Snake Gourd Root
Trichosanthes kirilowii
Tian hua fen, a Chinese medicine root used for centuries for diabetes, swelling and menstrual problems. Its protein, trichosanthin, ends pregnancies and was once widely used in China for abortion.
What is Snake Gourd Root?
- Plant family
- Cucurbitaceae, the gourd and cucumber family
- Parts used
- The root, dried and powdered (tian hua fen)
- Genus
- Trichosanthes
- Species
- kirilowii
Also called
Trichosanthes Root, Trichosanthis Radix, Chinese Cucumber Root
Traditional names
Tian Hua Fen
Traditionally used for
- Diabetes (traditional)
- Swelling (traditional)
- Menstrual problems (traditional)
- Abortion (historical)
Traditionally described as
- Blocked HIV (in lab studies)
Health topics
Where Snake Gourd Root appears in symptom search, and why. Being listed doesn't mean it's a proven treatment.
- High Blood Sugar
Traditionally used for diabetes in Asian medicine. Not shown in the sources to work in people.
- Pregnancy and Childbirth
Warning: contains trichosanthin, which ends pregnancies; it was used in China to cause abortions.
Traditions that use it
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Called tian hua fen; first recorded in the 7th century. Used to "clear heat", reduce swelling, regulate menstruation and, historically, to cause abortion.
Safety
Side effects
Reported side effects of tian hua fen include:
- Flu-like illness with fever, headache, joint pain and sore throat
- Skin rash and pain where it was injected
- Bleeding gums and nosebleeds, and heavy bleeding
- Stomach pain and infection
- Severe allergic reactions
One death was reported in 1969. In AIDS trials of a purified form, a few people had confusion or coma, and one died.[1]
Pregnancy
Snake gourd root contains trichosanthin, which ends pregnancies. It has been used in China to cause abortions.[1]
What does the research say?
Traditional use
These are traditional uses, not proven treatments.
Snake gourd root comes from Trichosanthes kirilowii and a close relative. It has been used for centuries in China, Japan, South Korea and other Asian countries for diabetes, cancer, inflammation, and heart and breathing conditions. Pharmacopoeias in several countries list it to "clear heat", reduce swelling, "expel pus", "generate fluids" and regulate menstruation.[2]
As tian hua fen, it was first recorded in the 7th century by the physician Sun Simiao. Later texts, including the Compendium of Materia Medica, list it in prescriptions for ending pregnancy, abnormal menstruation and a placenta that won't come out. In the 1960s it was widely used in China to cause abortions, and in 1972 its active protein, trichosanthin, was purified to reduce side effects.[1]
Laboratory & animal research
Lab and animal results show what might be worth studying in people. They don't show that the herb has these effects in humans.
In the lab, trichosanthin blocked HIV from multiplying in immune cells and has shown potential against stomach and bowel cancers. Researchers are modifying it to reduce its side effects.[1]
Research in people
In Chinese clinical studies from 1990 to 2000, trichosanthin injections ended pregnancies, including mid-term pregnancies and ectopic pregnancies, with high success rates. Today, medical abortion relies on other drugs that work more often and have fewer side effects.
Around 1990, a purified form was tested in people with AIDS in the US and UK. Results were inconsistent, and some people had serious side effects.[1]
In short
Causes abortion. Side effects include fever, bleeding and severe allergic reactions; one death has been reported.
Sources
- [1] A Sixty-Year Research and Development of Trichosanthin, a Ribosome-Inactivating Protein · DOI: 10.3390/toxins14030178Peer-reviewed study
- [2] Trichosanthis Radix: A comprehensive review on botany, ethnomedicine, phytochemistry, pharmacology, quality control and toxicology · DOI: 10.1016/j.fitote.2025.106597Peer-reviewed study
This information is educational and traditional in nature, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.