What Is Corydalis?

Corydalis is an herbal supplement claimed to help with pain and relaxation (sedation). Its scientific name is Corydalis yanhusuo, and it is a species of flowering herbal plant in the Papaveraceae family (commonly known as poppies).

Corydalis yanhusuo grows in the Northern Hemisphere but is most often found in the high-altitude grasslands in China's province of Zhejiang.

The corydalis plant has five to 15 purple-blue-hued flowers clustered together that curve outward. Corydalis is often used with other herbal supplements.

This article covers what corydalis is used for. It will also go over the potential risks and side effects of taking corydalis supplements.

Purported Uses

Supplement use should be individualized and vetted by a healthcare professional, such as a registered dietitian, pharmacist, or healthcare provider. No supplement is intended to treat, cure, or prevent disease.

Corydalis is often paired with other herbal supplements with purported health benefits, but there is limited research to support its use.

Scientists have studied using corydalis for different health reasons, but they have not proven that it is safe and effective in humans.

Corydalis has been studied in the lab and in animals, but there is not enough evidence to support its use for any health conditions in people.

Central Nervous System Benefits

Corydalis might potentially help with pain and cause feelings of relaxation (sedation).

A review of studies on the uses of corydalis found that tetrahydropalmatine (THP)—an alkaloid in the corydalis plant—has been shown to block receptor sites for dopamine in the brain, which can cause sedation.

Animal research studies have looked at the pain-relieving (analgesic) and sedative effects of Corydalis yanhusuo. For example, in rat studies, Corydalis yanhusuo decreased chronic and persistent pain and depression.

There has been some research on using corydalis for pain in humans. A double-blinded, placebo-controlled crossover study with 15 participants used the cold pressor test—a research method to induce pain in humans. A single oral dose of Corydalis yanhusuo extract and another herbal supplement called Angelicae dauhuricae significantly decreased the participants' pain intensity scores. However, because Corydalis yanhusuo was used in combination with another product, we can't be sure whether the herbal supplement on its own would be effective.

Other Purported Uses of Corydalis

Other animal and lab studies have evaluated corydalis:

• One study found that corydalis may have helped decrease sores in the stomach lining (peptic ulcers) in animals. It may have also protected liver function in animal models, possibly due to the alkaloid/THP content of the plant.
• Protection against coronary heart disease, abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmias), and heart attack in animals. THP might relax blood vessels and tissues in mice, which could reduce blood pressure and heart rate.
• Decreased tumor growth in lab and animal studies. Studies in animals also suggested that THP may decrease tumor cell activity.
• Lab studies showed that the chloroform extract in Corydalis yanhusuo might have antibacterial and antifungal effects.
  

However, animal and lab studies are often poor predictors of human response. Therefore, these findings do not provide adequate evidence for these uses of corydalis.

What Are the Side Effects of Corydalis?

Orally, corydalis is generally well tolerated and safe. Some research indicates that corydalis extracts may be safe to take for up to four weeks.

Consuming corydalis can still have side effects. Importantly, there is a risk of THP toxicity from corydalis supplements. THP can cause an infection and inflammation in the liver (acute hepatitis), the symptoms of which are nausea, vomiting, pain in the abdomen, or fever.

Precautions Before Using Corydalis

More research is needed to learn about the possible side effects of using corydalis supplements with other herbs, supplements, or medications.

Talk to your healthcare provider before you start taking corydalis, especially if you are already taking other prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications, supplements, or products.

There has not been enough safety and effectiveness research on corydalis use in certain groups of people who might be at risk for side effects. Children should not take corydalis. In addition, adults should steer clear if they are:

• Pregnant
• Breastfeeding
• Bleeding between menstrual periods

Dosage: How Much Corydalis Should I Take?

There are different ways to take corydalis, including as a powder, root, liquid, or capsule. However, there are no guidelines about how much Corydalis yanhusuo to take. There is no standard dose of corydalis.

More research is needed on dosages of corydalis for specific populations and health needs.

What Happens if I take Too Much Corydalis?

As a rule of thumb, never take more corydalis than the manufacturer's recommended dosage on the supplement you've purchased.

Since there is no set recommended dose, it would be hard to say what dose would be considered "too much." However, you should stop taking Corydalis yanhusuo and call your healthcare provider if you experience side effects while using the supplement.

Interactions

Corydalis yanhusuo is often used together with other herbal supplements. However, there has not been enough research on using corydalis with prescription and OTC medications, or other products.

Always read a supplement's ingredient list and nutrition facts panel carefully before you use it. Make sure that you know what is included in the supplement and how much of each ingredient there is in a dose.

Go over this information with your healthcare provider and make sure they know about any other medications, supplements, vitamins, or products you're using.

How to Store Corydalis

Store a corydalis supplement according to the manufacturer's directions. The package or insert with the supplement should tell you how it needs to be stored, and when to throw away the supplement (for example, after the "best by" or "use by" date).

Corydalis Sources & What to Look For

You can get some corydalis from food as well as in supplements that can be purchased.

Food Sources of Corydalis

To get corydalis from its food source, the Corydalis yanhosuo plant stem (rhizoma) needs to be soaked in vinegar to increase the active components. Then, it can be cooked for six minutes and cooled before eating.

Corydalis Supplements

Corydalis yanhusuo is sold as a tablet, granules, powder, and tablets. Tablets are the most common way to take the supplement. You can find corydalis supplements at drugstores and specialty health stores.

When buying a supplement, know that any claims that it can "cure" or treat any specific disease are not real. Under the FDA labeling laws, it is illegal to make such claims because they are not supported by research.

Summary

Corydalis is a species of flowering herbal plant found in the Northern Hemisphere. Although it has been studied in lab and animal studies, there have not been enough studies in humans to say that it is beneficial and safe to use.

Corydalis supplements are thought to have pain-relieving and relaxing effects, but there have not been enough studies to prove that it works for these purposes.

There is insufficient research on corydalis dosing, side effects, and medication interactions. Talk to your healthcare provider first if you want to try the supplement. Tell them about any OTC or prescription medications, vitamins, or supplements you already take and any health conditions you have.