Strychnos nux vomica is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, but it is so toxic

Strychnos nux vomica is the seed of the plants Strychnos nux vomica and Strychnos yunnanensis of the Logarithaceae family. It is mainly used to treat stubborn rheumatism, numbness and paralysis, injuries from falls, swelling and pain from carbuncles; sequelae of polio, and rheumatoid joint pain. It should be noted that it is highly toxic and should not be taken internally for a long time, and is prohibited for pregnant women.

1. Main effects

Strychnos nux vomica is the seed of the plants Strychnos nux vomica and Strychnos yunnanensis of the Logarithaceae family. It is mainly used to treat stubborn rheumatism, numbness and paralysis, injuries from falls, swelling and pain from carbuncles; sequelae of polio, and rheumatoid joint pain.

1. Efficacy: dissipate stagnation and reduce swelling, dredge meridians and relieve pain

2. Nature and flavor: bitter, cold, highly toxic, enters the liver and spleen meridians

3. Usage: For internal use, it can be made into pills or powders, 0.3-0.6g per day. For external use, grind into powder and apply on the patient.

4. Note: Do not take it for a long time orally. Pregnant women are prohibited from taking it. Overdose can cause limb tremors, convulsions, breathing difficulties, and even coma.

Strychnos nux vomica is highly poisonous, but it is effective in treating diseases. When used clinically, Strychnos nux vomica must be processed in a standardized manner and the dosage must be accurate. Because of its ability to open up the meridians and relieve pain, Strychnos nux vomica is often used clinically to treat rheumatic pain and meridian spasm, and is often used in combination with drugs such as Notopterygium wilfordii, Chuanwu, frankincense, and myrrh. In traumatology and surgery, Strychnos nux vomica is used to eliminate swelling and relieve pain, and is used to treat symptoms of swelling and pain caused by falls, fractures, and other blood stasis. It can be used together with natural copper, bone-healing herb, frankincense, and myrrh. The Medical Records of Combining Chinese and Western Medicine says that Strychnos nux vomica "is better than other medicines in opening up meridians and penetrating joints". The clinical application of Strychnos nux vomica has lasted for nearly a thousand years, which shows that it has remarkable effects and can be described as "a strong poison that can cure serious illnesses." But at the same time, because it is a "poison", its clinical application is also limited. Symptoms of poisoning: Initially, there are headaches, dizziness, irritability, increased breathing, muscle cramps, difficulty swallowing, increased breathing, pupil constriction, chest tightness, difficulty breathing, and whole body tightening. Then, the extensor and flexor muscles contract extremely at the same time, and there is excessive sensitivity to hearing, vision, taste, and feeling. Then, typical symptoms of convulsions occur, and finally, death occurs due to respiratory muscle rigidity and suffocation.

2. Factors Affecting the Toxicity of Nux Vomica

1. The quality of processed Strychnine is generally judged by the strychnine content in the processed product, with the purpose of reducing the content of strychnine, which has poor efficacy and high toxicity. There are many traditional preparation methods. In the Ming Dynasty, there were methods such as tofu preparation (Compendium of Materia Medica) and beef frying (Jinfan); in the Qing Dynasty, there were methods such as frying in sesame oil, soaking to remove hair (Liangpeng), and deep-frying in water and then re-frying with earth powder (Quanshengji). At present, there are two main methods widely used in the country, namely sand frying and frying, which have been included in the "Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China" as legal methods. The sand frying method is to stir-fry until there is a loud popping sound, the surface bulges, and breaks when pressed, and the appearance turns brown-yellow. The sand temperature should be 240℃~250℃, and the time is 3~4 minutes. The oil temperature for frying should be 250℃. After high-temperature treatments such as sand frying or frying, a large amount of strychnine with low efficacy and high toxicity is destroyed and lost, while strychnine is partially destroyed, and at the same time, bioalkalis with low toxicity such as iso-strychnine and iso-strychnine are generated.

2. Compatibility: The preface to "Shennong Bencao Jing" says: "If it is poisonous, it should be controlled, and those that fear and kill each other can be used." Studies have shown that musk and Corydalis yanhusuo can enhance the toxicity of strychnos nux vomica, so they should not be used together. Red peony root can reduce the toxicity of Strychnos nux vomica. Strychnos nux vomica combined with a certain amount of red peony root can reduce its toxicity. As the dosage of red peony root increases, the degree of reduction of Strychnos nux vomica toxicity increases. Licorice also has an effect on the toxicity of Strychnos nux vomica. It has been reported that decocting Strychnos nux vomica with more than twice the amount of licorice can reduce or eliminate the toxic effects of Strychnos nux vomica.

3. Dosage: The therapeutic dose of Strychnos nux vomica is close to the toxic dose, so it must be used with caution in clinical application. It can be started with a small dose of 0.3 to 0.6 grams, and then made into pills or powders after processing. The strychnine content is controlled at around 6 mg. Due to differences in the patient's physique, age, etc., the actual application should be different for each person, and the standard should be based on the recovery of the disease.