Supplement
Mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus) is an evergreen plant whose root is used in traditional Chinese medicine and contains saponins, homoisoflavonoids and polysaccharides. People look at it mostly for its possible anti-inflammatory effects, and lab and animal studies found extracts calmed inflammation, though the evidence is very limited. Similar early work pointed to heart, immune and antioxidant activity, but nearly all of it came from animals or test tubes, and no human trials on the herb alone have confirmed any of it.
- Updated
- How we grade
- Best evidence
- Grade D
- Conditions studied
- 2
- Outcomes
- 4
- Graded outcomes
- 0004
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
General
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Inflammatory Effects In preclinical models, Ophiopogon japonicus extracts (particularly steroidal saponins like ruscogenin and homoisoflavonoids) have demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects. No human trials on the isolated herb have confirmed these findings. | Changes; see studies | Small effect | ||||
| Immune Function In vitro and animal studies show that Ophiopogon polysaccharides (ophiopogonans) possess immunomodulatory activity. Human evidence is absent for the isolated herb; most clinical use occurs within multi-herb TCM formulas. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect |
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiovascular Protection Animal models suggest cardioprotective effects from Ophiopogon japonicus saponins. Traditional use includes heart palpitations, but no controlled human studies on the isolated herb have validated cardiovascular benefits. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect |
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant Status Preclinical research indicates antioxidant activity from Ophiopogon japonicus homoisoflavonoids and saponins in in vitro assays. No human data exists for isolated supplementation effects on antioxidant status. | Improves (the measure goes up) | Small effect |
Key findings
- Anti-Inflammatory EffectsChanges; see studies
- Cardiovascular ProtectionImproves (the measure goes up)
- Immune FunctionImproves (the measure goes up)
Shop Mondo grass
Third-party tested Mondo grass products. The evidence above is limited, so read it before you buy.
- Grade D
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