Tetrapanacis Medulla
Aliases：Dà Tōng Cǎo (Large Rice Paperplant Pith); Tōng Huā (Flower Pith); Bái Tōng Cǎo (White Rice Paperplant Pith); Fāng Tōng Cǎo (Square Rice Paperplant Pith); Kòu Tuō (Button Pith); Lí Nán (Departing South); Huó Tuō (Living Pith); Tōng Tuō Mù (Pith Wood); Cōng Cǎo (Onion Grass); Yǐ Shāng (Leaning Merchant); Tōng Dà Hǎi (Great Sea Pith); Pào Tōng (Soaked Pith); Wǔ Jiā Fēng (Five-Add Wind); Kuān Cháng (Broad Intestine); Dà Tōng Tǎ (Great Pith Tower); Dà Mù Tōng (Large Wood Pith); Wǔ Jiǎo Jiā Pí (Five-Angle Acanthopanax Bark), among others.
Tongcao is a Chinese medicinal herb. It is the dried stem pith of Tetrapanax papyrifer (Hook.) K.Koch, a plant of the Araliaceae family.
Efficacy & Actions
Clears heat, promotes diuresis, unblocks qi, and stimulates lactation.
Indications
Used for damp-heat strangury, edema with scanty urine, and insufficient lactation (lack of breast milk).
Modern Pharmacology
Tongcao (Rice Paperplant Pith) has a diuretic effect and can significantly increase urinary potassium excretion. Its polysaccharide components have certain immunomodulatory and antioxidant effects. In addition, triterpenoids isolated from Tongcao have shown cytotoxic activity against HeLa cells in vitro.
Ingredients
Carbohydrates: Contains inositol, pentosan, glucose, galacturonic acid, and others. Amino Acids: Contains 15 amino acids, including glutamic acid, among others. Trace Elements: Contains 21 trace elements, including calcium, magnesium, iron, and others. Others: Compounds such as 7-oxo-stigmasterol-3-O-β-D-glucoside have been isolated from the 95% ethanol extract of Tongcao.
Usage & Dosage
Oral administration: Decoction, the common dosage is 3–5g. Some literature records a dosage of 3–6g. It may also be prepared in pills or powder.
Contraindications
Use with caution during pregnancy. Contraindicated in patients with qi and yin deficiency and without internal damp-heat. Contraindicated in patients with middle cold (spleen-stomach deficiency-cold). Patients with hepatobiliary diseases such as cholecystitis or cholelithiasis, as well as those with poor digestive function, should not take it in excessive amounts to avoid increasing the burden on the liver and gallbladder.
Selected Formulas
For heat strangury with difficult urination, dribbling, and painful urination (Puji Fang, Tongcao Yinzi) Take Tongcao (Tetrapanax) together with Dongkuizi (Malva seed), Huashi (Talc), and Shiwei (Pyrrosia). Decoct in water and drink. For urolithiasis (empirical formula) Take Tongcao with Jinqiancao (Lysimachia) and Haijinsha (Lygodium spore). Decoct in water and drink. For hematuria (empirical formula) Take Tongcao with Shiwei, Baimaogen (Imperata), and Puhuang (Typha pollen). Decoct in water and drink. For edema due to water-dampness retention (Xiaoer Weisheng Zongwei Lun Fang, Tongcao San) Take Tongcao with Zhuling (Polyporus), Dilong (Earthworm), and Shexiang (Musk). Grind into powder and take with rice water. For postpartum insufficient or absent lactation (Zabing Yuanliu Xizhu, Tongru Tang) Take Tongcao with Chuanshanjia (Pangolin scales), Gancao (Licorice), and pig trotters. Stew and drink the soup. (Note: Pangolin is a protected species; Wangbuliuxing or Lulutong are commonly used as substitutes in modern practice.)
Daily Consumption
Tongcao and Pig Trotter Soup: Take 15g of Tongcao (Rice Paperplant Pith) and stew it together with pig trotters. Drink the soup and eat the meat. It helps promote diuresis, relieve strangury, promote qi circulation, and stimulate lactation. Tongcao Tea: Take 3–5g of Tongcao, steep it in boiling water, and drink it as a tea. However, it is not recommended for long-term or excessive use.
Medicinal Parts
Dried stem pith.
Selection & Storage
Store in a dry container in a well-ventilated, dry place, protected from moisture.
