Use with caution. Review interactions and contraindications below.
TCM Properties
- Taste
- bitter
- Temperature
- cold
- Channels
- Heart, Large Intestine, Liver
Traditional Use
Primary Actions
- Clears Heat and relieves toxicity — used for influenza, upper respiratory infection, tonsillitis, parotitis (mumps), infective hepatitis, enteritis, and dysentery
- Disperses carbuncles and resolves swellings — used for furuncles, boils, scrofula, and toxic skin eruptions from Heat toxicity
Secondary Actions
- Anti-infective action against conjunctivitis, nephritis, acute appendicitis, and anthrax as modern clinical extensions of its Heat-clearing toxicity-resolving properties
- Dries Dampness and promotes diuresis — used for damp-heat patterns presenting with urinary difficulty
Modern Research
Active Compounds
- Corynoline — primary alkaloid; anti-inflammatory via inhibition of LPS-induced IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and NO in macrophages
- 12-Hydroxycorynoline — secondary isoquinoline alkaloid; anti-inflammatory, particularly suppresses IL-6 and TNF-α overproduction
- Acetylcorynoline — isoquinoline alkaloid with sedative, antileptospiral, and hepatoprotective activity
- Protopine — widely distributed isoquinoline alkaloid; anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial
- Bungeanine — novel alkaloid unique to C. bungeana; structure confirmed as N-nor-5,14-dehydroacetylcorynoline (PMID 17269058)
Studied Effects
- Anti-inflammatory — corynoline and 12-hydroxycorynoline inhibit LPS-induced inflammatory mediators in macrophages; in vivo: 32–45% reduction in xylene ear edema, ~29–30% reduction in carrageenan paw swelling (PMID 26471417)
- Antibacterial — alkaloid extract inhibits Staphylococcus aureus, dysentery bacillus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Streptococcus in vitro
- Phytochemistry — 16 alkaloids isolated including 11 first-time identifications in this species and novel bungeanine (PMID 17269058)
PubMed References
Safety & Interactions
Contraindications
- Spleen-Stomach deficiency-cold — cold, bitter nature may aggravate cold-damp digestive weakness
- Pregnancy — alkaloid-containing herb; traditional caution; avoid use
Cautions
- Alkaloids accumulate in the liver — avoid prolonged daily use without practitioner supervision; monitor liver function with extended courses
- Caution in children and nursing mothers — alkaloid safety in pediatric and lactation contexts not established
- MSK page not found — drug interaction data not available from Memorial Sloan Kettering integrative medicine database