Polygonatum Sibiricum
Polygonatum sibiricum
Huang jing, a relative of Solomon's seal used in China for over 2,000 years as food and as a tonic for tiredness, weakness and slow-healing wounds. Research is in the lab.
What is Polygonatum Sibiricum?
- Plant family
- Asparagaceae, the asparagus family
- Parts used
- The underground stem (rhizome)
- Genus
- Polygonatum
- Species
- sibiricum
Also called
Polygonati Rhizoma
Traditional names
Huang Jing, Huangjing
Traditionally used for
- Tonic for tiredness and weakness (traditional)
- Slow-healing wounds (traditional)
- Health foods
Traditionally described as
- Killed cancer cells (in lab studies)
Health topics
Where Polygonatum Sibiricum appears in symptom search, and why. Being listed doesn't mean it's a proven treatment.
- Fatigue
A traditional Chinese tonic for tiredness and weakness ("deficiency"). Not tested in trials.
Traditions that use it
Traditional Chinese Medicine
Called huang jing; used for over 2,000 years as a superior tonic for qi and yin and to strengthen the spleen, lungs and kidneys.
What does the research say?
Traditional use
These are traditional uses, not proven treatments.
Huang jing has been used in China for over 2,000 years as both food and medicine. It's ranked a superior tonic, used to "tonify qi and nourish yin" and to strengthen the spleen, lungs and kidneys. Classical texts recommend it for "deficiency" conditions, including:
- Tiredness and weight loss
- Night sweats
- A weak immune system
It was also used for sores, ulcers and slow-healing wounds.[1]
An early herbal, the Record of Famous Doctors, describes it as sweet, neutral and non-toxic. The Chinese Pharmacopoeia lists this and two related species as sources of huang jing. Today it's used in Chinese patent medicines, for example for memory problems and diabetes, and in drinks and health foods. It's a close relative of Solomon's seal (Polygonatum odoratum).[2]
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 lab studies, saponins from Polygonatum sibiricum killed several kinds of cancer cells, and other Polygonatum compounds boosted immune responses. These haven't been tested in people.[1]
Sources
- [1] The antitumor potential of Polygonatum spp.: a narrative review of traditional uses, bioactive metabolites, and multi-targeted mechanisms · DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2025.1662839Peer-reviewed study
- [2] Preparation, Structure, Function, and Application of Dietary Polysaccharides from Polygonatum sibiricum in the Food Industry: A Review · DOI: 10.3390/molecules30051098Peer-reviewed study
This information is educational and traditional in nature, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.