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    Home»Herbs and Spices»Facts about Peking Spurge (Da Ji) – Euphorbia pekinensis
    Herbs and Spices

    Facts about Peking Spurge (Da Ji) – Euphorbia pekinensis

    By SylviaOctober 7, 2020Updated:October 7, 2020No Comments5 Mins Read
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    Euphorbia pekinensis also known as Peking spurge is a species of flowering herbaceous plant in genus Euphorbia and Euphorbiaceae family. The plant is native to China, mainly in the eastern and central provinces. The root of Euphorbia pekinensis is used as diuretic, discutient and antibloat drug in traditional Chinese medicine (CTM) and extensively approved in treating different diseases and health problems, such as abdominal dropsy (water belly). Euphorbia pekinensis is popularly known as Da Ji or Peking spurge.

    Plant Description

    Peking spurge is an erect annual or flowering herbaceous perennial plant that normally grows up to 0.60 meters tall. The plant is found growing in grassy places in lowland and mountains. The plant prefers a light well-drained moderately rich loam in an open position and can also succeeds in dry soils. The stems are upright and the leaves are attached to each other. Rotate five leaves from the top of the shoot, and bring out five scattered branches from the center. Leaves are elongated oval shaped, 3 to 8 cm long and in whorls of five (three or more leaves around the stem at each node) and several peduncles grow from the center and bloom yellow-green flowers. Leaves turn red in autumn.

    Peking Spurge Facts

    Peking spurge Quick Facts
    Name: Peking spurge
    Scientific Name: Euphorbia pekinensis
    Origin China, mainly in the eastern and central provinces
    Taste Bitter, Acrid
    Health benefits Beneficial for nephritis, edema, fullness of the chest, sticky sputum, conjunctivitis, epilepsy, carbuncle, tubercle, epistaxis, hematemesis, excess menses
    Name Peking spurge
    Scientific Name Euphorbia pekinensis
    Native China, mainly in the eastern and central provinces
    Common Names Da Ji, Peking spurge
    Name in Other Languages Catalan: lleteresa pequinesa
    Chinese: Da Ji (大戟), Jing Da Ji, Hong Da Ji
    English: Peking spurge
    Japanese: Taka-tōdai (タカトウダイ)
    Korean: Dae geuk (대극)
    Russian: Molochay pekinskiy (молочай пекинский), molochka pekinskaya  (молочка пекинская)
    Plant Growth Habit Erect annual or flowering herbaceous perennial plant
    Growing Climates Grassy places in lowland and mountains
    Soil Prefers a light well-drained moderately rich loam in an open position. Succeeds in dry soils
    Plant Size Up to 0.60 meters tall
    Leaf Elongated oval shaped, 3 to 8 cm long and in whorls of five (three or more leaves around the stem at each node) and several peduncles grow from the center and bloom yellow-green flowers. Leaves turn red in autumn.
    Flowering season May to July
    Flower Flowers are like buds covered by bracts (transformed leaves at the base of flower) and have no petals and calyx. Have four yellow protrusions called leaf glands that produce nectar and have some stamens and one pistil inside
    Fruit Shape & Size Fruits have red wart-like protrusions and split open and drop seeds when ripen
    Taste Bitter, Acrid
    Plant Parts Used Root
    Other Facts
    • It is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine.

    Flower & Fruit

    Flowers are like buds covered by bracts (transformed leaves at the base of flower) and have no petals and calyx. Have four yellow lumps called leaf glands that produce nectar and have some stamens and one pistil inside. In each inflorescence, three male flowers with yellow glands and total buds bloom and give pollen. After that, female flowers bloom. Flowering normally takes in between May to July. Fertile flowers are followed by fruits that have red wart-like protrusions and split open and drop seeds when ripen.

    Dried-Peking-spurge-root Flowers-of-Peking-spurge Leaves-of-Peking-spurge Peking-spurge-Plant Plant-Illustration-of-Peking-spurge Sketch-of-Peking-spurge
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    Health benefits of Peking Spurge

    Listed below are some of the popular health benefits of Peking spurge

    1. Edema

    Euphorbia pekinensis root and dried ginger are powdered and taken with ginger soup to treat edema (swelling caused by fluid retention).

    2. Pain relieving

    Euphorbia pekinensis root can be used externally to relieve toothache.

    3. Skin Health

    Pills made with Euphorbia pekinensis root, Angelica sinensis, white atractylodes rhizome and fresh pinellia ternata can be taken orally to treat painful sores.

    Traditional uses and benefits of Peking spurge

    • Da Ji is classified as a toxic herb in Chinese medicine and so is only recommended for relatively serious diseases.
    • It is considered to be one of the 50 fundamental herbs and is used as a cathartic to purge excess fluids in conditions such as pleurisy and ascites and for the treatment of kidney problems, especially nephritis.
    • Research has shown that it is therapeutically useful in the treatment of ascites and nephritis, but it does produce significant side-effects.
    • It should only be used under the supervision of a qualified herbalist.
    • Root is antibacterial, diuretic, emetic, emmenogogue, purgative and vasodilator.
    • It is used in the treatment of edema, fullness of the chest, sticky sputum, epilepsy, carbuncle and tubercle.
    • When used in conjunction with licorice, diuretic and purgative actions are inhibited.
    • Externally, it is applied to inflamed sores to reduce swelling.
    • It is taken as a cathartic to purge excess fluid in conditions such as pleurisy and ascites (excess fluid in the abdomen), and for the treatment of kidney problems, especially nephritis.
    • The fresh juice of the herb can be used alone for epistaxis, hematemesis and excess menses.
    • The leaves are used to treat skin irritations.
    • The crushed flowers help heal conjunctivitis.
    • The roots can be made into a paste to help ease stomach pain if used in small doses, used in larger doses, it will induce vomiting.
    • The plant is believed to promote the production of blood platelets.

    Precautions

    • Sap consists of latex which is toxic on ingestion and highly irritant externally, causing photosensitive skin reactions and severe inflammation, especially on contact with eyes or open cuts.
    • Toxicity can remain high even in dried plant material.
    • Prolonged and regular contact with the sap is inadvisable because of its carcinogenic nature.
    • Avoid use in pregnancy as it causes birth defects.
    • It is toxic. Use under an expert supervision.
    • This herb should not be mixed with Licorice root (Gancao), and it is contraindicated during pregnancy.

    References:

    https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=1026022#null

    https://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Euphorbia+pekinensis

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphorbia_pekinensis

    https://gd.eppo.int/taxon/EPHBJ

    http://www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-81385

    http://temperate.theferns.info/plant/Euphorbia+pekinensis

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    Peking spurge Scientific Classification

    Scientific Name: Euphorbia pekinensis

    Rank Scientific Name & (Common Name)
    Kingdom Plantae (Plants)
    Subkingdom Tracheobionta (Vascular plants)
    Infrakingdom Streptophyta  (land plants)
    Super Division Embryophyta
    Division Tracheophyta  (vascular plants, tracheophytes)
    Sub Division Spermatophytina  (spermatophytes, seed plants, phanérogames)
    Class Magnoliopsida
    Super Order Rosanae
    Order Malpighiales
    Family Euphorbiaceae  (spurge, euphorbes)
    Genus Euphorbia L. (spurge)
    Species Euphorbia pekinensis Rupr.
    Sub Species
    • Euphorbia pekinensis ssp. asoensis Kuros. & Ohashi       
    • Euphorbia pekinensis ssp. pekinensis Rupr.
    Synonyms
    • Euphorbia barbellata Hurus
    • Euphorbia barbellata f. denudata (Hurus.) Kitag
    • Euphorbia barbellata var. imaii (Hurus.) Kitag
    • Euphorbia cavaleriei H.Lév. & Vaniot
    • Euphorbia hurusawae Oudejans
    • Euphorbia hurusawae var. imaii (Hurus.) Oudejans
    • Euphorbia imaii Hurus
    • Euphorbia imaii f. denudata Hurus
    • Euphorbia jessonii Oudejans
    • Euphorbia labbei H.Lév
    • Euphorbia lanceolata Liou
    • Euphorbia lasiocaula Boiss
    • Euphorbia lasiocaula var. ibukiensis (Hurus.) T.Kuros. & H.Ohashi
    • Euphorbia lasiocaula var. maritima (H.Hara) S.Matsumoto & Konta
    • Euphorbia lasiocaula f. maritima (H.Hara) T.Kuros. & H.Ohashi
    • Euphorbia lasiocaula var. pseudolucorum Hurus
    • Euphorbia onoi Franch. & Sav
    • Euphorbia pekinensis var. attenuata Hurus
    • Euphorbia pekinensis f. denudata (Hurus.) Oudejans
    • Euphorbia pekinensis var. hupehensis Hurus
    • Euphorbia pekinensis var. ibukiensis Hurus
    • Euphorbia pekinensis var. japonensis Makino
    • Euphorbia pekinensis var. lasiocaula (Boiss.) Oudejans
    • Euphorbia pekinensis var. onoi (Franch. & Sav.) Makino
    • Euphorbia pekinensis subsp. pekinensis
    • Euphorbia pekinensis var. pseudolucorum (Hurus.) Oudejans
    • Euphorbia pekinensis f. sinanensis Hurus
    • Euphorbia pekinensis var. sinanensis (Hurus.) Oudejans
    • Euphorbia pekinensis var. sinensis (Hurus.) Oudejans
    • Euphorbia pekinensis f. sinensis Hurus
    • Euphorbia pekinensis var. subulatifolius (Hurus.) T.B.Lee
    • Euphorbia sampsonii Hance
    • Euphorbia sinanensis (Hurus.) T.Kuros. & H.Ohashi
    • Euphorbia sinensis Jesson & Turrill
    • Euphorbia subulatifolia Hurus
    • Euphorbia tchen-ngoi (Soják) Radcl.-Sm
    • Galarhoeus lasiocaulus (Boiss.) Hurus
    • Galarhoeus lasiocaulus f. densifolius (H.Hara) Hurus
    • Galarhoeus lasiocaulus var. ibukiensis (Hurus.) Hurus
    • Galarhoeus lasiocaulus f. maritimus (H.Hara) Hurus
    • Galarhoeus lasiocaulus f. miyagiensis Hurus
    • Galarhoeus lasiocaulus f. nikoensis Hurus
    • Galarhoeus lasiocaulus var. pseudolucorum Hurus
    • Galarhoeus lasiocaulus var. sinanensis (Hurus.) Hurus
    • Galarhoeus lasiocaulus f. vulgaris (H.Hara) Hurus
    • Galarhoeus pekinensis (Rupr.) H.Hara
    • Galarhoeus pekinensis var. attenuatus (Hurus.) Hurus
    • Galarhoeus pekinensis subsp. barbellatus Hurus
    • Galarhoeus pekinensis f. densifolius H.Hara
    • Galarhoeus pekinensis f. denudatus (Hurus.) Hurus
    • Galarhoeus pekinensis var. hupehensis (Hurus.) Hurus
    • Galarhoeus pekinensis var. imaii (Hurus.) Hurus
    • Galarhoeus pekinensis subsp. lanceolatus Hurus
    • Galarhoeus pekinensis f. maritimus H.Hara
    • Galarhoeus pekinensis var. sinensis (Jesson & Turrill) Hurus
    • Galarhoeus pekinensis subsp. subulatifolius (Hurus.) Hurus
    • Galarhoeus pekinensis f. vulgaris H.Hara              
    • Galarhoeus sampsonii (Hance) Hurus
    • Tithymalus pekinensis (Rupr.) H.Hara
    • Tithymalus tchen-ngoi Soják
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