Tripterygium wilfordii

Tripterygium wilfordii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Celastrales
Family: Celastraceae
Genus: Tripterygium
Species:
T. wilfordii
Binomial name
Tripterygium wilfordii

Tripterygium wilfordii, or léi gōng téng (Mandarin) (Chinese: 雷公藤, Japanese: raikōtō), sometimes called thunder god vine but more properly translated thunder duke vine, is a vine used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Tripterygium wilfordii has been promoted for use in rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis; however, due to safety concerns this use is not recommended.[1] Evidence is insufficient to deem it effective as a method of birth control for humans.[2] A 2021 study published in Nature Communications found that one chemical isolated from the herb, triptonide, was an effective male birth control in mice and non-human primates, while others chemicals present in the herb have been previously shown to cause severe liver toxicity.[3] Extracts of the bark T. wilfordii have been used as an insecticide in China for centuries,[4] as documented in Wu Qijun's 1848 Illustrated Catalogues of Plants.[5]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference UK2011 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Lopez2015 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Chang, Zongliang; Qin, Weibing; Zheng, Huili; Schegg, Kathleen; Han, Lu; Liu, Xiaohua; Wang, Yue; Wang, Zhuqing; McSwiggin, Hayden; Peng, Hongying; Yuan, Shuiqiao (2021-02-23). "Triptolide is a reversible non-hormonal male contraceptive agent in mice and non-human primates". Nature Communications. 12 (1): 1253. Bibcode:2021NatCo..12.1253C. doi:10.1038/s41467-021-21517-5. ISSN 2041-1723. PMC 7902613. PMID 33623031.
  4. ^ Luo, DQ, Zhang X, Tian X, Liu JK (2004). "Insecticidal Compounds from Tripterygium wilfordii Active against Mythimna separata". Zeitschrift für Naturforschung C. 59 (5–6): 421–426. doi:10.1515/znc-2004-5-624. PMID 18998413. S2CID 24660951.
  5. ^ "Illustrated Catalogue of Plants 植物名实图考长编_Learn Chinese Hujiang".