Cuscuta chinensis.Dodder.Dodder seed extract Pharmacological Actions.

Adverse Effect, Side Effects and Cautions,Toxity.

Dodder Seed Extract Cuscuta chinensis Extract photo picture image It is contraindicated in individuals with excessive fire in the kidneys that increase libido and prolong erectness of the penis or in individuals who have constipation and dry stools.

Toxicity and Safety:

Acute toxicity:The LD50 of ethanol extracts of Semen Cuscutae injected intradermally (i.d.) into mice was found to be 2.465g/kg.

Acute toxicicity experiment 7 d,no mice death,good conditions in activity,intake,stools and skins,showed dodder water extract,dodder ethanol extract and dodeer polysaccharide safe enough, LD50 Oral.no less than 20 g/kg.

Subchronic toxicity:Rats gavage fed with 30-40g/kg of Semen Cuscutae water extract did not appear to have any intoxification symptoms. Furthermore, when rats were administered with 4.15g/kg Semen Cuscutae water extract or tincture, once a day for 70 days by gavage feed, no developmental abnormality and/or pathological change was noted.

Reference: Jiangsu New Medical College, Pharmacopoeia of Chinese medicine, Shanghai People Hygiene Publisher, Shanghai, China 1997;2006.
Dodder Seed Extract Cuscuta chinensis Extract photo picture image

Preparations:In Western herbalism, the entire thread-like stems of cuscuta are used. They are boiled in water along with such herbs as ginger and allspice to make a decoction. In Chinese herbalism, only the seeds are used. They are almost always used in combination with other herbs, as in concha marguerita and ligastrum formulas.

Precautions:No special precautions are necessary when cuscuta is used in the doses normally prescribed by herbalists.

Side effects:No side effects have been reported when cuscuta is used in doses prescribed by herbalists.

Interactions:Cuscuta has been used for centuries with other Chinese herbs without any reported interactions. Studies of interactions between cuscuta and Western pharmaceuticals have not yet been performed.