An official website of the United States governmentThunder God Vine
Common Names: thunder god vine, lei gong teng
Latin Names: Tripterygium wilfordii
Background
- Thunder god vine is a perennial plant commonly grown in southeast China.
- Extracts of thunder god vine have been used in traditional Chinese medicine for inflammation and fever, as well as a broad range of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.
- Currently, thunder god vine is promoted for use orally (by mouth) for rheumatoid arthritis, kidney problems, Crohn’s disease, eczema, and other conditions. It is also promoted topically (applied to the skin) for rheumatoid arthritis.
How Much Do We Know?
- Many studies of low-to-moderate quality have been conducted on the safety and usefulness of oral thunder god vine for rheumatoid arthritis and some kidney disorders. We know enough to conclude that thunder god vine might have benefits for some health conditions.
- Some side effects of thunder god vine may be serious. Rare deaths related to its use have been reported.
What Have We Learned?
- Some reports suggest that oral thunder god vine might be beneficial for some symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. For joint swelling and tenderness, thunder god vine plus a conventional medical therapy might be more effective than a conventional therapy alone. However, a combination of conventional therapies might also be more effective than thunder god vine plus a conventional therapy.
- It’s unclear whether topical thunder god vine has any effect on the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, such as joint tenderness, stiffness, and swelling.
- Initial reports have indicated that oral thunder god vine might be helpful for some kidney disorders, such as nephrotic syndrome or immunoglobulin A nephropathy.
- There isn’t enough reliable evidence to conclude whether thunder god vine is helpful for other health conditions.
What Do We Know About Safety?
- In general, oral or topical thunder god vine seems to be well tolerated.
- Thunder god vine may have side effects, such as digestive problems, diarrhea, headache, dizziness, lowered white blood cell count, menstrual cycle changes, and skin redness. Adding thunder god vine to a conventional therapy might increase the risk of experiencing side effects, but some research disagrees.
- Serious side effects may include kidney damage and liver problems, among others. Rare deaths have been reported; these may be related to specific preparations of thunder god vine or high doses of the herb. Triptolide, a component found in thunder god vine, may be toxic in people.
- The use of thunder god vine during pregnancy is considered unsafe, as it may increase the risk of birth defects. Little is known about whether it’s safe to use thunder god vine while breastfeeding.
Keep in Mind
- Thunder god vine should not be used to replace conventional medical care for rheumatoid arthritis. Conventional medical treatment for rheumatoid arthritis can delay or prevent joint damage—it doesn’t just treat symptoms. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, follow your health care provider’s instructions on how to treat your condition.
- Take charge of your health—talk with your health care providers about any complementary health approaches you use. Together, you can make shared, well-informed decisions.
- If you take any type of medicine, talk with your health care provider before using any herbal product; some herbs and medicines interact in harmful ways.
- Federal Regulation of Herbal Products
- Depending on what’s in them, how they’re intended to be used, and how they’re administered (orally or topically), herbal products are regulated in a variety of ways. Many herbal products intended for oral use are marketed as dietary supplements. The regulatory paths for making and distributing dietary supplements are different than those for drugs.
- Unlike drugs, dietary supplements are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before they are sold to the public. When public health concerns arise about the safety of a dietary supplement or an ingredient including an herb, the FDA can take action to protect the public. Manufacturers and distributors of supplements are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all regulatory requirements.
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Key References
- Brown AC. Heart toxicity related to herbs and dietary supplements: online table of case reports. Part 4 of 5. Journal of Dietary Supplements. 2018;15(4):516-555.
- Brown AC. Kidney toxicity related to herbs and dietary supplements: online table of case reports. Part 3 of 5 series. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 2017;107(Pt A):502-519.
- Cao Z, Liu B, Li L, et al. Detoxification strategies of triptolide based on drug combinations and targeted delivery methods. Toxicology. 2022;469:153134.
- Fang J, Liu M, Huang Z, et al. Efficacy and safety of TCMs with anti-inflammatory effect in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a network meta-analysis. Frontiers in Immunology. 2023;14:1114930.
- Guo Y-L, Gao F, Dong T-W, et al. Meta-analysis of clinical efficacy and safety of Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycosides tablets in the treatment of chronic kidney disease. Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2021;2021:6640594.
- Khurana N, James S, Coughlan MT, et al. Novel therapies for kidney disease in people with diabetes. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2022;107(1):e1-e24.
- Luo Y, Hou X, Xi A, et al. Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F combination therapy with methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis: an updated meta-analysis. Journal of Ethnopharmacology. 2023;307:116211.
- Ru Y, Luo Y, Zhou Y, et al. Adverse events associated with treatment of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F: a quantitative evidence synthesis. Frontiers in Pharmacology. 2019;10:1250.
- Thunder god vine. NatMed Pro website. Accessed at naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com on November 14, 2024. [Database subscription].
- Wang R-X, Liao B-Q, Chen W, et al. A meta-analysis of effects and safety of Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycoside in the treatment of IgA nephropathy. European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Science. 2022;26(23):8756-8770.
- Wang H-L, Zhao Q, Li W, et al. A systematic review and network meta-analysis about the efficacy and safety of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F in rheumatoid arthritis. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2022;2022:3181427.
- Xiong C, Li L, Bo W, et al. Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of TWHF in diabetic nephropathy patients with overt proteinuria and normal eGFR. Journal of the Formosan Medical Association. 2020;119(3):685-692.
- Zheng W, Mei Y, Chen C, et al. The effectiveness and safety of Tripterygium wilfordii glycosides combined with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 40 randomized controlled trials. Phytotherapy Research. 2021;35(6):2902-2924.
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