Advances in Traditional Medicine

Kyung Hee Oriental Medicine Research Center (경희대학교 융합한의과학연구소)
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Beneficial and adverse effects of toad venom, a traditional Oriental medicine

  • Xie Jing-Tian (Tang Center for Herbal Medicine Research, The Pritzker School of Medicine, The University of Chicago) ;
  • Maleckar Spring A. (Tang Center for Herbal Medicine Research, The Pritzker School of Medicine, The University of Chicago) ;
  • Yuan Chun-Su (Department of Anesthesia & Critical Care, The Pritzker School of Medicine, The University of Chicago)
  • Published : 2002.02.01
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Abstract

Toad venom, 'Chan su' in Chinese and 'somso' in Korean, is a well-known traditional oriental medicine obtained from the skin venom gland of the toad. Formulations of toad venom have been widely applied in China, Japan, Korea and other oriental countries for a long time. It is often found in traditional Chinese formulations, such as Jiuxin (or Kyushin in Japan), Yixin, Huoxin, Shexiang baoxin wan, Lu shen wan and Laryngitis pills. According to a pharmaceutical chemistry study, toad venom contains multiple biological active substances, such as bufalin, resibufogenin and cinobufagin. Modern pharmacological studies indicated that toad venom has multiple pharmacological actions, including acting as a cardiotonic, antitumor local anesthetic effects, stimulates the respiratory center, vasopressor action, anti-inflammatory and diuretic effects. Like other medications, toad venom also has certain toxicity and adverse effects, for example, inducing delayed afterdepolarization and triggered arrhythmia. The major chemical constituents, basic pharmacological actions and adverse reactions of toad venom are discussed in this article.

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References

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