About Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.fil.
Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.fil., known as léi gōng téng (Mandarin) (Chinese: 雷公藤, Japanese: raikōtō), is sometimes called thunder god vine, though thunder duke vine is a more proper translation. It is a vine that has been used in traditional Chinese medicine. This plant has been promoted for treating rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, but this use is not recommended due to safety concerns. There is insufficient evidence to confirm it is effective as a form of human birth control. Bark extracts from T. wilfordii have been used as an insecticide in China for centuries, a use documented in Wu Qijun's 1848 *Illustrated Catalogues of Plants*.
