Thunder God Vine

Scientific Name(s): Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.
Common Name(s): Early rice flower, Huang-t'eng ken, Lei gong teng, Lei-kung t'eng, Thunder god vine, Thunder of god vine, Tsao-ho-hua, Yellow vine root

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on May 23, 2022.

Clinical Overview

Use

Thunder god vine has primarily been evaluated for use in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis; however, its adverse event profile and limited quality trials restrict any recommendations for clinical use. Antifertility properties in men have been described, while amenorrhea was observed in women.

Dosing

Clinical trials have evaluated lower (60 mg daily) to higher doses (180 to 350 mg daily) of T. wilfordii for the treatment of RA.

Doses of 20 to 30 mg/day of a refined extract of T. wilfordii (one-third the usual recommended dose for RA) for 1.5 to 5 months has produced antifertility effects in men.

Contraindications

Contraindications have not been identified. Due to immune suppression, thunder god vine preparations should not be used in immunocompromised patients.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Avoid use. Embryotoxicity has been demonstrated in mice.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Clinically important adverse events have been reported in clinical trials. GI upset, male and female infertility, and immune suppression are common adverse effects of thunder god vine.

Toxicology

Information is limited.

Scientific Family

• Celastraceae

Botany

Tripterygium is a woody perennial twining vine native to parts of China, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan and usually found growing close to water sources. It has reddish-brown branches with oval leaves. In the summer, small white terminal flowers bloom. Some disagreement regarding taxonomy of related species exists.Brinker 2007, Canter 2006

History

Thunder god vine has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine to treat fever, boils, abscesses, and inflammation, and also as an immunosuppressive agent to decrease proteinuria and preserve kidney function. Preparations of Tripterygium have been used since the 1960s in China to treat RA and inflammation; however, toxicity concerns limited use to a hot water decoction. Attempts have been made to limit the toxicity through different extraction methods and by using only the less toxic portion of the plant root. It has also been used as an insecticide and as rat and bird poison.Brinker 2007, Li 1990 T. wilfordii glycosides are a patented Chinese traditional medicine that are approved by the China State Food and Drug Administration for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.Wang 2017

Chemistry

The major constituent isolated from thunder god vine roots is diterpenoid triptolide. Other constituents, some of which may be pharmacologically as important as triptolide, include sesquiterpenes (eg, dihydroagarofurans, alkaloids), diterpenes (eg, tripdiolide, tripchlorolide), and triterpenes. The quinone triterpene celastrol has been described and may possess immune, inflammatory, and chemotherapeutic properties.Kannaiyan 2011 Methods of extraction include aqueous and ethanol processes.Brinker 2007, Canter 2006

Uses and Pharmacology

Antifertility effects

Clinical data

An antifertility effect was observed in men participating in a study to evaluate the effect of T. wilfordii in RA. Mean sperm density and motility were lo...