Endometriosis treated with TCM herb coptis

What is coptis(Rhizoma Coptidis, Huang Lian)?
Medicinally it mainly means the dried root and rhizome of Coptis chinensis Franch. (Wei Lian), Coptis deltoidea C. Y. Cheng et Hsiao (Ya Lian), or Coptis teeta Wall. (Yun Lian), which are plants in the family Ranunculaceae. As you can see, these three species are different from coptis japonica that is native to Japan. Therefore, other common names of this herb are coptis rhizome, rhizoma coptidis, Chinese gold thread, Chuan lian, coptidis rhizoma, coptis chinensis root, coptis goldthread, etc. Commercially most of them are from cultivation and mainly produced in Sichuan, Yunnan, and Hubei. The one collected during autumn is usually considered superior medicinally. And after the harvest, it needs to remove its fibrous roots and dirt attached and dried. And it is used raw, fried alone, or processed with ginger juice, rice wine, or evodia decoction.

The plant of coptis chinensis is a perennial herb. Root & rhizome is yellow, branched often, and densely covered with many fibrils. All leaves are basal. Petiole is from 5 to 16cm. Blade is papery, ovate-triangular, 10cm wide, and 3-lobed. Flower stems are 1 to 2 in number, equal or longer to leaf in length. Dichotomous or pleiochasium cyme has 3 to 8 flowers. Bracts are lanceolate and 3 to 5 pinnatipartite. Seeds are 7 to 8 pieces, oblong, about 2mm, and brown. Its flowering period is from February to April and fruiting period from March to June.

Coptis root benefits
As one of articles of tribute in Ming and Qing Dynasties, this herb has a long history of treating illness. Actually coptis is a household name because there are tons of famous herbal formulas that contain this ingredient. As far as Shang Han Lun (On Cold Damage) is concerned, there are 12 prescriptions containing coptis, which accounts for about 10% of total number of this book. This book was introduced to Korea, Japan, and countries in Southeast Asia in Tang Dynasty and, more importantly, these formulas are still frequently put to use by the doctors of traditional Chinese medicine in these places. What’s more, according to the statistics there are as many as more than 260 formulas included in Qian Jin Yao Fang (Thousand Golden Essential Prescriptions) and Wai Tai Mi Yao (The Secret Medical Essentials of a Provincial Governor). It is thus clear that how widely this herb is used medicinally. So far, there are various coptis preparations available on the market, such as coptis chinensis root extract, tea, oil, tablets, teapills, ointment, cream, supplement, tincture, capsules, etc. And these products are mainly used for lyme, Diabetes, Insomnia, endometriosis, acne, weight loss, and so on. And here is its pharmacology to justify its health benefits.