Fang-K'uei

This Japanese species of master plant is also found

in China. Known as fang-k'uei, the species is

mentioned in the herbal Tao Hung-ching: "feverish

persons should not take it, for it stupefies and

enables spirits to appear." This passage has been

interpreted as indicating a possible psychoactivity

(Li 1978,21*).

The roots (radix peucedani, qian hu, zenko) of

several closely related species are used in

traditional Chinese medicine to treat disorders of

the lung and spleen (Paulus and Ding 1987, 376).

The root of Peucedanum decursivum (Miq.) Maxim.

is regarded as a nerve tonic and aphrodisiac (Stark

1984, 95*). The roots of the species known as

zenko (Peucedanum praeruptorum Dunn) are used

in. Japanese kampo medicine to treat fever,

shivering, and headaches (Tsumura 1991, 175*).

Alkaloid-like substances do occur in the genus

Peucedanum. Coumarins have been detected in

Peucedanum japonicum (Schultes and Hofmann

1992, 54*). Additional chemical studies are needed

(Ott 1993,417*).