Fo Ti (Ho Shou Wu)

Botany

Pleuropterus multiflorus is a herbaceous perennial vine growing to 2-4 m tall from a woody tuber. It is a species of the buckwheat family Polygonaceae, native to central and southern China, Hainan, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Thailand. The flowers are white or greenish-white and appear in summer to mid-autumn. The English common names are tuber fleeceflower and Chinese knotweed, and the name fo-ti is a misnomer.

Traditional medicine

The Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010) gives two forms of the root: the raw natural root and a processed form boiled in black-bean liquid by a traditional process. The raw root is used for detoxification, eliminating carbuncle, preventing malaria, and relaxing the bowel. The processed root is used for nourishing liver and kidney, supplementing essence and blood, blackening hair, strengthening bones and muscles, eliminating dampness, and reducing lipid. The predetermined daily dose is 3-6 g of raw root and 6-12 g of processed root. Shou-Wu-Pian, a product containing the root, is usually consumed as an antiaging product or as a tonic for dizziness with tinnitus.

Chemistry

More than 100 chemical compounds have been isolated from the plant, and the major components have been determined to be stilbenes, quinones, flavonoids, and others. Its extract contains a stilbene glycoside. Emodin, an anthraquinone, is particularly abundant in the roots of Polygonum multiflorum, among other plants. The tannin content of the root is high, and it decreases as processing time increases.

Safety

Overconsumption can lead to toxicity-induced hepatitis. A systematic review of case reports and case series covered 450 cases of liver damage associated with the root in 76 articles. Most of these patients recovered or had improved liver function after stopping the products. The review links most cases to long-term use and overdose.

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