Single Herb Glossary
Léi Gōng Téng 雷公藤
| Pharmaceutical name | Tripterygii wilfordii Radix tripterygium root "Thunder Duke vine" |
| Category | Obsolete and Prohibited Substances |
| Key Properties | Cools Heat, Resolves Toxicity, Soothes Sinews, Invigorates Blood, Unblocks Clumping, Red Swell & Pain, Kills Parasites, Alleviate Itch; Toxic with many Side Effects |
| Properties | Bitter Acrid Cold Very Toxic |
| Tropism | LV, SP |
| Actions & Indications | 1) Strongly Clears Heat, Resolves Toxicity, Reduces Swellings, & Stops Pain 2) Eliminates Dampness & Lulls Parasites & Bugs |
| Dosages | 9-12g |
| Contraindications (TCM) | CI: Pregnancy; Caution in geriatric and pediatric patients; caution with heart, stomach, spleen disorders, compromized hepatic function |
| Contraindications (Western) | |
| Chemical Composition | Alkaloids (wilfordine, wilforine, wilforidine, wilforgine, wilfortrine, wilforzine, wilformine, wilfornine, euonine, celacinnine, celafurine, celabenzine, neowilforine, regilidine), terpenoids (triptolide T13, tripdiolide, tripterolide, triptonide, triptolidenol T9, hypolide, triptonoterpenol, triptophenolide methylether, neotriptophenolide, isotriptophenolide, isoneotriptophenolide, triptonoterpene, triptonoterpene methylether, tripdioltonide, tripdiolide T8, triptriolide T11, triptolide T10, wilforlide A T1, triptotriterpenoidallactone A, wilforlide B, triptotriterpenic acid A T3, triptotriterpenic acid B T2, triptoterpenic acid C T28, selaspermic acid, wilfornide, triptofordin A,B,C-l,C-2, D) |
| Pharmacological Effects | • Antiviral: sesquiterpenes isolated from herb found to have moderate virucidal activity against several enveloped viruses including HSV-1, HCMV, measles virus and influenza A virus; mechanism of action attributed to suppressed viral protein synthesis of infected cells at early steps of viral replication and exerted inhibition of translation of transcripts of the immediate early genes • Antiarthritic: according to in vitro studies, extract of herb once daily for 14 days exhibited marked effect to suppress development of arthritis, antibody production and delayed-type hypersensitivity to Type II collagen; on the other hand, therapeutic administration of herbal extract did not affect clinical course of the disease |
| Herb-Drug Interactions | |
| Classical Formula(s) |
This information is a reference tool for Chinese herbal studies. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Please consult a primary health professional if you require health advisory.