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Uncaria, Gou Teng 钩藤

Gou Teng (TCM)
Khung sder  ཁུང་སྡེར་ ("Claws of Garuda") (Tibet)
Ohwi, J. , Flora of Japan (1965)

Photo of branch showing the curved hooks
(Photo by keisotyo)

Botanical name:
Uncaria spp.
Various species are used:
  1. U. rhynchophylla
  2. U. macrophylla
  3. U. hirsuta
  4. U. sinensis
  5. U. sessiliffructus
  6. U. scandens (syn. U. pilosa, also used in Tibet)
  7. U. lancifolia
  8. U. yunnanensis
Uncaria scandens, used in Tibetan Medicine (probably along with other species) has been regarded as equivalent to the Uncaria species supplying Gou Teng.

Parts used:
Vine stem with hooks. Formerly the vine bark was used.

Temperature & Taste:
Cool, dry. Sweet

Classifications:
I. Medicines for Internal Wind

Uses:
1. Settles Wind, Stops Spasms:
-Spasms, Tremors, Seizures
-Convulsions including those from high Fever; Epilepsy
-Dizziness, Vertigo
-Eclampsia
-'12 kinds of Epilepsy and Convulsion'. (Ming Yi Bie Lu)

2. Clears Liver Wind-Heat:
-Headache, Irritability, dizziness, red eyes
-Hypertension
-'eliminates Heat in the Heart' (Li Shi Zhen)

3. Clears Wind, Relieves the Exterior:
-Fever, Headache, Red and itchy eyes
-'infantile disease with chills and fever' (Ming Yi Bie Lu)
-Heat diseases from Toxin; Poisoning (Tibet)


Dose:
Decoction: 6–15 grams. It should not be decocted too long, so should be added in the last few minutes of boiling.
Powder: 1–4 grams

Main Combinations:
Usually combined with Gastrodia Tian Ma

1. Convulsions, Childhood Convulsions, Seizures:
i. Childhood convulsions from Internal Wind, Uncaria Gou Teng with Gastrodia Tian Ma, Scorpion (Quan Xie), White Silkworm (Bai Jiang Can), Cicada shell (Chan Tui) (as in Gou Teng Yin Zi from Xiao Er Yao Zheng Zhi Jue [Key to Syndrome Identification and Treatment of Diseases in Infants]).
ii. from High Fever, Uncaria Gou Teng with Scorpion (Quan Xie), Antelope horn (Ling Yang Jiao)
iii. Childhood Convulsions, Uncaria Gou Teng with Tabasheer (Tian Zhu Huang), Coptis Huang Lian, Cicada shell (Chan Tui)
iv. Childhood Convulsions, Uncaria Gou Teng with Gypsum Shi Gao, Dragon Teeth (Long Chi), Gardenia Zhi Zi
v. Antelope horn (Ling Yang Jiao) with Uncaria Gou Teng and Rehmannia Sheng Di Huang
vi. Febrile Convulsions, Uncaria Gou Teng with Antelope horn (Ling Yang Jiao), Gastrodia Tian Ma, Tabasheer (Tian Zhu Huang)
vii. Uncaria Gou Teng with Antelope horn (Ling Yang Jiao), Scorpion (Quan Xie)
viii. Uncaria Gou Teng with Herb Paris (Chong Lou), Cicada Slough (Chan Tui),
ix. Uncaria Gou Teng with Cowrie shell, Gastrodia Tian Ma, Gypsum Shi Gao, Antelope horn (Ling Yang Jiao)
x. Seizure disorders, Uncaria Gou Teng with Curcuma Yu Jin, Antelope horn (Ling Yang Jiao), Uncaria Gou Teng, Tabasheer (Tian Zhu Huang)
2. Childhood Epilepsy, Uncaria Gou Teng with Saltpeter (Potassium nitrate) and Licorice (Gan Cao) (as in Yan Ling San from Tai ping sheng hui fang [Taiping Holy Prescriptions for Universal Relief]).
3. Night Terrors in Children, Uncaria Gou Teng with Cicada shell (Chan Tui), Scorpion (Quan Xie), White Dead Silkworm (Bai Jiang Can)
4. Dizziness, Vertigo:
i. Uncaria Gou Teng with Gastrodia Tian Ma, Chrysanthemum Ju Hua, Abalone shell (Shi Jue Ming)
ii. Uncaria Gou Teng with Gastrodia Tian Ma, Achyranthes Niu Xi, Mistletoe (Sang Ji Sheng), Eucommia Du Zhong, Abalone shell (Shi Jue Ming) (as in Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin)
5. Liver Heat with Headache, Dizziness:
i. Uncaria Gou Teng with Self Heal (Xia Ku Cao), Scutellaria Huang Qin
ii. Uncaria Gou Teng with Chrysanthemum Ju Hua with Peony (Bai Shao), Mulberry leaf (Sang Ye)
6. Hypertension, Uncaria Gou Teng with Self Heal (Xia Ku Cao), Chrysanthemum Ju Hua, Abalone shell (Shi Jue Ming)
7. External Wind-Heat, Uncaria Gou Teng with Peppermint (Bo He) and Schizonepetae Jing Jie

Major Formulas:
Gou Teng San
Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin
Ling Jiao Gou Teng Tang
Bo Ying Compound (TCM patent)
Zheng Tian Wan (TCM Patent)
Yi Gan San
E Jiao Ji Zi Huang Tang

Cautions:
1. Generally not used in the markedly weak (severe Qi deficiency)
2. Generally only used for Wind-Heat disorders.
3. Occasional adverse reactions occur including bradycardia, dizziness, rashes, reduced menstrual flow; these symptoms usually disappear spontaneously.

Main Preparations used: