Herb's Introduction
Stellera chamaejasme L. is a fascinating and complex plant belonging to the family Thymelaeaceae. It is a perennial herb renowned for its dual nature: possessing significant traditional medicinal value, particularly in Traditional Chinese and Mongolian medicine, while simultaneously being highly virulently poisonous to humans and livestock. The plant's common names, particularly the Chinese name "Langdu" (meaning "wolf poison"), hint at its toxic properties. It is a key species in high-altitude grasslands, sometimes considered a weed due to its strong regeneration capacity and tendency to dominate pastures. It has been used for centuries, particularly the dried roots, for treating a variety of ailments and as a natural pesticide and insecticide.
Name in Different Countries
Country/Region Name(s) Scientific Name Stellera chamaejasme L. Family Thymelaeaceae English Chinese chellera, Stellera Nepali देउराली फूल (Deuraali phool), kolde mindo, richak, sesak, sokchimeto Hindi Pasyakangtichey Ladakhi རེ་ལྕག་པ་ (Rechakpa) Chinese 狼毒 (Lang du - literally "Wolf Poison") or Rui-Xiang-Lang-Du Export to Sheets
Terminology
Stellera chamaejasme is recognized in different traditional medical systems: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): The dried roots are commonly referred to as Langdu (狼毒). In TCM, it is characterized as having a bitter and pungent taste, with a flat nature, entering the lung, spleen, and liver meridians. It is used to eliminate phlegm and is noted for its strong toxicity, which is sometimes reduced through traditional preparation methods using vinegar, milk, or wine to enhance its pharmacological efficacy. Tibetan Medicine (Amchi): Known as Reijiaba (or Rechakpa), where it is traditionally used for treating visceral tumors, plagues, and for the external treatment of bruises. Toxicity: The plant is categorized as Poisonous, harmful, or virulent, due to the presence of potent bioactive compounds like diterpenoids (e.g., gnidimacrin, stelleralides), flavonoids, coumarins, and lignans.
Availability
Stellera chamaejasme is a perennial plant found across a wide geographic range in East Asia and parts of South Asia. Its native range extends from Southern Siberia to Korea and the Himalayas. Habitat: It thrives in mountainous regions, particularly in sunny alpine grass slopes, grasslands, meadows, and open, dry places, at altitudes typically ranging from 2700 to 4300 meters. Distribution: It is widely distributed in regions of China (northern and western provinces, Qinghai-Tibet and Yungui Plateaus), Mongolia, the Russian Far East, Bhutan, and the Himalayan regions including Nepal (e.g., Dolpo region, where it is found at 2700-4200m). Conservation: While locally common throughout most of its range, it has been overexploited in certain areas (like Jejudo Island in Korea) for ornamental purposes and has been designated as an endangered species there, highlighting the need for conservation efforts.
External Look
S. chamaejasme is a herbaceous perennial with a distinctive appearance: Size and Stem: It grows up to about 0.30 meters (1 foot) tall. Unbranched stems emerge in a cluster (caespitose) from a thick, perennial underground rhizome (rootstock). Older rootstocks can become quite large. Leaves: The leaves are narrow, pointed, and overlapping along the stems, up to 2 cm long, and can be sparse, opposite, or nearly rotund in shape. Flowers: The flowers are its most noticeable feature, grouped into rounded, tightly packed terminal heads. They are apetalous (lacking petals) and come in beautiful colors: white, pink, red, or yellow. Despite the plant's toxicity, the flowers are often fragrant. The plant is pollinated by Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies).
Healing Properties
Stellera chamaejasme possesses a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities, attributed to its diverse chemical composition, including diterpenoids (e.g., daphnane-type), flavonoids, coumarins, and lignans. Its traditional and scientifically investigated healing properties include: Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic: Extracts from the plant, particularly the roots, show significant anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving activities. Antioxidant: Root extracts exhibit strong antioxidant activity, particularly against peroxyl radicals. Anticancer/Antitumor: The plant, and its isolated compounds like gnidimacrin and chamaejasmine, have shown potent anti-tumor and cytotoxic effects against various human cancer cell lines (e.g., leukemias, glioblastoma, bladder, lung, breast, and cervical cancers) by inducing apoptosis and blocking cell cycle progression. Antimicrobial and Antiviral: It is traditionally used as an antiseptic for open wounds and has shown modern potential as an antibacterial and anti-viral agent (e.g., against HIV). Wound Healing: Extracts have demonstrated the ability to promote cutaneous wound healing in animal studies, reducing wound size and improving epithelialization. Anthelmintic/Pesticidal: Historically used as a drastic purgative to expel parasites, and as an insecticide and repellant.
Advantages
The advantages of Stellera chamaejasme lie in its potent bioactivities, making it a valuable resource in traditional medicine and modern drug discovery: Potent Pharmacological Action: The presence of highly active compounds provides a strong foundation for its use as an anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial agent. Traditional Efficacy: Long history of use in Traditional Chinese and Mongolian medicine for chronic diseases like tuberculosis, psoriasis, and various tumors, suggesting established, albeit high-risk, therapeutic applications. Natural Pesticide: Its virulent toxicity to insects and pests allows for its historical and potential application as a natural, readily available insecticide or fish poison in remote regions. Ecological Resilience: It is a hardy, long-lived perennial that thrives in harsh, high-altitude environments, making it a resource that can be sustainably managed in its native habitat, if proper cultivation techniques are used.
Uses
The uses of Stellera chamaejasme are divided into traditional medicinal, veterinary, and other applications, though all must be considered in light of its extreme toxicity. Category Specific Uses Traditional/Folk Medicine (Internal) Treatment of infectious diseases, chronic tracheitis, tuberculosis, psoriasis, inflamed lymph nodes, skin ulcers, and diarrhea (typically after processing to reduce toxicity). Traditional/Folk Medicine (External) Applied as an antiseptic for open wounds; used in poultices for swellings, sprains, and fractured bones; decoctions of the root applied to aching joints. Modern Research Focus Anti-tumor agent (especially related to diterpenoids like gnidimacrin), anti-inflammatory for chronic conditions, and wound healing formulations. Veterinary Use Roots applied as a drastic anthelmintic (anti-parasitic) to drive parasites out of livestock, particularly goats and sheep. Agricultural/Pest Control Powdered roots used as a pesticide to control crop and pasture pests (maggots, bugs, flies), and traditionally as a fish poison. Materials The high content of wolfsbane fiber in the roots has been historically used to extract industrial alcohol and make paper. Export to Sheets
Using way
⚠️Important Note: Stellera chamaejasme is a highly poisonous plant. Any internal or external use must be managed with extreme caution by trained practitioners (like Amchi or TCM doctors) who utilize specific, documented methods to reduce toxicity. Self-administration is dangerous and potentially fatal. The following describes traditional practices, not recommendations for use. Toxicity Reduction: The raw plant, particularly the root, is extremely virulent. Traditional methods often involve processing the root by decocting it with substances like vinegar, milk, or wine to mitigate the toxicity while preserving or enhancing the medicinal effects. Decoction for Internal Use: In TCM and other traditional systems, a carefully prepared decoction is ingested for internal conditions, with dosage being critically important due to the narrow therapeutic window. Topical Application: Aching Joints/Sprains: In Nepal, a decoction of the root or bark is traditionally prepared and applied topically to treat aching joints or sprains. (e.g., 15 grams of the root boiled in 500 ml of water, reduced to 1/4 volume, then applied). Wounds/Swellings: A poultice (a soft, moist mass) is prepared from the plant and applied externally for swellings, fractured bones, and as an antiseptic for open wounds. Anthelmintic: The powdered roots are externally applied to livestock (goats and sheep) as a powerful de-worming agent. Caution: Even the smell of the flower is noted in some texts as being potent enough to cause a headache. Direct contact or ingestion of the unprocessed plant or root can cause severe symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting, and can be fatal to humans and livestock due to systemic toxicity and potential disintegration of the intestines.
Conclusion
Stellera chamaejasme, or Deuraali phool, stands as a powerful example of a plant on the knife-edge between poison and medicine. Historically utilized across high-altitude regions of Asia, from the Himalayas to China, it harbors potent compounds that confer significant pharmacological activities, particularly as an anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial agent. While modern research confirms its potential, the plant's extreme virulence and high toxicity necessitate its careful handling and controlled preparation, typically involving traditional detoxification methods. As a key species in the Medicinal Plants of Nepal, its continued study is crucial—not only to unlock its potential for novel drug development but also to ensure the safety of its use and the conservation of this ecologically important, yet dangerous, medicinal resource in its fragile mountain ecosystem.
