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Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F is a plant of the genus Tripterygium of the family celastraceae. Many preparations, mainly from its root, have been used clinically, among which the polyglycoside (TP) has shown better effects.
Many side-effects, however, have been reported. About 45% of patients who received TP complained of such adverse effects as skin rashes, skin pigmentation, stomatitis and softening of finger nails. In female patients treated with TP, reduction of menses was noted 4 weeks after initiation of therapy, and amenorrhea was observed in 30% and 90% of the cases respectively 3 months after and 6 months after starting use of the extract.
Amongst male patients, sperm count and motility was reduced and the sperm disappeared completely after a month. In general, the longer the duration of administration and the older the patients, the smaller the probability of their menses or sperm returning to normal. Frequent upper abdominal pain, nausea and reduced appetite were also reported, and impairment of hepatic and renal functions appeared in a few cases. [Chin Med J (Taipei) 1996; 57: S35]
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Lei Gong Teng can help with the following: | | | | | Autoimmune |  Ankylosing Spondylitis | Ankylosing spondylitis responded to TP (polyglycoside extract of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F), sulfasalazine and methotrexate with effectiveness rates of 85%, 60% and 60% respectively after 6 months of treatment. In most cases treated with TP, alleviation was noted in symptoms of the spine and joints 2 weeks after starting the extract, and improvement in pain and swelling of joints and backache was observed 2 weeks later. [Chin Med J (Taipei) 1996; 57: S35] |
 Lupus, SLE (Systemic Lupus Erythromatosis)| | Amongst patients with lupus nephritis who were unresponsive to prednisone and other immunosuppressive drugs, combined administration of prednisone and TP (polyglycoside extract of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F) resulted in reduction or even complete disappearance of protien in the urine in 40-50% of cases. Many side-effects, however, have been reported. [Chin Med J (Taipei) 1996; 57: S35] |
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Musculo-Skeletal |
Rheumatoid Arthritis| | Treatment with an extract of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (360-570mg per day) improved clinical manifestations and laboratory findings in a study of 13 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Three patients withdrew during the first 16 weeks of
dose escalation, including one patient who developed diastolic hypertension at a dose of 180mg per day. [J Rheumatol 2001;28(10): pp.2160-7] |
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KEY | | Likely to help | | | Highly recommended |
GLOSSARY
Abdomen (Abdominal)
That part of the body between the chest and the hips that contains the stomach, intestines, liver, bladder, pancreas and other organs.
Amenorrhea
Absence or suppression of menses. Primary amenorrhea is the failure to begin menses by age 16, secondary amenorrhea is tardy menses (from pregnancy, stress, dieting, illness or intensive physical training) in the previously menstruating woman.
Diastolic
Pertaining to the relaxation phase of the heartbeat, or period when the heart muscle is resting and filling with blood. When used in blood pressure readings (for example 120/80), it refers to the second/lower number.
Hypertension
High blood pressure. Hypertension increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure because it adds to the workload of the heart, causing it to enlarge and, over time, to weaken; in addition, it may damage the walls of the arteries.
Kidneys (Kidney, Renal)
Bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist. They are located near the middle of the back, just below the rib cage. The kidneys are sophisticated reprocessing machines, each day handling about 50 gallons of blood to sift out about half a gallon of waste products and extra water. The waste and extra water become urine, which flows to the bladder through tubes called ureters. The actual filtering occurs in tiny units inside the kidneys called nephrons. Every kidney has about a million nephrons. In a nephron, a glomerulus -- which is a tiny blood vessel, or capillary -- intertwines with a tiny urine-collecting tube called a tubule. A complicated chemical exchange takes place, as waste materials and water leave your blood and enter your urinary system. The kidneys recycle chemicals such as sodium, phosphorus, and potassium and thus regulate their levels. Renal: Pertaining to the kidneys.
Liver (Hepatic)
The largest and one of the most complex organs of the body, the liver is responsible for much of the metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. It is the site of much of the body's detoxification. It is connected very closely with digestion and the regulation of blood sugar, among many other functions. Found behind the ribs on the right side of the abdomen, it has many important functions such as removing harmful material from the blood, making enzymes and bile that help digest food, and converting food into substances needed for life and growth. Hepatic: Pertaining to the liver.
Menstruation (Menses, Menstrual, Menstrual Cycle, Menstrual Cycles, Menstrual Flow, Menstrual Phase, Monthly Cycle)
The periodic discharge of blood, tissue fluid and mucus from the endometrium (lining of the uterus) that usually lasts from 3 - 5 days. It is caused by a sudden reduction in estrogens and progesterone.
Milligram (mg, Milligrams)
0.001 or a thousandth of a gram.
Motility
Capacity for spontaneous movement, frequently in reference to the intestine.
Nausea
Symptoms resulting from an inclination to vomit.
Nephritis
Kidney inflammation.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
A long-term, destructive connective tissue disease that results from the body rejecting its own tissue cells (autoimmune reaction).
Spondylitis
Inflammation of one or more vertebrae.
Stomatitis
Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the mouth.
Last updated: Apr 13, 2008
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