Properties: Pungent, warm, toxic
Meridans Entered:
Primary: Lung, Liver, Heart, and Small Intestine
Traditional Actions/Indications:
- Extinguishes Internal Wind
Convulsions, epilepsy
Tremors and irritability due to addiction withdrawal
- Transforms Phlegm and descends Lung Qi
Asthma, bronchitis, whooping cough, spasmodic cough, croup, and diptheria
- Moves Blood, disperses swelling and stops pain
Topically for muscle pain, joint lumps associated with rheumatoid arthritis, bruises, sprains, insect bites, poison ivy, and ringworm
- Causes vomiting
Used as an emetic at higher doses
Suggested Daily Dosage: Dosage should start small and be gradually increased. In the UK the daily dose is limited by law.
Cautions: Pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Overdose can cause sweating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, tremors, rapid heartbeat, mental confusion, convulsions, hypothermia, coma, and possibly death. Patients should start on a low dose and work upwards.
In the UK the MHRA restricts the dosage to 200mg per dose, or up to 600mg daily.
Notable Constituents:
- Lobeline
Alkaloid with a role as an nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist, perturbing the mechanism of dopamine storage and release.It has been investigated for use in addiction to a variety of substances including alcohol, tobacco and amphetamine.
Does not appear in any formulae listed on this site
Research Links & References: (click to display)
Research Links:
Reference Notes:
Individual herb information has sourced mainly from TCM Wiki and American Dragon for basic data and then updated manually with my own notes. Zhou, Xie and Yan (2011): Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Vol. 5, has been used for entries not available from those sources with additional material searched for and filled in where available. Western herbs not appearing in the Chinese literature have used Ross (2010): Combining Western Herbs and Chinese Medicine: A Clinical Materia Medica, White Rabbit Institute of Healing and therapeutika.ch. Choices of which source to use or combine have been my own.
These pages are intended to assist clinicians and are not intended for self-diagnosis or treatment for which a qualified professional should be consulted. Actions and indications are taken from traditional uses and do not necessarily reflect the evidence base which should be researched independently. Dosages are for guidance only and will vary dependening on the potency of the batch and the tolerance of the individual so should be evaluated by a professional based on individual needs.
