Properties: Bitter, acrid, warm
Meridans Entered:
Primary: None given
Traditional Actions/Indications:
- Regulates the Blood
Pathogens in the Blood (tea)
Poor circulation (fresh juice)
- Eliminates Phlegm and calms wheezing
Cough, wheezing
- Kills Parasites and promotes would healing
Skin ulcers, wounds (poultice)
Suggested Daily Dosage: Usually chopped and eaten with salad or added to sauces, or made into a tea, or applied as a poultice.
Cautions: Young plants may contains as much as 100ppm cyanide, a level which is toxic to many vertebrates (Cipollini & Gruner, 2007). Once the plant is chopped up or cooked the cyanide gas is eliminated.
Notable Constituents:
- Cyanide
Toxic one carbon compound that acts as an inhibitor of cytochrome c oxidase in the fourth complex of the electron transport chain of the mitochondrial membrane. It complexes with the ferric iron atom in this enzyme preventing the transport of electrons from cytochrome c oxidase to oxygen, resulting in disruption of the electron transport chain and the cell being no longer able to produce ATP aerobically. Many plants produce this as a defence against predators including cassava and sorghum. Many other nuts and seeds also produce amygdalin that metabolised into cyanide and is found in almonds, apricot, peach, cherry and apple seeds. The lethal dose in humans is between 0.5 and 3.5 mg/kg of body weight ((Aranguri-Llerena & Siche, 2020).
Notes:
There is little information on this herb except for Wikipedia China.
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, 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.
