Compound or practice · Supplement
Fo-Ti (He Shou Wu)
A traditional longevity-and-hair tonic with weak evidence and a real liver-toxicity signal.
- Overall grade
- Grade D
- Last revised
- 1
- graded outcome
- 0
- references listed
A structured monograph in Prometheus's bundled library. Its grades are the monograph's own reading of the evidence, not a peer-reviewed review.
1 at grade C — 1 graded row
What is known
Each outcome with its grade (how strong the evidence is, A to D), the size of the effect where the entry records one, and how often studies agree.
- Liver injuryEvidence grade C
Documented cases
Smalllow
What is uncertain
Read off the same rows as above. Nothing here is added that the entry does not itself record.
- Thin evidence: Liver injury (grade C).
The evidence in words
What it is
Fo-ti (Polygonum multiflorum) is a Chinese tonic used for aging, hair, and vitality.
How it works
Contains stilbenes and anthraquinones with antioxidant and possible hormonal effects.
What the evidence shows
Human evidence is largely traditional; the notable modern finding is documented hepatotoxicity (liver injury) linked to the raw/processed herb. Risk outweighs the thin benefit.
Safety & interactions
Liver-injury reports — a genuine concern; avoid.
Bottom line
Traditional reputation, weak evidence, and a real liver risk. Not recommended.
Related reading
Entries that share this one's tags or conditions.
- Fo-Ti (He Shou Wu) for Liver injuryEvidence grade C — Documented casesEvidence grade C
- Fo-Ti (He Shou Wu): side effects, safety & interactionsLiver-injury reports — a genuine concern; avoid.Evidence grade D
- Black CohoshA menopausal hot-flash botanical with genuinely divided trials and rare liver-safety signals.Evidence grade C
- ButterburSolid evidence for migraine prevention and allergic rhinitis — but only PA-free products are safe.Evidence grade B
Sources
This entry lists no references of its own.
Last revised . A grade is this entry's reading of the evidence, not medical advice.