Oriental Arborvitae
OTHER NAME(S): Bai Zhi Ren, Biota d'Orient, Biota Orientalis, Ce Bai, Ce Bai Ye, Chinese Arborvitae, Thuya de Chine, Thuya d'Orient, Platycladus orientalis, Retinispora juniperoides, Thuja orientalis, Biota orientale, Tuya Oriental, Thuya D’orient
Overview
Oriental arborvitae is an evergreen tree. It grows in China, Iran, Japan, and Korea. The seeds, leaves, and leafy twigs are used to make medicine.
Oriental arborvitae is used for male-pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia), pain, hemorrhoids, abnormally heavy bleeding during menstrual periods (menorrhagia), and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses. Oriental arborvitae might also be unsafe when taken by mouth in large amounts.
Uses
Insufficient Evidence for
- Abnormally heavy bleeding during menstrual periods (menorrhagia).
- Anxiety.
- Asthma.
- Bleeding in the stomach or intestines.
- Burns.
- Cancer.
- Constipation.
- Cough.
- Early orgasm in men (premature ejaculation).
- Excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis).
- Headache.
- Hemorrhoids.
- Infection of the intestines by parasites.
- Insomnia.
- Male-pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia).
- Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea).
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Osteoarthritis.
- Pain.
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
- Seizure disorder (epilepsy).
- Short-term swelling (inflammation) of the airways in the lungs (acute bronchitis).
- Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of oriental arborvitae for these uses.
Side Effects
When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if oriental arborvitae is safe or what the side effects might be when applied to the skin.
When taken by mouth: Oriental arborvitae is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth short-term in small amounts. Traditionally, tea made with 6-15 grams of leafy twig from oriental arborvitae has been used short-term with no reported side effects. But it's POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken by mouth long-term or in large amounts. Oriental arborvitae contains a toxic compound called thujone. This compound can cause restlessness, mental changes, vomiting, dizziness, tremors, kidney damage, seizures, and other side effects, especially when taken long-term or in large amounts. There isn't enough reliable information to know if taking oriental arborvitae seed by mouth is safe or what the side effects might be.
Precautions
When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if oriental arborvitae is safe or what the side effects might be when applied to the skin.
When taken by mouth: Oriental arborvitae is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken by mouth short-term in small amounts. Traditionally, tea made with 6-15 grams of leafy twig from oriental arborvitae has been used short-term with no reported side effects. But it's POSSIBLY UNSAFE when taken by mouth long-term or in large amounts. Oriental arborvitae contains a toxic compound called thujone. This compound can cause restlessness, mental changes, vomiting, dizziness, tremors, kidney damage, seizures, and other side effects, especially when taken long-term or in large amounts. There isn't enough reliable information to know if taking oriental arborvitae seed by mouth is safe or what the side effects might be.
Pregnancy: Taking oriental arborvitae by mouth is POSSIBLY UNSAFE if you are pregnant. It contains a chemical called thujone, which might cause the uterus to contract. Don't use oriental arborvitae if you are pregnant. There isn't enough reliable information to know if oriental arborvitae is safe to apply to the skin while pregnant. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
Breast-feeding. There isn't enough reliable information to know if oriental arborvitae is safe to take by mouth or apply to the skin while breastfeeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.
Porphyria, an inherited condition. Oriental arborvitae might make porphyria worse.
Kidney problems: Oriental arborvitae might make kidney disease worse.
Interactions
We currently have no information for Oriental Arborvitae overview.
Dosing
The appropriate dose of oriental arborvitae depends on several factors such as the user's age, health, and several other conditions. At this time there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for oriental arborvitae. Keep in mind that natural products are not always necessarily safe and dosages can be important. Be sure to follow relevant directions on product labels and consult your pharmacist or physician or other healthcare professional before using.
References
- Blumenthal M, ed. The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. Trans. S. Klein. Boston, MA: American Botanical Council, 1998.
- Newall CA, Anderson LA, Philpson JD. Herbal Medicine: A Guide for Healthcare Professionals. London, UK: The Pharmaceutical Press, 1996.
- Leung AY, Foster S. Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics. 2nd ed. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1996.
- McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, LLC 1997.
- Brinker F. Herb Contraindications and Drug Interactions. 2nd ed. Sandy, OR: Eclectic Medical Publications, 1998.
- Chen CP, Lin CC, Namba T. Screening of Taiwanese crude drugs for antibacterial activity against Streptococcus mutans. J Ethnopharmacol 1989;27:285-95.
- Chakraborty S, Afaq N, Singh N, Majumdar S. Antimicrobial activity of Cannabis sativa, Thuja orientalis and Psidium guajava leaf extracts against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. J Integr Med 2018;16(5):350-7.
- Alamdari DH, Aghasizadeh-Sharbaf M, Mohadjerani M, Ferns GA, Avan A. Prooxidant-antioxidant balance and antioxidant properties of Thuja orientalis L: a potential therapeutic approach for diabetes mellitus. Curr Mol Pharmacol 2018;11(2):109-12.
- Zhang NN, Park DK, Park HJ. Hair growth-promoting activity of hot water extract of Thuja orientalis. BMC Complement Altern Med 2013;13:9.
- Breeta RE, Jesubatham PD, Grace VMB, Viswanathan S, Srividya S. Non-toxic and non teratogenic extract of Thuja orientalis L. inhibited angiogenesis in zebra fish and suppressed the growth of human lung cancer cell line. Biomed Pharmacother 2018;106:699-706.
- Lee YJ, Hwang SM, Yoon JJ, et al. Inhibitory effect of Thuja orientalis on TNF-a-induced vascular inflammation. Phytother Res 2010;24(10):1489-95.