Belladonna Herb

Traditional Use

Primary Actions

• Relieves spasm and alleviates pain - used mainly for gastrointestinal, biliary, and other smooth-muscle cramping patterns where urgent antispasmodic action is needed rather than long-term constitutional treatment.
• Restrains excessive secretions - applied for salivation, hypersecretory digestive states, and related nausea-vomiting patterns when anticholinergic drying is therapeutically desired.
• Targets ulcer-related and colicky pain - modern Chinese use centers on gastric or duodenal ulcer discomfort, abdominal spasm, and cholecystalgia rather than broad classical pattern treatment.
• Functions chiefly through prepared products - Dian Qie Cao is most often prescribed as extract, tincture, or tablet because the raw herb is strongly toxic and requires precise dosing.

Secondary Actions

• Unlike most long-established Chinese materia medica entries, Dian Qie Cao is a comparatively modern toxic pharmacopoeial import derived from European belladonna and integrated into Chinese drug manufacturing practice.
• Its role in current use is narrower and more pharmaceutical than typical decoction herbs, with standardized preparations favored over loose raw-herb dispensing.

Classic Formulas

• Dian Qie Ding (颠茄酊) - belladonna tincture prepared from the herb for smooth-muscle spasm and secretion control, representing a classic manufactured dosage form rather than a decoction formula.
• Fu Fang Dian Qie Pian (复方颠茄片) - compound belladonna tablets used in modern Chinese practice for gastrointestinal spasm, ulcer-associated discomfort, and secretion reduction.

Classical References

• TCM Wiki summarizes Dian Qie Cao's core actions as calming spasm to relieve pain and restraining secretion, with indications including nausea, vomiting, cholecystalgia, salivation, and gastric or duodenal ulcer.
• Chinese pharmacopoeia-oriented summaries describe the herb as slightly bitter and acrid, warm, and toxic, and emphasize that it is used sparingly in raw-prescription practice because measured alkaloid preparations are safer and more practical.
• IMPORT NOTE: This is not a mainstream ancient decoction herb. It is a modern toxic materia medica entry based on Atropa belladonna and should be understood as a standardized spasmolytic drug herb rather than a broadly applied classical tonic or exterior-releasing medicinal.