruit
fruit and vegetable blend (proprietary)
fucoidan
fucosterol
fucoxanthin
fungus
galactomannan
galactooligosaccharides
gallate
gallic acid
gamma oryzanol
ganoderma
garbanzo bean
garcinia
garden cress
garlic
garlic bulb
genistein
genistin
ginger
ginseng
Ginsenosides
Glucan peptides
glucomannan
Glucoraphanin
goji berry
gooseberry
grape
grapefruit
Greek mountain tea
green chiretta
green tea
greens blend (proprietary)
guar gum
Guava
Gugglesterone
guggul
Guggulsterones
gum
Gymnema
Gymnema sylvestre
Gypenoside
Haematococcus pluvialis
hawthorn
hazelnut
Helicteres isora
hemicellulose
hemp oil
Heptacosanol
herbal blend (proprietary)
hesperetin
hesperidin
Hexacosanol
hibiscus
HMR lignan
horse gram
hydroxycinnamic acid
hydroxyphenylethanols
hydroxytyrosol
Hygrophila
hypsizygus marmoreus
Ilex
Indian bael
Indian kinotree
Indian tinospora
inositol nicotinate
inulin
Irvingia gabonensis
isoflavones
isothiocyanates
Jaboticaba
Java tea
jiaogulan
jujube
Kaempferide
Kaempferol
kale
Kamut
Kefir
kidney beans
kiwi
knotweed
Kombucha
Konjac
krill oil
kuding tea
kudzu
Kumquat
Kutkins
l-carnitine
L-taurine
lactiplantibacillus plantarum
Lactobacillus casei
Lactobacillus delbrueckii
Lactobacillus fermentum
Lactobacillus gasseri
Lactobacillus helveticus
Lactobacillus kefiri
Lactobacillus plantarum
Laver
Lebbek
lecithin
Legume protein
lemon
lemongrass
Lentil
Lentinula edodes mycelia
Lessonia
lignans
limonoid
lingonberry
lingzhi
linoleic acid (LA)
linseed oil
long pepper
lotus
lupin
Lycium
lycopene
macadamia
magnesium
maitake mushroom
maize
mangiferin
mango
maqui berry
Marine fat
Marine lipid
Marine protein
Maslinic acid
Matcha
Mate
medium chain triglycerides (MCT)
Methoxylated flavones
Milk Protein
Millet
millet seed
Momordica
Momordicosides
Monacolin
Monounsaturated fat
Morinda
Moringa
Morus
Mulberroside A
Mulberry
Mung bean
Mushroom
mustard seed
Myricetin
Nannochloropsis
Naringenin
Naringin
Neem tree
Niacin (vitamin B3)
Niacinamide (vitamin B3)
nicotinamide riboside
Nigella seed
Nobiletin
Nomilin
noni
nopal
Nori
nut grass
oat
Octacosanol
oleanolic acid
oleic acid
Oleuropein
Oligomeric proanthocyanidins
Oligosaccharides
olive
omega-3 fatty acids
omega-6 fatty acids
omega-7 fatty acids
omega-9 fatty acids
onion
oolong tea
Opuntia streptacantha
orange
Oryza sativa
oyster mushroom
palmitoleic acid
Pansit-pansitan
pantethine
Passionfruit
peanut
pear
Pecan
Pentacyclic triterpenoids
Peptides
perilla
Persimmon
Phaeophyceae
phaseolamin
Phellodendron
phellodendron amurense
phenolic compounds
phlorotannins
phospholipids
Phycocyanin
Phyllanthus
Physalis angulata
Phytoestrogens
phytosterols
pine bark
Pinolenic acid
Piperine
Pistachio
Plankton
plant sterols
Pleurotus eryngii
Plukenetia volubilis
plum fruit
policosanol
pollen
poly-thyronine
Polydatin
Polygonatum
Polygonum
polymethoxylated flavones
polyphenols
polysaccharides
polyunsaturated fat
pomegranate
pomelo
prebiotic blend (proprietary)
Prickly Pear Cactus
proanthocyanidins
procyanidin
Propionibacterium freudenreichii
Propolmannan
prune
psyllium
Pterocarpus marsupium
pu-er tea
Puerain
Puerarin
pumpkin
punarnava
punicalagins
punicic acid
purple tea
purslane
Pycnogenol
quercetin
quinoa
Quinoa Protein
radish
rapeseed oil
raspberry
red clover
red yeast
red yeast rice
reishi mushroom
resin
resveratrol
rhizome
Rhizopus oryzae
rhubarb
rice
Rooibos
root tuber
Rosa roxburghii
rose hips
rosemary
royal jelly
rutin
rye
S-allylcysteine
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Sacha Inchi
safflower oil
Salacia
Salba Oil
Salmon Oil
Salvianolic acid
Sapogenin
saponins
Schizochytrium
Schizochytrium Oil
Scoparia dulcis
seaweed
secoisolariciresinol diglucoside
sesame
Sesamin
Sesamolin
Sete sangrias
shiitake mushroom
Shilajit
Shogaol
Sichuan Lovage
sitostanol
Sitosterol
Solanum anguivi
soursop
Soy
soy isoflavones
Soy Protein
soybean
spinach
spirulina
Stearidonic acid
sterols
Stevioside
Stigmastanol
stigmasterol
Stilbenoid
strawberry
Sulfated polysaccharide
Sulforaphane
Sumac
sunflower
Sunflower oil
Swertia
Tagatose
Tamarind
Tangeretin
Tanshinone
Taraxacum
Taurine
Taxifolin
Tea
Tejocote
Terminalia
Tetradecylthioacetic acid
Theabrownin
Theaflavin
Thistle
Thylakoid
Thymoquinone
Tiger Nut
Tinospora cordifolia
tocotrienols
Trans-pterostilbene
Tremella
Trimethylglycine (TMG)
Triphala
Triterpenes
turmeric
Varuna
vegetable and fruit blend (proprietary)
vegetable blend (proprietary)
vegetable oil
Vegetable Protein
Vine tea
vitamin C
Wakame
Walnut
Wasabi
Watermelon
Wax Gourd
wheat germ
wheat grass
Whey protein
White Tea
Withanolides
Xanthohumol
Xanthone
Xanthophyll
Xylaria nigripes
xylooligosaccharides
Yacon
Yeast
Yerba mate
Yumberry
Yuzu
zanthoxylum
Zedoary
Zingerone
Zucchini
β-nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN)
Other health conditions supported by Polygonum
Abdominal PainAcid Indigestion
Arthritis
Bronchitis
Bruises (healing)
Cancer (natural therapy for)
Cancer (prevention)
Cardiovascular Disease
Cholesterol (high)
Circulation (poor)
Colds (antiviral)
Colds (general)
Congestion (bronchial)
Congestion (lungs)
Constipation (adults)
Constipation (children)
Cuts
Diabetes
Diarrhea
Digestion (poor)
Edema
Fatigue
Fever
Gastritis
Gout
Hair (loss or thinning)
Headache (general)
Heart (weakness)
Hemorrhoids
Hepatitis
Hypertension
Infection
Inflammation
Influenza
Insomnia
Itching
Jaundice (adults)
Liver Detoxification
Memory and Brain Function
Menopause
Migraine
