Properties: Pungent, bitter and warm, toxic
Meridans Entered:
Primary: Lung
Extraordinary Vessels: Du
Traditional Actions/Indications:
- Disperses Wind and Dampness and opens the nasal passages
Any nasal or sinus problem with thick discharge and related sinus headache
- Disperses Wind and dispels Dampness
Wind-Damp Bi or skin disorders with itching
- Dispels Exterior Wind
Splitting occipital headache due to Wind-Cold (auxiliary)
Suggested Daily Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: Not suitable for headache due to blood deficiency. Overdose will lead to toxication.
Notable Constituents:
- Carboxyatractyloside
A highly toxic diterpene glycoside that inhibits the ADP/ATP translocase and therefore oxidative phosphorylation, resulting in respiratory arrest for the cell. It may paralyse other targets that are as yet ambiguous (Woyda-Ploszczyca, 2023). It is found in the spurs of Xanthium spp. which should be removed, and can be further reduced by roasting (Nikles et al., 2015). Symptoms of poisoning may include abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, drowsiness, palpitations, sweating and trouble breathing. In severe cases, convulsions, liver failure and loss of consciousness may develop, which can lead to death. In medicinal use, one report has been made where it resulted in muscle spasms (West et al., 2010) .
- Atractyloside
Similar to carboxylatractyloside but around 50 times less toxic and increased through roasting, suggesting a conversion to this less toxic derivative (Nikles et al., 2015).
Appears in 3 formulae listed on this site: (click to display)
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, and A+ Medical Encyclopaedia have 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.
