Use with caution. Review interactions and contraindications below.
TCM Properties
- Taste
- bitter, astringent
- Temperature
- cold
- Channels
- Liver, Large Intestine, Stomach
Traditional Use
Primary Actions
- Clears Heat and dries Dampness — used for chronic diarrhea, dysentery, bloody stools, and damp-heat patterns in the Lower Jiao
- Astringes the Intestines and stops bleeding — used for chronic diarrhea, bloody stools, and rectal bleeding from damp-heat
- Stops leukorrhea — used for chronic abnormal vaginal discharge from damp-heat pouring downward
- Kills parasites — used for roundworm infections and intestinal parasites
Secondary Actions
- Astringes to stop spermatorrhea and gonorrhea from damp-heat in the Lower Jiao
- Addresses poor childhood nutrition (gan) associated with intestinal parasites
Classical References
- Xin Xiu Ben Cao (Newly Revised Materia Medica, 659 CE, Tang dynasty) — first official documentation of Chun bark; recorded for dysentery and leukorrhea
Modern Research
Active Compounds
- Ailanthone — primary quassinoid; potent anticancer, anthelmintic, and antiplasmodial activity
- Quassinoids (shinjulactones, ailantinols, chaparrinone derivatives) — highly modified triterpenoids with cytotoxic and antiparasitic properties
- Alkaloids — including canthin-6-one alkaloids; antimicrobial and anticancer
- Phenylpropanoids — antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds
- Triterpenoids — additional bioactive terpenoid fraction
Studied Effects
- Anticancer — ailanthone and quassinoids show potent cytotoxic activity against hepatoma cell lines Hep3B and HepG2; some compounds more active than doxorubicin against multidrug-resistant lines (PMID 23290052)
- Anthelmintic — ailanthone inhibits nematode reproduction with IC50 2.47 μM by damaging germ cells and rachis in C. elegans model (PMID 32504655)
- Antiplasmodial — ailanthone and 6α-tigloyloxychaparrinone active against chloroquine-resistant and -sensitive Plasmodium falciparum strains (PMID 12820239)
PubMed References
Safety & Interactions
Contraindications
- Spleen and Stomach deficiency-cold — cold, drying nature worsens cold-damp digestive patterns
- Early-stage diarrhea or dysentery before pathogen clearance — astringency may trap the pathogen
- Pregnancy — bitter, cold, drying nature; avoid use (MeAndQi)
Cautions
- Not for long-term use without practitioner supervision — quassinoid content may accumulate
- MSK page not found — drug interaction data not available from Memorial Sloan Kettering integrative medicine database