S. glabra is a traditional medicine in Chinese herbology, whence it is also known as tufuling (土茯苓) or chinaroot, china-root, and china root (a name it shares with the related S. china). Chinaroot is a key ingredient in the Chinese medical dessertguilinggao, which uses its ability to set certain kinds of jelly.
The root of S. glabra is used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to treat dysentery, joint pain and colds.[9]S. glabra is grown in Southern China. The rhizome of the plant is collected and dried during all seasons for herbal use. The dried root is mixed with water and taken orally. It is believed to restore balance in the body in response to yin disease by removing dampness and toxicity.[12][page needed]
^Smitinand, T. & Larsen, K. (eds.) (1975). Flora of Thailand 2: 1-484. The Forest Herbarium, National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department, Bangkok.
^Leroy, J.-F. (ed.) (1983). Flore du Cambodge du Laos et du Viêt-Nam 20: 1-175. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris.
^Ahmed, Z.U. (ed.) (2008). Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh 12: 1-505. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
^Leti, M., Hul, S., Fouché, J.-G., Cheng, S.K. & David, B. (2013). Flore photographique du Cambodge: 1-589. Éditions Privat, Toulouse.
^Yuan JZ, Dou DQ, Chen YJ, et al. (September 2004). "[Studies on dihydroflavonol glycosides from rhizome of Smilax glabra]". Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi (in Chinese). 29 (9): 867–70. PMID15575206.