Herba et Radix Ranunculi Japonici
From HerbLab, herbal encyclopedia of Chinese traditional medicine
Herba et Radix Ranunculi Japonici(毛莨)
In Supplement to the Compendium ofMedicinal Herbs it was reported that：”The herb is acrid warm and poisonous,being primarily used for the treatment of malignant boil, carbuncle，swelling and pain．
Herba et Radix Ranunculi Japonici is the dried whole plant of Ranunculus／aponicus Thunb．of the family Ranunculaceae，which is found largely growing in Northeast China and South China and contains a principal chemical substance as protoanemonin．
In different areas，Ranunculus Sieboldii Ranunculus Smirnovii Oyez．and Ranunculus Cantoniensls Dc：of the same family are pharn coIogicaily used as Herba et Radix Ranunculi Japonici．
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ANTICANCER PHARMACOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS
1.It has been proved in animal and clinical experiments that the volatile oil of Herba et Radix Ranunculi Japonici inhibits tumor and causes acute necrosis of tumor ceils．
2.So far as lts anticancer action concerned，the fresh ripe herb has the best effect。and its root IS more often selected for medical use than its seedling．The herb，having been preserved for a long time or becoming stale，has the worst effect.
3.The inhibitive effect of Herba et Radix Ranunculi Japonici on animal tumors is possiblv through its inhibition on phosphofructokinase．
EXPERIMENTAL FORMULAS
For squamous carcinoma，undi fferentiated carcinoma and melanotic carcinoma of the lung
The volatile oil obtained from Herba et Radix Ranunculi Japonici through distillation is d矗uted in 5％glucose and given intravenously．(Research Reference of Traditional Chinese Md，le，V01．2，1974) 、
For cancer of the breast，the cervix and the skin:
1．The volatile oil distilled from the root of the herb is mixed with three equal portions of the whole herb decoction for oral administration with a dose small at the beginning anJ gradualIy increasexl Iater．
2．The volatile oil distilled from the root of the plant is mixed with two equal portions of the powder of the whole herb and processed into a solid plaster with lard for external application．
3．Fresh Herba et Radix Ranunculi Japonici is dried in low temperature，pulverized into aIld then“xed with ox oil to make all ointment for external use．(Bulletin of Medicinal Herbs，1979)
HISTORICAL COMMENTS
It was expounde‘l in Compendium ofMedicinal Herbs that：。Crushed and applied，the leaves and the seeds of the herb，acrid，warm and poisonous，is used for the treat．ment of malignan．t b．010 an‘Icarbuncle，with swelling and pain，but without ulceration．Care must be given not to cause fiesh．decaY’
If a person catches malaria，a handful of the plant is crushed to pieces and applied to the a.
In Supplement to Compendium ofMedicinal Herbs it was stated that：Herba et Radix Ranunculi JaDonici stimulates the skin and is indicative for scrofula，arthritis，tuberculosis of the joint and the bone，brio -nchial gasp and all kinds of unulcerated boil and carbuncle．
THE AUTHOR’S NOTE
ACCOrding to a report of Xuzhou Medical College，a preparation made of the crude extract oltterba et Radix Ranunculi Japonici was used to treat 33 cases of lung cancer with remarkable effect.
7 cases and general effect in 6 cases．Protoanemonin derived from Herba et Radix Ranunculi Japonici was also use‘l in a control group of 1 7 cases of lung cancer and 5 cases showed remarkable effect and 2 showed general effect．Protoanemonin seenis to have a better effect.
The herb is usually prescribed for external use，as protoanemonm is irritating and may cause gastenteritis if the mucous membrane of the digestive tract is stimulated·The administration of a dose of protoanellllonin caused complications such as nephritis and symptoms of the nervous system In anillnIals．‘According to a report in Research Data ofMedicinal Herbs(6，1978)，Radix Anemone Cernua．
Thunb of the same family was used in Japan for the treatment of various types of cancer’mrougn decocting 2．5 grams of its root in 200ml of water for oral administration in three porttons.
