| Pharmaceutical name: |
Radix Cynanchi Baiwei |
| Latin botanical name: |
Cynanchum atratum Bge. or Cyanchum versicolor Bge. |
| Pronounced in Japanese: |
byakubi |
| Pronounced in Korean: |
baengmi |
| Pronounced in Cantonese: |
pak mei |
| Common Name: |
swallowwort root |
| Distribution: |
throughout China, especially Liano Ning, An Hui, Shan
Dong, Hu Bei |
| Characteristics and
channel (meridian) relation: |
bitter, salty, cold. Related to lung, stomach, kidney.
Larger amount is toxic to the heart. |
| Uses: |
relieves heat, edema, snake bite,
toxic sores, swollen and painful throat; promotes urination. Dosage: 5-10 grams. |
| Chemical ingredients: |
essential oil: cynanchol and cardiac tonic:atratoside
A,B,C,D; atratogenin A,B; glaucogenin C; cyantratoside A,BC,D,E,F;
glaucoside C; cynjapogenin A; thevetosied; cynanversicoside A,B,C,D,E;
neocynanversicoside. |
| Modern Research: |
Cardiac tonic ingredients of bai wei stimulate the heart
muscle and improve contraction and slow down heart rate. Bai wei
can inhibit pneumococcus. Toxic amount: 30-40 grams. |
