Natural Herb Library

All-Grass of Common Cissampelos

Chinese
锡生藤
Pinyin
Xi Sheng Teng
Latin
Herba Cissampelotis
Botanical illustration of All-Grass of Common Cissampelos, Cissampelos pareira, showing habit, leaves, flowers, fruit, seed, root, and diagnostic plant details.
Botanical plate by Kodi . View print →

Known in TCM as Xi Sheng Teng (锡生藤), this bitter and acrid, neutral herb enters the Liver and Large Intestine. Traditionally, it dispels wind-dampness and relieves bi-pain, most often applied for rheumatoid arthritis and dysentery. Modern research has identified Magnoflorine and magnocurarine among its active constituents.

Part used: Whole herb

Also Known As

Cissampelotis

Latin: Herba Cissampelotis | Pinyin: Xi Sheng Teng | Chinese: 锡生藤

TCM Properties

Taste
bitter, acrid
Temperature
neutral
Channels
Liver, Large Intestine

Traditional Use

Primary Actions

  • Dispels wind-dampness and relieves bi-pain … used for rheumatic joint pain, swelling, and inflammatory arthritis from wind-damp obstruction
  • Clears heat and relieves toxicity … used for dysentery, fever, snake bites, and toxic inflammatory conditions

Secondary Actions

  • Relaxes tendons and invigorates collaterals … used for numbness and spasm from wind-damp obstruction in the sinews
  • Expels parasites and treats malaria … traditional anthelmintic and antimalarial applications

Modern Research

Active Compounds

  • Magnoflorine and magnocurarine … quaternary isoquinoline alkaloids with anti-inflammatory, vasodilatory, and antimicrobial activity
  • Hayatinine and hayatidine … bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids; hayatinine demonstrates anticancer activity against KB and A549 cell lines
  • Cycleanine … bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid with anticancer activity against KB cells
  • Cissamine and curine … isoquinoline alkaloids; curine is a d-tubocurarine analog with neuromuscular-blocking activity at high doses
  • Berberine … quaternary alkaloid with anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antidiarrheal activity
  • Quercetin derivatives … flavonoid glycosides with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties

Studied Effects

  • Phytochemistry and pharmacology review … comprehensive isolation of 54+ phytomolecules; confirmed anti-inflammatory, antiarthritic, antiulcer, immunomodulatory, antipyretic, antivenom, antimalarial, and anticancer activities (PMID 33485976)
  • Anticancer alkaloids … isolation of magnoflorine, magnocurarine, cissamine, curine, hayatinine, and cycleanine; hayatinine most active against KB and A549 cancer cells (PMID 29126362)

PubMed References

Safety & Interactions

Contraindications

  • Pregnancy … alkaloid content including uterine-active berberine and other isoquinoline alkaloids; contraindicated throughout pregnancy
  • Yang deficiency without wind-damp … neutral-bitter nature with cold-draining potential; avoid in cold-deficient patterns without heat

Cautions

  • CURARE-TYPE ALKALOIDS PRESENT: curine and related bisbenzylisoquinolines show d-tubocurarine-like neuromuscular-blocking activity at overdose … use only under practitioner guidance with strict dose and duration control
  • Not standardized in major TCM pharmacopoeias … primarily used in folk medicine of southern China, Yunnan, and Guizhou; formal TCM clinical safety data limited
  • MSK page not found … drug interaction data not available from Memorial Sloan Kettering integrative medicine database

Conditions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is All-Grass of Common Cissampelos used for?

All-Grass of Common Cissampelos is traditionally used to Dispels wind-dampness and relieves bi-pain … used for rheumatic joint pain, swelling, and inflammatory arthritis from wind-damp obstruction, Clears heat and relieves toxicity … used for dysentery, fever, snake bites, and toxic inflammatory conditions. Research has investigated its effects on: Phytochemistry and pharmacology review … comprehensive isolation of 54+ phytomolecules; confirmed anti-inflammatory, antiarthritic, antiulcer, immunomodulatory, antipyretic, antivenom, antimalarial, and anticancer activities (PMID 33485976); Anticancer alkaloids … isolation of magnoflorine, magnocurarine, cissamine, curine, hayatinine, and cycleanine; hayatinine most active against KB and A549 cancer cells (PMID 29126362).

What are other names for All-Grass of Common Cissampelos?

All-Grass of Common Cissampelos is also known as Cissampelotis. In TCM: 锡生藤 (Xi Sheng Teng); Herba Cissampelotis.

Is All-Grass of Common Cissampelos safe during pregnancy?

All-Grass of Common Cissampelos is not recommended during pregnancy.

What are the contraindications for All-Grass of Common Cissampelos?

All-Grass of Common Cissampelos should not be used in: Pregnancy … alkaloid content including uterine-active berberine and other isoquinoline alkaloids; contraindicated throughout pregnancy; Yang deficiency without wind-damp … neutral-bitter nature with cold-draining potential; avoid in cold-deficient patterns without heat. Consult a qualified practitioner before use.