Pagoda Tree

Last Editorial Review: 6/11/2021
Other Name(s):

Árbol de la Pagoda, Arbre de Miel, Arbre aux Pagodes, Chinese Scholartree, Huai Hua, Japanese Pagoda Tree, Japanese Sophora, Pagode Japonaise, Sófora, Sophora du Japon, Sophora japonica, Sophora Japonica Linn, Soppora Japonica, Styphnolobium japonicum.

Overview

Pagoda is a tree. The seeds are used to make medicine.

Despite serious safety concerns, pagoda tree is used in dilutions for severe diarrhea (dysentery).

How does work?

There isn't enough information to know how pagoda tree might work.

Uses

Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...

  • Certain forms of severe diarrhea (dysentery).
  • Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of pagoda tree for these uses.

Side Effects

The seeds of the pagoda tree are POSSIBLY UNSAFE for most people when taken by mouth. The seeds might cause serious side effects including facial swelling, poisoning, or death.

SLIDESHOW

Vitamin D Deficiency: How Much Vitamin D Is Enough? See Slideshow

Precautions

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: It's POSSIBLY UNSAFE to take pagoda tree seeds by mouth if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.

Dosing

The appropriate dose of pagoda tree 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 pagoda tree. 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.

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate (detailed description of each of the ratings).

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You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

References

Danilevskii, N. F. and Antonishin, B. V. [Antimicrobial activity of a tincture of Japanese pagoda tree (Sophora japonica) and of the essential oil of sweet flag (Acorus calamus)]. Mikrobiol.Zh. 1982;44(5):80-82. View abstract.

Kim, B. H., Chung, E. Y., Ryu, J. C., Jung, S. H., Min, K. R., and Kim, Y. Anti-inflammatory mode of isoflavone glycoside sophoricoside by inhibition of interleukin-6 and cyclooxygenase-2 in inflammatory response. Arch Pharm Res 2003;26(4):306-311. View abstract.

Kite, G. C., Stoneham, C. A., and Veitch, N. C. Flavonol tetraglycosides and other constituents from leaves of Styphnolobium japonicum (Leguminosae) and related taxa. Phytochemistry 2007;68(10):1407-1416. View abstract.

Liu, I. M. and Sheu, S. J. Analysis and processing of Chinese herbal drugs. VIII: The study of sophorae floe. Am J Chin Med 1989;17(3-4):179-187. View abstract.

Narimanov, A. A., Kuznetsova, S. M., and Miakisheva, S. N. [The modifying action of the Japanese pagoda tree (Sophora japonica) and pantocrine in radiation lesions]. Radiobiologiia. 1990;30(2):170-174. View abstract.

Poretz, R. D. and Barth, R. F. Studies on the interaction of the Sophora japonica lectin and concanavalin A with erythrocytes and lymphocytes. Immunology 1976;31(2):187-194. View abstract.

Potapov, M. I. [Partial group-specific phytohemagglutinins anti-B1 and anti-B2]. Sud.Med Ekspert. 2004;47(1):16-19. View abstract.

Smirnova, N. I., Mestechkina, N. M., and Shcherbukhin, V. D. [Fractional isolation and study of the structure of galactomannan from sophora (Styphnolobium japonicum) seeds]. Prikl.Biokhim.Mikrobiol. 2004;40(5):596-601. View abstract.

Wang, K. H., Lin, R. D., Hsu, F. L., Huang, Y. H., Chang, H. C., Huang, C. Y., and Lee, M. H. Cosmetic applications of selected traditional Chinese herbal medicines. J Ethnopharmacol 7-19-2006;106(3):353-359. View abstract.

Wu, A. M., Kabat, E. A., Gruezo, F. G., and Poretz, R. D. Immunochemical studies on the reactivities and combining sites of the D-galactopyranose- and 2-acetamido--2-deoxy-D-galactopyranose-specific lectin purified from Sophora japonica seeds. Arch.Biochem.Biophys. 1981;209(1):191-203. View abstract.