Acanthopanax, Wu Jia Pi 五加皮

Wu Jia Pi (TCM)

Eleutherococcus senticosus
Komarov (Komorov), V.L., Flora of the U.S.S.R., vol. 16 (?)

Eleutherococcus henryi
Curtis’s botanical magazine, vol. 136 (1801)

Acanthopanax leucorrhizus (called ‘Narrow-leaf Wu Jia‘ in China)
Curtis’s Botanical Magazine, 1915

Botanical name:

Acanthopanax spp. (syn. Eleutherococcus spp.)
1. A. gracilistylus
2. A. sessilifforus
Local species used include:
3. A. giraldii, Hong Mao Wu Jia Pi (syn. A. giraldi var. enermis)
4. A. giraldii var. hispidus, Mao Geng Hong Mao Wu Jia Pi
5. A. henryi
6. A. verticillatus
A. senticosus (Siberian Ginseng) has been used for Acanthopanax Wu Jia Pi. It has similar effects, but is considered separate now because of its more pronounced tonic and adaptogenic properties.

Parts used:

Root-bark

Temperature & Taste:

Warm, dry. Pungent, Bitter

Classification:

D. Clear Wind and Damp

Uses:

1. Clears Wind-Damp, Strengthens Bones and Joints:
-Joint pain; Spasms in the limbs or lower back
-Rheumatic or Rheumatoid Arthralgia (Chinese Pharmacopoeia)
-Lower Back pain from Kidney weakness or old age
-pain associated with with Kidney and Liver weakness
-“It consolidates Tendon and Bone” (Ming Yi Bie Lu)

2. Clears Damp, Promotes Urine:
-Edema
-Urinary difficulty
-Cold swelling and pain in the legs

3. Benefit the Liver and Kidney:
-deficiency Kidney and Liver Yin in the Elderly, especially with Back pain, lower body weakness, frailty
-“male impotence with a sweating scrotum and urinary dripping” (Ming Yi Bie Lu)
-Slow Development, Retardation, or Failure to Thrive in Children
-“good for treating an infant of three years who still cannot walk” (Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing)
-“treats five kinds of Paralysis with general debility” (Ming Yi Bie Lu)
-“It treats Apoplexy with contraction of the joints” (Da Ming)
-“tonifies the interior and enhances the Jing [Essence]”. (Ming Yi Bie Lu)
-“Long¬term use makes one feel happy and vigorous and keeps one from aging”. (Ming Yi Bie Lu)
-“good for treating Arthralgia and Paralysis due to invading pathogenic Wind and Damp. It strengthens tendon and bone” (Li Shi Zhen)

Dose:

Traditionally recommended to brew or steep in wine for Arthritic disorders.
Decoction: 4–12 grams
Powder: 1–4 grams

Comment:

Acanthopanax Wu Jia Pi is closely related to Siberian Ginseng (A. senticosus). Wu Jia Pi is more effective for chronic bone and joint disease with deficiency, while Siberian Ginseng has Qi tonic properties. Siberian Ginseng is listed as an equivalent plant in various Chinese texts (including Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine, JiaJu Zhou et al.)

Substitute:

1. Periploca Xiang Jia Pi. is sometimes used as a substitute for Acanthopanax Wu Jia Pi.

Main Combinations:

1. Arthritis, Joint Pain:
i. Acanthopanax Wu Jia Pi with Burnet (Di Yu) is stewed in wine in a covered pot on a low heat all night. Dry the dregs in the sun and make small pills. These pills taken morning and night clear Wind-Damp, strengthen the Tendons and Bones. It tonifies Essence and Marrow and promotes long life. (Li Shi Zhen)
ii. Chronic joint pain, Acanthopanax Wu Jia Pi with Viscum Sang Ji Sheng (Mulberry Mistletoe) and Achyranthes Niu Xi
iii. Aches and pain of the lower back, hips and legs associated with deficiency, Acanthopanax Wu Jia Pi with Eucommia Du Zhong
(as in Wu Jia Pi San from Wei Sheng Jia Bao Fang [Treasured Family Prescriptions for Health]).
iv. Cold-damp pain, cold pain in the lower back and legs, Acanthopanax Wu Jia Pi, Curculigo Xian Mao, Asarum Xi Xin
v. Acanthopanax Wu Jia Pi with Cibotium Gou Ji, Chaenomelis Mu Gua
vi. Rheumatism, Paralysis, Acanthopanax Wu Jia Pi with Dang Gui, Cyathula Chuan Niu Xi, and Burnet root (Di Yu) soaked in wine to make a medicinal alcohol (as in Wu Jia Pi Jiu from Ben Cao Gang Mu [Compendium of Materia Medica]).
2. Lower Back and Knee Pain and weakness::
i. Acanthopanax Wu Jia Pi with Morinda Ba Ji Tian, Eucommia Du Zhong
ii. Acanthopanax Wu Jia Pi with Cibotium Gou Ji, Eucommia Du Zhong, Achyranthes Niu Xi
iii. Lower Back and Knee pain and weakness, barely able to walk, Acanthopanax Wu Jia Pi with Cyathula Niu Xi, Notopterygium Qiang Huo, Cinnamon, Eucommia Du Zhong, Ginger Root. (as in Ba Ji Wan, from The Great Peace Sagacious Benevolence Formulary),
3. Edema, Acanthopanax Wu Jia Pi with Poria Fu Ling
4. Beriberi, swollen skin, and joint pain, Acanthopanax Wu Jia Pi with Polygala Yuan Zhi (as in Wu Jia Pi Wan from Rui Zhu Tang Jing Yan Fang ([Formulas from Experience from the Rui Zhu Tang Pharmacy]).
5. Delayed Walking in a child of 4 or 5 years age, Acanthopanax Wu Jia Pi with Chaenomelas Mu Gua, Cyathula Chuan Niu Xi
6. For Longevity:
i. Taoists combined Acanthopanax Wu Jia Pi with Burnt (Di Yu)
ii. Acanthopanax Wu Jia Pi with Ginseng, Lycium Gou Qi Zi (“Goji”), Velvet Deer Horn (Lu Rong)

Cautions:

Generally safe

Main Preparations used:

Acanthopanax, Wu Jia Pi PRO