Rhizoma et Herba Typhonii Divaricati
Aliases：Common aliases of Common Typhonium (duplicates merged; locality annotations retained): Yu Tou Cao (Taro Grass); Xiao Ye Yu (Small Wild Taro); Li Tou Cao (Plough-Head Grass); Da Ye Ban Xia (Large-Leaf Pinellia); Li Tou Qi (Plough-Head Seven); Tu Ban Xia (Earth Pinellia); San Jiao Qing (Triangular Green; Guangdong Longmen); Shan Ban Xia (Mountain Pinellia); Xiao Du Jiao Lian (Small Single-Foot Lotus); Tu Ba Dou (Earth Croton); Yao Gou Dan (Dog-Poison Pill); Yu Tou Qi (Taro Seven); Jin Ban Xia (Golden Pinellia; Yunnan Baoshan); Ye Fu Zi (Wild Aconite; Yunnan Chuxiong); Bai Bu Huan Yuan (Hundred-Step Restoration); Du Jiao Lian (Single-Foot Lotus); Hao Zi Wei Ba (Mouse Tail); Shan Ci Gu (Mountain Arrowhead; Guangxi); Li Tou Ban Xia (Plough-Head Pinellia); San Bu Biao (Three-Step Dart); San Jiao She (Triangular Snake); Po Yu (Slope Taro); Guan Yin Yu (Guanyin Taro); Ye Yu Dan (Wild Taro Egg); Ye Yu He (Wild Taro Lotus); Ci Gu Qi (Arrowhead Seven; Yunnan Simao); Da Ma Ci (Numbing-Thorn); Gou Ban Xia (Dog Pinellia); Chong Ban Xia (Chong Pinellia; Yunnan); Ban Xia (Pinellia); Sheng Ban Xia (Raw Pinellia); Ye Ci Gu (Wild Arrowhead; Guangdong); Tian Jian Ban Xia (Field Pinellia); Yu Ye Ban Xia (Taro-Leaf Pinellia); Du Jiao Lian (Single-Horn Lotus; Sichuan, Jiangxi); Shu Wei Ba (Rat Tail); Bai Fu Zi (White Aconite; Sichuan); Di Jin Lian (Earth Golden Lotus; Hunan Chenxian).
Li Tou Jian (Common Typhonium) is the name of a traditional Chinese medicine. It is the tuber and whole plant of Typhonium divaricatum (L.) Decne., a plant in the family Araceae. It grows at field edges, field margins, on grassy slopes, and in rock crevices, at elevations below 1,200 meters. It is recorded in Chinese Materia Medica (Zhonghua Bencao), National Compendium of Chinese Herbal Medicine (Quanguo Zhongcaoyao Huibian), Essential Materia Medica for Raw Herbs (Shengcao Yaoxing Beiyao), Luchuan Materia Medica (Luchuan Bencao), and other herbal works.
Efficacy & Actions
Removes toxin and reduces swelling; dissipates Blood stasis and stops bleeding.
Indications
Carbuncles, deep-rooted abscesses, furuncles, and sores; unnamed toxic swellings; scrofula (lymph node tuberculosis); hemangioma; scabies and tinea; venomous snake bites; bee stings; traumatic injuries; external bleeding; acute mastitis.
Modern Pharmacology
Modern pharmacological studies have confirmed that Common Typhonium (Typhonium blumei) possesses the following significant pharmacological activities: Antitumor effect: The extract of Common Typhonium exhibits cytotoxicity toward human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells (IC₅₀ = 97.7 μg/mL), and also shows inhibitory effects on LNCaP prostate cancer cells (IC₅₀ = 124.5 μg/mL) and MCF-7 breast cancer cells (IC₅₀ = 125.8 μg/mL). In contrast, its toxicity toward normal embryonic lung fibroblast MRC-5 cells (IC₅₀ = 245.5 μg/mL) and embryonic kidney fibroblast HEK293 cells (IC₅₀ = 251.1 μg/mL) is relatively low. Flow cytometric analysis indicated that A549 cells were arrested at the G2/M phase. The extract induced A549 cell apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway by down-regulating Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL protein expression, up-regulating Bax, Bad, and Bak protein expression, and activating caspase-9 and caspase-3. Bioactive compound analysis showed that dibutyl phthalate, α-linolenic acid, phytol, campesterol, stigmasterol, and β-sitosterol were the major active constituents of the Common Typhonium extract, among which campesterol (IC₅₀ = 2.2 μM at 24 h) and β-sitosterol (IC₅₀ = 1.9 μM at 24 h) exhibited the strongest inhibitory activity. Anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory effects: The nonpolar fractions of Common Typhonium showed potent inhibitory activity in A23187-induced degranulation assays in RBL-2H3 mast cells, and also inhibited superoxide production and elastase release in human neutrophils. The nonpolar fractions inhibited antigen-induced β-hexosaminidase and histamine release, and significantly inhibited calcium influx after activation with A23187 or antigen. The mechanism involves suppression of calcium signaling via the PI3K/PLCγ2 pathway, rather than affecting FcεRI receptor expression, IL-4 and MCP-1 cytokine mRNA levels, or MAPK protein expression. The active fractions were rich in fatty acids, among which palmitic acid, linoleic acid, and α-linolenic acid were the major fatty acids in the two Typhonium species. Analgesic and anesthetic effects: Common Typhonium possesses analgesic and anesthetic effects. Toxic effects: Intraperitoneal injection of the chloroform extract of the whole plant at 1,000 mg/kg in mice caused increased muscle tension, decreased activity, and difficulty breathing. Note: The above pharmacological findings are largely derived from preliminary experiments and activity screening of Common Typhonium and related species of the same genus. Dedicated systematic pharmacological research on Common Typhonium is still ongoing. Special warning: This product is toxic. Traditional actions and indications should remain the primary basis for use, and it must not be used without authorization.
Ingredients
The tuber and whole plant of Common Typhonium mainly contain the following active constituents: Alkaloids: The tuber gives an alkaloid reaction; these are one of its principal active constituents. Sterols: The tuber gives a sterol reaction and contains β-sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol, and others. Fatty acids: Palmitic acid, linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid, and others. Others: Dibutyl phthalate, phytol, proteins, and inorganic elements (Ca, P, I, F, Fe, Na, K), thiamine, niacin, carotene, folic acid, sapotoxins, cyanogenic glycosides, and other toxic substances. Note: Systematic chemical studies on Common Typhonium remain insufficient. Plants of the genus Typhonium contain typical cerebrosides, as well as large amounts of fatty oils and organic acids. Recently, lignans, phenols and phenolic acids, pheophorbide and its derivatives, and other highly polar, strongly water-soluble constituents have been discovered in this genus.
Usage & Dosage
External use: Appropriate amount. Pounded and applied topically; or ground and applied; or ground into powder and sprinkled. Oral use: This product is toxic and is generally not to be taken internally. If used internally, it must be processed (using the same processing method as Pinellia) and must be wrapped in food; otherwise, it will cause blistering of the oral mucosa.
Contraindications
This product is toxic and is generally for external use only; it should not be taken internally. Contraindicated during pregnancy. Ingestion may cause symptoms of poisoning such as numbness and burning of the tongue and throat, dizziness, and vomiting. In severe cases, it may lead to suffocation and respiratory failure. If fresh tubers are taken internally, they must be wrapped in food; otherwise, they will cause blistering of the oral mucosa. If this product is to be used internally, it must be processed using the same method as for Pinellia. Unprocessed material must not be taken internally. For poisoning resulting from internal use, the juice of Aristolochia root ground in water or its decoction may serve as an antidote.
Selected Formulas
For venomous snake bites (Chinese Materia Medica) Take 3–9g of fresh Li Tou Jian (Typhonium divaricatum) tuber. Crush and apply around the wound. For carbuncles, deep-rooted sores, swelling, and pain (Chinese Materia Medica) Take an appropriate amount of Li Tou Jian tuber, grind into powder, add a little realgar, grind again, then mix with vinegar into a paste and apply externally. For hemangioma (National Compilation of Chinese Herbal Medicine) Take fresh Li Tou Jian tuber, grind with rice wine (or distilled liquor) to obtain juice, and apply externally 3–4 times daily. For tuberculous lymphadenitis (National Compilation of Chinese Herbal Medicine) Take an appropriate amount of fresh whole plant of Li Tou Jian, add a little vinegar and glutinous rice, crush together, and apply to the affected area. Change twice daily. For traumatic injuries (empirical formula) Take an appropriate amount of fresh Li Tou Jian tuber, crush and apply to the affected area. For traumatic bleeding (empirical formula) Take an appropriate amount of Li Tou Jian tuber, grind into powder, and sprinkle over the affected area. For acute mastitis (empirical formula) Take an appropriate amount of fresh Li Tou Jian tuber, crush and apply externally.
Medicinal Parts
Tuber and whole plant.
Selection & Storage
Dried material should be stored in a well-ventilated, dry place. Protect from moisture and insect damage. Airtight storage is recommended. Avoid direct sunlight. Fresh material should be used promptly or refrigerated for short-term storage. Special note: Common Typhonium is toxic. It should be stored separately from other medicinal materials and clearly labeled with a prominent toxicity warning to prevent accidental misuse.
