What are the effects and actions of Tripterygium wilfordii?
Tripterygium wilfordii is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, also known as yellow vine, yellow wax vine, vegetable worm medicine, etc. It is a vine shrub plant of the genus Tripterygium in the Celastraceae family, with the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, dispelling wind and unblocking collaterals, and relaxing sinews and invigorating blood. It has therapeutic effects on conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, nephritis, lupus erythematosus, and thrombocytopenic purpura. Let us take a look at the effects and actions of Tripterygium wilfordii below!
The medicinal value of Tripterygium wilfordii
[Nature and flavor] Bitter and pungent in flavor, cold in nature, highly toxic.
[Meridian tropism] Liver and kidney meridians.
[Effects] Dispelling wind and removing dampness, invigorating blood and unblocking collaterals, reducing swelling and relieving pain, killing parasites and detoxifying. Used for rheumatic joint pain, waist and leg pain, peripheral neuritis, leprosy, osteomyelitis, and finger whitlows.
The medicinal effects of Tripterygium wilfordii
1. Invigorating blood and unblocking collaterals: Tripterygium wilfordii has a relatively strong effect of dispelling wind-dampness and invigorating blood and unblocking collaterals. It is an important medicine for treating stubborn wind-dampness impediment. Its bitter and cold nature gives it strong heat-clearing power, and its effect of reducing swelling and relieving pain is remarkable. It is especially suitable for those with red, swollen, hot and painful joints, stubborn wind-dampness impediment, swelling that is difficult to disperse, morning stiffness, limited function, and even joint deformity. It can be used alone internally or externally, and can improve functional activity and reduce pain.
2. Removing dampness and relieving itching: Tripterygium wilfordii is bitter and drying, removes dampness and relieves itching, kills parasites and attacks toxins, and has good effects on many skin diseases. It treats leprosy, stubborn tinea, eczema, scabies, dermatitis, and skin rashes. For treating leprosy, it can be decocted and taken alone, or combined with wind-dispelling and itching-relieving medicines such as Fangfeng (Saposhnikovia divaricata), Jingjie (Schizonepeta tenuifolia), and Baijili (Tribulus terrestris) for internal use or external application.
3. Clearing heat and detoxifying: Tripterygium wilfordii is bitter and cold, clears heat and detoxifies, and can be used to treat whitlows, sores and toxins. It can also use toxin to attack toxin, reduce swelling and relieve pain. For treating heat-toxin carbuncles, swellings and whitlows, it is often used in combination with Chansu (toad venom).
The pharmacological actions of Tripterygium wilfordii
1. Immunomodulatory effect: Lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease, and patients have various immunological abnormalities. After treatment with Tripterygium wilfordii, there are often significant therapeutic effects. Blood tests show that as the condition of lupus erythematosus improves, the previously existing immunological abnormalities in the blood can all improve to varying degrees.
2. Antitumor effect: Animal experiments and some clinical studies have proven that Tripterygium wilfordii can inhibit tumor cells that divide and proliferate too rapidly, and therefore has anticancer effects.
3. Improving microcirculation: Tripterygium wilfordii can dilate blood vessels, thereby increasing blood flow, reducing blood viscosity, and improving abnormal platelet aggregation and adhesion, thereby improving the “blood stasis” phenomenon of microcirculation.
4. Other effects: Through observation, Tripterygium wilfordii also has anti-inflammatory effects, bactericidal effects, and antipyretic and analgesic effects, etc. In addition, it has also been found that Tripterygium wilfordii toxic glycosides have anti-HIV effects.
Medicinal selected formulas of Tripterygium wilfordii
1. Treating rheumatic arthritis: Pound the roots and leaves of Tripterygium wilfordii into a paste and apply externally. Remove after half an hour, otherwise blisters will form.
2. Treating skin itching: Pound the leaves of Tripterygium wilfordii into a paste and apply by rubbing.
3. Treating belt-like sores: Grind Tripterygium wilfordii flowers and Wuyao (Lindera aggregata) into powder and apply to the affected area.