Clerodendri Bungei Herba
Aliases：Da Hong Pao (Big Red Robe), Chou Ba Bao (Stinking Eight Treasures), Ai Tong Zi (Dwarf Child), Da Hong Hua (Big Red Flower), Ye Zhu Tong (Wild Zhu Tung), Chou Feng Cao (Stinking Maple Grass), Chou Zhu Tong (Stinking Pearl Tung), Ai Tong (Dwarf Tung), Feng Xian Cao (Fairy Encounter Grass), Chou Deng Tong (Stinking Lamp Tung), Jia Zhen Zhu Wu Tong (False Pearl Sycamore), Chou Shu (Stinking Tree), Chou Cao (Stinking Grass), Ji Shi Cao (Chicken Lice Grass).
Chou Mu Dan (Clerodendrum bungei) is a Chinese medicinal herb derived from the dried stems and leaves, or the entire plant including roots, of the species Clerodendrum bungei Steud., belonging to the genus Clerodendrum (family Lamiaceae). This herb is commonly used in traditional Chinese folk medicine. It is named “Stinking Peony” because the plant emits a distinctive odor, and its dense terminal corymbose cymes produce purplish-red flowers that, when viewed from a distance, bear a slight resemblance to peonies.
Efficacy & Actions
Detoxifies and reduces swelling; dispels wind and dampness; lowers blood pressure (modern research has confirmed its antihypertensive effect; traditionally referred to as "calming the liver and suppressing yang"); promotes blood circulation and resolves stasis.
Indications
Carbuncles, furuncles, dorsal abscesses, acute mastitis, hemorrhoids, eczema, erysipelas, rheumatic arthralgia, and hypertension.
Modern Pharmacology
1、 Analgesic effect: Extracts of Chou Mudan relieve neuropathic pain, possibly by inhibiting spinal NMDA receptor activity; the ethanol extract shows significant analgesic effects in mouse hot plate and writhing tests. 2、 Anti-inflammatory effect: Chou Mudan exhibits anti-inflammatory activity and can be used to treat inflammatory diseases such as arthritis. 3、 Antitumor effect: Its active components inhibit the growth of tumor cells. 4、 Antibacterial effect: Extracts of Chou Mudan possess antibacterial activity. 5、 Sedative-hypnotic and local anesthetic effects: The root extract has local anesthetic and sedative-hypnotic actions. 6、 Immunomodulatory effect: It enhances non-specific immune function, and also inhibits delayed-type hypersensitivity and cellular immunity. 7、 Effect on airway hyperresponsiveness: The extract shows therapeutic potential in mouse models of airway hyperresponsiveness (e.g., bronchial asthma), reaching efficacy comparable to that of hormone therapy.
Ingredients
1、 Phenylethanoid glycosides: Contains 12 phenylethanoid glycoside compounds 2、 Flavonoids: Contains 7 flavonoid compounds 3、 Terpenoids: Includes monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, and triterpenes 4、 Sterols: Contains β-sitosterol, taraxasterol, clerosterol, etc. 5、 Volatile components: The aerial parts contain essential oils, mainly including ethanol, acetone, linalool, benzyl alcohol, etc. 6、 Organic acids: Contains succinic acid, anisic acid, vanillic acid, magnesium lactate, potassium nitrate, maltol, etc. 7、 Other compounds: Also contains peroxides, anthraquinones, etc.
Usage & Dosage
Oral Administration: Decoction, 10–15 g (30–60 g if fresh); or juice extraction; or prepared in pills. Topical Administration: Appropriate amount, decocted in water for fumigation and washing; or mashed for application; or ground into powder and mixed for topical application.
Contraindications
Use with caution in patients with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold. Contraindicated during pregnancy. Use with caution in children. No significant adverse reactions have been clearly identified at present.
Selected Formulas
Treatment for Furuncles (from Chi Shui Xuan Zhu) Take one large handful each of Xanthium sibiricum (Cang Er) and Clerodendrum bungei (Chou Mu Dan). Mash thoroughly, mix with freshly drawn water, and administer orally. Recovery occurs after passing dark watery stool. Treatment for All Types of Carbuncles (from Gangmu Shiyi) Take the branches and leaves of Clerodendrum bungei, mash thoroughly, and apply as a poultice. Treatment for Dorsal Abscesses (from Jiangxi Folk Herbal Medicine) Dry Clerodendrum bungei leaves in the sun, grind into fine powder, and mix with honey for topical application. For cases without pus formation, the swelling may resolve internally. If local redness and heat persist after rupture with wound pain, mix with honey or sesame oil and apply until redness subsides and pain ceases. Treatment for Acute Mastitis (from Zhejiang Folk Commonly Used Herbal Medicine) Take 250 g of fresh Clerodendrum bungei leaves, 9 g of Taraxacum mongolicum (Pu Gong Ying), and 12 g of Ophiopogon japonicus (Mai Dong Cao). Decoct in water, then mix with yellow wine and brown sugar before oral administration. Treatment for Arthritis (from Zhejiang Folk Commonly Used Herbal Medicine) Extract juice from fresh Clerodendrum bungei leaves, mix with yellow wine, and administer orally. Take twice daily, one cup each time, for 20 consecutive days. If improvement occurs, continue until full recovery.
Daily Consumption
Decoction of Clerodendrum bungei Ingredients: 10–15 g of dried herb. Preparation: Add water and decoct until approximately 250 mL of liquid remains. Strain and drink. Efficacy: Used as an adjunctive treatment for rheumatic arthralgia and hypertension. Topical Application of Fresh Leaves Ingredients: An appropriate amount of fresh Clerodendrum bungei leaves. Preparation: Mash the leaves thoroughly and apply directly to the affected area. Efficacy: Used for swelling and toxic conditions such as carbuncles, furuncles, and acute mastitis. Fumigation and Washing Ingredients: An appropriate amount of Clerodendrum bungei. Preparation: Decoct in water and use the liquid for fumigation and washing of the affected area. Efficacy: Suitable for skin conditions including hemorrhoids, eczema, and rectal prolapse.
Medicinal Parts
Dried stems and leaves.
Selection & Storage
Harvest stems and leaves in summer, or harvest during the flowering period in autumn. Remove impurities, cut into sections, and dry in the sun. Store in a dry airtight container in a dry place, protected from moisture. Fresh material may be used immediately upon collection, or mashed for temporary topical application.