Rohdea, Wan Nian Qing 万年青

Nipponlily, China Lily
Wan Nian Qing (TCM)
 Picture Picture
Picture Rohdea japonica
Curtis, W., Curtis’s botanical magazine (1800-1948)

Picture Rohdea japonica
(Photo by Alpsdake) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:


Rohdea japonica (syn. Orontium japonicum)
Rohdea japonica var. variegata is also used.

Parts used:


Root and Rhizome

Temperature & Taste:


Cold, dry. Bitter, Sweet. Slightly Toxic

Classification:


B. Clears Heat

Uses:


1. Clears Heat and Toxin:
-Sore Throat, Tonsillitis, Diphtheria
-juice can be taken for severe sore throat with constriction
-Dysentery
-Toxic Sores, Erysipelas
–early stages of epidemic encephalitis (Barefoot Doctors Manual)
-Rabies (juice extracted from 15 grams of the whole plant)
-Snake Bites

2. Clears Heat, Stops Bleeding:
-Coughing or Spitting Blood, Vomiting Blood
-Uterine Bleeding

3. Strengthens the Heart, Promotes Urine:
-in modern times it has been used for its cardiotonic effect in congestive Heart failure
-Arrhythmia
-Edema from Heart disease
-Ascites

4. Externally:
-topically for Hemorrhoids and Rectal Prolapse (steam applied topically)
-topically to toxic bites
-the powder can be blown directly onto the throat in sore throat and laryngitis


Dose:


Decoction of the Root and Rhizome: 3–9 grams (15–30 grams fresh)
Decoction of the Leaf: 9–15 grams
The juice from 10–15 grams of the whole plant has been given in some cases such as Rabies.
Fresh plant or juice is used topically.

Substitute:


1. Rohdea is used as an adulterant / substitute for Paris Rhizome (Chong Lou)

Main Combinations:


1. Sore Throat:
i. severe Sore Throat, Rohdea with Forsythia Lian Qiao, cutellaria Huang Qin
ii. severe Sore Throat with constriction, Rohdea juice is taken with Rice Vinegar
2. Heart Tonic:
i. Rohdea, Astragalus Huang Qi, Salvia Dan Shen
ii. Edema from Heart failure, Rohdea with Poria Fu Ling, Cinnamon Rou Gui

Major Formulas:



She Yao Pian (Snake Bite Pills)
  Rohdea leaf
  Crisium Da Ji
  Costus (Mu Xiang)
  Madder (Qian Cao)
  Bidens bipinnata Gui Zhen Cao
  Aristolchia Fang Ji
  Sophora Ku Shen
Powder equal parts, make a paste with water and form pills weighing 500mg.
Dose: 4–6 pills
 

Cautions:


1. Avoid overdose or long-term use.
2. Not used during Pregnancy
3. Contains Cardioactive glycosides which are cumulative.

Toxicity:


Toxic in overdose, side effects include nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, diarrhea. Severe poisoning may lead to Arrhythmia and AV block.

Main Preparations used: