Leung's Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics

USES

Medicinal, Pharmaceutical, and Cosmetic.
Extracts (hydroalcoholic and lipoid) of pollen
are used in skin care products (facial and hand
creams and lotions) for its nutritional and
traditional healing and skin-softening proper-
ties (ETIC).

Dietary Supplements/Health Foods. Used
extensively as a food supplement in tablet,
capsule, or liquid (drink or syrup) form
(TYLER1).

Traditional Medicine. Used for centuries by
different cultures as a nutrient.
In China, typha pollen (puhuang) was first
described 2000 years ago as sweet tasting,
neutral, and having diuretic, hemostatic and
stasis-dispersing properties. It has since been
used to treat bleeding of different kinds (nose-
bleed, vomiting blood, coughing blood,
metrorrhagia, bloody diarrhea, traumatic in-
juries, etc.), amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, ab-
dominal pain, painful urination, mouth sores,
constipation, and externally, eczema.

Pinepollen(songhuafen)alsohasalonguse

history, dating back to the 7th century AD.

Traditionally regarded as sweet tasting, warm-

ing, benefiting vital energy, removing wetness

(zao shi), astringent, and hemostatic; used

topically in treating eczema, pustular erup-

tions, diaper rash, bleeding caused by traumat-

ic injuries, and other skin conditions; also used

internallytotreatalcoholintoxication,chronic

diarrhea, and rheumatism (CHP;JIANGSU).

COMMERCIAL PREPARATIONS

Bee pollen comes in powdered or granular

form, usually with color ranging from yellow

to orange, depending on sources. Typha pollen

comes in two types, one mixed with anthers

and filaments, while the other is pure pollen.

Extracts (water, hydroalcoholic, and lipoid)

are also available.

Regulatory Status. U.S. regulatory status not

determined. Subject of a German therapeutic

monograph; allowed as an appetite stimulant

(BLUMENTHAL1).

REFERENCES

See General References forBLUMENTHAL1;CHP;JIANGSU;LU AND LI;NATIONAL;TYLER1;WANG;ZHOU
AND WANG;ZHU.

1. C. Y. Guo et al.,Jilin Zhongyiyao, (4), 35
   (1990).


2. L. Z. Mao et al.,Yingyang Xuebao, 12 (1),
   121 (1990).


3. S. S. Jia and S. M. Yang,Zhongcaoyao,
   19 (1), 47 (1988).


4. V. E. Tyler, The New Honest Herbal,
   George F. Stickley Co., Philadelphia,
   PA, 1987, p. 184.


5. T, Seppanen et al.,Phytother. Res., 3 (3),
   115 (1989).


6. L. F. Chen et al.,Zhongguo Yaoli Xuebao,
   8 (2), 123 (1987).


7. J. X. Wei et al., Zhongguo Zhongyao
   Zazhi, 15 (5), 37 (1990).
   8. B. Z. Zhang et al.,Chin. J. Integr. Med., 5 ,
   141 (1985).
   9. P. G. Xiao and K. J. Chen,Phytother. Res.,
   1 (2), 53 (1987).


8. J. Wojcicki et al.,Atherosclerosis, 62 (1),
   39 (1986).


9. Y. L. Yin et al., Zhongguo Zhongyao
   Zazhi, 17 , 374 (1992).


10. J. Wojcicki et al., Acta Pharma-
    col. Toxicol. Suppl., 59 (7), 233
    (1986).


11. M. S. Wang et al.,Zhongcaoyao, 18 (5), 25
    (1987).


12. B. C. Qian et al.,Zhonghua Laonian Yixue
    Zazhi, 6 , 177 (1987).

Bee pollen 83