Coptis, Huang Lian 黄连Gold Thread, CoptisHuang Lian (TCM) Mamira, Tiktamula (Ayurveda) Mamisa, Mamira (Unani) Myang rtsi spras མྱང་རྩི་སྤྲས (Tibetan) |
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Coptis teetaK.R. Kirtikar, B.D. Basu, Indian medicinal plants, Plates, vol. 1 (1918)
Coptis trifoliaMateria Medica Botanica, Wellman, 1845
Coptis japonica var. anemonifolia(Photo by Qwert1234) (Wikimedia)
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Above: Slices of Coptis Huang Lian from Chengdu Medicine Market showing bright yellow-orange cross-section (Adam, 2017)Left: whole Coptis teeta root (Calcutta Unani College, Adam, 2019) |
Botanical name:
Coptis spp.:
Several species are used:
- C. chinensis (TCM, Tibet)
- C. deltoidea (TCM)
- C. teeta (syn. C. teetoides) (Tibet, Unani, Ayurveda, TCM)
The American C. trifolia (Gold Thread) can probably be considered synonymous.
Parts used:
Rhizome
Temperature & Taste:
Cold, dry. Bitter
“Hot and dry in the last phase of the second degree” (Avicenna)
Classification:
B. Clears Heat & Damp
Uses:
1. Clears Heat and Damp:
-heat-type Diarrhea or Dysentery (TCM, Ayurveda, Tibet)
-Nausea, Vomiting, Acid Reflux from Stomach heat
-“Its root is useful in Jaundice” (Avicenna)
-‘good for dispersing pathogenic Cold and Heat in the Five Viscera’. (Ming Yi Bie Lu)
2. Clears Heat and Fire, Resists Toxin:
-High Fever, Irritability, Delirium, with a red tongue and a full and rapid pulse (TCM, Ayurveda, Tibet)
-Intermittent Fever (Ayurveda)
-Epidemic and Infectious Diseases (Ayurveda, TCM, Tibet), Anthrax (Tibet)
-Heat-toxin sore throat
-Red painful eyes; claimed to strengthen Eyesight in Shen Nong Ben Cao
-any infection with strong Heat symptoms.
-Boils, Carbuncles, Abscesses, Toxic Sores, Scrofula
-adjunct for Tumors and Cancer
-Neutralizes toxin of Croton seed (Ba Dou) (Xu Zhi Cai); and Calomel (Li Shi Zhen)
3. Clears Heart Fire (TCM):
-Insomnia, Irritability, Anger
-strong Fever that affects the Heart, Mind and Spirit, Delirium
-‘removes Blood stasis of the Heart’. (Li Shi Zhen)
4. Clears Heat, Stops Bleeding:
-Blood in the Urine or Stool, or Vomiting Blood due to Hot Blood
5. Bitter Tonic:
-small doses are used to stimulate digestion
-advocated in debility and convalescence (Ayurveda)
-also used for Diabetes (with heat symptoms)
-‘good for treating Five Overstrains and Seven Damages. It reinforces Qi’. (Da Ming)
6. Externally:
-powder, wash, ointment or plaster may be used topically to clear Heat
-red and sore eyes, as a wash
-Ulcers and Sores of the Mouth and Throat; Thrush (Ayurveda)
-“Its root is useful in Toothache” (Avicenna)
-applied to Boils, Carbuncles, Abscesses
-“A collyrium of Coptis root removes opacity of the Cornea and improves the Eye-sight” (Avicenna)
Dose:
Decoction: 1½–6 grams (up to 9 grams)
Powder: 500mg–2 grams (to 3 grams)
Substitutes:
1. Picrorhiza is a cheaper substitute for Coptis Huang Lian.
2. If the stomach is too weak to use Coptis, Poria Fu Ling and Scutellaria Huang Qin may be used. (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
3. In some areas, Celandine root is sold as Mamiran (Coptis) (Unani)
4. Thalictrum foliolosum is also sometimes used as Mamiran (Unani). Thalictrum spp. are also considered as an inferior type of Myang rtsi spras in Tibetan Medicine.
Correctives:
1. Licorice
2. Warm and pungent drugs moderate the cold and bitter quality. (Li Shi Zhen)
Preparation:
1. Crude (unprepared) Coptis Huang Lian:
Best for Heart Fire.
2. Stir-fried Coptis Huang Lian:
Stir-fried until slightly charred to ameliorate its intense bitter taste. This is milder, better for Children or those with weak digestion. It also has less effect on clearing Heat, but is stronger to dry Damp.
3. Wine-Fried Coptis Huang Lian:
Stir-fry with wine to enter the Blood and to guide to the head.
When steamed with wine it is used for Diabetes. (Li Shi Zhen)
4. Ginger-fried Coptis Huang Lian:
Stir-fried in Ginger juice to moderate its cold nature. Li Shi Zhen said this was the best preparation for Stomach Fire. This is the best way to use Bitters intended to stimulate the Stomach and digestion.
5. Salt-prepared Coptis Huang Lian:
Soak the drug in Salt Water, then stir fry to dry. This is best for Heat of the Kidneys and lower body.
6. Bile-fried Coptis Huang Lian:
Stir-fried with Pig bile for Heat of the Liver and Gall Bladder. This is an old preparation, rarely used today. (Li Shi Zhen)
7. Vinegar-fried Coptis Huang Lian:
Soak in Vinegar, then dry-fried, it is good for Heat from deficiency, especially associated with the Liver. This is an old preparation, rarely used today. (Li Shi Zhen)
8. Evodia-processed Coptis Huang Lian:
Soak the drug in a decoction of Evodia Wu Zhu Yu, then stir-fry to dryness. This is best for Fire due to Damp Heat obstructing the Qi system. This is an old preparation, rarely used today. (Li Shi Zhen)
9. Prepared Coptis Huang Lian from Han Mao (in Ben Cao Gang Mu):
The root is stir-fried separately with ginger juice, wine and honey. This moderates its effect ands was used for weak digestion and infantile malnutrition.
Main Combinations:
–Three Yellows
Coptis Huang Lian is often combined with Scutellaria Huang Qin and Phellodendron Huang Bai. Together, they more effectively clear Heat and Toxin from the whole body and are also a very effective broad spectrum antibacterial combination.
–Guiding drugs for Coptis include Scutellaria Huang Qin, Fossil Bones (Long Gu), Gypsum (Shi Gao) (TCM)
Heat and Toxin
1. Acute Heat, Fever:
i. Coptis, Forsythia Lian Qiao
ii. Coptis, Red Sandalwood
iii. Dengue Fever, Coptis Huang Lian decocted in Boy’s Urine (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
iv. Typhoid Fever (severe Fever with Diarrhea), decoction of Coptis Huang Lian with Gypsum and Licorice
v. Summer-heat, decoct Coptis Huang Lian with Mung bean and Licorice
vi. Acute Heat diseases affecting the Head, Coptis with Isatis Radix Ban Lan Gen, Scutellaria Huang Qin, Fosrythia Lian Qiao, Licorice, Peppermint
vii. High fever with Delirium, Coptis Huang Lian with Calcite (Han Shui Shi)
2. Severe infections with High Fever, severe Acne, Boils, Skin Infections, Dermatitis, Severe Tonsillitis, Pneumonia, Urinary Tract Infections, Coptis Huang Lian with Scutellaria Huang Qin, Phellodendron Huang Bai, Gardenia Zhi Zi (as in Huang Lian Jie Du Tang)
3. Boil, Abscesses Carbuncles:
i. Coptis Huang Lian with Chrysanthemum indicum Ye Ju Hua and Figwort (Xuan Shen)
ii. Coptis Huang Lian with Lonicera Caulis Ren Dong Teng, Rhubarb (Da Huang)
iii. Coptis Huang Lian, Dang Gui, Scutellaria Huang Qin, Licorice (Gan Cao). (Li Gao)
4. Acute Sore Throat, Hoarseness from Fire-Toxin (Toxic Heat), Coptis Huang Lian with Platycodon Jie Geng, Licorice
5. Phlegm-Heat Cough::
i. Coptis Huang Lian with Trichosanthes Semen Gua Lou Ren and Pinellia Ban Xia,
ii. Coptis Huang Lian with Fritillaria Zhe Bei Mu, Scutellaria Huang Qin
6. Diarrhea and Dysentery:
i. Coptis Huang Lian with Costus Mu Xiang
ii. Five types of Dysentery: Coptis Huang Lian with Costus Mu Xiang (1 part each) Rhubarb (Da Huang) (2 parts) (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
iii. Coptis Huang Lian with Ginger (Gan Jiang) (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
iv. Coptis Huang Lian with Magnolia Hou Po
v. Coptis Huang Lian with Ginseng (Zhu Zhen Heng)
vi. Coptis Huang Lian with Evodia Wu Zhu Yu (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
vii. with Abdominal pain, Coptis Huang Lian with Peaonia Bai Shao
viii. from Damp-Heat, Coptis Huang Lian with Phellodendron Huang Bai and Pulsatilla Bai Tou Weng
ix. Coptis Huang Lian with Geranium Lao Guan Cao, Purslane (Ma Chi Xian)
x. Acute Heat-type Diarrhea, Dysentery Coptis Huang Lian with Magnolia Hou Po
xi. Coptis Huang Lian with Pueraria Ge Gen, Scutellaria Huang Qin
xii. Coptis with Dragons Blood, Frankincense, Gall, Pomegranate flower, Tabasheer, Psyllium seed, Barberry root-bark, Chebulic Myrobalan (as in Mamuran Anti-diarrheal Capsules of Uyghur Medicine)
7. Gastritis, Gastroenteritis, Diarrhea, Coptis Huang Lian with Safflower, Chebulic Myrobalan, Shilajit (as in Coptis 5)
8. Damp-Heat obstruction, Coptis Huang Lian with Eupatorium Pei Lan
9. Heat with irritability and restlessness, combine Gardenia Zhi Zi with Coptis Huang Lian
10, Inflammation:
i. Coptus Huang Lian, Turmeric (Jiang Huang), Frankincense (Ru Xiang)
ii. Coptis Huang Lian, Chebula (He Zi). This combination has been studied and found to have a synergistic effect against Inflammation.
Digestion
11. Stomach Fire with intense Hunger and Thirst, Coptis Huang Lian with Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang.
12. For mixture of Heat, Cold and Phlegm in the Stomach and Intestines with Diarrhea and Focal Distention, Coptis Huang Lian with Pinellia Ban Xia and Ginger (as in Ban Xia Xie Xin Tang)
13. Qi stagnation with Epigastrium with fullness and indigestion, Coptis Huang Lian with Citrus immaturus Zhi Shi. (Li Gao)
14. Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Coptis Huang Lian, Angelica Bai Zhi, Artemisia Scoparia Yin Chen Hao, Atractylodes Bai Zhi, Costus (Mu Xiang), Bupleurum Chai Hu, Citrus Chen Pi, Codonopsis Dang Shen, Paeonia Bai Shao, Honey-fried Licorice Zhi Gan Cao, Pogostemon Huo Xiang, Poria Fu Ling, Saposhnikovia Fang Feng, Dry-fried Ginger (Pao Jiang). This is the basic formula and has been studied and found effective to reduce symptoms of IBS. Research can be veiwed here.
15. Infantile malnutrition:
i. steam the drug in a pig’s stomach, then remove, dry, powder and form pills. (Da Ming)
ii. Coptis Huang Lian (stir-fried 4 times, with loess, ginger juice, wine and honey), Quisqualis Shi Jun Zi, Paeonia Bai Shao, Costus Mu Xiang.
Heart
16. For Imbalance of Heart Fire and Kidney Water with Insomnia and Confusion:
i. Coptis Huang Lian with Cinnamon.
ii. Zizyphus Suan Zao Ren with dry-fried Coptis Huang Lian, Cinnamon, Fossil Teeth (Long Chi), Magnetite (Ci Shi), Polygala Yuan Zhi, Curcuma Yu Jin (The Formulas of Dr. John H.F. Shen)
17. Insomnia, Irritability:
i. with Palpitations, Irritability from Heart Fire, Lotus Seed with Coptis Huang Lian
ii. Yin deficiency with Heat, insomnia, irritability, Coptis Huang Lian with Donkey Hide Gelatin E Jiao.
iii. with Dysphoria (unease and dyssatisfaction), Coptis Huang Lian with Dang Gui, Polygala Yuan Zhi, Zizyphus Suan Zao Ren, Platycladum Bai Zi Ren, Poria Fu Ling, Fritillaria Chuan Bei Mu, vinegar-quenched Amethyst
iv. Zizyphus Suan Zao Ren (15 grams) with dry-fried Coptis Huang Lian (1.5 grams), Cinnamon (0.3 grams) (The Formulas of Dr. John H.F. Shen)
18. Heart Fire:
i. Coptis Huang Lian, Rhubarb Da Huang
ii. causing Madness, Mania, Hallucinations, Coptis Huang Lian with Tabasheer (Tian Zhu Huang), Bezoar (Niu Huang), Cinnabar (Zhu Sha), Polygala Yuan Zhi, Poria Fu Shen, Licorice, Gold and Silver (as in Tian Zhu Huang Wan)
Liver
19. Liver heat:
i. Coptis Huang Lian with Dang Gui, Gentiana Long Dan Cao, Scutellaria Huang Qin (as in Long Dan Xie Gan Wan)
ii. Coptis Huang Lian with Gentiana Long Dan Cao and Indigo Qing Dai
iii. Coptis Huang Lian with Gentiana Long Dan Cao and Pig Bile (Zhu Zhen Heng)
iv. Coptis Huang Lian with Picrorhiza, Rhubarb
20. Hepatitis C, Curcuma Yu Jin with Ligusticum Chuan Xiong, dry-fried Paeonia Chao Bai Shao, dry-fried Scutellaria Chao Huang Qin, Corydalis Yan Hu Suo, dry-fried Coptis Chao Huang Lian, Costus Mu Xiang, Lycium Gou Qi Zi, Bitter Orange fruit (Zhi Ke) (The Formulas of Dr. John H.F. Shen)
Other
21. Internal Heat with damaged fluids, with thirst, dryness, cough, irritability, Coptis Huang Lian with Prunus mume Wu Mei and Scutellaria Huang Qin.
22. Diabetes with Heat Symptoms, Coptis Huang Lian with Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang and Trichosanthes Tian Hua Fen.
23. Cancer:
i. Coptis Huang Lian, Rhubarb (Da Huang), Apricot kernel (Xing Ren), Agrimony (Xian He Cao)
ii. Coptis Huang Lian (6 parts), Evodia Wu Zhu Yu (1 part). This formula is called Zuo Jin Wan and has been used for various Cancers.
24. Childhood Convulsions, Coptis Huang Lian with Tabasheer (Tian Zhu Huang), Amber, Pearl
25. Rickets, Wasting in Children, cook rice with Coptis Huang Lian and Citrus Chen Pi, add a little Toxicodendron Gan Qi (carbonised) powder
26. Chronic, pustular or erupted Scrofula:
i. Coptis Huang Lian with Scrophularia Xuan Shen
ii. Coptis Huang Lian topically with Bletilla Bai Ji, Gall (Wu Bei Zi)
27. Strangury, obstructed Urine:
i. Coptis Huang Lian, Agrimony (Xian He Cao)
ii. Coptis Huang Lian with Hedyotis Bai Hua She She Cao, Water Plantain (Ze Xie), Plantain seed (Che Qian Zi), Agrimony (Xian He Cao) (as in Long Qing Pian)
28. Eye diseases:
i. Coptis was made into pills with Sheep Liver (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
ii. Sore, Red, Itchy eyes, Coptis Huang Lian, Chrysanthemum Ju Hua
iii. Eye pain, Coptis Huang Lian with Soloman’s Seal (Yu Zhu), Peonia Bai Shao, Dang Gui (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
iv. for eye diseases, soak the drug in human milk then steam it. Drop the juice into the eye.
iv. a wash for eye diseases from Wind, Heat and Toxin and poor eyesight, Coptis Huang Lian, Dang Gui, Paeonia Bai Shao. Make a decoction and use while warm. When cool, heat up again. Said to be very ebenficial for the eyes. (Su Song)
29. Herpes and other Toxic Heat skin conditions, Coptis Huang Lian with Rhubarb (Da Huang) and Camphor topically
Major Formulas:
An Gong Niu Huang Wan
Bai Tou Weng Tang
Dang Gui Long Hui Wan
Gan Cao Xie Xin Tang
Gan Jiang Huang Qin Huang Lian Ren Shen Tang
Huang Lian Tang
Huang Lian E Jiao Tang
Huang Lian Jie Du Tang
Huang Lian Wen Dan Tang
Jiao Tai Wan
Long Dan Xie Gan Wan
Shuang Liao Hou Feng San
Zhu Sha An Shen Wan
Coptis 5 (Tibetan Medicine)
Cautions:
1. Not used in Cold and Weakness of the Digestive system
2. Use cautiously in Yin deficiency.
Toxicity:
It has mild toxicity. However, internal use may cause Nausea, Vomiting, transient Diarrhea, abdominal distention. These symptoms may be seen only in the initial stages of treatment and generally stop with continued administration. Otherwise, stopping treatment with Coptis is indicated.
Main Preparations used:
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‘This drug under the name of Mahmira is used in Sind for inflammation of the eyes, a circumstance which enabled Pereira to identify it with a substance bearing a nearly similar designation, mentioned by the early writers on medicine, and previously regarded as the root of Chelidonium majus L. Thus we find that Paulus Aegineta in the 7th century was acquainted with a knotty root named Mauripas. Rhazes, who according to Choulant died in A.D. 923 or 932, mentions Mamiran, and it is also noticed by Avicenna a little later as a drug useful in diseases of the eye. Mauripas likewise occurs in exactly the same way in the writings of Leo, “Philosophus et Medicus.” Ibn Baytar called the drug Mamiran and Uruk, and described it as a small yellow root like turmeric, coming from China. Other writers of the middle ages allude to it under the name of Memeren. Hajji Mahomed, in the account of Cathay which he gave to Ramusio (circa, A.D. 1550) says that the Mambroni chini, by which we |
understand the root in question, is found in the mountains of Succuir (Suh-cheu) where rhubarb grows, and that it is a wonderful remedy for diseases of the eye. In an official report published at Lahore in 1862,* Mamiran-i-chini is said to be brought from China to Yarkand. The rhizome of Coptis is used by the Chinese under the names Hwang-lien and Chuen-lien. It is enumerated by Cleyer (1682) as “radix pretiosa amara,” and was described in 1778 by Bergius who received it from Canton. More recently it was the subject of an interesting notice by Guibourt who thought it to be derived from Opkioxylon serpentinum L., an apocyneous plant widely removed from Coptis. Its root was recommended in India by Maclsaac in 1827 and has been subsequently employed with success by many practitioners. There is a rude figure of the plant in the Chinese herbal Pen-tsao.’ (Pharmacographia, Fluckiger & Hanbury, 1879) |