Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Sichuan Teasel (Dipsacus asper), known as Xu Duan (续断) in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has a long-standing use in East Asian herbal traditions for supporting musculoskeletal health, especially for conditions like backache, lower back pain, and joint weakness. According to classical TCM texts, Sichuan Teasel is believed to "tonify the liver and kidneys," "strengthen bones and sinews," and "promote the healing of bones and connective tissue." Backache is often associated in TCM with deficiencies or weakness in the kidney system, and Xu Duan is frequently included in formulas aimed at addressing such deficiencies. Historical materia medica such as the "Shennong Bencao Jing" and later works consistently list Xu Duan for these indications.

From a scientific perspective, there is limited but emerging evidence for anti-inflammatory and osteoprotective effects of Dipsacus species in animal and in vitro studies. However, there are no robust clinical trials specifically evaluating its efficacy for backache in humans. Therefore, the primary justification for its use in backache remains traditional, and the evidence is rated 2 out of 5, reflecting historical usage with suggestive but not definitive preclinical support.

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