Quassia Wood – 1 lb (454 g)

Quassia Wood, known in Chinese as 苦木 (Kǔmù) and scientifically as Ramulus et Folium Picrasmae, is a valued herb in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This TCM herb has been traditionally used to support natural wellness, maintain vitality, and encourage holistic balance. At TCMforyou.com, we provide premium-quality Quassia Wood carefully sourced to preserve its therapeutic properties.

As a herbal supplement, Quassia Wood helps promote overall well-being and supports natural energy, immunity, and balance. Integrating this herb into your wellness routine offers a gentle, time-tested approach to enhancing daily health. Whether brewed as tea, added to herbal remedies, or taken as part of a TCM formula, Quassia Wood provides a safe, natural way to experience the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine.

Trusted for centuries, Quassia Wood has been used in TCM to harmonize the body and encourage optimal functioning of key systems. At TCMforyou, we prioritize authenticity and quality. Each batch undergoes rigorous testing to ensure purity and potency, delivering an herbal product aligned with traditional practices.

Experience the natural support of Quassia Wood, promoting immune health, vitality, and holistic well-being. Embrace the wisdom of TCM and incorporate this gentle, effective herbal remedy into your daily wellness journey.

[Overview] This herb is also known as Kudanmu, Kupi Shu, Goudanmu, and Tuku Lian. It is the twigs and leaves of Picrasma quassioides (D.Don) Benn., a plant of the Simaroubaceae family. It is mainly produced in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, and other regions. It can be harvested year-round; after removing the bark from the stems, it is washed, sliced, and sun-dried.

[Properties] Bitter in taste, cold in nature, slightly toxic. Enters the Lung and Large Intestine meridians.

[Actions] Clears heat, dispels dampness, detoxifies.

[Applications]
1. Used for wind-heat external contraction with sore throat, cough, and sputum; often combined with Lonicera japonica (Jinyinhua), Forsythia suspensa (Lianqiao), Scutellaria baicalensis (Huangqin), etc.
2. Used for diarrhea, dysentery, hypochondriac pain, and jaundice caused by damp-heat. For damp-heat diarrhea and dysentery, it is combined with Coptis chinensis (Chuanlian), Portulaca oleracea (Machixian), Aucklandia lappa (Muxiang), Gentiana macrophylla (Qinjiao), etc.; for damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder causing hypochondriac pain and jaundice, it is often combined with Lysimachia christinae (Jinqiancao), Artemisia capillaris (Yinchen), Curcuma longa (Yujin), Plantago asiatica (Cheqianzi), etc. It is currently commonly used to treat acute and chronic cholecystitis.
3. Used externally for sores, carbuncles, swelling and toxicity, eczema, scabies, burns from fire or water, and poisonous snake bites.

[Dosage and Administration] Internal use: decoction; twigs 3–4.5 g, leaves 1–3 g. Or used in pills or powders. External use: appropriate amount, ground into powder and sprinkled or made into a paste; or decoction for washing.

[Cautions] This herb has certain toxicity; overdose may cause nausea and vomiting. Use with caution during pregnancy.

[Modern Research]
1. Chemical constituents: The twigs contain seven alkaloids named Kumu alkaloids A, B, C, D, E, F, and H. The wood has yielded several compounds including picrasmin, isopicrasmin, quassin, picrasmin hemiacetate, and picrasmin lactone, as well as 2,6-dimethoxyquinone and 2,4-dichloro-6-aminopyridine.
2. Pharmacological effects: Picrasmin B isolated from Picrasma inhibits the growth of lymphocytic leukemia P388 cell line in vitro; it also inhibits Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Shigella dysenteriae. Picrasmin shows in vitro inhibitory effects on amoebae and trichomonads; exhibits antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus in vitro; total alkaloids from Picrasma have antihypertensive effects.
3. Clinical reports: Hypertension—oral administration of Picrasma slices (each containing 3 mg total alkaloids), three times daily, one slice each time. In a total of 52 cases treated, the effective rate was 65.4% after 10 days. [Zhongyao Tongbao, 1983, 8(1):40]