Teng Li Gen
StarActinidia chinensis Planch.
☯ TCM Properties
Clears Heat and removes toxicity; Promotes diuresis; Invigorates the Blood, transforms Phlegm and dissipates nodules
Traditional Chinese Uses
Teng Li Gen (Radix Actinidiae Chinensis) is the root of the kiwifruit vine, Actinidia chinensis. Sour-sweet (with an astringent quality) and cool, it enters the Stomach, Spleen, Lung, Liver and Large Intestine channels. It clears Heat and resolves toxicity, promotes urination, and invigorates the Blood while transforming Phlegm to dissipate nodules. Traditionally it is used for Heat-toxin sores and boils, damp-heat jaundice and painful urination, rheumatic joint pain and traumatic injury.
In modern Chinese oncology it is one of the more prominent anti-tumor herbs, employed particularly for cancers of the esophagus and stomach and other digestive-tract malignancies, on the rationale of clearing toxin, moving stasis and softening masses. It is typically decocted in substantial doses within a formula; such uses are supportive and should be managed by qualified practitioners alongside conventional care.
Botanical Description
Actinidia chinensis is a vigorous, deciduous woody climbing vine of the Actinidiaceae, native to central and southern China. Mature stems may reach 8–10 m, twining over supports with reddish, hairy young shoots. The alternate leaves are broadly ovate to nearly orbicular, 7–15 cm long, with cordate bases and dense rusty hairs beneath. Dioecious flowers open cream-coloured and age to buff-yellow in early summer, the females followed by the familiar fuzzy brown berries — the commercial kiwifruit. While the fruit is a global food crop, the medicinal organ here is the woody root, which is dug, sliced, and dried for use. The species occurs naturally in mountain forests and along streamsides between roughly 200 and 1800 m elevation.
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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