| Pharmaceutical name: | Radix Cynanchi Baiwei |
| Latin botanical name: | Cynanchum atratum Bge. or Cyanchum versicolor Bge. |
| Pronounced in Japanese: | byakubi |
| Pronounced in Korean: | baengmi |
| Pronounced in Cantonese: | pak mei |
| Common Name: | swallowwort root |
| Distribution: | throughout China, especially Liano Ning, An Hui, Shan Dong, Hu Bei |
| Characteristics and channel (meridian) relation: | bitter, salty, cold. Related to lung, stomach, kidney. Larger amount is toxic to the heart. |
| Uses: | relieves heat, edema, snake bite, toxic sores, swollen and painful throat; promotes urination. Dosage: 5-10 grams. |
| Chemical ingredients: | essential oil: cynanchol and cardiac tonic:atratoside A,B,C,D; atratogenin A,B; glaucogenin C; cyantratoside A,BC,D,E,F; glaucoside C; cynjapogenin A; thevetosied; cynanversicoside A,B,C,D,E; neocynanversicoside. |
| Modern Research: | Cardiac tonic ingredients of bai wei stimulate the heart muscle and improve contraction and slow down heart rate. Bai wei can inhibit pneumococcus. Toxic amount: 30-40 grams. |
