Is Pinellia ternata toxic? The latest explanation tells you the answer

Pinellia ternata is widely distributed in South China and North China, and is also found in Tibet. It has many effects and good medicinal power, and is a common traditional Chinese medicine, but Pinellia ternata is toxic, and we should pay special attention when using it. Below we will discuss the toxicity of Pinellia ternata with everyone!

Is Pinellia ternata toxic?

Pinellia ternata is toxic. Pinellia ternata has neurotoxicity. Among the substances precipitated after adding lead acetate to its water-soluble components, there are substances that cause skeletal muscle spasms in frogs and mice and cause frog pupil dilation. The filtrate contains substances that cause central and curare-like skeletal muscle relaxation in frogs. Mistakenly taking even a trace of raw Pinellia ternata can cause poisoning, so raw Pinellia ternata is managed as a toxic traditional Chinese medicine and must be processed before clinical use. In addition, Pinellia ternata also has strong irritation to local mucosa, nephrotoxicity, pregnancy embryonic toxicity, and teratogenic effects.

What should be done if poisoned by Pinellia ternata?

Pinellia ternata is toxic, but there is no need to panic. Every medicine has some toxicity. Pay attention to the doctor's instructions and take it carefully and cautiously, and then its effects can be achieved and its medicinal role can be brought into play. Moreover, every thing has something that subdues it, just like ginger and Pinellia ternata. As long as you use the right medicine, the toxicity can also be reduced or even eliminated.

Processing methods for Pinellia ternata

1. Qing Banxia: Take clean Pinellia ternata, separate by size, soak and rinse, change the water 2~3 times daily, until white foam appears (about 7 days). After changing the water, add white alum (for every 100kg of clean Pinellia ternata, add white alum (8kg)) and dissolve it, then soak for another 7 days. Wash with water, take it out and place it in a stainless steel pot, add the remaining white alum, first use high heat, then low heat, and cook for about 3 hours, until there is no white center inside. Add a small amount of water, take it out, air-dry until 70 percent dry, then seal and mellow for about 3 days, cut into thin slices, and dry in the shade. For every 100kg of clean Pinellia ternata, use 12.5kg of white alum. The finished product is oval, subrounded, or irregular slices. The cut surface is light gray to grayish white, and grayish white dotted or short-line vascular bundle traces can be seen. It is brittle, easy to break, and the broken surface is slightly horny. The odor is slight, and the taste is slightly astringent, with a slight numbing sensation on the tongue.

2. Ginger Pinellia ternata: Take clean Pinellia ternata, separate by size, soak and rinse, change the water 2~3 times daily, until white foam appears (about 7 days). After changing the water, add white alum (for every 100kg of clean Pinellia ternata, add 4kg of white alum) and dissolve it. After soaking for 3 days, discard the alum water, then soak for another 7 days, stirring gently and changing the water 2 times daily, then add 4kg of crushed white alum and dissolve it. Add ginger water (take 8kg of fresh ginger slices, add water and decoct twice, the first time for 2 hours, the second time for 1 hour, combine the decoctions, and let cool) to the Pinellia ternata, soak in the alum-ginger water for another 7 days, then wash with water. Cut it open and taste it; if there is no numbing or spicy sensation, take it out and place it in a stainless steel pot, add the remaining white alum and fresh ginger, first use high heat, then low heat, and cook for about 3 hours, until there is no white center inside or outside. Add a small amount of water, take it out, air-dry until 70 percent dry, then seal and mellow for 3 days, and dry in the shade. For every 100kg of clean Pinellia ternata, use 12.5kg of white alum and 10kg of fresh ginger. Ginger Pinellia ternata is slice-shaped, irregularly granular, or subglobose. The surface is brown to brownish. The cut surface is light yellowish brown, often with a horny luster. It is hard and brittle. The odor is slightly fragrant, the taste is bland, with a slight numbing sensation on the tongue, and it is slightly sticky to the teeth when chewed.

3. Fa Banxia: Take clean Pinellia ternata, separate by size, soak for 10~12 days, stirring gently and changing the water 2 times daily, until there is no dry center, then soak in white alum water for 3 days, remove the white alum water, soak in water for another 2 days, add licorice and lime liquid (take 20kg of licorice, add water and decoct twice, combine the decoctions, and pour into lime liquid made with an appropriate amount of water) and soak, stirring 1~2 times daily, and keep the pH value above 12.0, until there is a slight numbing sensation on the tongue and the cut surface is uniformly yellow. Take it out, wash clean, and dry in the shade or dry at low temperature. For every 100kg of clean Pinellia ternata, use 20kg of licorice, 2kg of white alum, and 30kg of quicklime. This product is subglobose or broken into irregular granules. The surface is light yellowish white, yellow, or brownish yellow. It is relatively loose and brittle or hard and brittle; the broken surface is yellow or light yellow; the granular form is slightly hard and brittle. The odor is slight, and the taste is bland and slightly sweet, with a slight numbing sensation on the tongue.