Botanical Index No. 169

Bupleurum

bupleurum

Medicinal Actions

Analysis pending research update.

Primary Conditions Treated

Amenorrhea Anxiety Autoimmune Disease Bleeding Cancer breast cervix Cardiopathy Catarrh Chest Ache Cholecystosis Chill Cold Constipation Cough Deafness Debility Depression Dermatosis Diabetes Diarrhea Dizziness Dusgeusia Dysmenorrhea Dyspepsia Enterosis Epigastrosis Fever Fibrosis Flu Gallstone Gas Hepatomegaly Hepatosis Herpes High Blood Pressure High Cholesterol Hyperglycemia Hyperpigmentation Hypochondriasis Hypoglycemia Immunodepression Inflammation Insomnia Leukemia Malaria Measles Metastasis Nausea Nephrosis Nervousness Obesity Pain Palpitation Pleurisy PMS Prolapse Pulmonosis Rhinosis Stone Stress Swelling Tuberculosis Tumor Ulcer Vertigo Virus Vomiting Water Retention Wound

General Dosage

1–2 tsp/day; 3–9 g/day; 3–12 g root/day; 1–4 g root powder; 1–2 tsp fresh root; 0.5–1 g dry root; 3–12 g/day dry root; 1 g dry root:5 ml alcohol/5 ml water; 1.5–6 g dry root/day or 3–12 ml fluid extract; 4–8 ml fluid extract.

Safety & Contraindications

Class 1. “Health hazards not known with proper therapeutic dosages”. I suspect that this herb houses furanocourmarins for which the usual photosensitivity caveats apply. Patients may experience some flatulence, laxation, and sedation; large doses may decrease appetite and cause flatulence and abdominal distension. Allergic reactions reported in three cases. One combination formula containing Bupleurum has been associated with interstitial pneumonitis in more than 15 patients. Because large doses may sedate, WHO cautions against operating motor vehicles or hazardous machinery. Alcohol, as well as other sedatives and CNS-depressants, may synergize the Bupleurum effects.

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