Pinellia

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Pinellia is a genus of plants in the family Araceae. The processed root, known as Zhi ban xia or Ban xia, is one of the most important herbs in Chinese Medicine to transform phlegm and stop coughing. The herb is warm and drying and should be used only in people who are not hot or dry (known as yin deficient.) It is used in small (3-6 gram)dosages in herbal formulas to warmly dry the lungs, to stop nausea and vomiting, and to address goiters or scrofula. Slices of the dried root are also used as a base for moxibustion. Because the raw root is toxic, it is soaked in water to remove oxalates and other irritants, or processed with ginger. Unprocessed root is only used externally in Chinese Medicine.^[1]

Species include Pinellia ternata(Chinese:半夏, Japanese:カラスビシャク).

Constituents: Calcium oxalate, pinellin, oleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid,l-ephedrine hypochloride, trigonellin, beta sistosterol, beta sistosterol glycoside, choline, daucosterol, guanosine, citrulline, aspartic acid, arginine.^[2]

When listed as an ingredient in a supplement for weight loss or energy, "pinellia" has been charged with indicating the presence of Ephedra alkaloids,^[3] which would be a violation of labeling laws. Pinellia is unlikely to be a source of ephedrine for weight loss products due to its toxicity issues.

[edit] References

1. ^ Dan Bensky, Steven Clavey, Erich Stoger, and Andrew Gamble. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, Third Edition,2004: 413-418
2. ^ Dan Bensky, Steven Clavey, Erich Stoger, and Andrew Gamble. Chinese Herbal Medicine: Materia Medica, Third Edition,2004: 417
3. ^ http://onhealth.webmd.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=56633&pf=3&page=1