Daphne genkwa.  芫 花  Yuán huā- "Daphne flower"   Lilac Daphne  Family: Thymelaceae  
PART USED: Flower- harvested in Spring, just before flowers bloom.
Nature: Warm   FLAVOR: Acrid, pungent, bitter.   CHANNEL: Lung, Large intestine, Kidney, Spleen   TOXICITY: Toxic.[1,2]
FUNCTIONS
GROUP: Descending- Cathartic hydrogogue
1. Drains water downwards and drives out congested fluids.[2] Purgative.[1] Stimulates the intestinal mucosa creating pain in the abdomen and strongly draining congested fluids in chest and abdomen. 
2. Diuretic.[1,2]
3. Helps resolve bruises and clots.[1]
4. Topically- for ringworm.[2]
INDICATIONS
1. Accumulation of fluids in the chest and abdomen and congested fluids in the flanks.[2] Ascites.[1] Edema.[1] Severe edema.
2. Traumatic injuries.[1]
COMBINATIONS
CONTRAINDICATIONS: Pregnancy.[1,2,4] Weak patients.[2] Only administer for a short duration.[4] Traditional sources state that this herb is incompatible with Glycyrrhiza glabra- Gan cao.[2]
TOXICITY: The LD50 of Daphnes genkwa flower in rats is 9.25 g/lg.[2] Symptoms of toxicity include tremors and dyspnea.[2]
PREPARATIONS: Decoction. Dried Flowers in the bud 1.5-3 g each dose.[1,2,3] Fry with vinegar to reduce its toxicity. Often used in powders.[2] Can also use the root.[1]

HABITAT: Grows wild along field edges, hillsides and valleys.  
DESCRIPTION: Deciduous shrub. Stem; erect, multi-branching, bark quite fibrous, not easily broken. Leaves; opposite, a few alternate, oval to long oval-rounded, apexes acuminate, bases cuneate, margins intact. Flowers; in spring, appearing before leaves, light purple. Fruit; a drupe, white when ripe.
PART USED: Flower Harvested in spring just before flowers bloom.
References
Inner Path can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Constituents
Research

Antitumor Activity of Total Flavonoids from Daphne genkwa in Colorectal Cancer.
Du WJ, Yang XL, Song ZJ, Wang JY, Zhang WJ, He X, Zhang RQ, Zhang CF, Li F, Yu CH, Wang CZ, Yuan CS.
Abstract
Daphne genkwa Sieb.et Zucc. is a well-known medicinal plant. This study was designed to investigate the anticancer effects of total flavonoids in D. genkwa (TFDG) in vitro and in vivo. HT-29 and SW-480 human colorectal cancer cells were cultured to investigate the anticancer activity of TFDG. In addition, the Apc(Min/+) mouse model was applied in the in vivo experiment. Results of the cell experiment revealed that TFDG possessed significant inhibitory effects on HT-29 and SW-480 human colorectal cancer cells (both p < 0.01). Furthermore, our in vivo data showed that after treatment with TFDG, there was a significant increase in life span (both p <  0.01) and tumor numbers were reduced in the colon (both p < 0.01), which was supported by the data of tumor distribution, body weight changes and organ index. Our results also indicated that expressions of interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in gut tissue were downregulated by treatments of TFDG, and immunity cytokine secretions in the serum were regulated after oral administration of TFDG. Taken together, these findings suggested that TFDG has a potential clinical utility in colorectal cancer therapeutics, and TFDG's action is likely linked to its ability to regulate immune function and inhibit the production of inflammatory cytokines.
PMID: 26646778 DOI: 10.1002/ptr.5540 Phytother Res. 2016 Feb;30(2):323-30. doi: 10.1002/ptr.5540. Epub 2015 Dec 8. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Daphne Genkwa sieb. Et zucc. Water-soluble extracts act on enterovirus 71 by inhibiting viral entry.
Chang CW, Leu YL, Horng JT.
Abstract
Dried flowers of Daphne genkwa Sieb. et Zucc. (Thymelaeaceae) are a Chinese herbal medicine used as an abortifacient with purgative, diuretic and anti-inflammatory activities. However, the activity of this medicine against enteroviral infections has not been investigated. The water-extract of dried buds of D. genkwa Sieb. et Zucc. (DGFW) was examined against various strains of enterovirus 71 (EV71) by neutralization assay, and its initial mode of action was characterized by time-of-addition assay followed by attachment and penetration assays. Pretreatment of DGFW with virus abolished viral replication, indicating that DGFW inhibits EV71 by targeting the virus. GFW exerts its anti-EV71 effects by inhibiting viral entry without producing cytotoxic side effects and thus provides a potential agent for antiviral chemotherapeutics.
PMID: 22590685 PMCID: PMC3347322 DOI: 10.3390/v4040539 Viruses. 2012 Apr;4(4):539-56. doi: 10.3390/v4040539. Epub 2012 Apr 11. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Total flavonoids of Daphne genkwa root significantly inhibit the growth and metastasis of Lewis lung carcinoma in C57BL6 mice.
Zheng W, Gao X, Chen C, Tan R.
Abstract
Daphne genkwa root has been traditionally used as an effective remedy to treat various tumors. However, the active constituents for its antitumor potency have not been well documented. During the screening for antitumor constituents, it was found that the total flavonoids of D. genkwa root (TFDR) were responsible for the inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis. In this study, TFDR was investigated for its chemical composition and activities against tumor growth and metastasis. HPLC indicates that daphnodorin B, containing 42.79% of the total, represents the predominant constituent in TFDR. Treatment of LLC-bearing mice with TFDR evidently protected peripheral lymphocytes from tumor-induced reduction, and increased lymphocyte proliferation potential and cytolytic activity of NK, and inhibited tumor progression and metastasis either 7 days before, or simultaneous with, or 7 days after LLC transplantation. TFDR also suggested higher cytotoxicity to a number of tumor cell lines than that to normal human kidney cell K293. TFDR also induced an enhancement on peripheral release of TNF-alpha at doses between 25 and 75 mg/kg. These results indicated that TFDR inhibited tumor growth and metastasis by protecting host immunocyte viability and its proliferation potential, and selectively inhibiting tumor cell proliferation, and improving cytolytic activity of NK cells, and enhancing TNF release in LLC-bearing mice. Daphnodorin B and its analogues in TFDR are the active constituents in the roots of D. genkwa, contributing to the inhibition of tumor growth and metastasis.
PMID: 17178377 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2006.07.010 Int Immunopharmacol. 2007 Feb;7(2):117-27. Epub 2006 Aug 4. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov