Pharmaceutical name:

英文药名：

 Radix Tripterygium wilfordii

Latin botanical name:

拉丁學名：

 Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f.

Pron.in Japanese:

日語發音：

taiwankurozuru

Pron. in Korean:

韓語發音：

Mi-yeok-jul-na-mu

Pron. in Cantonese:

粤語發音：

 lui kong teng

Common Name:

英文名：

 three-wing-nut

Folk Name:

民間名稱：

"Walk Seven Steps and Die," "Intestine Breaking Plant"

七步倒，斷腸草。

Distribution:

分佈：

native of southern part of mainland China, Taiwan, Burma

原産於中國南部，臺灣，缅甸。

Properties (characteristics):

性味：

bitter and very toxic

苦，劇毒。

Actions & Indications:

主治：

for: anti-inflammation,  kills worms, resolves toxins, treating proteinuric renal disease, used as immunosuppressive agent on autoimmune diseases.

抗炎，殺蟲，消毒，治蛋白尿腎臟病，於免疫系统病以抑制免疫系统。

Chemical ingredients:

化學成份：

1. Saponins:

(1). wilforgine, wilforgine-B, wilfordine, wilfornine, wilfortrine, wilforttrine-D, wilforzine[1-3], wilformine [4], wilfordinic acid, hyudroxywilfordic acid [5],wilfornine [6], neowilforine [7]

(2). celacinnine, celafurine, celabenzine, celallocinnine [8-9]

(3). triptofordinine A-1, A-2 [10],  triptofordin D-1, D-2, E [11], triptofordin A, B, C-1 C-2 [12], triptofordin F-1, F-2, F-3, F-4 [13]

2.

(1). triptolide, tripdiolide, triptonide,[14-15], tripterolide[16].

(2). triptolidenol [16-17], tripnolide [18], neotriptophenolide, triptophenolide methyl ether [19], isoneotrip-tophenolide, hypolide methyl ether [20].

(3). triptonoterpene, triptonoterpene methyl ether [17],  triptonoterpenol [21]12-ydroxy-abieta-8, 11, 13 -trien-3-one, 11-hydroxy-14-methoxy-abieta-8, 11-hydroxy-14-methoxy-abieta-8, 11, 13-trien-3-one [22].

3. (1). wilforlide A, wilforlide B [23].

(2). tritotriterpenoid lactone [24], tretotriterpenic acid A [25,26], tritotriterpenic acid B [27], tritotriterpenic acid C [28], 3-epikatonic acid [29], polpunonic acid, triptodihydroxy acid methyl ester [30], tripterine [31].

(3).3,24-dioxofridelan-29-oic acid [29], salaspermic acid [29,32].

4. wilfornide [20]

5. 1,8-dihydroxy-4-hydroxymethyl anthraquinone [33].

6. syringareisnol [34].

7. dulcitol, glucose [31], tannin

Medical Functions:

1. Effects on immune system

2. Effects on anti-inflammatory

3. Effects on anti-cancer

4. Effects on contraception

5. Effects on urinary system

6. Effects on anti-organism and worms

7. Other Effects

     Anti rejection on transplants

8. Inside body

9. Effects of toxicity

Other Research:

其他研究：

Four compounds purified from T. wilfordii may confer protection against the FSGS (focal segmental gomerulosclerosis) factor.^a

有四種從雷公藤提取的化合物能保護保護腎臟對抗局部性腎絲球硬化症。

^{Research on Pharmacological Processes:}

See Research Librarian

Modern Clinical Application:

1.proliferative arthritis　

2. inflammation of spinal cord

3. lupus

4. purpura

5. kidney inflammation

6. asthma

7. tuberculosis of the lungs

8. psoriasis

9. dermatitis

10. Reiter syndrome

Psoriasis: Using water decoction of lei gong teng and alcohol extract of lei gong teng:

They both contain 50 lei gong teng 50 g, and ji xue teng 50 g each. Take orally 50 ml, twice a day after meals.

30 days is one therapy period.

Result:

Total patients: 193

Patients taking alcohol extract: 116

Effective rate: 86.2%

Patients taking water decoction: 77

Effective rate: 72.72%

It showed that the alcohol extract was more effective than the water decoction. [21]

Toxicity and Side Effects:

1. Toxic reactions: dizziness, palpitation, weakness, nausea, vomiting, stomach ache, diarrhea, pain in liver and kidney areas, bleeding in the digestive tract, even respiration and circulation exhaustion and death.

2. Decrease of total blood cell counts ⁽²⁾

3. Mutation type of illness: using lei gong teng tincture for external use can cause mutation type of illness. ⁽³⁾

4. Long -term use of lei gong teng could significantly decrease bone mineral density of levels in female systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)^b

5. Long -term use of lei gong teng causes hair loss and malfunction of immune system.

   6. Large dosages and/or long term usage can be toxic to kidneys.

   大劑量或長期服用可能對 腎臟有毒。

antidotes:

See Prevention and treatments