Trichosanthes Radix, Tian Hua Fen 天花粉

Tian Hua Fen, Guo Lou Gen (TCM)
 Picture
Picture Dian Nan Ben Cao Tu Shuo (Illustrated Yunnan Pharmacopoeia) Ming Dynasty (1773 edition) (Welcome, Wikimedia)

Picture Trichosanthes kirilowii var. japonica
(Photo by 杉山龍彦) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:


Trichosanthes kirilowii, T.  rosthornii

Parts used:


Root

Temperature & Taste:


Cold, slightly moist. Bitter, slightly Sweet.

Classifications:


B. Clear Strong Heat or Fire

Uses:


1. Clears Heat, Generates Fluids:
-used when Heat (during Fever) injures the fluids with dry mouth, thirst, irritability
-‘Wasting and Thirsting Disorder’ (overlaps Diabetes)
-“It tonifies the deficiency and pacifies the interior” (Shen Nong Ben Cao)
-“It stops Incontinence” (Ming Yi Bie Lu)

2. Clears Phlegm-Heat, Moistens Lungs:
-Phlegm-Heat Cough with thick, hard-to-clear Phlegm, or Blood-streaked Phlegm
-Bronchitis
-Upper Respiratory Tract Infection

3. Clears Heat and Toxin, Drains Pus:
-Abscess, especially Breast Abscess (both topically and internally)
-“Epidemic disease with fever and mania” (Da Ming)
-Acute Mastitis (Da Ming)
-“It treats jaundice of eight kinds” (Ming Yi Bie Lu)

4. Moves the Blood, Heals Bones:
-“dissolve Blood stasis due to Trauma” (Da Ming)
-“good for knitting broken and damaged bone”. (Shen Nong Ben Cao)
-this is a traditional indication not generally recognised today.


Dose:


Decoction: 10–15 grams

Main Combinations:


1. Wasting and Thirsting, Trichosanthes Radix Tian Hua Fen with Anemarrhena Zhi Mu, Glehnia Sha Shen, Ophiopogon  Mai Men Dong (as in Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang)
2. Phlegm-Heat Cough:
i. Trichosanthes Radix Tian Hua Fen with Fritillaria Bei Mu, Platycodon Jie Geng
ii. Trichosanthes Radix Tian Hua Fen with Pinellia Ban Xia, Scutellaria Huang Qin
iii. Trichosanthes Radix Tian Hua Fen with Pinellia Ban Xia, Coptis Huang Lian, Platycodon Jie Gen, Apricot kernel (Xing Ren), Licorice
3. Abscesses:
i. Trichosanthes Radix Tian Hua Fen with Lonicera Jin Yin Hua, Dandelion (Pu Gong Ying)
ii. Breast Abscess, Trichosanthes Radix Tian Hua Fen with Frankincense (Ru Xiang)

Major Formulas:


Bei Mu Gua Lou San
Chai Hu Gui Zhi Gan Jiang Tang
Chai Hu Qing Gan Tang

Cautions:


1. Not used during Pregnancy
2. Use cautiously in those with weak digestion.

Drug Interactions:


1. Incompatible with the Aconites

Main Preparations used:



  • Extra Info
  • Research
GENERAL / REVIEW
–[Morphological and histological studies on the Chinese drug Tian-hua-fen (Radix Trichosanthis), its adulterants and substitutes (second report)].

ANTI-VIRAL
–Effect of Radix Trichosanthis and Trichosanthin on Hepatitis B Virus in HepG2.2.15 Cells.

ANTIOXIDANT
–Antioxidant activities of saponins extracted from Radix Trichosanthis: an in vivo and in vitro evaluation.

NEUROPROTECTIVE
–Neuroprotective Effect of Radix Trichosanthis Saponins on Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

DIABETES
–Extraction of Radix trichosanthis Polysaccharides for Potential Antihyperlipidemic Application.

ABORTION INDUCTION
–Midtrimester abortion induced by Radix trichosanthis: morphologic observations in placenta and fetus.