Lang-tang — Hyoscyamus niger L. — Plate 24 
This Solanaceous plant is the most famous hallucinogenic 
drug in the Chinese herbals. The very name, meaning violent 
delirium, implies its physiological effect. The hallucinogenic 
property is from the seeds, while the root is used as a medicine 
in pernicious malaria and in parasitic skin diseases. 
Lang-tang was identified at first with Scopolia japonica L. 
by Japanese authors. But this is a species of Japan and the 
Chinese plant, as noted by Read and Liu (1925) and later 
followed by Chinese as well as Japanese (Matsumura 1915) 
authors, should be Hyoscyamus niger L. There is also a species 
of Scopolia in China, S. sinensis Hemsl., which is confined 
only to western China in Hupei and Szechuan provinces and 
only the root is used in medicine (Bot. Inst. 1972). 
Hyoscyamus niger L. is long known as a hallucinogenic drug 
as given in Schultes and Hoffman (1973), who locate it in 
western Asia and Europe. The plant is also native to northern 
and southwestern parts of China, as well as in Russia and India 
(Bot. Inst. 1972). Makino (1921) considers the Chinese plant as 
representing a variety as var. chinensis Makino. 
The seed is long known in the Chinese herbals to be very 
poisonous and when taken will produce madness. For use in 
medicine, the seeds should be properly treated to reduce their 
toxic properties. It is under this drug that Li Shih-chén (22), 
mentioning it along with three other plants following this item 
in this paper, discussed the hallucinogenic plants in detail as 
translated above. The hallucinogenic nature of this drug is 
noted in the earliest herbal, the Pén-ts’ao ching (1), which 
states **[The seeds] when taken [when properly prepared] fora 
prolonged period enable one to walk for long distances, benefit- 
ing to the mind and adding to the strength . . . and to com- 
municate with spirits and seeing devils. When taken in excess, 
it causes one to stagger madly.”’ 
In using the seeds as a medicine, the preparation consists of 
soaking in vinegar and then in milk and afterwards drying in air 
in the shade. As a drug, it is considered to be tonic and con- 
structive, and is prescribed in dysentery, mania, toothache and 
other ailments. 
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