This product is the root of the perennial woody vine plant Fourstamen Stephania Root (Stephania tetrandra S. Moore) from the Stephania Tetrandra family, or the root of the perennial twining herbaceous plant Cocculus Root (Aristolochia fangchi Y. C. Wu ex L. D. Chow et S. M. Hwang) from the Dutohmanspipe Fruit family. Fourstamen Stephania Root is mainly produced in Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, and other regions. Cocculus Root is mainly produced in Guangdong, Guangxi, and other regions. It is harvested in autumn, dried, and sliced for use.

bubble_chart Properties and Meridians

Bitter and acrid, cold. Act on bladder, kidney and spleen meridians.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Dispelling wind and dampness, relieving pain, unblocking water, and dispersing edema.

bubble_chart Indications

1. is used for Bi disease, especially suitable for those with predominant dampness-heat, presenting symptoms such as joint pain and restricted movement. This product is pungent and dispersing, bitter and cold in nature, capable of dispelling wind-dampness, clearing heat, dredging collaterals, and relieving pain. It is often used in combination with Coix Seed, Talc, Silkworm Feces, such as Impediment-Diffusing Decoction; for wind-cold-dampness impediment with joint pain, it is often used with Aconite Lateral Root, Cassia Central Bark, White Atractylodes Rhizome, etc., such as Stephania Tetrandra Decoction.
2. It is used for edema, phlegm and fluid pattern. This product has a descending and purging effect, is good at moving downward, and can clear dampness-heat, promote urination, especially effective in purging lower energizer bladder dampness-heat. For pattern of wind and water caused by external wind invasion and internal water retention, presenting as swelling of the head, face, and body, and difficulty in urination, it is used to disperse wind and remove dampness, often combined with Astragalus Root, White Atractylodes Rhizome, such as Fourstamen Stephania Root Astragalus Decoction; for skin edema with swelling all over the body and scanty urine, it can be used with Poria, Astragalus Root, Cinnamon Twig, etc., to strengthen the spleen, warm yang, and transform qi, such as Stephania and Poria Decoction. For treating dampness-heat stagnation, abdominal distension and fullness edema, this product is used to resolve dampness and promote urination, often combined with Pricklyash Seed, Pepperweed Seed, Rhubarb Rhizoma, namely Stephania, Pricklyash Seed, Pepperweed and Rhubarb Pill.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Benjing: "Mainly treats wind-cold dampness pattern, various heat-induced convulsions, eliminates evil qi, and promotes urination and defecation."
2. Bencao Shiyi: "Fourstamen Stephania Root mainly treats water qi, Cocculus Root mainly treats wind qi, and promotes circulation."
3. Bencao Qiuzhen: "Stephania Tetrandra is pungent and bitter, Great Cold (24th solar term), with a risky and strong nature, good at moving downward, excels in eliminating dampness, relieving stuffy orifices, and promoting the flow of qi. It can purge lower energizer blood aspect dampness-heat and is an essential medicine for treating wind edema."

bubble_chart Usage and Dosage

Decoct and take 5-10g. For dispelling wind to relieve pain, use Cocculus Root; for promoting diuresis and reducing swelling, use Fourstamen Stephania Root.

bubble_chart Cautions and Contraindications

This product is extremely bitter and cold, which can easily harm stomach qi. It should be used with caution by those who are physically weak, yin deficient, or have poor appetite. Dutohmanspipe Fruit and Cocculus Root (Cocculus Root) are nephrotoxic and have been banned in Taiwan.

bubble_chart Modern Pharmacology

Fourstamen Stephania Root contains Fourstamen Stephania Root A, B, C, as well as flavonoids and volatile oils. Cocculus Root contains Cocculus Root A, B, C, and a dark brown crystalline Cocculus Root D. Fourstamen Stephania Root has significant analgesic, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, anti-anaphylactic shock, diuretic, antihypertensive, and muscle relaxant effects. Both Fourstamen Stephania Root and Cocculus Root have anti-amoebic effects in the body.