Fo-Ti pill - Information on Shen Min

According to Chinese herbal medicine, Fo Ti is used to invigorate the kidneys and liver, and serve as a tonic to increase overall vitality. In China, Fo-Ti is known as Ho Shou Wu (or He Shou Wu) and has a reputation for enhancing longevity and energy. For more Fo-Ti information.

Fo-Ti Root, 610 mg
Nature's Way
Fo Ti (Polygonum multiflorum) is known in China as He Shou Wu. Considered one of China's four great herbs, it is used on an alternating basis with Ginseng.

Fo Ti root Supplement Facts
Fo-Ti (root) - 610 mg *

Recommendation: Take 1 Fo-Ti capsule before breakfast or lunch.
* Fo Ti daily value not established
Click here to buy Fo-Ti, Mind Power Rx brain booster, Eyesight Rx for better vision, Passion Rx sexual product, or to sign up to a FREE newsletter

Fo Ti side effects and danger
There have been rare reports of chronic consumption of Fo-Ti inducing liver damage or hepatitis. The title of the medical report is "New case of acute hepatitis following the consumption of Shou Wu Pian, a Chinese herbal product derived from Polygonum multiflorum."

Hepatitis from Shen Min
Shen-Min is a herbal product sold as a supplement for women to enhance hair growth. It is widely available across Asia, Europe, and the United States and sold without prescription as a hair nutritional supplement. Shen-Min is a Chinese herbal product with a mixture of several plants and vitamins including Fo ti.

Acute hepatitis due to shen-min: a herbal product derived from Polygonum multiflorum.
J Clin Gastroenterol. 2006 August. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe and Gastro-Hepatology Group, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
We describe a case of acute liver injury in a 28-year-old white woman who developed symptomatic hepatitis 8 weeks after starting Shen-Min. All other potential causes of acute hepatitis including viral, hypoxic/ischemic, metabolic, and autoimmune etiologies were excluded. The liver injury slowly resolved over 3 weeks after discontinuing the herbal product. Although the mechanism of Shen-Min hepatotoxicity is unknown, we suspect an idiosyncratic reaction because the patient developed a fine maculopapular rash, mild eosinophilia, and did not overdose. Nonetheless to our knowledge this is the first reported case of herbal-induced hepatotoxicity in a patient taking Shen-Min per se. Clinicians taking care of patients with acute hepatitis of unclear etiology should be aware that the consumption of Shen-Min, a hair supplement widely available in the United States and Western countries might cause acute hepatitis.

Fo Ti for cholesterol
Blood lipid-regulation of stilbene glycoside from polygonum multiflorum
Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi. 2007 Feb. Tropical Medicine Institute, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou 510405, China.
To study lipid-regulating action of 2, 3, 5, 4'-tetrahydroxy stilbene-2-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (TSG) from Polygonum multiflorum Fo Ti on experimental model hyperlipidemic rats. TSG, which shows effects and mechanism in part like atorcastatin, is a major constituent with blood-lipid regulating effect of Fo Ti and can be explored as a potent medication for hyperlipidemia.

Fo-Ti questions
Q.  The Nature's Way Fo-Ti that you advertise, is that the red or processed form, or the white or unprocessed form? the actions of the two are somewhat different, and it is the red that I wish to buy.
   A. This Nature's Way Fo-Ti product is the whole root. We did a Medline search for "Red Fo-Ti" and could not find any mention in the literature regarding this term. We have not seen any human studies with Fo-Ti and therefore we question claims made that one form of Fo-Ti is better than another form for human consumption. We are not sure what is meant by the word processed. Normally the terms used with herbs are extracts or concentrates. August 2007.

Q. I am doing a biology project on the effect polygonum multiflorum on Drosophila Melanogaster. How does polygonum multiflorum increase the superoxide dismutase in the body? Please send me whatever information you have on polygonum multiflorum that you have.
   A. We are involved in the clinical aspects of FoTi use, so this is outside our range of knowledge. Sorry.

Home