☯ TCM Properties
Dispels Wind, eliminates Dampness, resolves swelling and alleviates pain
Traditional Chinese Uses
Ding Gong Teng is the dried stem of Erycibe obtusifolia (or E. schmidtii), a woody Convolvulaceae liana of southern China. Pungent and warm with slight toxicity, entering the Liver, Spleen and Stomach channels, it dispels Wind and eliminates Dampness, reduces swelling and alleviates pain. It is a Wind-Damp herb used chiefly for Wind-Damp Bi painful obstruction — rheumatoid and rheumatic joint pain, stiffness, numbness of the limbs — and for traumatic injury, often in medicated wines and liniments.
The stem contains tropane-type alkaloids (baogongteng A), which have strong cholinergic/miotic activity investigated for glaucoma. Because of this the herb is slightly toxic; overdose can cause salivation, sweating and pupillary constriction, so dosing is careful and it is contraindicated in pregnancy.
Western Herbalism Properties
Botanical Description
Ding Gong Teng is the dried stem of Erycibe obtusifolia Benth. or Erycibe schmidtii Craib (Convolvulaceae), woody, evergreen lianas of subtropical broadleaf forests of southern China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan), Indochina, and Thailand. Stems climb 5–10 m, with brown, longitudinally fissured bark and a pale, sometimes streaked, woody cylinder showing characteristic radiating xylem rays on transverse section. Leaves are alternate, simple, leathery, elliptic to obovate, 6–15 cm long, with entire margins and a blunt or shortly acuminate apex. Inflorescences are axillary or terminal panicles of small, fragrant, white to pale yellow funnelform flowers; the fruit is a one-seeded ovoid berry 1–1.5 cm. Stems are harvested year-round, sliced, and dried. The principal alkaloid baogongteng A is a potent muscarinic agonist used clinically (eye drops) in China for glaucoma; internal use requires medical supervision due to cholinergic effects.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 9-15g | Daily | — | — | — |
This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications.
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