Abrus precatorius, JequirityIndian Licorice, Wild Licorice, Coral pea, Crab’ s Eyes, Lucky Bean, Prayer beads, Rosary peaGunja (Ayurveda) Kunri, Kunrimani (Siddha) Xiang Si Teng (TCM) Googhchi (Unani) Mda rgyus མདའ་རྒྱུས་ (Tibetan Medicine) |
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Koehler, Medizinal Pflanzen, vol. 2: 1890
Abrus precatorius seed(Photo by Vinayaraj) (Wikimedia)
Botanical name:
Abrus precatorius (syn. Glycine abrus)
A. fruticulosus (syn. A. pulchellus), A. laevigatus are also used synonymously, the former being used in TCM (Ji Gu Cao).
In China, the herb of the related A. cantonensis is used, with A. precatorius used synonymously in some parts.
Parts used:
1. Detoxified Seed (Ayurveda)
2. Herb (TCM)
Temperature & Taste:
Warm (some say Cold), dry. Sweet. Seed is toxic
Uses:
HERB:
1. Clears Heat and Toxin:
-Common cold, sore throat
-Lung heat cough
-Abscess, Toxic Sores
2. Clears Damp-Heat, Opens Obstructions:
-Damp-heat Jaundice; Hepatitis (TCM)
3. Moves the Blood, Clears Wind-Damp, Eases Pain:
-pain from Trauma; injuries to the Bones and Joints
-Wind-Damp joint pain (TCm)
-Pain due to Trauma
4. Externally:
-Breast abscess, sore and boil (applied topically, TCM)
PURIFIED SEED:
1. Clear Heat and Toxin
-Cough and Sore Throat
-Abscess, Parotitis; Heat-type skin diseases, Scab and Lichen
-agglutinins from the seed are used in HIV treatment
2. Clears Damp-Heat:
-Gall Stones
-Nausea, Vomiting
3. Moves the Blood, Stops Bleeding:
-Menorrhagia
-Gynecological diseases (Tibetan Medicine)
-promotes Childbirth
4. Kills Worms
5. Tonic:
-tonic, aphrodisiac
6. Externally:
-topically in hair oils to promote hair growth; used for Alopecia and Balding
-paste of the seed is applied to Vitiligo
-seeds are made into a paste with water to be applied to pain and inflammations including Sciatica and Frozen Shoulder
-also applied in cases of Paralysis
Comment:
1. Seeds are most commonly used externally due to their toxicity.
2. The root has been claimed to be an effective substitute for Licorice, but this is not the case.
Preparation:
1. Seed is purified after being boiled in milk for 3 hours, then washing and drying. (Ayurveda)
2. Seeds are prepared by being stir-fried in hot sand until yellowish (Tibet)
Corrective:
Coriander
Substitute:
1. Psoralea corylifolia seed (Unani)
2. Seed of Podophyllum hexandrum Ol mo se (Tibetan Medicine, Norbu)
Dose:
Seed is generally only used externally due to its toxicity.
HERB in Decoction (TCM): 6–15 grams, 1–4 grams in powder
PURIFIED SEED in POWDER: 60–150mg
Main Combinations:
1. Chronic skin diseases, the Seed is combined with Psoralea seed.
2. Jaundice, Hepatitis, Abrus herb (Ji Gu Cao) with Artemisia scoparia Yin Chen Hao, Rhubarb (Da Huang)
3. Leprosy, Seed applied with Chaulmoogra oil (Unani)
Cautions:
1. Extremely Toxic in overdose (seeds contain the highly toxic glycoprotein abrin); Only used after detoxification. Two (unprepared) seeds have been enough to kill a child (Duke)
2. Not used during Pregnancy, Breastfeeding or in Children.
3. Seed inhibits Sperm motility.
Toxicity:
Half to 2 unprepared seeds have caused poisoning in adults. Two seeds have reportedly killed a child.