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PubMed · <i>Euphorbia pekinensis</i> Rupr. roots: a comprehensive review of botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, quality control, and toxicology. (2025)
PubMed · Euphorbia Pekinensis Rupr. sensitizes colorectal cancer to PD-1 blockade by remodeling the tumor microenvironment and enhancing peripheral immunity. (2024)
Reviewed by: HerbAlly Editorial Team, Medical herbalists and healthcare professionals
How does Euphorbia pekinensis work as a purgative?
Euphorbia pekinensis contains active compounds including euphorbin, jolkinol, and ingenol terpenoids that stimulate the gastrointestinal tract. These compounds act as irritants to the intestinal lining, triggering strong peristaltic contractions and fluid secretion. This mechanism produces the herb's characteristic drastic purgative effect. The diterpene esters, particularly ingenol derivatives, are responsible for the herb's potent biological activity. Evidence level: C (preclinical and traditional use data).
Does Euphorbia pekinensis interact with other medications?
Due to its powerful purgative effects, Euphorbia pekinensis may reduce the absorption and effectiveness of orally administered medications by accelerating gastrointestinal transit time. Patients taking medications with narrow therapeutic windows should exercise particular caution. No specific clinical drug interaction studies exist (Evidence level C). This herb should never be combined with other laxatives or purgatives without medical supervision, as this may lead to severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.
What is the recommended dosage of Euphorbia pekinensis?
The traditional adult dosage of Euphorbia pekinensis is 1.5 to 3 grams of dried herb daily, always used within a formulated preparation rather than as a standalone herb. Due to its potent purgative nature and narrow safety margin, this herb requires medical supervision and should never be self-prescribed. Dosage must be adjusted based on individual constitution and condition severity. Evidence level: Traditional/C.
Is Euphorbia pekinensis safe during pregnancy?
Euphorbia pekinensis is absolutely contraindicated during pregnancy. The herb has documented abortifacient properties and can stimulate uterine contractions, posing significant risk of miscarriage. Traditional Chinese Medicine classifies this as a "drastic" purgative unsuitable for pregnant women, nursing mothers, or those attempting to conceive. Women of childbearing age should use reliable contraception if prescribed this herb. Evidence level: Traditional use strongly contraindicates pregnancy exposure.
What is Euphorbia pekinensis used for in traditional Chinese medicine?
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Euphorbia pekinensis is primarily used as a drastic purgative for treating ascites (fluid accumulation in the abdomen) and edema. It is reserved for severe cases of constipation where gentler approaches have failed. The herb has also been investigated for potential anticancer applications in preclinical research. Evidence level: C, based primarily on traditional use documentation and preliminary laboratory studies.
PubMed-compiled information sheet
This sheet was compiled from PubMed (NIH) abstracts using AI assistance. Every factual claim is cited to a real PubMed article (see the source list). It has not yet been human-reviewed — confirm with a healthcare provider before use.
Compiled from 30 PubMed articles · model: gemma4:31b
Summary
Euphorbia pekinensis is a traditional medicinal herb used primarily for its diuretic and antitumor properties [PMID:37948776, PMID:39205630].
Background
Euphorbia pekinensis Rupr. is a medicinal herb endemic to China and distributed across northern China, North Korea, and Japan [PMID:36046110, PMID:39205630]. The dried roots, known as 'Jing Da Ji', are the primary part used for medicinal purposes [PMID:39205630].
Traditional uses
It is used in traditional medicine to expel water and rheum, disperse swelling, dissipate binds, and treat edema, pleural effusions, uremia, nephritis, and cirrhosis with ascites [PMID:39205630]. It is also clinically utilized for treating malignant tumors [PMID:37948776].
Active compounds
The roots contain structurally diverse compounds, primarily diterpenoids (including casbane, isopimarane, abietane, labdane, and cembrane types), triterpenoids, tannins, phenols, and volatile constituents [PMID:39205630, PMID:35182782, PMID:32400187, PMID:26654567]. Specific identified compounds include euphpekinensin, pekinenal, pekinenin G, and the flavonoid kaempferol [PMID:11914963, PMID:19560525, PMID:25849283, PMID:34573051].
Mechanism of action
Anti-tumor activity is associated with the induction of apoptosis via caspase 3/7 activation [PMID:41643782] and the remodeling of the tumor microenvironment to enhance peripheral immunity and sensitize colorectal cancer to PD-1 blockade [PMID:39368338]. Anti-angiogenic effects are observed through the inhibition of VEGF family members, Met, and NRP2 [PMID:28602865, PMID:34670180]. Laxative effects are attributed to the alteration of aquaporins (AQP1, AQP3, and AQP4) in the colon [PMID:28335427].
Clinical evidence
Evidence DHepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)
Compound (3β,11β)-3,11-dihydroxylanosta-8,24-dien-7-one exhibited potent cytotoxicity against Hepa1-6 cells and suppressed tumor growth in vivo [PMID:41643782].
Evidence DColorectal Cancer
Euphorbia Pekinensis extract sensitizes colorectal cancer to PD-1 blockade by remodeling the tumor microenvironment [PMID:39368338].
Evidence DProstate Cancer
Euphopanes A, B, and a known compound showed significant cytotoxicity against human prostate cancer cells C4-2B [PMID:32400187].
Evidence DMalignant Ascites
Water extract of EP vinegar preparation demonstrated anti-angiogenic activity in zebrafish models [PMID:28602865].
Safety & adverse effects
In its raw form, the herb is toxic and can cause gastrointestinal stimulation, abdominal pain, and diarrhea [PMID:37948776]. Total diterpenoids (TDEP) can cause severe diarrhea and intestinal mucosal damage by inducing gut microbiota disorder [PMID:34523246, PMID:28335427]. It has also been associated with nephrotoxicity and hepatorenal toxicity, evidenced by increased creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels in rats [PMID:29421944, PMID:3642674H].
Evidence summary
The current evidence is primarily based on in vitro cell assays and in vivo animal models (mice, rats, zebrafish), indicating strong pharmacological potential but a lack of human clinical trial data. Evidence level is predominantly D.
PubMed sources
1.PMID: 26654567 (2015) — Terpenoids from Euphorbia pekinensis. · Journal of Asian natural products research
2.PMID: 39368338 (2024) — Euphorbia Pekinensis Rupr. sensitizes colorectal cancer to PD-1 blockade by remodeling the tumor microenvironment and enhancing peripheral immunity. · Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
3.PMID: 11914963 (2002) — Cytotoxic diterpenoids from Euphorbia pekinensis. · Planta medica
4.PMID: 34523246 (2021) — Gut microbiota disorder caused by diterpenoids extracted from Euphorbia pekinensis aggravates intestinal mucosal damage. · Pharmacology research & perspectives
5.PMID: 35944737 (2022) — Phytochemical and pharmacological review of diterpenoids from the genus Euphorbia Linn (2012-2021).
Government sources
No direct government monograph is available for this herb. The content below is AI-generated and has not been verified against an authoritative government source. Use the search links to check official sources before relying on this information.
6.PMID: 32400187 (2022) — Euphopanes A-C, three new diterpenoids from Euphorbia pekinensis. · Natural product research
7.PMID: 35783059 (2022) — Complete chloroplast genome of Euphorbia micractina Boiss (Euphorbiaceae: Euphorbia). · Mitochondrial DNA. Part B, Resources
8.PMID: 34573051 (2021) — Antioxidant Role of Kaempferol in Prevention of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. · Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland)
9.PMID: 41490842 (2026) — Injectable multi-component hydrogel as an inhibitor of choline kinase α achieved the treatment of malignant ascites by inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. · Journal of advanced research
10.PMID: 25849283 (2015) — A new casbane diterpene from Euphorbia pekinensis. · Natural product research
11.PMID: 41643782 (2026) — New terpenoids from Euphorbia pekinensis with potent and selective anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activity. · Fitoterapia
12.PMID: 37948776 (2024) — Metabolomics-based investigation of the chemical composition changes in Mongolian medicinal plant Euphorbia pekinensis before and after processing with Chebulae Fructus. · Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
13.PMID: 39205630 (2025) — Euphorbia pekinensis Rupr. roots: a comprehensive review of botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, quality control, and toxicology. · Natural product research
14.PMID: 35182782 (2022) — Pimarane, abietane, and labdane diterpenoids from Euphorbia pekinensis Rupr. and their anti-tumor activities. · Phytochemistry
15.PMID: 28602865 (2017) — Anti-angiogenic activity of water extract from Euphorbia pekinensis Rupr. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
16.PMID: 29421944 (2018) — Metabolomic evaluation of Euphorbia pekinensis induced nephrotoxicity in rats. · Pharmaceutical biology
17.PMID: 36046110 (2022) — Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome of Euphorbia pekinensis Rupr. (Euphorbiaceae). · Mitochondrial DNA. Part B, Resources
18.PMID: 34670180 (2022) — Screening and identification of Euphorbiae pekinensis Rupr. anti-angiogenic multi-components with UPLC-QTOF-MS in zebrafish. · Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
19.PMID: 39414700 (2025) — Deciphering the mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective potential of kaempferol: a comprehensive investigation. · Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology
20.PMID: 23849544 (2013) — Casbane diterpenoids from the roots of Euphorbia pekinensis. · Phytochemistry
21.PMID: 36435085 (2023) — A three-dimensional integration strategy for Q-markers identification: Taken Euphorbia Pekinensis Radix as an example. · Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
22.PMID: 19560525 (2009) — A new cytotoxic casbane diterpene from Euphorbia pekinensis. · Fitoterapia
23.PMID: 39701798 (2024) — [Differences in toxicity and serum metabolomics of ethyl acetate fraction of Euphorbiae Pekinensis Radix before and after vinegar processing]. · Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica
24.PMID: 36426741 (2024) — Integrated gut microbiota and serum metabolomics reveal the protective effect of oleanolic acid on liver and kidney-injured rats induced by Euphorbia pekinensis. · Phytotherapy research : PTR
25.PMID: 17383127 (2007) — KIOM-79 inhibits high glucose or AGEs-induced VEGF expression in human retinal pigment epithelial cells. · Journal of ethnopharmacology
26.PMID: 39084184 (2024) — Fructus Jujubae cooperated with water-expelling members in Shizao decoction alleviated intestinal injury and malignant ascites by modulating gut microbiota and metabolic homeostasis. · Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology
27.PMID: 27447875 (2016) — Four New Diterpenoids from the Roots of Euphorbia pekinensis. · Chemistry & biodiversity
28.PMID: 28335427 (2017) — Laxative Effects of Total Diterpenoids Extracted from the Roots of Euphorbia pekinensis Are Attributable to Alterations of Aquaporins in the Colon. · Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)