Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum) is a plant that grows wild in many parts of Asia. It's sometimes called Southern Ginseng or Miracle Plant.Because it was used as a cheap substitute for Panax Ginseng (as aside from Codonopsis pilosula, which was used as an adulterant for Panax Ginseng to sell it at the normal price but cut costs). Surprisingly, Gynostemma has a good content of Ginsenosides that were once thought to be wholly unique to Panax Ginseng. As such, the biological effects of Gynostemma and Panax seem to be quite similar except Gynostemma may be more anti-diabetic (due to the unique gypenosides in Gynostemma, that are not in Panax).

Jiaogulan belongs to the genus Gynostemma, in the family Cucurbitaceae, which includes cucumbers, gourds, and melons.Its fruit is a small purple inedible gourd. It is a climbing vine, attaching itself to supports using tendrils. The serrated leaflets commonly grow in groups of five (as in G. pentaphyllum) although some species can have groups of three or seven leaflets. The plant is dioecious, meaning each plant exists either as male or female. Therefore, if seeds are desired, both a male and female plant must be grown.

Gymnema sylvestre is a common herb that mainly grows in India, Africa and Australia. The plant is widely used as a medicine in traditional medicine, and studies have shown that Gynostemma pentaphyllum is rich in various bioactive components that have several benefits:

Lowering blood sugar

Gynostemma pentaphyllum is widely used in diabetes treatment, it can lower blood sugar level and help control diabetes symptoms such as thirst, polyuria, etc.

Suppress appetite

Gynostemma pentaphyllum can suppress appetite, reduce food intake, and has a certain effect on weight control and weight loss.

Anti-Cancer Effect

To date, numerous studies have demonstrated the strong anti-cancer effect of the main components of GP, such as GPS, GPP, and flavonoids.

Immune Modulation

Tumors are closely related to the state of the body’s immune system, and strengthening immune function played an important role in the treatment of tumors.

Relieve stress

A study in South Korea looked at 72 people with a history of chronic stress and anxiety. Half were given an extract from jiaogulan leaves and the other half got a placebo. The participants continued taking the supplement for eight weeks and were assessed for stress. The researchers found lower self-reported stress levels in the jiaogulan group but no differences in the levels of stress hormones like norepinephrine and cortisol between people taking jiaogulan and those taking a placebo.

Inhibition of Cell Migration

Metastasis was believed to be one of the major challenges to successful cancer treatment and the prevention of cancer. GPS exerted an inhibitory effect on cell migration in vitro in a dose-dependent manner.