sim: It's considered an energy restoration root. It strengthens the Liver and Kidney meridians with neutral and drying energies. It raises the vital forces by tonifying the Qi, Blood and Essence. Must use caution, though. If you have other outstanding health conditions, using knotweed root can and probably will dam up the energies and cause side effects. Not harmful side effects, but uncomfortable ones. theherbalist

The first article you linked to discusses 7 patients (all of whom had hepatitis B) that had liver failure co-incidental to taking herbal medicines. (39 other patients with hepatitis had liver failure in the absence of taking herbs). Only 1 of those 7 took a medicine with Polygonum, and that medicine was shown to be contaminated with N-nitrosfenfluramine, which the article said "is known to be highly hepatotoxic". So is that a smoking-gun on the dangers of Polygonum? I think not. The other two articles you linked to discussed correlations between taking other patent medicines that included Polygonum and several other herbs. It is true that Polygonum contains anthraquinones, and in larger doses, these can theoretically have a negative effect on the liver. It should also be pointed out that rhubarb, senna and aloe vera latex can contain even more anthraquinones than polygonum. If someone is taking enough Polygonum (or rhubarb) to see a laxative effect, that ~might~ affect their livers - if they are unusually sensitive to the ingredient and have an idiosyncratic reaction, if they take it for a prolonged period of time, or if the liver is already weakened by hepatitis. A variety of anthraquinone-laden senna laxatives are to be found in virtually every drugstore in the United States, and they appear in the OTC medicine section, not in the supplement section. They are widely recommended by doctors. The FDA could take action if it thought that the risk was substantial. Yet they haven't, and none of the mainstream medical websites seem to be concerned about senna and the liver - even though millions of Americans consume it every year. They express justifiable concerns that people not become dependent on such stimulant laxatives, that they seek attention if the problem doesn't resolve itself or if there is severe abdominal pain, etc. But nowhere did I see doctors identifying liver conditions as a counter-indication for using senna, even though it contains the same 'hepatotoxic' chemicals as polygonum. This special caution is reserved for things labeled alternative or foreign. Hmm... There are anthraquinones in vegetables, such as cabbage and lettuce; beans are particularly high in them. And there is rhubarb, which I shall continue eating. Caution might be in order for some individuals, but the overall risk appears to be quite low.

Your photos are the best I have so far been able to find on the web for Polygonum multiflora. I was hoping that it was the same plant as the "Russian lace vine" (possibly Polygonum aubertii) that I have here, but the leaves are different--the multiflora seems a bit more heart-shaped. I was hoping I had some He Shou Wu growing in my garden:o( . http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Polygonum+multiflorum Polygonum multiflorum - Thunb. He Shou Wu Author Thunb. Botanical references 74, 266 Family Polygonaceae Genus Polygonum Synonyms Fallopia multiflora - (Thunb. ex Murray,)Haraldson. Here is a link that might be useful: Medical Assessment of Some herbs

So what are ya digging today? I have a couple pieces of Tara Butterfly Ginger (Hedychium), but I'm going to hold them for the General Swap. Not a lot of time left for special swaps now but.... Here's some of what I have to bring...... (obr = only by request - don't mind digging but only if someone wants it) Allium schoenoprasum - obr Allium tuberosum - garlic chives - obr Althea officinalis Arundo - variegated reed grass - obr Begonia - hardy Bronze fennel (1) Celandine poppy (1) it was looking puny after digging, but starting to perk up now and it's a really big one. Crassula - jade/houseplant Crocosmia - obr Cryptocereus anthonyanus (aka Selenicereus anthonyanus)- (1 or 2 cuttings) ZigZag orchid/houseplant (1 rooted) Digitalis - white foxglove Erysimum helveticum - wallflower Hedychium 'white' butterfly ginger Hypericum calycinum - St John's wort Iris cristata - obr Iris mini - family passalong Mallow - mixed seedlings Malva moschata - pink (will have a few whites too) Oenothera speciosa 'Siskiyou'- Mexican Evening Primrose 'Pink' - obr Also have the Yellow Primrose - obr Polygonum multiflorum - Fo-Ti cuttings, easy to root - obr Sedums - assortment - obr Verbena bonariensis There's more but will keep them as surprises, hehehehe! Here is a link that might be useful: Triad/High Point Swap Details