Pharmaceutical name:

Rhizoma Coptidis (huang lian)

Rhizoma Picrorhizae (xuan hu lian)

Latin botanical name:

拉丁學名﹕

huang lian:

1. Coptis chinensis Franch.

2. Coptis deltodea C.Y Cheng et Hsiao

3. Coptis teeta Wall.

4. Coptis quiquefolia Mig. (台灣黃連)

xuan hu lian

1. Picrorhiza scrophularfifolia Pennell (胡黃連)

2. Picrorhiza kurrooa Royle ex Benth.(印度胡黃連)

Other names:

chuan lian,川 蓮，wei lian 味 蓮  (Coptis chinensis Franch.),

ya lian 雅 蓮 (Coptis deltodea C.Y Cheng et Hsiao) ,

yun lian雲 蓮  (Cotis teeta Wall.)

Pron. in Japanese:

o ren   

Pron. in Korean:

hwang lyon  황련

Pron. in Cantonese:

wong lin

Common Name:

coptis rhizome (huang lian)

Figwortflower, Picrorhiza Rhizome (xuan hu lian)

Distribution:

分佈﹕

huang lian: Sichuan四川, Xizang 西藏, Hubei 湖 北, Jiangxi 江西, Shanxi 陝西 , Shanxi   江 西

xuan hu lian: Yunnan, Xizang, Nepal, India,

Properties (characteristics):性 味:

bitter in taste; cool

苦 ， 寒 。

Channels (meridians) entered:

 heart, large intestine, liver, and stomach channels. 

心﹐大腸﹐肝﹐胃。

Actions & Indications:

Relief heat toxicity, indigestion, diabetes, inflammation of intestine,  diarrhea caused by bacterial infection, high fever, restlessness and insomnia, spitting blood, nose bleeding due to heat in blood, red eyes and excess stomach acid, tooth ache, boils.

External uses: inflammation of the cornea,  middle ear infection, ulceration of tongue and mouth, external ear infection and eczema.

Jiu huang lian: for heat in the upper part of the body like red eyes, sores in the mouth.

Jiang huang lian: for clearing the stomach, stop vomiting; for coldness and heat interwined in the abdomen area.

Yu huang lian: for relieving the liver, stop vomiting; for liver and stomach not in harmony, vomiting and excess stomach acid.

用 於 濕 熱 肝脾腫脹 ，黃 疸 ，消化不良﹐糖 尿病﹐ 嘔 吐 瀉 痢 ，  高 熱 神 昏 ﹐ 心 火 亢 盛 ﹐ 心 煩 不 寐 ，

 血 熱 吐 衄 ， 目 赤 吞 酸 ， 牙 痛 ，  癱 腫 疔 瘡 。

外 治 : 濕 疹 ，濕 瘡 ， 耳 道 流 膿 。

酒 黃 連﹕ 清 上 焦 火 熱 。 用 於 目 赤 ， 口 瘡 。

薑 黃 連 ﹕清 胃 和 胃 止 嘔 。 用 於 寒 熱 互 結 ， 瀛 熱 中 阻 ， 痞 滿 嘔 吐 。

萸 黃 連 ﹕舒 肝 和 胃 止 嘔 。 用 於 肝 胃 不 和 ， 嘔 吐 吞 酸 。

Medical function:

1. antibiotic and anti-amoeba

2. effect on heart and blood vessels

•  (1) small amount improves coronary blood vessel circulation while large amount suppresses it.

• (2) protects heart muscles in case of lack of blood circulation and anti arrhythmia.

• (3) relaxes blood vessels

• (4) anti palette coagulation

• (5) shrinks red blood cells

• (6) lowers blood sugar

3.  small amount improves function of acetylcholine while large amount suppresses it.

Samples of formulae:

huang lian e jiao tang

黃連阿膠湯

Chemical ingredients:

See:胺_{Chemical ingredients of  xian hu lian}

Dosage:

1.5 to 20 g. Concentrated extract: 0.5 g to 2 g.

1.5～20克；濃縮中藥：0.5～2 克

Toxicity:

不良反应

Not to use in cases of wind cold type of flu and deficient type of syndromes.

Normal dosage is relatively safe with few side effects and no adverse effects from long term use. Large dosage can be toxic.

Not to use in patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.

Clinical experiences and laboratory studies show that the toxic reactions include:

1. acute deprivation of oxygen of the brain due to cardiac function

2. shock due to allergenic reaction

3. rash

4. dizziness, tinnitus, nausea, vomiting, anxiety and fright, short of breath, joint pain

5. diarrhea, flatulence, rumbling noise in the intestines, frequent urination

6. decrease of heme and blood cells

7. report of sudden stoppage of circulation and breathing due to venous feeding of injectiones of huang lian

患有葡萄糖-六-磷酸鹽去氫酵素缺乏症(蚕豆症)之病人忌用。

只适用于风热感冒和实热性病证。不可用於风寒感冒和虚寒证。

临床和实验研究表明，本品有以下毒副反应：^[1]

1. 急性心源性腦 缺氧综合征；

2. 過 敏性休克；

3. 麻疹样药疹和荨麻疹型药疹；

4. 頭 晕,耳鳴 ,惡 心 ,嘔 吐 ,心慌,氣 短,關 節 痛等；

5. 腹瀉 ,腹脹 ,腸 鳴 ,多尿；

6. 血色素及血细胞减少。

7. 静滴黄連 素曾引致 三 例循 環 呼吸骤停。 

Chemical ingredients of hu huang liang (Picrorhiza scrophularfifolia Pennell):

胡黃連化學成份﹕

Roots of  Picrorhiza scrophularfifolia Pennell contain:

胡黄連根含:

Kutkin 3.4%*

胡黄連素 3.4%*

D—Mannitol 0．5%

D—甘露醇 0．5%

Vanillic acid 0．1%

香荚藍酸  0．1%

Kutkiol

胡黄連醇

Kutkisterol 0.18％

黄連甾醇 0.18％

Apocynin

香荚藍乙酮