Tian Hua Fen Trichosanthis Radix, Trichosanthes Root
| Toxicity |
LD50 (mice/hypodermic injection): 48.0mg/kg (raw herb powder), 14.5mg/kg (refined herb powder), 13.4mg/kg (crystalline TK).( 1) |
| Chemical Composition |
Trichosanthin;
(-hydroxymethylserine;
Aspartic Acid;
Threonine;
Serine;
Glutamic acid;
Citrulline;
Glycine;
Valine;
Tyrosine;
Phenylalanine;
Histidine;
Lysine;
Arginine;
Orinthine;
Peptide;
Ribose;
Xylose;
Arabinose;
Glucose;
Galactose;
Trichosan A-E;
Fructose;
Mannose;
Stigmasta-7-en-3(-ol;
Stigmasta-7-en-3(-ol-3-(-D-glucopyranoside;
Bryonolic acid;
Cucurbitacin B-D;
23, 24-dihydrocucurbitacin B.( 2)
|
| Precautions |
Reported adverse effects: 1) Fever, headache, sore throat, arthralgia, stiff neck reported 6-8 hours after injection of TK. Symptoms disappeared after 2-3 days. 2) Fever with a high white blood cell count, and the percentage of neutrophil leukocytes reaching 90%. Indicators returned to normal after one week. 3) Some patients experienced hives, neural blood vessel edema, nosebleed, hepatosplenomegaly, shock, and cerebral edema. 4) Localized pain, red spots and swelling reported after intramuscular injection of Tian Hua Fen( 3) |
| Pharmacology |
Tian Hua Fen is both an immunosuppressant and an immunopotentiator. Research shows that while Tian Hua Fen significantly promotes the white pulp in mice's spleen, it also suppresses humoral immunity and cellular immunity.( 4),( 5),( 6) Administered by abdominal injection to mice at the dosage of 5mg/kg (treatment repeated once 4-6 days after initial treatment), Tian Hua Fen can inhibit ascitic tumors induced by transplated early-stage hepatocarcinoma in mice, prolonging the subjects' life by 61-70%.( 7) In mice, trichosanthin (TK), an active component of Tian Hua Fen, can inhibit solid in-vivo colon carcinoma, and significantly inhibit both in-vivo and in-vitro gastric carcinoma cells.( 8),( 9),( 10),( 11) Experiments show that TK is an effective inhibitor of AIDS. Administered by IV injection at the dosage of 30-90mg/kg to late-stage AIDS patients, TK can lower the serum HIV antigen level, and increase the CD4 cell count.( 12) Experiments show that 100% Tian Hua Fen decoction inhibits a number of bacteria, including hemolytic streptococcus, pneumococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus diphtheriae, typhoid bacillus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.( 13) |
References
This information is educational in context and is not to be used to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Please consult your licensed health care practitioner before using this or any medical information.
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