Stephania tetrandra.  汉 防 己 Hàn fáng jǐ    Stephania Family: Menispermaceae 
PART USED: Root- harvested in Autumn
Nature: Cold         FLAVOR: Bitter, acrid     CHANNELS: Bladder, Lung, Spleen
FUNCTIONS - Similar to Mu Fang ji
GROUP: Diuretic- increase urine by 47% in tests.[2]
1. Promotes urination and reduces edema.[3]
2. Expel Wind Damp and aleviates pain.[1,1] Bring down blood pressure.[1]
ACTIONS
INDICATIONS
1. Edema- especially in the lower parts of the body, Damp leg qi, gurgling sound in the intestines, abdominal distention, or ascites due to Dampness accumulating in the lower Burner.[3] Edema with body weak.[2] Edema, diminished urination.[1]
2. Wind Damp painful obstruction collecting in the channels; Fever and red, swollen, hot, and painful joints.[3] Pain in limbs, rheumatic arthritis, hypertension, carbuncle, eczema, ulcer of lower limbs.[1]
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Use with caution in cases of Yin deficiency.[3] Interior Dampness.[3]
PATENT COMBINATIONS
COMBINATIONS
COMPARISON with Cocculus trilobus- Mu fang ji.[2]
Both similar
Mu fang ji- Effective in dispersing Wind and also Damp.
Han fang ji- Primarily for dispersing Damp and diuretic    
 PREPARATIONS: Dried root 4-9 g.[1,3] 6-15 g.[2] Good quality if firm and powdery.

References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Constituents
Research
The oral LD50 of Han fang ji in mice is 241g/kg, and the intraperitoneal LD50 is 2.3g/kg.[2]
References
[1] Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica- Dan Bensky and Andrew Gamble- Eastland Press 1986 Seattle Washington ISBN 0-939616-15-7

Anti-inflammatory effects of Stephania tetrandra S. Moore on interleukin-6 production and experimental inflammatory disease models
H-S. Kang, Y-H. Kim, C-S. Lee, J-J. Lee, I. Choi,corresponding author and K-H. Pyun
Abstract
Deregulation of interleukin-6 (IL-6) expression caused the synthesis and release of many inflammatory mediators. It is involved in chronic inflammation, autoimmune diseases, and malignancy. Stephania tetrandra S. Moore is a Chinese medicinal herb which has been used traditionary as a remedy for neuralgia and arthritis in China. To investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of S. tetrandra S. Moore in vitro and in vivo, its effects on the production of IL-6 and inflammatory mediators were analysed. When human monocytes/macrophages stimulated with silica were treated with 0.1–10 μg/ml S. tetranda S. Moore, the production of IL-6 was inhibited up to 50%. At these concentrations, it had no cytotoxicity effect on these cells. It also suppressed the production of IL-6 by alveolar macrophages stimulated with silica. In addition, it inhibited the release of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide from human monocytes/macrophages. To assess the anti-fibrosis effects of S. tetrandra S. Moore, its effects on in vivo experimental inflammatory models were evaluated. In the experimental silicosis model, IL-6 activities in the sera and in the culture supernatants of pulmonary fibroblasts were also inhibited by it. In vitro and in vivo treatment of S. tetrandra S. Moore reduced collagen production by rat lung fibroblasts and lung tissue. Also, S. tetrandra S. Moore reduced the levels of serum GOT and GPT in the rat cirrhosis model induced by CCL4, and it was effective in reducing hepatic fibrosis and nodular formation. Taken together, these data indicate that it has a potent anti-inflammatory and antifibrosis effect by reducing IL-6 production. Mediators Inflamm. 1996 Sep; 5(4): 280–291.
doi: 10.1155/S0962935196000415
PMCID: PMC2365809 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Therapeutic efficacy of Stephania tetrandra S. Moore for treatment of neovascularization of retinal capillary (retinopathy) in diabetes--in vitro study.
Liang XC, Hagino N, Guo SS, Tsutsumi T, Kobayashi S.
Abstract
The present study was designed to examine therapeutic efficacy of the root extract of Stephania Tetrandra S. Moore (STMS) (traditional Chinese medicine; Han Fang Ji) for treatment of neovascularization of the retinal capillary (retinopathy) in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats (STZ diabetic rats) in culture. Recently we have established the culture system in which fetal bovine serum (FBS) in Dulbecco modified Eagle medium (DMEM) induced neovascularization of the retinal capillary and choroidal capillary in normal rats in culture. STZ diabetic rats showed more neovascularization of the retinal capillary and choroidal capillary than did normal rats in culture. In this study, the retinal tissue was removed for the posterior ocular region and cultured in DMEM containing FBS. The choroidal tissue of the posterior ocular region was also removed and cultured as an internal reference. Administration of STSM (0.91, 9.1 and 91 microg/ml) significantly suppressed neovascularization of the retinal capillary in both STZ diabetic rats and normal rats in a dose-dependent manner. Similar results were obtained with the choroidal capillary; administration of STSM suppressed neovascularization of the choroidal capillary in both STZ diabetic rats and normal rats. In order to determine the component of STSM inhibiting neovascularization of the retinal capillary, tetrandrine (a major chemical constituent of STSM) was administered and neovascularization of the retinal capillary was examined in culture. The effect of tetrandrine on the choroidal capillary was also examined as an internal reference. Administration of tetrandrine (0.1, 1.0 and 10 microM) suppressed neovascularization of the retinal capillary in both STZ diabetic rats and normal rats in a dose-dependent manner. Similar results were obtained with the choroidal capillary of both STZ diabetic rats and normal rats. We infer, therefore, that STSM has a direct effect on the retinal capillary of posterior ocular region and suppresses neovascularization of retinal capillary in STZ diabetic rats through the activation of tetrandrine. These results suggest that STSM may prevent for delay the progression of retinopathy in diabetic patients.
PMID: 12222655 DOI: 10.1078/09447110260571599
Phytomedicine. 2002 Jul;9(5):377-84. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Suppressive effects of Stephania tetrandra on the neutrophil function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Sekiya N, Shimada Y, Niizawa A, Kogure T, Mantani N, Sakai S, Hikiami H, Terasawa K.
Abstract
Crude preparations of Stephania tetrandra (ST), a traditional herbal medicine, have been used safely for arthritis and silicosis in China. The concentration of granulocyte elastase - alpha 1 protease inhibitor complex in plasma is enhanced in inflammatory processes, e.g. in septicaemia and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), being an expression of granulocyte activation during inflammatory response. It has previously been reported that ST showed beneficial and immunomodulatory effects in the treatment of relatively mild RA. After the administration of ST for 12 weeks, the proportion of granulocytes and the granulocyte count in peripheral blood decreased significantly. The lipid peroxide and human granulocyte elastase levels of stored plasma declined significantly. Furthermore, both the leukocyte/elastase ratio and granulocyte/elastase ratio increased significantly. The findings of this study suggest that the suppressive effect of ST administration on excessive granulocyte activation resulted in the improvement of inflammation with rheumatoid arthritis.
PMID: 15103675 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.1396 Phytother Res. 2004 Mar;18(3):247-9. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effects of oral administration of Stephania tetrandra S. Moore on neovascularization of retinal and choroidal capillaries of diabetes in rats.
Tsutsumi T, Hagino N, Liang XC, Guo SS, Kobayashi S.
Abstract
In rats, an injection of streptozotocin (STZ) elevated blood levels of glucose 4 weeks later (STZ-induced diabetes) and an over-production of microvessels of retinal and choroidal capillaries of eyes developed. A previous study has shown that administration of Stephania tetrandra S. Moore (STSM) in culture prevented the over-production of microvessels of those capillaries of STZ-induced diabetes in vitro. Therefore, the study investigated whether or not orally administered STSM could inhibit over-production of microvessels of those capillaries of STZ injected rats in vivo. When STSM was given at the same time as the STZ injection and continued daily for 7 weeks, STSM prevented the elevation of blood glucose level and over-production of microvessels of those capillaries. When STSM was given after elevation of blood glucose level of glucose (4 weeks after STZ injection) and continued daily for 4 weeks, STSM lowered the elevated blood glucose level but had no effect on the over-production of microvessels of those capillaries. It was inferred that deposition of N(epsilon)(carboxymethyl) lysine in retinal and choroidal tissues, which is induced by STZ-induced diabetes may deteriorate the blood-retinal barrier and the blood-choroidal barrier. One might, therefore, speculate that advanced STZ-induced diabetes may deteriorate the blood-retinal barrier and blood-choroidal barrier. Therefore, STSM may not reach the retinal and choroidal tissues in the posterior ocular region in vivo.
PMID: 18444245 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.2202 Phytother Res. 2008 May;22(5):591-6. doi: 10.1002/ptr.2202. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Antifibrotic effect of Stephania tetrandra on experimental liver fibrosis induced by bile duct ligation and scission in rats.
Nan JX, Park EJ, Lee SH, Park PH, Kim JY, Ko G, Sohn DH.
Abstract
We examined the antifibrotic effect of a methanol extract from Stephania tetrandra (ST) on experimental liver fibrosis. Liver fibrosis was induced by bile duct ligation and scission (BDL/S) in rats. In BDL/S rats, activity levels of aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminse (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), concentration of total bilirubin in serum, and hydroxyproline content of the liver were significantly increased. The ST treatment (either 100 mg/kg/day or 200 mg/kg/day, p.o. for 4 weeks) in BDL/S rats reduced the serum AST, ALT and ALP activity levels significantly (p< 0.01). Similarly, when compared to the control group, the concentration of hydroxyproline in the livers of the BDL/S rats treated with 100mg or 200mg ST treated rats decreased by 40% and 33% respectively, when compared to the BDL/S control group (p<0.01). The morphological characteristics of fibrotic liver that were observed in the BDL/S control group, improved in the ST treated BDL/S group. In the fibrotic liver of BDL/S rats treated with ST, a marked reduction in the numbers of alpha smooth muscle cell actin positive stellate cells was observed. These results indicate that doses of either 100 or 200 mg/kg/day of methanol extract from S. tetrandra, had an antifibrotic effect in rats with liver fibrosis induced by bile duct ligation and scission.
PMID: 11059831 Arch Pharm Res. 2000 Oct;23(5):501-6. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov