She Gan
StarIris domestica (L.) Goldblatt & Mabb. (syn. Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC.)
Traditionally used for
- Nose & throat
- Cough & breathing
Cautions & contraindications
- Pregnancy
☯ TCM Properties
Clears Heat and Resolves Toxicity; Expels Phlegm; Benefits the Throat; Descends Lung Qi and Stops Cough; Disperses Accumulations and Dissipates Nodules
Traditional Chinese Uses
She Gan (belamcanda rhizome, blackberry lily) is a cold, bitter herb that clears Lung and throat Heat, disperses Phlegm, and reduces swelling. It is a primary herb for sore throat, swollen tonsils, and hoarseness from Lung Heat or Phlegm-Fire — conditions where the throat is red, swollen, and painful. Its Phlegm-dispersing action also extends to cough and wheezing with heat-phlegm accumulation in the Lungs.
Pharmacological Effects
- Antimicrobial: 1:10 decoction or aqueous extract inhibited common skin fungi and influenza virus, ECHO11, herpes virus and adenovirus in vitro; irigenin (aglycone of iridin) similar.
- Antiinflammatory: Oral ethanolic extract 25 g/kg in rats inhibited acetic acid capillary permeability, cotton pellet granulation, exudation/proliferation and hyaluronidase edema.
- Diuretic: S.c. iridin or irigenin 25 mg/kg produced significant diuresis in rabbits.
Source: Zhu YP. Chinese Materia Medica: Chemistry, Pharmacology and Applications. Harwood Academic, 1998, p. 200.
Relationships
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Botanical Description
Iris domestica (L.) Goldblatt & Mabb. (syn. Belamcanda chinensis, Iridaceae), commonly called blackberry lily or leopard flower, is a perennial herb native to East Asia, growing 60-120 cm tall with flat, fan-shaped rosettes of equitant lance-shaped leaves and branched flowering stems bearing 5-6 cm orange flowers spotted with red. After flowering it produces dehiscent capsules exposing shiny black seeds resembling a blackberry. The medicinal She Gan is the dried rhizome, harvested in autumn, irregular in shape, yellow-brown externally and orange-yellow within, rich in isoflavones (tectoridin, irigenin, irisflorentin) and triterpenoids. In traditional Chinese medicine, She Gan is bitter and cold, entering the lung channel; it clears heat, resolves fire toxicity, transforms phlegm, and benefits the throat, used principally for sore swollen throat with phlegm-heat, cough with copious yellow phlegm, and phlegm obstruction with wheezing. It is the chief herb in She Gan Ma Huang Tang.
Active Constituents
Tectoridin
Isoflavone 7-O-glucosideConcentration: reported at roughly 0.3% of the dried rhizome in comparative HPLC work, which is several-fold lower than in the adulterant Iris tectorum
The most abundant isoflavone glycoside of the drug and its usual assay marker. It is largely a pro-drug: gut flora hydrolyse it to the aglycone tectorigenin, which carries most of the measured activity. Tectoridin itself is oestrogenic in vitro with an EC50 of about 0.81 microgram per millilitre. Because Iris tectorum rhizome contains far more tectoridin than genuine She Gan, a high tectoridin assay is a warning of substitution rather than a mark of quality.
Tectorigenin
Isoflavone aglyconeThe single most studied constituent of She Gan. It binds both oestrogen receptor alpha and beta and transactivates reporter genes in ER-expressing cell lines, is oestrogenic in vitro with an EC50 of about 0.42 microgram per millilitre, and suppresses pulsatile pituitary LH release when given intravenously to ovariectomised rats. In human liver microsomes it is cleared mainly by CYP2E1 and CYP3A4 by hydroxylation.
Irigenin
Isoflavone aglyconeOestrogenic in vitro with an EC50 of about 0.75 microgram per millilitre. Comparative metabolomic work found irigenin more abundant in Iris domestica than in Iris tectorum and attributed the stronger antiproliferative activity of genuine She Gan to it. It is cleared principally by CYP2C19, with demethylation as the main route.
Irisflorentin
Isoflavone (methylenedioxy-substituted)One of the quality-marker isoflavones of the rhizome. Its hepatic clearance is unusual: CYP1A2 is the dominant enzyme and the kinetics are atypically sigmoidal with positive cooperativity (Hill coefficient about 1.8), so its metabolism does not scale linearly with concentration.
Iridin
Isoflavone glycosideThe glycoside corresponding to irigenin, listed with tectoridin, tectorigenin, irigenin and irisflorentin as one of the five quality markers proposed for Belamcandae Rhizoma.
Mangiferin
Xanthone C-glycosideA xanthone of the rhizome and one of the few constituents with identity value: reviews of the drug report xanthones and stilbenes in Iris domestica and their absence from Iris tectorum, so a xanthone-free chromatogram points to the substituted drug.
Resveratrol
StilbenePresent in genuine She Gan and reported absent from Iris tectorum rhizome, which is one of the practical chemical points of separation between the two drugs alongside the acetophenone glycosides that Iris tectorum carries in quantity.
Belamcandal
Iridal-type triterpenoidIridals are the characteristic triterpene class of the Iridaceae rhizome and are chemically quite separate from the isoflavones that dominate the pharmacological literature. They are the constituents behind the reported toxicity of the plant to fish, molluscs and arthropods; their behaviour at human oral doses has not been characterised.
⚠ Drug Interactions
Iris tectorum rhizome (Chuan She Gan) and Iris dichotoma sold as She Gan
Only the rhizome of Iris domestica is accepted as She Gan by the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, but Iris tectorum and Iris dichotoma rhizomes are long-standing and current market substitutes, and the dried drugs are close enough in colour and shape that morphology will not separate them. Chinese Pharmacopoeia treats Iris tectorum as its own drug, Chuan She Gan, with the same bitter and cold description and the same Lung tropism, which makes the substitution look harmless when it is not. Chemically the two diverge sharply: Iris tectorum carries much higher tectoridin, high acetophenone glycosides, and lacks the resveratrol and the xanthones of genuine She Gan. Metabolomic and bioactivity comparison found Iris domestica the more antiproliferative of the two because of its higher irigenin, and Iris tectorum the more hepatoprotective because of its higher tectoridin, and its authors concluded outright that the two must not be mixed in production or in prescription.
Clinical note: Require species documentation from the supplier. TLC and HPLC methods to separate Belamcandae Rhizoma from Iridis Tectori Rhizoma are published and routine. Do not accept a high tectoridin assay as evidence of quality: it points the other way.
Endocrine therapy and hormone replacement (tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors, oestrogen or oestrogen-progestogen HRT)
Three of the principal isoflavones of this rhizome are potently oestrogenic in vitro: irigenin, tectorigenin and tectoridin with EC50 values around 0.75, 0.42 and 0.81 microgram per millilitre. Tectorigenin binds recombinant human ER alpha and ER beta and transactivates in both ER alpha- and ER beta-driven reporter cells, and given intravenously to ovariectomised rats it suppresses pulsatile LH secretion. The one chronic animal experiment is reassuring on the tissue that matters most for cancer patients: a Belamcanda extract fed to ovariectomised rats for weeks changed neither uterine weight nor oestrogen-regulated uterine gene expression, and did not increase a proliferation marker in mammary tissue, while it did act on bone. That is a selective oestrogen receptor modulator profile rather than a plain oestrogen, but no human study has tested it against an endocrine drug.
Clinical note: Disclose use to the oncologist or endocrinologist. The receptor binding is real and dose-relevant even though the rat uterus and mammary gland were unaffected; treat any patient on tamoxifen, an aromatase inhibitor or HRT as a case for leaving the herb out rather than assuming the SERM profile protects them.
CYP3A4, CYP2C19 and CYP1A2 inhibitors and inducers (ketoconazole, fluconazole, omeprazole, fluvoxamine, rifampicin, carbamazepine, tobacco smoke)
Human liver microsome and recombinant enzyme work shows the three main isoflavones of this rhizome are cleared by three different routes: tectorigenin mainly by CYP2E1 and CYP3A4, irigenin mainly by CYP2C19, and irisflorentin mainly by CYP1A2. That means no single co-medication shifts the whole herb, and the composition of what reaches the circulation can change even when the dose does not. Irisflorentin adds a further complication because its metabolism is sigmoidal rather than Michaelis-Menten, so its clearance changes disproportionately with concentration. This is in vitro and in silico work only; no human interaction study has been done, and there is no evidence that She Gan itself inhibits or induces any CYP at clinical doses.
Clinical note: Not a reason to withhold the herb, but a reason not to assume a fixed dose gives a fixed exposure in a patient on a strong CYP inhibitor or inducer. Watch for an unexpected change in effect rather than for a named adverse event.
Pregnancy (recorded here because it is the standard contraindication for this drug rather than a drug pairing)
She Gan is contraindicated in pregnancy in the standard materia medica and the plant is classified among the toxic plants in Chinese botanical sources. Two things support the caution independently of tradition. First, the drug's principal isoflavones are strongly oestrogenic in receptor assays and tectorigenin measurably alters pituitary gonadotrophin release in rats. Second, the recent comprehensive review of the species concluded that its toxicity still requires study and documented toxicity to fish, molluscs and arthropods from the iridal triterpenes, with no adequate mammalian reproductive toxicology behind it.
Clinical note: Do not prescribe in pregnancy. Excess doses are reported to cause nausea and diarrhoea, so stay within the usual decoction range and do not extend courses in the absence of any long-term human safety data.
Dosage
| Form | Amount | Frequency | Duration | Population | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| decoction | 3–10 g | Daily | — | — | 中国药典 2020 【用法与用量】3～10g。 【性味与归经】苦，寒。归肺经。 — Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2020, quoted verbatim; route and cautions preserved. Replaces a cleared category-filler value. |
Dui Yao — Herb Pairs
The classical two-herb combinations this herb appears in, each with an action neither herb has alone.
Descending lung qi and clearing phlegm from the throat is combined with dispersing the lung, relieving wheezing with a rattling sound in the throat.
Cold-phlegm wheezing with a sound like a frog in the throat.
Core pair of a classical formula — She Gan Ma Huang Tang, Jin Gui Yao Lue (Zhang Zhongjing)
Evidence Tier
Moderate evidence · 4 studiesRecorded studies by study design, strongest design at the top. This is a study-design tier only, not a GRADE rating: it does not weigh risk of bias, consistency or precision.
Systematic review / meta-analysis
0
Randomized controlled trial
0
Other clinical trial
0
Observational / case report
0
In vitro / animal
4
1 verified · 3 unverified
Show 4 studies
- Belamcanda chinensis and the thereof purified tectorigenin have selective estrogen receptor modulator activities
- Dual-Directional Regulation of Belamcanda chinensis Extract on Ovalbumin-Induced Asthma in Guinea Pigs of Different Sexes Based on Serum Metabolomics
- A novel multidimensional strategy to evaluate Belamcanda chinensis (L) DC and Iris tectorum Maxim based on plant metabolomics, digital reference standard analyzer and biological activities evaluation
- Typical and atypical metabolic characteristics of three iridaceae isoflavone components: in vitro and in silico studies
Other / unclassified
0
Verified: design read from PubMed for a DOI that resolves to the cited paper Unverified: taken from the study's recorded description
Clinical Studies
Belamcanda chinensis and the thereof purified tectorigenin have selective estrogen receptor modulator activities
Tectorigenin bound both recombinant human ER alpha and ER beta and produced transactivation in ER alpha-expressing MCF7 and ER beta-expressing MDA-MB231 reporter cells. Given intravenously to ovariectomised rats it inhibited pulsatile pituitary LH secretion. Chronic feeding of a Belamcanda extract at 33 mg or 130 mg daily had no effect on uterine weight or on oestrogen-regulated uterine gene expression and did not raise a proliferation marker in the mammary gland, while it did produce an oestrogenic effect on bone mineral density at the tibial metaphysis. The authors read this as a selective oestrogen receptor modulator profile. Note that this is rat work with a defined extract, not a trial in women.
Dual-Directional Regulation of Belamcanda chinensis Extract on Ovalbumin-Induced Asthma in Guinea Pigs of Different Sexes Based on Serum Metabolomics
Sixty guinea pigs with ovalbumin-induced allergic bronchial asthma were gavaged for seven days with Belamcanda chinensis extract at 0.8, 1.2 or 1.6 g/kg, against dexamethasone and untreated controls. At 1.6 g/kg serum IgE and IL-4 fell and bronchoalveolar IFN-gamma rose; TNF-alpha in lavage fluid fell at 1.2 and 1.6 g/kg. Serum metabolomics found 39 differential metabolites common to both sexes across 17 pathways, and the direction of the metabolic response differed between males and females. This is the closest thing to controlled evidence for the drug's classical respiratory indication, and it is an animal study of the single herb rather than of the Shegan Mahuang formula.
A novel multidimensional strategy to evaluate Belamcanda chinensis (L) DC and Iris tectorum Maxim based on plant metabolomics, digital reference standard analyzer and biological activities evaluation
Because Belamcanda chinensis is routinely confused with and substituted by Iris tectorum, this study compared the two by plant metabolomics, a digital reference standard analyser and bioassay. PCA and OPLS-DA separated the two cleanly and six compounds were identified as driving the separation. In the activity assays Belamcanda chinensis was the more anticancer of the two, attributed to its higher irigenin, while Iris tectorum was the more hepatoprotective, attributed to its higher tectoridin. The authors concluded the two plants must not be mixed in industrial production or clinical use.
Typical and atypical metabolic characteristics of three iridaceae isoflavone components: in vitro and in silico studies
Metabolism of tectorigenin, irigenin and irisflorentin was mapped in human liver microsomes and recombinant enzymes. CYP2E1 and CYP3A4 gave the highest rates for tectorigenin, CYP2C19 for irigenin and CYP1A2 for irisflorentin, with hydroxylation, demethylation and formation of 6,7-dihydroxy-5,3',4',5'-tetramethoxy isoflavone as the respective routes. Tectorigenin and irigenin followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics; irisflorentin showed atypical sigmoidal kinetics with a Hill coefficient of 1.8. The practical point for prescribers is that the drug's three main isoflavones do not share a clearance pathway.
⚠ Safety & Contraindications
- Pregnancy
Contraindications
It is not suitable for patients without excess fire or with thin, unformed stool due to spleen deficiency. Its use is prohibited or cautious in pregnant women.
Source: Xi S, Gong Y. Essentials of Chinese Materia Medica and Medical Formulas. Academic Press/Elsevier, 2017, pp. 53–72.
Historical Texts
Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing
Han dynastyJin Gui Yao Lue
Han dynastyBen Cao Jing Ji Zhu
Southern and Northern dynastiesZhi Wu Ming Shi Tu Kao
Qing dynastyReferences
- Wozniak D, Matkowski A. Belamcandae chinensis rhizoma – a review of phytochemistry and bioactivity . Fitoterapia (2015) [DOI]
- Zong T, Li M, Hu Z, Jin L, Liu Y, Duan Y, Sun J, Zhou W, Li G. Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, and Toxicology of Belamcanda chinensis: A Review . Plants (2025) [DOI]
- Zhang L, Wei K, Xu J, Yang D, Zhang C, Wang Z, Li M. Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC-An ethnopharmacological, phytochemical and pharmacological review . Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2016) [DOI]
- Xu LL, Zhang Y, Chai Y, Chen K, Wang HD, Yang CG, Ye M, Qiao X. Differentiation of Belamcandae Rhizoma and Iridis Tectori Rhizoma by Thin-Layer Chromatography and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography . World Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine (2021) [DOI]
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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