gou teng

钩藤·Ramulus Uncariae Cum Uncis

gambir plant

About gou teng

Gou Teng (钩藤) is the hooked vine of uncaria, a plant of the madder family, recorded as Ramulus Uncariae Cum Uncis — the Latin naming the hooks the Chinese name also points to. It is sweet in flavour and slightly cold, entering the Liver and Pericardium channels. The catalogue files it among the substances that extinguish Wind and stop tremors.

Names

Pinyingou teng
Chinese钩藤
Latin NameRamulus Uncariae Cum Uncis
English Namegambir plant·Uncaria Vine
Japanesekoko·koto
Koreankudeung

Classification

Channels
Pericardium, Liver
Flavour
Sweet
Temperature
Slightly Cold
Part used
Vine
Family
Rubiaceae
Species
Uncaria rhynchophylla
Tags
Chinese Herbs, Common

Actions and indications

Extinguishes Wind and stops spasms

  • Liver Heat generating Wind, with tremor, seizures or eclampsia
  • Convulsions in children, and sudden spasms

Clears Liver Heat and calms Liver Yang

  • Liver Fire or rising Liver Yang with headache, dizziness, red eyes and irritability
  • Hypertension (a more recent use)
  • Upward-surging patterns from Liver Heat, combined with herbs that clear Heat and settle Yang

Releases the Exterior

  • Fever, headache and red eyes from Wind-Heat in the Exterior

Combinations

Dosage

AgeRawGranuleTinctureConcentrateFrequency
Any 6-16g; Tincture: 2-4ml6-16 g2-4 ml

Cautions

Interactions

Drug interactions