Tu Fu Ling - Smilax glabra

Professional Data
 Pin Yin
Tu Fu Ling
 
 Latin
Rhizoma Smilacis
 Introduction Back to Top
Rhizoma Smilacis is the dried rhizome of Smilax glabra Roxb. (Fam. Liliaceae). The drug is collected in summer or autumn, removed from fibrous root, washed clean, and dried, or sliced while fresh, and dried.
 Western medical Back to Top
This herb is indicated in the treatment of headache, syphilis, acute bacillary dysentery, acute tonsillitis, psoriasis, and chronic pelvic inflammatory diseases.
 Eastern medical Back to Top
  • Pattern: Removes Toxin, eliminates Dampness, eases joint movements.
  • Properties: Sweet, tasteless, neutral.
  • Channels entered: Liver and Stomach.
 Chemical constituents Back to Top
tu fu ling contains saponins, tannin and resin, etc..
 Pharmacological actions Back to Top
tu fu ling could increase the excretion of uric acid, and had anti-gout effect. It could also treat albuminuria and restore renal functions.
Effects on the urinary system

Anticancer effect

in vitro tests showed that tu fu ling had inhibitory effect on cervical cancer strain JTC-26 and the inhibitory rate was over 90%.

Studies on the chemical constituents of Smilax glabra

Smilax glabra is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine which has been used clinically to prevent leptospirosis, to treat syphilis, and acute bacterial dysentery, etc. Its extracts showed anti-tumor and anti-atherosclerosis activity. A new isoflavone, 7,6'-dihydroxy 3'-methoxy isoflavone (1), along with two known compounds taxifolin (2) and astilbin (3), have been isolated from the roots of Smilax glabra. The structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods including 2DNMR techniques.

--Yi Y, Cao Z, Yang D, Cao Y, Wu Y, Zhao S. Yao Xue Xue Bao. 1998 Nov;33(11):873-5.

Others

tu fu ling could kill leptospira.

 Clinical Studies Back to Top
Syphilis

tu fu ling was used as the main herb and combined with jin yin hua, gan cao to treat syphilis and latent syphilis, the serum negative change rate was under 90%. The curative rate of late syphilis was around 50%.

Leptospira

tu fu ling 30g for decoction, 1~2 times daily, for consecutive 3 days every week, for 5 weeks totally. The incidence ratio of treated group and control group was 1:5.58.

Acute and chornic nephritis

tu fu ling 90g, water decoction being taken in three times. It had good edema-treating effect.

Psoriasis

tu fu ling, bai xian pi, sheng di, xuan shen, dan shen, ku shen, ma ren, shan dou gen, cao he che were made into honeyed pill, 9g each pil, 2 pills being taken in three times. 1 month as a course of treatment.

Cancers

tu fu ling, deng xin cao, bai ying, long kui, 30g each; she du, 15g; hai jin sha 9g. Water decoction, for bladder cancer.

tu fu ling, ban zhi lian, bai ying, yi yi ren, 30g each; pu gong ying 15g; dang gui, e jiao, gan cao,9g each and gong zhu 12g were used to treat 21 cases of cervical caner, and the total effective rate was 71.3%.

Chronic ulcerative colonitis

Spleen deficiency with Dampness: tu fu ling 20g; gua zi cai 30g, xi lei san 0.2g; deficiency of the Spleen and Kidney: tu fu ling 20g, zao xin tu 15g, sheng ji san 1g. The formulas were used for retention enema to treat 50 cases of chornic ulcerative colonitis, 28 were cured, 15 basically relieved, 6 partly relieved and 1 ineffective.

Erysipelas

tu fu ling, ye ju hua, 30g each; cang zhu, haung bo, 10g each. 1 case of erysipelas were cured after 3 doses.

 
 References Back to Top

Except those noted, all references come from Weng Weiliang, et al., Clinical Chinese materia medica, Henan Science & Technology Press, 1998