Herb Rhizome (根茎 gēn jīng)

Yu zhu

Solomon's seal rhizome · 玉竹

Polygonatum odoratum (Mill.) Druce · Rhizoma Polygonati Odorati

Also known as: Wěi Ruí (葳蕤), Wěi Ruí (萎蕤), Fragrant Solomon's seal,

Yu zhu (Solomon's seal rhizome) plant

Images shown are for educational purposes only

Yu Zhu is a gentle, moistening herb from the Solomon's seal plant, prized for replenishing the body's fluids when dryness is the main problem. It is commonly used for dry cough, dry or sore throat, persistent thirst, and skin dryness, and is mild enough to be used in everyday soups and teas as well as in medicinal formulas.

Category Yin-tonifying herbs (补阴药)
Therapeutic focus Respiratory Health Digestive Health Skin Hydration Blood Sugar Support

TCM Properties

Temperature

Slightly Cool

Taste

Sweet (甘 gān)

Channels entered

Lungs, Stomach

Parts used

Rhizome (根茎 gēn jīng)

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What This Herb Does

Every herb has a specific set of actions — here's what Yu zhu does in the body, explained in both everyday and TCM terms

Therapeutic focus

In practical terms, Yu zhu is primarily used to support these areas of health:

Respiratory Health Digestive Health Skin Hydration Blood Sugar Support

TCM Actions

In TCM terminology, these are the specific therapeutic actions that Yu zhu performs to restore balance in the body:

Nourishes Yin and Moistens Dryness Generates Fluids and Relieves Thirst Extinguishes Wind and Stops Spasms

How these actions work

'Nourishes Yin and moistens dryness' means Yu Zhu replenishes the body's cooling, moistening fluids, particularly in the Lungs and Stomach. When these organs become too dry (from illness, dry weather, or chronic fluid loss), symptoms like dry cough with little phlegm, dry throat, and a parched mouth appear. Yu Zhu's sweet, moist, slightly cool nature gently restores this moisture. It is notably gentle and non-cloying, meaning it nourishes without creating sluggish digestion, making it suitable for longer-term use and for people with delicate constitutions.

'Generates fluids and quenches thirst' refers to Yu Zhu's ability to promote the body's own production of healthy fluids. This is especially relevant in conditions where excessive internal heat burns up fluids, causing intense thirst, excessive hunger despite eating, and a dry mouth. In TCM, this pattern closely relates to what is called Xiao Ke (wasting and thirsting), which overlaps significantly with diabetes in modern terms. Yu Zhu is frequently combined with herbs like Shi Gao, Zhi Mu, and Tian Hua Fen when this pattern involves strong Stomach Heat.

'Extinguishes Wind and softens the sinews' means that when fluids are severely depleted, the body's tendons and muscles lose their nourishment, leading to stiffness, cramping, spasms, or dizziness. By restoring fluids from within, Yu Zhu indirectly calms this type of internally generated Wind. This action also makes Yu Zhu useful in people with underlying Yin deficiency who catch a Wind-Heat or Wind-Warmth illness, as it supports the body's fluids while other herbs expel the pathogen, without trapping the illness inside.

Patterns Addressed

In TCM, symptoms cluster into recognizable patterns of disharmony. Yu zhu is used to help correct these specific patterns.

Why Yu zhu addresses this pattern

When the Lungs lack sufficient Yin (the cooling, moistening aspect), they become dry and irritated, producing a persistent dry cough with little or no phlegm, a scratchy or sore throat, and a hoarse voice. Yu Zhu enters the Lung channel and is sweet and slightly cool in nature. Its sweet taste nourishes and generates fluids, while its cool nature gently clears residual Heat without being too cold. This directly replenishes the Lung's lost moisture, calming the dry cough and soothing the irritated airways. Compared to stronger Yin tonics like Mai Dong or Tian Dong, Yu Zhu is less cloying, so it nourishes without creating digestive stagnation.

A practitioner would look for one or more of these signs

Dry Cough

Dry cough with little or no phlegm

Sore Throat

Dry, scratchy throat

Hoarseness

Hoarse or weak voice

Dry Mouth

Dry mouth and lips

Commonly Used For

These are conditions where Yu zhu is frequently used — but only when they arise from the specific patterns it addresses, not in all cases

Arises from: Lung Yin Deficiency

TCM Interpretation

TCM understands chronic dry cough as a condition where the Lungs have lost their essential moisture. The Lungs are described as a 'delicate organ' that is easily damaged by dryness, whether from dry weather (particularly autumn), prolonged illness, or lingering Heat that has consumed fluids. When the Lung Yin is depleted, the Lungs cannot descend Qi smoothly, and the resulting irritation triggers a dry, hacking cough with little or no phlegm. This is distinct from coughs caused by external pathogens (Cold, Wind) or phlegm accumulation.

Why Yu zhu Helps

Yu Zhu enters the Lung channel and directly replenishes the Lung's depleted fluids with its sweet, moistening nature. Its slightly cool temperature gently clears any residual Heat that is perpetuating the dryness cycle. Classical texts specifically note that Yu Zhu 'nourishes without being cloying,' meaning it moistens the Lungs effectively without creating the heavy, sticky quality that some richer tonics can produce. This makes it especially suitable for dry cough that is lingering and chronic, rather than acute, and it is often combined with Bei Sha Shen, Mai Dong, and Sang Ye in formulas like Sha Shen Mai Dong Tang for precisely this purpose.

Also commonly used for

Sore Throat

Dry, irritated throat from fluid depletion

Constipation

Dry-type constipation from fluid deficiency

Dark Skin

Skin dryness related to internal fluid deficiency

Palpitations

Heart palpitations related to Yin deficiency

Chronic Bronchitis

Chronic dry bronchial irritation

Dry Mouth

Persistent dry mouth, especially post-illness

Herb Properties

Every herb has an inherent temperature, taste, and affinity for specific channels — these properties determine how it interacts with the body

Temperature

Slightly Cool

Taste

Sweet (甘 gān)

Channels Entered

Lungs Stomach

Parts Used

Rhizome (根茎 gēn jīng)

Dosage & Preparation

These are general dosage guidelines for Yu zhu — always follow your practitioner's recommendation, as dosages vary based on the formula and your individual condition

Standard dosage

6-12g

Maximum dosage

Up to 15-30g in cases of severe Yin Deficiency with marked dryness, under practitioner guidance. Some classical sources suggest that for chronic use as a tonic, larger amounts may be taken in pill or paste form over extended periods.

Dosage notes

Use raw Yu Zhu (生玉竹) at standard doses of 6-12g for clearing Heat and nourishing Yin in conditions with more pronounced Heat signs. Steamed or prepared Yu Zhu (制玉竹/蒸玉竹) is preferred for pure tonification of Yin without significant Heat. For chronic Yin-deficiency patterns, prepared pills or pastes using larger amounts are traditionally recommended for sustained effect, as the herb's action is gentle and cumulative. When used in the Jia Jian Wei Rui Tang formula for exterior Wind-Warmth with Yin Deficiency, a dose of 6-9g is typical. For Stomach Yin Deficiency with significant thirst, doses toward the higher end of the range (10-12g) are preferred.

Preparation

No special decoction handling is required. Yu Zhu can be decocted normally with other herbs. For dietary use (soups, teas), it benefits from longer cooking times (1-2 hours) to fully extract its mucilaginous components.

Processing Methods

In TCM, the same herb can be prepared in different ways to change its effects — here's how processing alters what Yu zhu does

Processing method

The washed rhizome is placed in a steamer and steamed 2 to 3 times until the interior and exterior are uniformly black in color, then dried to half-dry, sliced, and fully dried.

How it changes properties

Steaming shifts the herb's nature from slightly cool toward neutral or slightly warm, and enhances its tonifying and nourishing properties while reducing its Heat-clearing capacity. The steamed form becomes more purely a Yin tonic, focused on deep nourishment rather than clearing Heat.

When to use this form

Choose steamed Yu Zhu (Zhi Yu Zhu) for chronic consumptive conditions, recovery from prolonged illness, and cases of Yin deficiency without significant active Heat. It is better suited for long-term tonification of the Middle Burner and replenishing fluids in later stages of warm-febrile diseases.

Common Herb Pairs

These ingredients are traditionally combined with Yu zhu for enhanced therapeutic effect

Sh
Sha Shen (Bei) 1:1 (e.g. Yu Zhu 10g : Bei Sha Shen 10g)

Yu Zhu and Bei Sha Shen together powerfully nourish Lung and Stomach Yin and generate fluids. Yu Zhu moistens without being cloying while Sha Shen clears Lung Heat and promotes fluid production, creating a balanced pair that addresses dryness throughout the upper and middle burners.

When to use: Dry cough with little phlegm, dry throat, thirst, and other signs of Lung-Stomach Yin Deficiency, especially in autumn dryness patterns or after febrile illness that has damaged fluids.

Tian Men Dong
Tian Men Dong 1:1 (e.g. Yu Zhu 10g : Mai Dong 10g)

Yu Zhu and Mai Dong are the core pair for nourishing Stomach Yin and generating fluids. Mai Dong also clears Heart Heat and moistens the intestines, broadening the scope of Yu Zhu's Yin-nourishing action. Together they treat dryness in the Lung, Stomach, and Heart systems simultaneously.

When to use: Stomach Yin Deficiency with thirst and poor appetite after febrile disease, dry cough, or internal Heat and irritability with a dry red tongue.

Cong Bai
Cong Bai 2:1 (e.g. Yu Zhu 9g : Cong Bai 2-3 stalks)

Yu Zhu nourishes Yin while Cong Bai (scallion white) gently releases the exterior and promotes sweating. This pairing allows exterior pathogens to be expelled without further damaging already-depleted Yin fluids, a strategy described as 'releasing the exterior while protecting Yin.'

When to use: Wind-Warmth exterior patterns in constitutionally Yin-deficient patients, with fever, mild chills, headache, dry throat, and a dry tongue. This is the core strategy of the classical formula Jia Jian Wei Rui Tang.

Shi Hu
Shi Hu 1:1 (e.g. Yu Zhu 10g : Shi Hu 10g)

Both herbs nourish Yin and generate fluids, but Shi Hu has a stronger action on Stomach Yin and can also clear deficiency Heat and brighten the eyes. Together they form a more powerful Yin-nourishing combination for severe Stomach Yin depletion.

When to use: Severe Stomach Yin Deficiency with persistent thirst, wasting and thirsting disorder (xiao ke), dry tongue with little coating, and deficiency Heat signs.

Key Formulas

These well-known formulas feature Yu zhu in a prominent role

Jia Jian Wei Rui Tang 加減葳蕤湯 King

This is the most iconic formula for Yu Zhu (originally called Wei Rui), where it serves as the principal herb. From the Tong Su Shang Han Lun (Popular Guide to Shanghan Lun), it treats Wind-Heat invasion in a person whose body is already Yin-deficient. Yu Zhu nourishes Lung and Stomach Yin to provide the fluid foundation for a therapeutic sweat, while gentle exterior-releasing herbs expel the pathogen. The formula perfectly showcases Yu Zhu's unique ability to tonify Yin without trapping pathogens, a property classical texts describe as 'supplementing without being cloying.'

Sha Shen Mai Men Dong Tang 沙參麥門冬湯 Deputy

One of the most widely used formulas in the Wen Bing Tiao Bian (Treatise on Warm Diseases) by Wu Jutong, treating autumn dryness that damages Lung and Stomach Yin. Yu Zhu works alongside Tian Hua Fen (Trichosanthes root) as deputy herbs to generate fluids and relieve dryness, supporting the chief herbs Sha Shen and Mai Dong that clear and nourish the Lung and Stomach. This formula is now used extensively for chronic bronchitis, chronic pharyngitis, and dry cough conditions.

Yi Wei Tang 益胃湯 Deputy

Also from the Wen Bing Tiao Bian, this formula specifically restores Stomach Yin after it has been damaged by warm-febrile disease and purgative treatment. Yu Zhu pairs with Sha Shen as deputy to reinforce the Yin-nourishing power of the chief herbs Sheng Di Huang and Mai Dong. It is a core formula for Stomach Yin deficiency patterns with poor appetite, dry mouth, and a red tongue with little coating.

Comparable Ingredients

These ingredients have overlapping uses — here's how to tell them apart

Tian Men Dong
Yu zhu vs Tian Men Dong

Both nourish Yin and moisten dryness for the Lung and Stomach. However, Mai Dong also enters the Heart channel and is better for clearing Heart Heat and treating irritability and insomnia. Yu Zhu is milder and less cloying, making it more suitable when there is an exterior Wind-Warmth pattern coexisting with Yin Deficiency, since it 'nourishes without obstructing the expulsion of pathogens.'

Huang Jing
Yu zhu vs Huang Jing

Both are Polygonatum species and nourish Yin. Huang Jing (P. sibiricum/kingianum) is warmer and more tonifying, with a stronger action on supplementing Qi and strengthening the Spleen and Kidney. Yu Zhu is cooler and more moistening, focusing specifically on Lung-Stomach Yin Deficiency and dryness. Yu Zhu is chosen when the primary issue is dryness and fluid damage; Huang Jing when there is broader Qi and Yin Deficiency with weakness.

Common Substitutes & Adulterants

Related species and common adulterations to be aware of when sourcing Yu zhu

Yu Zhu (Polygonatum odoratum) is sometimes confused with or substituted by rhizomes of related Polygonatum species, such as Tong Yu Zhu (P. inflatum) in northeastern China, Re He Huang Jing (P. macropodium) and Xiao Yu Zhu (P. humile) in northern China, or Kang Ding Yu Zhu (P. prattii) in Sichuan. These substitutes may have somewhat different chemical profiles and therapeutic effects. A more problematic adulteration involves rhizomes from the related genus Disporopsis (竹根七属), such as Shen Lie Zhu Gen Qi (D. pernyi, called 'Da Yu Zhu' in some regions) and Chang Ye Zhu Gen Qi (D. longifolia). These can be distinguished by their darker brown colour after processing, harder texture, and the presence of a secondary corolla in their flowers. Authentic Yu Zhu should have a yellowish-white, semi-transparent, waxy appearance with a sweet, sticky taste when chewed. Sulphur-fumigated product (appearing unnaturally white) should be avoided.

Educational content — always consult a qualified healthcare provider or TCM practitioner before using any herb.

Toxicity Classification

Classical Chinese pharmacopoeia toxicity rating for Yu zhu

Non-toxic

Yu Zhu is classified as non-toxic in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and has a long history of safe use as both medicine and food (it is on the official 'medicine-food dual use' list). At standard dosages there are no significant toxic concerns. Overdose may occasionally cause mild gastrointestinal discomfort such as nausea or loose stools due to its moistening nature. The berries and above-ground parts of the plant are not used medicinally and may be mildly toxic if consumed in large quantities.

Contraindications

Situations where Yu zhu should not be used or requires extra caution

Caution

Phlegm-Dampness obstruction of the Stomach or Spleen (痰湿气滞). Yu Zhu is a moistening, Yin-nourishing herb that can worsen conditions where Dampness or Phlegm is already accumulating. People with a thick greasy tongue coating, bloating, or loose stools due to Dampness should avoid it.

Caution

Spleen-Yang Deficiency with diarrhea. The slightly cold nature of Yu Zhu can further impair weak digestive function, potentially worsening loose stools and poor appetite in people with cold, weak digestion.

Caution

Internal Cold from Yin patterns (阴病内寒). As stated in the Ben Cao Chong Yuan: 'For Yin-type diseases with internal Cold, this is greatly contraindicated.' Yu Zhu's cooling, moistening nature is inappropriate when the body is already cold and deficient.

Caution

Wind-Cold exterior patterns without Yin Deficiency. Yu Zhu is only appropriate for exterior conditions when there is an underlying Yin Deficiency component. Using it for simple Wind-Cold invasion may trap the pathogen by adding moisture without releasing the exterior.

Classical Incompatibilities

Traditional Chinese pharmacological incompatibilities — herbs or substances to avoid combining with Yu zhu

Yu Zhu does not appear on the Eighteen Incompatibilities (十八反) or Nineteen Mutual Fears (十九畏) lists. The Ben Cao Bei Yao notes that Yu Zhu 'fears salty brine' (畏咸卤), which is a traditional processing-related caution rather than a formal incompatibility.

Special Populations

Important considerations for pregnancy, breastfeeding, and pediatric use

Pregnancy

Generally considered safe at standard dosages during pregnancy. Yu Zhu is a gentle, non-toxic Yin-nourishing herb with no known uterine-stimulating or teratogenic properties. It has historically been used without specific pregnancy warnings in classical texts. However, its slightly cold and moistening nature means it should be used cautiously in pregnant women with Spleen-Yang Deficiency or loose stools, as it may worsen digestive symptoms.

Breastfeeding

No specific contraindications during breastfeeding have been recorded in classical or modern sources. Yu Zhu is classified as a food-medicine dual-use herb (药食两用) by China's health authorities and is widely consumed in dietary soups and teas. Its gentle, non-toxic nature suggests a low risk profile during lactation. Standard dosages are unlikely to cause adverse effects in nursing infants. Women with weak digestion or loose stools should still exercise caution due to its moistening, slightly cold nature.

Children

Yu Zhu is generally safe for children. As a gentle, non-toxic herb classified for food-medicine dual use, it is commonly included in paediatric dietary soups in southern China. Dosage should be reduced proportionally based on age and body weight, typically one-third to one-half of the adult dose for young children. It is best avoided in infants and toddlers with immature digestive systems or those with loose stools, as its moistening nature may impair digestion.

Drug Interactions

If you are taking pharmaceutical medications, be aware of these potential interactions with Yu zhu

Yu Zhu's known pharmacological activities suggest several theoretical drug interactions, though none are extensively documented in clinical studies:

  • Hypoglycaemic medications: Yu Zhu contains compounds (including homoisoflavanones and polysaccharides) that have demonstrated blood glucose-lowering effects in animal studies. Concurrent use with insulin, metformin, or sulfonylureas may theoretically increase the risk of hypoglycaemia. Blood sugar levels should be monitored.
  • Cardiac glycosides (e.g. digoxin): Yu Zhu rhizome contains convallamarin and convallarin, cardiotonic glycosides related to those found in lily of the valley. Concurrent use with digoxin or other cardiac glycosides could theoretically potentiate cardiac effects and should be approached with caution.
  • Anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs: Some Polygonatum steroidal glycosides have shown tissue factor-inhibiting activity. While clinical significance is unclear, concurrent use with warfarin or similar drugs warrants monitoring.

Dietary Advice

Foods and dietary considerations when taking Yu zhu

Avoid excessive consumption of cold, raw, greasy, or heavy foods while using Yu Zhu, as these can generate Dampness and counteract the herb's Yin-nourishing benefits. Light, easily digestible foods that support Stomach Yin (such as congee, pears, lily bulb, and tremella mushroom) are complementary. The Ben Cao Bei Yao cautions against combining Yu Zhu with salty or briny substances (畏咸卤).

Botanical Description

Physical characteristics and morphology of the Yu zhu source plant

Polygonatum odoratum (Mill.) Druce is a perennial herbaceous plant in the Asparagaceae family (formerly classified under Liliaceae). It grows 20 to 85 cm tall, with gracefully arching, angular stems bearing alternate, simple, ovate to elliptical leaves arranged in two rows. The leaves are light green on top and slightly paler beneath. In late spring to early summer, delicate bell-shaped flowers hang from the undersides of the stems, white with greenish tips and lightly scented. After flowering, the plant produces small blue-black berries containing several seeds.

The medicinal part is the underground rhizome, which grows horizontally. It is thick, fleshy, and distinctly jointed (giving the genus its name, from Greek poly 'many' + gonu 'knee joint'). The rhizome is yellowish-white, extremely juicy and difficult to dry, remaining soft and sticky even after prolonged sun-drying. The plant thrives in cool, moist, partially shaded environments such as woodland margins, mountain slopes, and valleys at elevations of 500 to 3,000 metres across temperate Eurasia.

Sourcing & Harvesting

Where Yu zhu is sourced, when it's harvested or collected, and how to assess quality

Harvesting season

Autumn (also spring in some regions). The rhizome is typically harvested after 3 years of growth, when polysaccharide content is highest.

Primary growing regions

The premier terroir (道地药材) region for Yu Zhu is Shaoyang, Hunan Province (especially Liuze Township in Shaodong), where the cultivated product known as 'Xiang Yu Zhu' (湘玉竹) has been produced for over 200 years. This region's unique dry-heat microclimate within otherwise humid Hunan, combined with loose sandy yellow soil, produces rhizomes that are especially thick, lustrous, and high in polysaccharide content. Other important producing regions include Zhejiang, Jiangsu (Haimen, known as 'Jiangbei Yu Zhu'), Anhui (Anqing and Tongling, known as 'An Yu Zhu'), Hebei (Fengrun, Yutian), and the northeastern provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning (collectively known as 'Guan Yu Zhu'). Wild Yu Zhu also grows across temperate Eurasia, from Europe through Siberia to East Asia.

Quality indicators

Good quality Yu Zhu rhizome slices should be long, thick, and fleshy, with a yellowish-white to pale golden colour and a semi-transparent, lustrous appearance. The texture should be firm when dry but become pliable when slightly moistened. The taste should be distinctly sweet and sticky when chewed (嚼之发黏). The aroma should be mild and clean. Avoid pieces that are dark, wrinkled, or dry and brittle (indicating poor processing), excessively white (suggesting sulphur fumigation), or thin and hollow. The best grade (Xiang Yu Zhu from Hunan) shows a waxy, translucent cross-section with a horn-like quality.

Classical Texts

Key passages from the classical Chinese medical texts that describe Yu zhu and its therapeutic uses

Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (《神农本草经》)

Original: 「女萎，味甘平。主中风暴热，不能动摇，跌筋结肉，诸不足。久服去面黑䵟，好颜色，润泽，轻身不老。」

Translation: "Nu Wei (Yu Zhu), sweet and neutral in flavour. It governs wind-strike with sudden heat, inability to move, injured sinews and knotted flesh, and all kinds of insufficiency. Long-term use removes dark discolouration of the face, improves complexion with lustre, makes the body light, and prevents aging."

Ben Cao Gang Mu (《本草纲目》) — Li Shizhen

Original: 「萎蕤，性平，味甘，柔润可食……予每用治虚劳寒热、痁疟及一切不足之症，用代参、芪，不寒不燥，大有殊功。」

Translation: "Wei Rui (Yu Zhu) is neutral in nature, sweet in taste, soft, moist, and edible... I frequently use it to treat deficiency-taxation with alternating chills and fever, intermittent fever, and all insufficiency patterns, using it in place of Ren Shen and Huang Qi. It is neither cold nor drying, and its results are remarkable."

Ben Cao Bian Du (《本草便读》)

Original: 「萎蕤，质润之品，培养肺、脾之阴，是其所长……唯玉竹甘平滋润，虽补而不碍邪，故古人立方有取乎此也。」

Translation: "Wei Rui is a moist substance whose strength lies in cultivating the Yin of the Lung and Spleen... Only Yu Zhu, being sweet, neutral, and moistening, can nourish without obstructing the expulsion of pathogens. This is why ancient physicians chose to include it in their formulas."

Historical Context

The history and evolution of Yu zhu's use in Chinese medicine over the centuries

Yu Zhu has one of the longest documented histories of any Chinese herb, first appearing in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing under its original name Nu Wei (女萎), classified as a superior-grade (上品) herb safe for long-term use. The Ben Cao Jing Ji Zhu by Tao Hongjing explained that its stems are "strong and straight like bamboo arrow shafts, with nodes," which gave rise to the name Yu Zhu (玉竹, literally "jade bamboo"). Another classical name, Wei Rui (葳蕤), evokes the elegant drooping of its leaves, likened to the graceful pendants on an official's ceremonial cap.

A famous Tang Dynasty legend tells of a palace maid who escaped into the mountains and survived for decades eating wild Yu Zhu rhizomes. When she eventually returned to her hometown, her skin was still as smooth and youthful as when she had left, a story that cemented Yu Zhu's reputation as a beauty and longevity herb. Li Shizhen in the Ben Cao Gang Mu elevated its clinical status significantly, writing that he used it in place of Ren Shen (Ginseng) and Huang Qi for deficiency patterns because it was "neither cold nor drying" and produced remarkable results. In the Qing Dynasty, Wu Jutong featured it prominently in his Wen Bing Tiao Bian formulas for treating Warm Disease patterns involving damage to Lung and Stomach Yin, while Yu Gen Chu's Tong Su Shang Han Lun included the famous Jia Jian Wei Rui Tang for treating exterior Wind-Warmth in constitutionally Yin-deficient patients.

Modern Research

3 published studies investigating the pharmacological effects or clinical outcomes of Yu zhu

1

Comprehensive review of botany, chemistry, bio-activity, and application of Polygonatum odoratum (2025)

Zhang Y, Li X, Yu D, Yang Z, Shen Z, Meng Y, Ding Y, Li Y. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology, 2025.

A systematic review covering 80 studies from 1984 to 2025 across international databases. The review summarises that the major bioactive constituents of P. odoratum (polysaccharides, steroidal saponins, homoisoflavanones, and lectins) demonstrate anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, hypoglycaemic, cardioprotective, and immunomodulatory activities in preclinical studies.

PubMed
2

The genus Polygonatum: A review of ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmacology (2018)

Zhao P, Zhao C, Li X, Gao Q, Huang L, Xiao P, Gao W. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2018, 214:274-291.

A major review confirming that traditional uses of Polygonatum species are supported by pharmacological evidence, particularly for anti-diabetic, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective, anti-osteoporosis, and anti-fatigue effects. Most pharmacological effects are attributed to polysaccharides, saponins, and lectins.

PubMed
3

A review on the application, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Polygonatum odoratum, an edible medicinal plant (2023)

Bi J, Fang H, Zhang J, Lu L, Gu X, Zheng Y. Journal of Future Foods, 2023, 3(3):240-251.

A focused review on P. odoratum as a food-medicine dual-use plant, summarising its polysaccharide composition (mainly fructans), flavonoid and saponin content, and evidence for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, blood glucose-lowering, and immune-regulating activities from in vitro and animal studies.

Link

Research on individual TCM herbs is growing but still limited by Western clinical trial standards. These studies provide emerging evidence and should be considered alongside practitioner expertise.