Crude drug sample data base

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Crude drug name

Market name胡黄連
Formal name胡黄連
Japanese nameこおうれん, Koōren
Latin namePicrorrhizae Rhizoma (CP)
English nameFigwortflower Picrorrhiza Rhizome (CP)
Original plant namePicrorhiza scrophulariiflora Pennell, Picrorhiza kurrooa Royle ex Benth.
Family nameScrophulariaceae
Used partClassificationPlant origin
Sub classification rhizome
TMPW No.1236

Scientific information data base

Common name胡黄連, Huhuanglian, Picrorrhizae Rhizoma (CP2020), Figwortflower Picrorrhiza Rhizome (CP2020)
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Original plant namePicrorhiza scrophulariiflora Pennell, Picrorhiza kurrooa Royle ex Bentham
original plant image
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Family nameScrophulariaceae
Used partrhizome
Official compendiumCP (2020 ed.)
Clinical applicationAs an antifebrile, antidote, sedative, stomachic, and insecticide, it is applied to treat infantile convulsions, diarrhea, jaundice, hemorrhoids, and eye inflammation.
Medical systemTraditional Chinese medicine
Drug effect in
traditional medicine
Traditional
classification
Drugs for fever of deficiency type
Beneficial effect[Property and Flavor] Cold; bitter.
[Meridian Tropism] Liver, stomach and large intestine meridians.
[Actions] To relieve deficiency heat, relieve malnutrition fever, and clear dampness-heat.
[Indications] Bone-steaming and tidal fever, infantile malnutrition fever, dampness-heat diarrhea and dysentery, jaundice and red urine, painful swelling hemorrhoids.
Chemical constituentMonosaccharides
Picrorhiza kurrooa (*C3):
D-Mannitol

Monoterpenoids
P. kurrooa (*C1, C2):
Picroside I, Picroside II, Picroside III, Kutakoside
P. scrophulariiflora (*C3):
Picroside IV

Phenylpropanoids
P. kurrooa(*C1):
Kutkin (= 6-Cinnamyl-beta-D-glucosidyl vanillate)

Phenol derivatives
P. kurrooa (*C2):
Apocynine

Other aromatic derivatives
P. kurrooa (*C1):
Vanillic acid
P. scrophulariiflora (*C3):
Scroside A, Scroside B, Scroside C

Chemical structure



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Pharmacological effectHepatoprotective effect (picroside II). Anti-inflammatory effect.
Classical reference
(Chinese Herbal Classic "Zhenglei bencao")
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DiseaseFever due to child malnutrition, Diarrhea, Jaundice, Hemorrhoid
Formulationrarely used in formula
Related drugsKatuki, Picrorhiza kurrooa used in Ayuruveda
ReferencesCP2020: Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China 2020 edi.
C1)The Encyclopedia of Wakan-Yaku with Color Pictures Vol. I, pp 160-161.
C2)Outline of Pharmacognosy, a Textbook p 228.
C3)Phytochemistry 47, 537-542 (1998).
Remarks- Based on histomorphological (presence of inner sheath fibers) and chemical (GC-MS comparison) studies, the original plant of "Koku-Ōren" which is kept in Shosoin Repository was determined to be "Huhuanglian" (胡黄連) of Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora. P. scrophulariiflora is distributed in Nepal, southeastern Tibet Autonomous Region, northwestern Yunnan Province and western Sichuan Province in China. It is the rhizome of this plant that is listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. On the other hand, P. kurrooa is distributed in India, Pakistan, Sikkim and Nepal, and its rhizome and roots are used in Ayurveda as "Katuki" for jaundice, indigestion and fever. In addition, it is now being applied to acute viral hepatitis and bronchial asthma.

- Even though it is stored in the Shosoin Repository, it was very expensive and not accessible to the general public. Thus, the Japanese sought alternatives, and Semburi was assigned to this one from the supplemental illustrations in the "Zhenglei Bencao" (証類本草). From the end of the Muromachi period (1333-1573) to the beginning of the Edo period (1603-1868), some scholars realized this was a mistake. This is how Semburi (Tōyaku), one of the most famous Japanese folk medicines, was developed.

- "Huhuanglian" (胡黄連), from northeastern China and the Korean Peninsula, is the root of Jeffersonia dubia Benth. (Jap. name: Tatsutasō/Itomakigusa) of the family Berberidaceae and called "Xian huanglian" (鮮黄連).
Last renewal date2022/01/27