Drynaria Rhizome
Drynaria fortunei
Gu sui bu, the rhizome of a fern used in Chinese medicine to prevent and treat bone diseases such as osteoporosis. In rats it helped bone formation.
Safety at a glance
- PregnancyNothing recorded
- BreastfeedingNothing recorded
- MedicinesNothing recorded
- Who should avoid itNothing recorded
- AllergiesNothing recorded
- ToxicityNothing recorded
Tap a box to read the safety notes below. “Nothing recorded” means our sources don't cover it, not that it's safe.
What is Drynaria Rhizome?
- Plant family
- Polypodiaceae, the polypody fern family
- Parts used
- The dried rhizome of a fern, usually as a water extract
- Genus
- Drynaria
- Species
- fortunei
Also called
Drynariae Rhizoma, Drynaria
Traditional names
Gu Sui Bu, Gusuibu
Older scientific names
Drynaria roosii
Traditionally used for
- Osteoporosis and bone health (traditional)
Traditionally described as
- Helped bone formation (in animal studies)
Health topics
Where Drynaria Rhizome appears in symptom search, and why. Being listed doesn't mean it's a proven treatment.
- High Cholesterol
In one trial in older women with osteoporosis, drynaria improved blood fats and bone density.
Traditions that use it
- Traditional Chinese Medicine
Called gu sui bu; commonly used to prevent and treat bone diseases such as osteoporosis.
How it's prepared
Common ways Drynaria Rhizome is prepared or sold. This isn't advice on how to take it; see Safety below.
What does the research say?
Traditional use
These are traditional uses, not proven treatments.
Gu sui bu is the dried rhizome of the fern Drynaria fortunei. In Chinese medicine it's commonly used, usually as a water extract in herbal prescriptions, to prevent and treat bone diseases such as osteoporosis, and it's an ingredient in bone health supplements in China.[1]Study
Laboratory & animal research
Lab and animal results show what might be worth studying in people. They don't show that the herb has these effects in humans.
In a 2024 study in rats with bone loss like that after menopause, drynaria extract improved bone structure and increased signs of new bone formation, possibly partly through changes in gut bacteria. Earlier lab studies found it helped bone-building cells grow. This hasn't been confirmed in people.[1]Study
Research in people
In a Chinese trial, 80 older women with osteoporosis after menopause and high blood fats were randomly assigned to drynaria or a control group, and followed for 12 months. Drynaria improved bone density and blood fats, and kept inflammation markers from rising as they did in the comparison group.[2]Study
Sources
- [1] Extracts of Drynariae Rhizoma Promote Bone Formation in OVX Rats through Modulating the Gut Microbiota · DOI: 10.1055/a-2462-4844Peer-reviewed study
- [2] Drynaria fortunei improves lipid profiles of elderly patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis via regulation of Notch1-NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated inflammation · DOI: 10.1080/09513590.2021.2015760Peer-reviewed study
This information is educational and traditional in nature, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Unfamiliar word? See what these words mean.