He shou wu (Fleeceflower root)
Modern sources record safety concerns for this herb. Reference information, not a diagnostic or treatment recommendation.
Modern pharmacovigilance sources record hepatotoxicity associated with this herb. The U.S. NIH LiverTox database reports that Polygonum multiflorum (He shou wu) has been implicated in numerous reports of clinically apparent acute liver injury that can be severe and occasionally fatal, and that in China it is reported to be the most common cause of herbal-product-related liver injury; LiverTox assigns it a likelihood score of A (a well-established cause of clinically apparent liver injury). This is reference information drawn from modern sources, not a diagnostic or treatment recommendation.
Supplements the liver and kidney, nourishes the blood, consolidates essence, strengthens the sinews and bones, and is recorded for blackening the hair and reducing scrofula and sores.
Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu)卷十八·草部·蔓草类·何首乌·主治（《开宝》）
- functions_en self-translated from 本草纲目 traditional_functions (public domain; the Chinese tf carries verbatim excerpt_hash citations). No modern work consulted.
- WHO IST-TCM terminology-aligned for the English rendering.
- public pharmacopoeia & botanical facts (public-domain reference facts; no proprietary modern source).
Classical source text (Chinese) — English summary above.
传统中医记载：《开宝》载何首乌主瘰疬、消痈肿、疗头面风疮、治五痔、止心痛、益血气、黑髭发、悦颜色，久服长筋骨、益精髓、延年不老；大明谓久服令人有子、治冷气肠风；王好古谓泻肝风；李时珍谓养血益肝、固精益肾、健筋骨、乌髭发。
Nature & flavor: 苦、涩，微温，无毒（《纲目》）；李时珍谓茯苓为之使，忌诸血、无鳞鱼、萝卜、蒜、葱、铁器，能伏朱砂。·Meridians: 肝（足厥阴）, 肾（足少阴）
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十八·草部·蔓草类·何首乌（条目标题·《开宝》）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its classification.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十八·草部·蔓草类·何首乌·释名Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its alternate names.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十八·草部·蔓草类·何首乌·气味（时珍·为使忌口）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its nature & flavor.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十八·草部·蔓草类·何首乌·发明（时珍：足厥阴、少阴药）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its meridian tropism.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十八·草部·蔓草类·何首乌·主治（《开宝》）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十八·草部·蔓草类·何首乌·发明（时珍·养血益肝固精益肾）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its traditional functions.
- Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) · Li Shizhen · 卷十八·草部·蔓草类·何首乌·气味（时珍·忌诸血无鳞鱼萝卜蒜葱铁器）Cited from Compendium of Materia Medica (Bencao Gangmu) for its safety notes.