A decidious woody shrub growing to 2-5m. Stems upright to slightly arching. Leaves small, fresh green, trilobed to palmately divided. Flowers are hermaphrodite. Berry bluish black and decorative, occurring in several axillary as well as terminal round clusters.

Tonic (leafy shoots); antibacterial, antirheumatic and diuretic (root); aphrodisiac, nutritive and tonic (plant)

Plants For A Future

Linoleic acid, palmitic acid (plant)

The leafy shoots are used to alleviate internal injuries by dispelling blood. The root of the herb, known as Cortex Acanthopanacis is used in the treatment of arthritis, backache, for rheumatic or rheumatoid arthritis due to deficiency of the liver and kidney with aching and weakness of the loins and knees, edema as well as muscular contracture. For edema, the root is used with Sclerotium Poriae Cocos (Fu Ling) and Pericarpium Arecae (Da Fu Pi). The decoction of the stem bark or the roots are used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, aches and pains in the back and legs, open sores on the scrotum, beriberi and traumatic injuries.

Jing-Nuan Wu. An Illustrated Chinese Materia Medica. P: 34, Oxford University Press, Inc.2005.