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Tangaek — Decoctions · Herbs

狼毒 Odokgi (오독기)

Nangdok is the root of a plant Koreans call odokgi. It grows in mountain valleys, its leaves resembling pokeweed or rhubarb, with fine hairs on stem and leaf. It carries a strong poison and was roasted before use; old roots that sink in water were rated best. The Donguibogam lists it in the herb section.

Original, read line by line 東醫寶鑑 · Tangaek — Decoctions vol. 3

  1. 性平, 味辛一云苦辛, 有大毒.

    Its nature is neutral, its taste pungent (one account says bitter and pungent), and it carries great toxicity.

  2. 破積聚癥癖痰飮, 殺鬼精蠱毒, 及飛禽走獸.

    It breaks up accumulations and gatherings, concretions and aggregations, and phlegm-rheum; it kills ghost essences and gu toxin, and even flying birds and running beasts.

    HomiclubThe text itself marks this plant as carrying great toxicity. It is not a plant that is eaten.

  3. 生山谷.

    It grows in mountain valleys.

  4. 葉似商陸及大黃, 莖葉上有毛.

    Its leaves resemble those of sangnyuk (商陸, pokeweed) and daehwang (大黃, rhubarb), and there is hair on the stem and leaves.

    HomiclubIn Korean the plant is called odokgi, or odokdogi.

  5. 四月開花, 八月結實.

    It flowers in the fourth month and sets fruit in the eighth.

  6. 根皮黃肉白.

    The root has yellow skin and white flesh.

  7. 二月八月採根, 陰乾.

    In the second and eighth months the root is dug and dried in the shade.

  8. 以陳而沈水者爲良, 火炮用. 《本草》

    Those that are old and sink in water are taken as good, and it is roasted in fire before use. 《Boncho》

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This is a cultural and historical record from a classical text, not a claim about any food’s effects. Nothing here is a health supplement or intended to prevent or treat disease. Consult a medical professional about health concerns. · Text: Korean Medicine Classics DB · Reading: Homiclub