| Some of Herbs That are Toxic by: Joe Hing Kwok Chu This article is for professional use only. If you are not in the medical field, you should consult your medical provider. The following is a warning on toxicity of certain herbs. It is not a complete list. The maximum dosages listed are just the opinion of the editor. It should not be interpreted as the absolute amount. The weight is in metric measurement of grams. (Note: many of the listings are much less than a gram). Some patients are more sensitive to certain herbs and some have more tolerance for some other herbs. For example, bai guo ( ginkgo biloba) is very toxic to young children. Small children of few years old have died from taking just less than ten pieces of bai guo seeds (ginkgo biloba). Adults seldom are affected by the toxicity of bai guo but it does not mean it will not happen. The author has known of cases where three or four people have consumed a porridge containing a 15 ounce can of bai guo (ginkgo seeds) without ill effect. Cooking can hydrolyze the cyanide in bai guo but the toxin in bai guo (ginkgo) is found in the substance called "bai guo neutral substance" which is absorbed by the intestines and affects the central nervous system. The list of herbs is included here for reference in your professional practice . Traditionally, in China, the acceptable practice is that the herb doctors prescribe the formulae and the patients keep the copies and buy the herb at the herb stores of their choice. This practice prevents conflict of interest and it shows that you, the practitioner, can stand up for your prescription. If patients keep copies of the prescribed formulae, it is easier to keep track of the herbs being used. To see the Latin botanical names go to the herb dictionary, and select the the letter of the herb in pinyin to open the file. Some herbs might not be in the dictionary. If you cannot find it, you can email the the research librarian here. The Japanese and Korean pronunciations are not included in the table because it is easier for the Japanese and Korean practitioners to read the Chinese characters (or kanji) and more accurately than reading the Roman alphabet's pronunciations which sometime might create misunderstanding. A separate table of Korean and Japanese pronunciations will be provided separately for the westerners for research purposes only. Although pinyin is the official Chinese Romanized pronunciation of Chinese characters, to avoid misunderstanding, Chinese characters should be used when prescribing herbs. For complete Latin Names use the Chinese Herb Dictionary. More links will be gradually uploaded. Pinyin | Chinese | Latin or Chemical Name | Normal dosage/Maximum_dosage | Note |
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ai di cha | 矮地茶 | Ardisia japonica Bl. | | | ba dou | 巴 豆 | oCroton tiglium L. | 0.15～0.3 g | | ba jiao feng | 八角楓 | Alangium chinense (Lour.) Rehder | 39g, some toxicity | | bai guo | 白 果 | Gingko biloba, L. | 69g, some toxicity | | bai hua cai zi | 白花菜子 | | 36g, some toxicity | | bai qu cai | 白 屈菜 | Chelidonium majus L | 918g, some toxicity | | bai tou weng | 白 頭蓊 | Anemone chinensis, Benze Pulsatila nuttalliana, Spreng. Pulsatila daurica, Spreng. | | | bai zhi | 白 芷 | Angelica dahurica (Fisc.) Benth. et Hook. f. or Angelica dahurica (Fish.) ex Hook. f. var. Angelica taiwaniana (Boiss.) Shan et Yuan | | | bi ma zi | 蓖 麻子 | Ricinus communis, L. | external use, toxic | | bi shi | 砒 石 | Arsenolite, | do not exceed 0.1g | | bi xiang | 砒 霜 | Arsenic trioxide, As2O3 | 0.003~0.015g | | bu gu zhi | 補 骨 脂 | Psoralea corylifolia L. | | | cang er zi | 蒼 耳 子 | Xanthium strumarium L | | | cao wu | 草烏 | Aconitum carmichaeli Debx | | | chan su | 蟾 酥 | Bufo bufo asiaticus Steina Chner. | | | chang chun hua | 長 春花 | Catharanthus roseus (L.) G.Don | 915g, some toxicity | | chang shan | 常 山 | Dichroa febrifuga Lour | 4.59g, some toxicity | | chuan lian zi | 川 楝 子 | Melia toosendan Sieb. et Zucc. | 4.512g, some toxicity | | chuan xiong | 川 芎 | Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort.; L. wallichii Franch. | | | da feng zi | 大 楓 子 | Hydnocarpus alpina, Wright. | 0.31g, toxic | | da qing ye | 大青葉 | Baphicacanthus cusia (Nees) Brem.,Isatis tinctoria L. or Isatis indigotica Fort | | | ding xiang | 丁香 | Syzygium aromaticum（L.）Merr. et Perry Eugenia aromatica Baillon; Caryophyllus aromatica L.; Eugenia caryophyllata Thunb. | | | ding gong teng | 丁 公藤 | Erycibe laevigata Wall. | 36g, some toxicity | | fang ji | 防 己 | guang fang ji (guang dong mu fang ji): aristolochia fangchi, Wu (the toxic type) | Do not use guang fang. . | | gan sui | 甘 遂 | Euphorbia kansui T. | | | gou wen | 鉤 吻 ， 大 茶 葉 | Gelsemium elegans Benth. | external use (careful) , very toxic | Other name: duan chang cao, huang teng. | gua di | 瓜 蒂 | Cucumis melo L. (stems) | 0.6－1.5 g | | guan mu tong | 關木 通 | Caulis Aristolochiae Manshuriensis; Aristolochia debilis | Do not use. | | guan zhong | 貫眾 | Cyrtomium fortunei | 4.59g, toxic | | guang ci gu | 光 慈姑 | Tulipa edulis Baber | 39g, some toxicity | | guang fang ji | 廣防 己 | aristolochia fangchi, Wu | Do not use. | | | gui jiu | 鬼臼 | Podophyllum emodi Wall, var. chinensis Sprague | in decoction: 3 to 10 grams | | hai ma | 海馬 | - Hippocampus kelloggi Jordanet Snvder 克氏海馬
- Hippocampus histrix Kaup刺海馬
- Hippocampus kuda Bleeker 大海馬
- Hippocampus trimaculatus Leach班海馬
- Hippocampus japonicus Kaup 日本海馬
| | | he shi | 鶴 虱 | Carpesium abrotanoides, L | 39g, some toxicity | | hong fan | 紅 礬 | Na2Cr2O7（ 重鉻酸鈉、紅礬鈉） K2Cr2O7 （重鉻酸鉀 紅礬鉀）
| | | hua jia | 花椒 | Zanthoxylum bungeanun Maxin. | 25g, some toxicity | | ji xing zi | 急性子 | Impatiens balsamina L. | 412g, some toxicity | | jia zhu tao | 夾 竹 桃 | Nerium odorum, Solaud. Nerium incidum, Mill | | | jin yin gen | 金 櫻根 | Rosa laevigata Michx. | | | ku lian pi | 苦楝皮 | Melia toosendan Sieb. et Zucc. | 4.59g, some toxicity | | ku shen | 苦参 | Sophora flavescens. Ait. | 10 to 20 g; concentrated extract: 0.5 to 2 g. | | la mei gen | 腊 梅根 | Meratia praecox Rehd. et Wils | | | lang du | 狼 毒 | Euphorbia fischeriana | 0.91.5g. Toxic | Usually it is not taken internally. | lei gong teng | 雷 公 藤 | Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f. | very toxic | | lei wan | 雷 丸 | Polyporus mylittae Cook. et Mass | 36g, some toxicity | | li lu | 藜 蘆 | Veratrum nigrum L. | 0.3 1g. Toxic | other name: shan cong | liang dang zi | 良 菪子 | Hyoscyamus niger L. (seed) | 0.060.6g. Very toxic | other name: tian xian zi | long kui | 龍 葵 | Solanum nigrum L. | 930g, some toxicity | | lu hui | 蘆薈 | Aloe vera L. | | | ma dou ling | 馬兜玲 | Aristolochia debilis Sieb et Zucc; Aristolochia sinarum linde.; Aristolochia contorta Bge | | | man tou luo hua | 曼陀羅花 | Datura stramonium L | | | mi ke (ying su ke) | 米殼 (罌粟 殼) | Papaver Somniferum L. (shells of opium popy seeds) | used in tea: 9g, toxic | Other names: fu rong, | mian hua zi | 棉 花子 | Gossypiμm herbaceμm L (seed) | | | ming fan, bai fan | 白礬﹐明 礬 | Alumen | 0.3 g to 3 g in pills or powder. | | ming teng | 銘 藤 | | | | mu bie zi | 木 蟞子 | Momordica cochinchinensis (Lour.) Spreng. | 0.91.2g. Toxic | Usually it is not taken internally. Other name: tu mu bie, fang ba | guang fang ji | 廣防 己 | aristolochia fangchi, Wu | | | nao yang hua | 鬧羊花 | Rhododendri Mollis | 0.30.6g, some toxicity | | nong ji li | 農 吉利 | Crotalaria sessiliflora Linn | 915g, some toxicity | | qian dan | 鉛 丹 | Pb304 (chemical formula of red lead) | | | qian li guang | 千 里光 | Senecio scandens Buch. -Ham | | | qian niu zi | 牽 牛 子 | Pharbitis nil, Choisy. | 39g, (in powder form: 1.53g) toxic | | qing fen | 輕 粉 | Mercurous chloride;Mercury monochloride;Mercury subchloride | | | shan ci gu | 山 慈 菇 | Cremastra variabilis (Bl.)Nakai; or Pleione bulbocodioides (Franch.) Rolfe | 3 to 6 g | | she du | 蛇毒 | | | | ba dou (raw) | 生巴豆 | Croton tiglium L. - unprocessed herb | 0.10.3g (raw ba dou) | It is better to degrease first | sheng bai fu zi | 生 白附子 | Typhonium giganteum Engl.L. - unprocessed herb | 3g some toxicity | | sheng ban xia (raw) | 生半 夏 | Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Breit L. - unprocessed herb | 1.53g, some toxicity | | sheng da ji (raw) | 生 大 戟 | Euphorbia pekinensis Rupr.; or Knoxiavalerianoides Thorel ex Pitard L. - (unprocessed herb) | 1.53g. Toxic | Two varieties: hong da ji, dosage: 1.53g; jing da jI, dosage: 0.31 g. | sheng fu zi (raw) | 生附 子 | Aconitum carmichaeli Debx. L. - unprocessed herb | 3 g. Toxic | Side roots are called fu zi. Those without side root are called tian xiong. | sheng gan sui (raw) | 生 甘遂 | Euphorbia sieboldiana M. et. D. (raw) | 0.51.2g. Toxic | other name: gan gao, ling ze, ling hao, zhong ze, zhu tian, gui chou | sheng gong | 升 汞 | mercury sulfide (HgS) | | | ma qian zi. (raw) | 生馬 前子 | Strychnos nux-vomica Linn. | 0.3.06 g. Very toxic | other name: fan mu bie | sheng shang lu (raw) | 生 商陸 | Phytolacca acinosa Roxb. var. esculenta.﹔ var. Kaempferi.﹔ var. esculenta. (unprocessed herb) | 1.53g | white shang lu are being used in herb. For internal use prepare with wine. | sheng teng huang | 生 籐黃 | RESINA GARCINIAE (unprocessed herb) | 0.030.06g, very toxic | | sheng wu tou (raw) | 生 烏 頭 | Aconitum carmichaeli Debx. L. - unprocessed herb | Used as tea: 4.5g. Used as dried powder: 1.5g.Very toxic | The varieties: chuan wu, cao wu. cao wu is stronger and more toxic. | sheng yuan hua | 生芫 花 | Daphne genkwa, Sieb. et. Zucc. - unprocessed herb | 1.53g. Toxic | other names: | shi jun zi | 使 君 子 | Quisqualis indica, L. | | | shi liu pi | 石 榴皮 | Punica granatum. L. (skin) | 0.59g, toxic | | tian gua di | 甜 瓜蒂 | Cucumis melo L. (stem of fruit) | 0.61.5 g. Toxic | Other name: ku ding xiang, gua di. | tian hua fen | 天花粉 | Trichosanthes kirilowii, Maxim, or Trichosanthes japonica, Regel. | 9 - 15 g | | tu bei mu | 土 貝母 | Bolbostemma paniculatum (Maxim.) Franquet | | | tu jin jie | 土 荆芥 | Chenopodium ambrosioides Linn． | | | tu niu xi | 土 牛膝 | Achyranthes aspera L. | | | wan nian qing | 萬 年青 | Rhodea japonica Roth. | 35g. some toxicity | | wang jiang nan zi | 望 江南子 | Cassia occidentalis L. | | | wei ling xian | 威靈仙 | Clematis chinensis Osbeck, C hexapetala Pall., or C. uhcinata Champ. | 6 - 12 g | | wu gong | 蜈 蚣 | Scolopendra subspinipes Leach | | | xi shu | 喜 樹 | Camptotheca acuminata | fruit: 39g. bark or root: 915g, toxicity | | xi xin | 細 辛 | Asarum heterotropoides Fr. Schumidt var. mandshuricum (Maxim.) Kitag | 0.4 to 4 g | | xian mao | 仙 茅 | Curculigo orchioides Gaertn | 39g, some toxicity | | xiang si zi | 相 思子 | Abrus precatorius L | 2.44.5g, some toxicity | | xing ren | 杏 仁 | Prunus armeniaca L. var. ansu Maxim.; P. armeniaca L. | 39g, some toxicity | | xiong huang | 雄黃 | ( Realgar) | 0.15 g to 0.6 g in pills or powders | | xu sui zi | 續 隨子 | Euphorbia lathyris, L. | 0.52g , toxic | other names﹕ qian jin zi, lian bu. After deoiled it is called qian xiang. | xue lian | 雪蓮 | Saussurea involucrata | 0.61.5g, some toxicity | | xue shang yi zhi hao | 雪 上一枝蒿 | Aconitum anthora, L. | 0.02g, very toxic | | yu dan | 鱼 膽 | (fish gall bladder) | | | ya dan zi | 鴉膽子 | Brucea javanica (L.) Merri. | 0.52g, some toxicity | | yang jin hua | 洋 金 花 | Datura metel L. | 0.30.6g, very toxic | | yi mu cao, | 益母草 | Leonurus heterophyllus Sweet | 9 ~ 30 g | | ying su ke (mi ke) | 罌粟殼 (米 殼) | Papaver Somniferum L. (shells of opium popy seeds) | | | yu can | 玉 朁 | | 36g, toxic | | zao jiao | 皂角 | Gleditschia horrida, Makio. | 1 to 1.5 g daily. For decoction: 1.5 to 5 g. | | zao xiu | 蚤休(七葉一枝 花) | Paris polyphylla Smith var. chinensis (Franch.) Hare | 510g, some toxicity | | ze xie | 澤瀉 | Alisma orientale (Sam.)Juzep.(a.plantago-aquaticaL.var.orientale Sam.) | 39g, some toxicity | | zhan di feng | 鉆 地風 | Flemingia philippinensis Merr.et
Rolfe; Moghania philippinensis (Merr.et Rolfe) Li | | | zhao shan bai | 照 山白 | Rhododendron micranthum Turcz | 34.5g, some toxicity | | zhu sha | 朱 砂 | mercury sulfide | | | zi bei tian kui | 紫 背天葵 | Semiaquilegia adoxoides (DC.) Makino | 915g, some toxicity | | zu si ma | 祖 司麻 | Daphne giraldii Nitsche | 36g, some toxicity | |
Also see a new page on herbs toxic to the kidneys Back to Chinese Herb Dictionary. The formulae listed below may contain the toxic type of mu tong or fang ji. Consult your local regulations before using them. Ba Zheng San 八正散 (contains mu tong) Chun Yang Zheng Ji Wan 純陽正氣丸 (contains qing mu xiang) Da Huang Qing Wei Wan 大黃清胃丸 (contains guan mu tong) dang gui si ni tang 當歸四逆湯 (contains mu tong and xi xin) Mu Xiang Dao Chi Wan 木香導滯丸 (contains mu xiang and may be confused with qing mu xiang) Die Da Wan 跌打丸 (some Die Da Wan formulae contain mu tong or fang ji) Guan Xin Siu He Ge Wan 冠心秀克閤丸 (contains qing mu xiang) Ji Sheng Ju He Wan 濟生橘 核丸 (contains mu tong and hou po) Kat Kit Wan 解結前列丸 (contains mu tong) Quell Fire Shi Xiang Fan Shen Wan 十香翻身(返 神)丸 Xin Yi Wan 心怡丸
Click here for herbs that may cause skin allergy. 香港中醫藥委員會列出三十一種毒性較高的藥物：
鬼臼, 生川烏, 生草 烏, 生附子, 天雄, 生白附子, 砒石/砒 霜, 雄黃, 雌黃, 水銀, 紅粉/紅 升丹, 朱砂, 輕粉, 白降丹, 生馬錢子, 生半夏, 生南星, 生巴豆, 斑蝥, 青娘子 , 紅娘子, 生甘遂, 生狼毒, 生藤黃, 生天仙子, 生千金子, 鬧羊花, 雪上一枝蒿, 蟾酥 , 洋金花, 山豆根 . Last update: July 6, 2008; 9:44 p.m. LAH |
