Edema, ascites treated with TCM Euphorbia Kansui

What is Euphorbia Kansui(Gan Sui)?
Also known as Euphorbia root, Radix Kansui, and radix Euphorbiae Kansui, medicinally it refers to the dried roots of Euphorbia kansui T.N.Liou ex T.P.Wang, one of plant that belongs to family Euphorbiaceae. It is usually harvested before the flowering in spring or after the wilting of stems and leaves in autumn. And then it needs to remove skin, dry in the sun. And usually it is used raw or processed with rice vinegar. This herb is mainly distributed in mainland China, including Gansu, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Henan and other places. Habitats include low hills, slopes, sand, edge of paddy field, roadsides, etc. Today this wild plant is domesticated and most of the commercial items are mainly from cultivation.

Its plant is a succulent perennial herb, 25 to 40cm high and the whole plant contains milk. Roots are slender and slightly curved, but some are like a chain of pearls, bar, or elongated oval. Skin is tan. Stems are erect and light purple red. Leaves are alternate, narrow lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 3 to 5cm long, 6 to 10mm wide, and with obtuse apex, broadly cuneate base, and entire margin. Cyathium is arranged in cymose, usually 5 to 9 clustered at the stem end. Flowers are unisexual and without perianth. Capsule is round. Seeds are ovoid and brown. Flowering is from June to September.

Euphorbia Kansui health benefits
Main chemical constituents of Euphorbia root are triterpenoids, which contain α-euphorbol, γ-euphorbol, kanzuiol or 20-epieuphol, 20-deoxyingenol, 20-deoxyingenol-3-benzoate, and so on. In addition, it still contains palmitic acid, citric acid, oxalic acid, tannins, resins, glucose, sucrose, starch, vitamin B1 and so on.

Modern pharmacology of Euphorbia root
1. It can stimulate the intestine, increase bowel movements, and then cause severe diarrhea;
2. Raw Euphorbia Kansui has stronger efficacy and higher toxicity, which can be reduced after processed with vinegar;
3. Its ethanol extract can induce labor in pregnant guinea pigs by either intraperitoneal or intramuscular injection;
4. Its crude preparation can significantly inhibit mice’s immune system;
5. Kansuinine A and B contained have anti-leukemia effect.