Sophora Root – 1 lb (454 g)

Sophora Root, known in Chinese as 苦参 (Kǔcān) and scientifically as Radix Sophorae Flavescentis, 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 Sophora Root carefully sourced to preserve its therapeutic properties.

As a herbal supplement, Sophora Root 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, Sophora Root provides a safe, natural way to experience the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine.

Trusted for centuries, Sophora Root 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 Sophora Root, 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 Kugu, Chuanshen, Niushen, and Dishen. It is the root of the Fabaceae plant Sophora flavescens Ait. It is distributed throughout China. Harvested in autumn by digging out the roots, removing root tips, small lateral roots, and above-ground parts, then washing off soil, cleaning, and drying, or slicing fresh and drying.

[Properties] Bitter in taste, cold in nature. Enters the Heart, Lung, Stomach, Large Intestine, and Bladder meridians.

[Actions] Clears heat and dries dampness, dispels wind and kills parasites.

[Applications]
1. Used for damp-heat diarrhea and dysentery, jaundice, stranguria, and leukorrhea. For diarrhea and dysentery, it can be used alone for effect or combined with Bai Tou Weng (Pulsatilla), Huang Qin (Scutellaria), etc. If damp-heat injures the intestinal collaterals causing intestinal wind with bloody stools, hemorrhoidal bleeding, or clear leukorrhea, it is appropriate to combine with Sheng Di Huang (Rehmannia), Ce Bai Ye (Platycladus leaf), Di Yu (Sanguisorba), etc. For damp-heat jaundice, it is combined with Yin Chen (Artemisia), Shan Zhi (Gardenia), Hu Zhang (Reynoutria), etc. For damp-heat stranguria with difficult urination, it is combined with Che Qian Zi (Plantago seed), Hua Shi (Talcum), Ze Xie (Alisma), etc. For damp-heat leukorrhea with yellow color, foul odor, vulvar itching, or cervical erosion, it is often combined with Huang Bai (Phellodendron) and Chuan Gen Pi (Toona bark).
2. Used for leprosy, scabies, and skin itching, both internal and external use are applicable. For leprosy, it can be combined with Da Feng Zi (Toxicodendron) soaked in wine for internal use and Kushen decoction for external washing. For scabies, Kushen decoction alone or combined with She Chuang Zi (Cnidium), Bai Fan (Alum), Jing Jie Sui (Schizonepeta spikes) for washing. For skin itching and impetigo, its decoction can be used externally.
Additionally, Kushen can be used for carbuncles and sores, oral ulcers, otitis media, etc. Currently, it is clinically used to treat arrhythmia and leukopenia caused by radiotherapy and chemotherapy with good efficacy.

[Dosage and Administration] Internal use: decoction, 4.5–9 g; or incorporated into pills or powders. External use: appropriate amount, decocted water for fumigation and washing; or powdered for topical application.

[Cautions] Contraindicated in patients with spleen and stomach deficiency cold. Antagonistic with Veratrum.

[Modern Research]
1. Chemical constituents: Kushen root contains various alkaloids, mainly matrine and oxymatrine, also including 5-hydroxymatrine, sophocarpine, N-methylcytisine, sophoramine, sophoridine, oxysophoridine, sophocarpidine, sophorotylin, and oxysophorotylin. It also contains kushenone, kushenol, kushenol alcohol, yellow decay alcohol, isoyellow decay alcohol, and isodehydrated epimedium flavonoids. Additionally, the root contains kushenoside I, II, III, IV, soy saponin I, and kushenquinone A.
2. Pharmacological effects: Kushen preparations inhibit various experimental arrhythmias, slow heart rate, and prolong atrioventricular conduction time; matrine has anti-myocardial ischemia, myocardial protection, and blood pressure lowering effects; matrine and oxymatrine have significant analgesic and sedative effects and reduce normal rat body temperature; matrine markedly antagonizes histamine, acetylcholine, and barium chloride-induced excitation of tracheal smooth muscle and intestinal muscle; total alkaloids, matrine, sophoridine, and oxymatrine inhibit mouse sarcoma S180, mouse cervical cancer U14, sarcoma S37, ascitic sarcoma S180A, and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (ECA); total alkaloids and oxymatrine significantly increase peripheral white blood cells in normal rabbits; oxymatrine also treats or prevents leukopenia induced by cobalt-60 γ-irradiation and mitomycin C; matrine shows clear inhibitory effects on dysentery bacillus, Escherichia coli, Proteus, beta-hemolytic streptococcus, and Staphylococcus aureus.
3. Clinical reports: 1. Trichomonal pyelonephritis: Kushen capsules (each containing 5 g crude drug), 4 capsules per dose, three times daily for 15 days. Among 91 cases treated, 87 cured, 2 improved, 2 ineffective, 6 relapsed; total effective rate 97.8%. [Sichuan Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1983,(3):28]
2. Drug-resistant bacterial dysentery: Kushen powder encapsulated, 0.5 g per capsule, 6 capsules orally each time, 3 times daily. Simultaneously, 100 g Kushen decocted twice, concentrated to 100 ml (reduced for children), retained as enema before sleep once nightly, retention time as long as possible, preferably until next day. One course is 10 days, efficacy evaluated after 3 courses. Among 58 cases treated, all cured within 3 courses; recent cure rate 100%. [Sichuan Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2002, 20(11):48]
3. Senile acute non-lymphocytic leukemia: Kushen injection 500 mg added to 500 ml 5% glucose intravenous drip once daily for 26 cases. Results: complete remission 4 cases, partial remission 8 cases, no remission 14 cases; total remission rate 46.15%. [Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1993,(1):18]