Shang-lu — Phytolacca acinosa Roxb. — Plate 27 
The species of Phytolacca are widely distributed in warm to 
tropical regions in the northern hemisphere, especially in 
America, and several species are noted for their edible leaves 
and poisonous roots. The species Phytolacca acinosa Roxb., 
extensively distributed in China, also in Japan and India, is a 
well-known drug plant in China. The leaves are known to be 
edible. 
According to the old herbals, there are two kinds of Shang- 
lu: white with white flowers and white root, and red with red 
flowers and purplish root. The white root is edible when 
cooked and that kind is cultivated in some parts of the country 
for the edible root. The red root is considered to be extremely 
poisonous. Phytolacca acinosa Roxb. var. esculenta Maxim. 
(Phytolacca esculenta Van Houtte) is apparently referred to 
the edible kind which is generally referred to as a synonym. 
The old herbals named both the flowers and roots as useful 
for medicinal purposes. The flowers, called Ch’ang-hau, are 
prescribed in apoplexy. The very poisonous root is, when used 
as amedicine, generally applied only in external application for 
inflammation. It is also prescribed in dropsy and as a remedy 
for abdominal parasites. 
The deadly poisonous nature and the hallucinogenic effect of 
this drug was noted in many herbals and apparently it must 
have been quite commonly used by sorcerers in former times. 
T’ao Hung-ching (7) says that ‘‘The T’aoists used it. By boiling 
or brewing and then taken, it can be used for abdominal parasi- 
tic worms and for seeing spirits.” 
Su Sung (17) says ‘‘It was much used by sorcerers in ancient 
times.’’ The two kinds were carefully differentiated. Han Pao- 
shun (13) thus states, ‘‘The red-flowered kind has reddish 
roots: the white-flowered kind has white roots.’’ As to the 
white-flowered kind, which is considered as not poisonous and 
used as a drug, Ta Ming (15) states that ‘The white root has a 
very cooling effect; it is better taken with garlic.” 
Su Ching (10) summarizes in more detail the pharmaceutics 
of this plant. ‘This drug has two kinds, red and white. The 
white kind is used in medicine. The red kind can be used to 
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