Polygala tenuifolia
Species of herb
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Polygala tenuifolia (yuǎn zhì; Chinese: 远志) is an herb in the family Polygalaceae which is hardy to USDA Zone 6.
| Polygala tenuifolia | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Embryophytes |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Fabales |
| Family: | Polygalaceae |
| Genus: | Polygala |
| Species: | P. tenuifolia |
| Binomial name | |
| Polygala tenuifolia | |
Phytochemistry
P. tenuifolia contains tenuifolin, senegenin, and polygalacic acid.[1]
Medicinal uses
Yuan zhi is used primarily as an expectorant.[2] It is one of the 50 fundamental herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine, where it is called yuǎn zhì (Chinese: 遠志) and believed to have neuropsychiatric effects. It has been studied as a potential drug source in depression[3] and Alzheimer's.[4] The quality of the herb varies widely, and as of 2020 there have been no toxicological studies or clinical trials.[4] However, in a March, 2025, meta-analysis of 27 studies with 2,334 samples and 19 natural extract treatments, "[t]he most striking result was that the root extract of Polygala tenuifolia ... had the highest ranking for improving overall cognitive function".[5]