Chinese Silkvine

Botanical

What is it

Chinese silkvine (Periploca sepium) is a deciduous climbing shrub native to China. Its root bark (Xiang Jia Pi) is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for joint pain and edema.

Evidence for 1 use

AI-assisted evidence assessment — talk to your doctor before relying on any single supplement.

Any clinical condition

Mixed Evidence

No controlled human evidence supports specific benefit. Cardiotoxic risk outweighs theoretical use.

How it works

The root bark contains cardenolide glycosides similar in pharmacology to digoxin, plus saponins and pregnane glycosides. The cardenolides act on the cellular sodium-potassium pump and can affect heart rate and rhythm. This makes Chinese silkvine a notable source of toxic concern. In TCM, Xiang Jia Pi is sometimes substituted incorrectly for Wu Jia Pi (Eleutherococcus or Acanthopanax bark), but the two have very different chemistry. Substitution accidents have caused fatal poisoning.

Dosage

Traditional TCM doses for Xiang Jia Pi are very small (3-6 g) and require qualified practitioner oversight due to cardiotoxicity. There is no rational self-administered supplemental dose.

When and how to take it

Not applicable for self-use. Traditional dosing requires qualified TCM practitioner supervision.

1 commercial form

Compare the main delivery options and what they’re best suited for.

Dried root bark (Xiang Jia Pi)

Used in TCM only under qualified supervision.

Cardenolide-containing; toxic at higher doses.

Safety

Cardenolide content makes Chinese silkvine genuinely dangerous when misidentified or overdosed. Reports of fatal poisoning exist. Symptoms of toxicity include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and abnormal heart rhythms.

Who should be cautious

Avoid in pregnancy, breastfeeding, heart disease, kidney disease, and in anyone on cardiac medications. Self-use is not recommended given the substitution and toxicity risk.

Interactions

Potentially serious interactions with digoxin and other cardiac glycosides (additive toxicity), with diuretics (potassium loss worsens cardiotoxicity), and with calcium supplements at very high intake.

Frequently asked questions

Is Chinese silkvine the same as Siberian ginseng?⌄

No. They are very different plants. The bark of Chinese silkvine (Xiang Jia Pi) is sometimes substituted in error for Eleutherococcus bark (Wu Jia Pi); the cardiotoxic content of Chinese silkvine has caused fatal poisoning from these mix-ups.

Should I take Periploca sepium as a supplement?⌄

No. Self-use is not safe. The plant contains cardiotoxic glycosides similar to digitalis.

References

Chinese Silkvine on Wikidata — Wikidata link

Chinese Silkvine on NIH DSLD (US supplement label database) — NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database link

Research on Chinese Silkvine (PubMed search) — PubMed link

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Evidence-based·How we grade evidence

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This page is educational, not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Evidence grades are AI-assisted assessments — talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement, especially if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, on medications, or managing a chronic condition.