Thunder God Vine: 3 Parts Deadly, One Part Relief for Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms

Thunder God Vine also known as "Walk Seven Steps and Die"; "Intestine-Breaking Plant", and "Three-Wing-Nut, is three parts deadly, and one relief for Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms.

What is a Thunder God Vine Plant?

Thunder God Vine Plant is the English name for the Chinese perennial plant: lei gong teng. You can normally spot these plants growing in the mountains of China, Taiwan, and Myanmar. The deciduous climbing vine sheds its leaves, has three wings and produces white flowers and red fruit. This plant can be very dangerous and deadly because there are three parts of the plant that are poisonous. The plant leaves, flowers, and outer skin of the root. The only part that is not poisonous are the extracts from the skinned root of the thunder god vine, but there is a risk of being poisoned if it is not extracted properly.

What is Rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis, also known as RA is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation in the joints as well as the tissue around the joints, and possibly in other organs according to medcinenet.com. Patients have antibodies in their blood, which target their own body tissues that cause the inflammation.

How can Thunder God Vine help Rheumatoid Arthritis?

The extracts from the skinned root of the Thunder God Vine Plant has been used in China for over 400 years and has been shown to safely and effectively reduce pain and inflammation. Although if not extracted properly, can be very poisonous and deadly.

According to answers.com, during the 1980's, there was a double clinical trial that was performed in China. Xue-Lian Tao was one of the researchers who was a former post-doctoral fellow at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Branch (UTSMB). They studied over 2,000 patients who did not know if they received the extract or a placebo. Patients did report that the remedy reduced the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

Xue-Lain Tao returned to the United States and continued his research. In the 1990's the University of Texas Medical Brand (UTSMB) studied the plant's effectiveness to treat symptoms of inflammatory conditions along with Peter Lipsky, M.D. who was the director of the Harold C. Simmons Arthritis Center at the University of Texas. They wanted to find out the exact part of the plant that appeared to ease the arthritis pain. By 1998, the research team developed a root extract from the plant that could be studied for its effectiveness to provide relief of arthritis symptoms. They named the extract "Texas Ethyl Acetate (TEA). They applied to the United States Food and Drug Administration to have permission to test the extract on arthritis patients, which the FDA issued permission to the thunder god vine research using the root extract. Studies were done at UTSMB and the National Institute of Arthritis and Muscoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS).

In 1999, Peter Lipsky, M.D. was named scientific director of National Institute of Arthritis and Muscoeskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). The NIAMS completed a 20-week study on twenty-one rheumatoid arthritis patients. They gave some patients a high dose of the extract, some a low dose of the extract, and some a placebo. After four weeks, those who received the high dosage of extract showed rapid improvement by 80%, those who received the low dosage showed an improvement by 40%, and there was no change in those who received the placebo. According to Dr. Peter Lipsky, the extract is very unique and is a particularly promising treatment for rheumatoid arthritis in because it slows down the overactive immune system and reduces inflammation.

After the NIAMS study was released in 2002, there was an announcement that Phytomedics Inc., a New Jersey biopharmaceutical company, was growing Thunder God Vine. Phytomedics Inc. and they also announced their plans to develop a botanical drug for the treatment of arthritis and they renamed the extract "PMI-001". Phytomedics, Inc. partnered with Pfizer to manufacture the drug. As of 2004, the PMI-001 product has not been brought to the Food and Drug Administration.

According to Phytomedicine International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytogpharmacology, a 2006 analysis of two well-designed studies found that extract of the thunder god vine did have some benefit in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. However, the vine also caused serious side effects that limited its usefulness. The U.S. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases is funding a large trial designed to compare Thunder God Vine with a conventional medicine for rheumatoid arthritis

Are there Thunder God Vine Supplements?

According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), there are no consistent, high-quality Thunder God Vine products being manufactured in the United States. There are preparations of the Thunder God Vine outside of the United States as well as China that can be obtained, but you cannot tell if they are safe and effective. An expert from the University of Texas/NIH study advises that consumers not use Thunder God Vine unreliable preparations become available.

What are the side effects?

We already know that almost all parts of the Thunder God Vine can be poisonous and deadly if it is not extracted from the skinned root properly as well as the leaves, flowers, and skin of the root are highly poisonous. According to the NCCAM, Thunder God Vine is also known to cause diarrhea, upset stomach, hair loss, headache, menstrual changes, and skins rashes. Studies have also shown that Thunder God Vine has been found to decrease bone mineral density in women who take the herb for five years or longer, which means that women who have osteoporosis or who are at risk of osteoporosis could decrease their bone density sooner. Thunder God Vine has also been known to decrease sperm count as well as been associated with male infertility. Before ever trying Thunder God Vine Supplements, you should talk to your health care provider about any medication use as well as your own personal health. As of now, until the FDA approves this supplement, beware of Thunder God Vine Supplements.

*The information contained in this article is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice nor is it intended to be for medical diagnosis or treatments. Always consult your doctor before taking any medical advice or if you are concerned about your physical well being.

Sources and Resources:

http://nccam.nih.gov/health/tgvine/#intro

http://www.niams.nih.gov/News_and_Events/Spotlight_on_Research/2002/thunder.asp

http://www.niams.nih.gov/About_Us/Budget/2004cj_narrative.asp

http://www.niams.nih.gov/News_and_Events/Advisory_Council_Minutes/2003/sum1_03.asp

http://www.thehealthierlife.co.uk/natural-health-articles/arthritis/thunder-god-vine-take-care-rheumatoid-arthritis-00517.html

http://www.enotes.com/alternative-medicine-encyclopedia/thunder-god-vine

http://www.phytomedicinejournal.com/article/abstracts?terms1=thunder+god&terms2=&terms3=&terms4=

http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3435100777.html

http://www.answers.com/topic/thunder-god-vine

http://www.rxlist.com/thunder_god_vine/supplements.htm

http://www.scribd.com/doc/18484028/thunder-god-vine

http://nccam.nih.gov/health/tgvine/#cautions