☯ TCM Properties
Removes Phlegm and disperses accumulation; Kills Intestinal parasites and alleviates pain
Traditional Chinese Uses
Lang Du (Radix Euphorbiae Fischerianae) is the dried root of Euphorbia fischeriana, a HIGHLY TOXIC herb. Pungent and bitter with a warm, strongly toxic nature (entering Lung, Heart, Liver and Spleen), it dissolves Phlegm and disperses hard accumulations, kills parasites and worms, and relieves pain. Historically it treated scrofula (cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis) and skin tuberculosis, phlegm nodules and abdominal masses, chronic cough and dyspnea with copious Phlegm, food stagnation, edema, and intestinal parasites, and it served as an external insecticide/parasiticide.
Because of its toxicity it is used mainly externally (pounded or powdered onto scabies, ringworm, tinea and ulcers). Internal use is exceptional, in tiny controlled doses (roughly 0.5-1 g, usually processed). It is contraindicated in pregnancy and in weak or deficient patients, incompatible with Mi Tuo Seng, and should be handled only by qualified practitioners.
Botanical Description
Lang Du is the dried root of Euphorbia fischeriana Steud. (Euphorbiaceae) and, in some regional pharmacopoeias, the root of Stellera chamaejasme L. (Thymelaeaceae); both are HIGHLY TOXIC perennial herbs of dry steppe, grassland, and montane slopes in northern and northwestern China, Mongolia, and Siberia. Euphorbia fischeriana forms a stout, fleshy, branched taproot with pale yellow to reddish-brown bark that exudes copious milky white latex when cut; the erect annual stems 20–50 cm tall bear whorls of narrowly oblong leaves and terminal cyathial inflorescences. Stellera chamaejasme has a stout woody rootstock supporting a cushion of erect stems clothed in lance-shaped leaves and topped with dense heads of fragrant pink-and-white flowers. Roots of either species are dug in autumn, washed, and dried; their irritant diterpene esters and lignans make them powerfully purgative and historically used to expel parasites and reduce masses. WARNING: severely toxic, banned or restricted in several jurisdictions; absolutely contraindicated in pregnancy, debility, and routine outpatient use.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 6-15g | 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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