Ailanthus (Ailanthus glandulosa)
Ailanthus glandulosa
Western Herbalism
Western Herbalism

Ailanthus

Ailanthus glandulosa

Also known as Tree of Heaven, Chinese Sumach, Stinking Sumach, Ailanto.

CoolingDryingTaste: Bitter

Ailanthus is the tree of heaven, a fast-growing deciduous tree native to China and long naturalized in North America and Europe, where it is now widely regarded as an aggressive invasive species. The root bark and stem bark, which carry a strongly narcotic, disagreeable odor and an intensely bitter, nauseating taste, were used by nineteenth century eclectic physicians as a bitter astringent remedy for dysentery, intestinal parasites, and low septic fevers. Its use has almost entirely fallen out of practice due to its narrow margin of safety and unpredictable strength of preparations.

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Actions

Bitter tonicAstringentAntidysentericAnthelminticAntispasmodicFebrifugeEmetic in large dose

Indications what the tradition reached for it in

Specific indications

Low, septic-type states with a dusky or purplish eruption, dry cracked tongue, and a malignant appearance to the throat and tonsils with sordes

Dysenteric stools that are scanty, bloody, and mucoid with severe straining

Safety

Recognised toxicity. This plant carries a toxicity flag in the record; it is for trained practitioners only.

Low dose botanical. Used in drop doses in the classical practice; not a plant to dose freely.

Pregnancy: Avoid in pregnancy: the plant is narcotic in overdose with reported effects on respiration and the cardiovascular system, and no modern safety data exist to support use.

Breastfeeding: Avoid in lactation due to the same lack of safety data and known narcotic, nauseant potential of the bark.

The record lists 6 contraindications; open the plate in the library to read them in full.

In practice

The old eclectic literature reserved ailanthus for a fairly narrow and specific clinical picture: a low, septic, almost typhoid state with a dusky or purplish eruption, a dry, cracked, dirty tongue, and a malignant look to the throat with sordes on the teeth and lips.

Dosing as the sources wrote it

PreparationAs writtenMetric
Powdered bark (historical)0.3-2 g dried bark daily, in divided doses300-2000 mg
Specific medicine ailanthus (historical, diluted)0.05-0.1 mL (about 1 mL of 1:20 dilution in water) every one to two hours, well diluted0.05-0.1 mL
Fluid extract (historical)0.3-1.3 mL (5-20 minims) as a single dose, used cautiously0.3-1.3 mL
The dose is from five to thirty grains.324-1944 mg
The extract is given in doses of from one to five grains.64.8-324 mg
Fifty grammes of the root-bark are infused for a short time in 75 grammes of hot water, then strained, and when cold, administered in teaspoonful doses, night and morning.75000-75000 mg

Doses are reproduced from the sources for practitioners and are not a recommendation for any person.

From the sources

Overview. Ailanthus is the tree of heaven, a fast-growing deciduous tree native to China and long naturalized in North America and Europe, where it is now widely regarded as an aggressive invasive species. The root bark and stem bark, which carry a strongly narcotic, disagreeable odor and an intensely bitter, nauseating taste, were used by nineteenth century eclectic physicians as a bitter astringent remedy for dysentery, intestinal parasites, and low septic fevers. Its use has almost entirely fallen out of practice due to its narrow margin of safety and unpredictable strength of preparations.

Clinical Notes. The old eclectic literature reserved ailanthus for a fairly narrow and specific clinical picture: a low, septic, almost typhoid state with a dusky or purplish eruption, a dry, cracked, dirty tongue, and a malignant look to the throat with sordes on the teeth and lips.

Therapy. It is of much service in scarlet fever, especially the malignant form, in typhoid, and other types of low fever and in low forms of acute inflammation. With special reference to the action of ailanthus as a tonic to the nervous system, it is efficient as a remedy in some cases of asthma as well as in epilepsy, and in many cases of epileptiform contraction of the muscles, etc.

Physiological Action. In overdoses ailanthus causes vertigo, severe headache, pains in the back and limbs, together with great prostration, tingling and numbness; it reduces the pulse-beat and the respiration and causes great weakness, cold sweats and shivering. If it be given too frequently, or in too large doses, it causes death by paralyzing the respiratory center, its influence resembling that of tobacco. It is said that both quassia and gentian intensify its action, and that it should not be administered with either iron or lead compounds. The presence of ailanthus in a malarial locality, like eucalyptus, will correct the malarial influence of that locality.

Drawn from King's American Dispensatory, 18th edition (Felter and Lloyd); Ellingwood's American Materia Medica, Therapeutics and Pharmacognosy, and the Bountiful Herbs editorial.

In formulas

Ailanthus stands in 5 documented formulas in the library, among them gù jing wán, vù dài wán.

Often paired with

Chinese skullcapScutellaria baicalensisWhite PeonyPaeonia lactifloraHuang BaiPhellodendron amurensenut grassCyperus rotundusChinese boxthornLycium chinenseMai Men DongOphiopogon japonicus

Nearby on the shelf

AgarwoodAquilaria sinensisAgatiSesbania grandifloraAgnimanthaPremna serratifoliaAgrimonyAgrimonia eupatoriaAir potatoDioscorea bulbiferaAjwainTrachyspermum ammiAkebiaAkebia quinataAlder BuckthornFrangula alnus

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