Corydalis

Corydalis yanhusuo · Yan hu suo

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Functional dyspepsia¹ Pediatric asthma attack frequency² Allergic rhinitis^{3, 4} Postoperative endometriotic cysts⁵	Pregnancy or breastfeeding⁶ Poppy family allergy⁷ Hypothyroidism⁷

Corydalis (Corydalis yanhusuo, yan hu suo) is a rhizome used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine for pain relief, with its alkaloids driving the analgesic effect^{8, 9}. Sedative and anti-anxiety effects are described alongside analgesia¹⁰. In traditional practice it is paired with other herbs for chest, lumbar, and abdominal pain¹⁰.

Human data come mostly from multi-herb products rather than corydalis alone. A 2015 randomized trial found a corydalis-containing prokinetic formula non-inferior to itopride in functional dyspepsia¹. A 2020 meta-analysis found multi-herb acupoint patches, often including corydalis, reduced asthma attacks in children when added to standard treatment, with methodological caveats². In a 2026 mouse model of paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain, corydalis extract and its alkaloid tetrahydropalmatine reduced cold and mechanical allodynia; no human trial has tested this. There are 132 products listing Corydalis, sold as liquid extracts, powders, capsules, and tablets; see Form comparison.

A systematic review of herb-induced liver injury named Corydalis yanhusuo among the main implicated herbs, the reason hepatic history matters¹¹. Health Canada labels ask patients to consult a practitioner before use with prescription medications⁶.

Last updated October 17, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

41 sources, 30 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources