Manihot utilissima (Mushu)

Distribution:
Africa, Southern China, South and Southeast Asia, and South America..

Properties (characteristics):
Bitter, cold
 
Channels (meridians) entered:
Heart

Actions & Indications:
In folk medicine: the root of the bitter variety (Manihot utilissima Pohl.) is used to treat diarrhea, malaria. and in Cuba it is also used for irritable bowel syndrome.
The leaves are used to treat Hypertension (High blood pressure), Headache, and pain.
 
Dosage:
Leaves for decoction taken orally: 3 ~ 6 g.

External application: use appropriate amount of leaves. Smash and apply or make into powder.

Cautions:
There are 2 varieties of this plant. The sweet variety, Manihot esculenta contains a lower level of cyanic acid and its skin of the root is light green. The bitter variety, Manihot utilissima, contains more cyanic acid and its skin of the root is brown. In the root, the skin contain the most amount of hydrocyanic acid. The skin should be removed before cooking. The poison is the hydrocyanic acid produced by hydrolizing the chemical ingredients of linamarin and lnamarase. Before the root is fully cooked or the cyanic acid has not been destroy, the toxin may turns into hydrogen cyanide.

The symptoms can be nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness and in serious cases the patient can die from respiratory failure.  It can also cause the swelling of the thyroids, damage the optic nerve and the motor nerve.