Tripterygium wilfordii

Tripterygium wilfordii, or léi gōng téng (Mandarin) (Chinese: 雷公藤, Japanese: raikōtō), sometimes called thunder god vine but more properly translated thunder duke vine, is a vine used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Tripterygium wilfordii has been promoted for use in rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis; however, due to safety concerns this use is not recommended. Evidence is insufficient to deem it effective as a method of birth control for humans. Extracts of the bark T. wilfordii have been used as an insecticide in China for centuries, as documented in Wu Qijun's 1848 Illustrated Catalogues of Plants.