Polygalaceae

This plant is native to China and Inner Mongolia

and is the source of yuan-zhi (= yuan-chih, radix

polygalae), which traditional Chinese medicine

prescribes to "calm the mind" and "heal emotional

disorders." It is used to treat nervousness, sleeplessness,

forgetfulness, mood swings, and depression

(Paulus and Ding 1987, 258*). Also known as

chodat and hsiao-ts'ao, the plant was prescribed in

Taoist medicine to increase brain activity and

enhance memory. This may be the reason why it is

occasionally regarded as psychoactive (Schuldes

1995, 63*). It is used in the manufacture of herbal

ecstasy. The "active component" is said to be

"senegine;' which makes up 70/0 of the dry weight

(Gottlieb 1973, 11*). The chemistry is well understood.

The root contains primarily polygalitol,

tetramethoxyanthones, and triterpenes (Paulus and

Ding 1997, 259*) but not a trace of psychoactive

compounds. The very similar Polygala sibirica 1. is

sometimes sold in place of this Chinese root drug.