Properties: Bitter, acrid, sweet, warm, toxic
Meridans Entered:
Primary: None given
Traditional Actions/Indications:
- Dispels Phlegm
Joint pain and selling, muscle weakness, rheumatic arthritis
Swollen lymph nodes
Throat Wind, swelling pain in throat
Phlegm-rheum congesting the lung
- Promotes vomiting
Food poisoning
- Resolve Toxin and disperses clumping
Toxic swelling sores, hemorrhoids and fistulas
Knocks and falls
Intractable lichen, burns and scalds
Snake bite
Suggested Daily Dosage: Smashed and applied to affected area. For food poisoning 15-25g is consumed to induce vomiting.
Cautions: Generally not for oral administration as lycorine has a strong emetic effect. Symptoms of poisoning include salivation, vomiting, diarrhoea, stiff tongue, convulsions , cold hands and feet, weak pulse, shock, and even death due to paralysis of the respiratory center. First aid involves gastric lavage, strong tea with 1-2% tannic acid or potassium permanganate.
On contact with skin, it will become red, swollen and itchy. Contact with the respiratory tract will cause nosebleeds.
Notable Constituents:
- Lycorine
Indolizidine alkaloid with protein synthesis inhibitor activity, antimalarial and anticoronaviral activity.
- Pseudolycorine
Phenanthridine
- Lycoramine
Benzazepine
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.
