Coptis teeta Wall.

DeFilipps, Robert A. & Krupnick, Gary A., 2018, The medicinal plants of Myanmar, PhytoKeys 102, pp. 1-341 : 145-146

Coptis teeta Wall.

Names.

Myanmar: khan tauk. English: goldthread, Indian goldthread.

Range.

Temperate Asia. Grows naturally in northeastern Myanmar at altitudes exceeding 2440 m.

Conservation status.

Endangered [EN A2cd] ( IUCN 2017).

Uses.

The plant’s bitter taste creates a heating sensation in the stomach. Bark and Root: Used in preparations to relieve constipation, regulate bowel movements, promote digestion, reduce fever, treat malaria, and increase vitality. Root: Crushed, ground together with pepper, and formed into pea-sized pellets; one pellet is taken each morning and evening to alleviate excessive phlegm, asthma, bronchitis, and coughs. A mixture of the crushed roots, ground pepper, and juice from bauk hkway ( Abutilon indica ) leaves is shaped into pellets the size of peppercorns; two of these pellets are swallowed twice daily to reduce edema, promote digestion, and alleviate diarrhea and other intestinal problems. The roots soaked in country liquor are taken for malaria. A thick paste formed from ground roots is used to draw circles around the eyes to remedy sore eyes and other eye problems. A mixture of the roots, crushed together with a bit of sap from Aloe vera leaves or sap from mayoe ( Calotropis procera ), is applied topically to snakebites, followed by ingestion of a second mixture, made from crushed roots combined with pepper and a bit of the tuberous roots from ma aye chintaung (a grass species with a triangular stem), to neutralize the venom. The root, one clove, and one peppercorn are ground into a paste using mother’s milk and given to children for pneumonia. Equal amounts of the root bark, the bark from shwe tataing (the scientific name of this plant could not be ascertained per Thi Thi Ta, personal communication), and the bark from bauk hkway ( A. indica ) are powdered and inhaled to alleviate asthma, bronchitis, and coughs.

Notes.

The medicinal uses of this species in India are discussed in Jain and DeFilipps (1991). Medicinal uses of this species in China are discussed in Duke and Ayensu (1985).

Reference.

Agricultural Corporation (1980).