Discrimination and Proper Use of Polygoni Multiflori Radix, Cynanchi Wilfordii Radix, and Cynanchi Auriculati Radix in Korea: A Descriptive Review

Abstract

Polygoni Multiflori Radix (PMR), Cynanchi Wilfordii Radix (CWR), and Cynanchi Auriculati Radix (CAR) are very popular herbal medicines in Traditional Korean Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Kampo Medicine. However, the plant origins, efficacies, and traditional uses of these herbal medicines differ. In Korea, PMR is called Ha Su O (He Shou Wu in China), and CWR is called Baek Ha Su O or Baek Su O (Bai Shou Wu in China). Baek Su O refers to CWR in Korea and CAR in China. CAR has not been used as a traditional herbal medicine, and it cannot be legally used as a food or food ingredient in Korea. However, CAR is cultivated in Korea and imported from China. Because the morphology of CWR and CAR is very similar, they are often confused and misused in Korea. This review discusses the reasons for the confusion and misuse of these substances in Korea and provides the exact plant origins, efficacies, uses, components, and toxicities of PMR, CWR, and CAR so that they can be correctly understood and used.

Survey on the Original Plant Species of Crude Drugs Distributed as Cynanchi Wilfordii Radix and Its Related Crude Drugs in the Korean and Chinese Markets

“…In addition, as approximately 30% of the CWR used in Korea are Chinese products, 9) our present findings revealed that information about the market from which was purchased cannot be used to predict its original plant species.…”

“…8) In addition to this problem, CWR is also sometimes misused as PMR because of the similarity in their Korean names of "Baek Ha Su O" and "Ha Su O," respectively. 9) Thus, the misuse of PMR, CWR, and CAR is a major concern in Korea.…”

Plants-Derived Biomolecules as Potent Antiviral Phytomedicines: New Insights on Ethnobotanical Evidences against Coronaviruses

“…Polygonum mulitflorum Thunb (PMT) is mostly found in China, Korea and Japan, belonging to Polygonaceae family [ 245 ]. Radix Polygoni multiflori (root tubers of PMT) is mostly used in treating many kinds of diseases, such as rubella, scrofula, waist and knee pain, paralysis, vaginal discharge, hypercholesterolemia (liver and kidney), malaria, and various other diseases, possessing neuro-protective, antioxidation, immunomodulation, anti-hyperlipidemia, anticancer, heap-toprotection, anti-inflammation, and anti-CoV functions [ 86 , 87 , 246 ]. The potent bioactive compounds present in PMT which are responsible for the therapeutic effects against various diseases are listed in Table 1 [ 84 , 85 , 88 , 247 ].…”

Discrimination of Polygoni Multiflori radix and Cynanchi Auriculati radix using ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography fingerprints and chemical pattern recognition

“…Cynanchi Auriculati Radix (CAR) is the root of Cynanchum auriculatum Royle ex Wight, and is also known as Baishouwu in China. CAR has valuable pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antitumor, antihyperlipidemic, hair growth promotion and antidepressant activities (Lee & Lee, ). Its activities can be attributed to various compounds, such as cynauricuosides A, B and C, β ‐sitosterol, wilfosides C1N, C2N and C3N, penupogenin, vitamins and amino acids (Yang et al, ).…”

“…CAR is a popular traditional Chinese medicine, but is not used as a medicine in Korea. It is listed as a toxic material in the Poisonous Plant Database of the Food and Drug Administration in the USA (Lee & Lee, ; Li & Li, ). PMR and CAR differ in their plant origins, component compounds, pharmacological effects and toxicities.…”