#Painrelief

Throughout the length and breadth of Thailand, the profound relationship between people and their medicinal plants is woven into the very fabric of daily life. Few remedies exemplify this synergy better than ยาผสมเถาวัลย์เปรียง, or the traditional Thai herbal mixture featuring “thao wan priang” (Derris scandens). Long cherished as a trusted folk cure for aches and pains, this complex blend is now stepping into the scientific limelight as researchers seek to validate ancient wisdom with modern clinical evidence. But what is the true story behind this iconic herbal remedy, and what should health-conscious readers know before considering its use?

Across Thailand, the bond between communities and medicinal plants is a daily rhythm. ยาผสมเถาวัลย์เปรียง, the traditional Thai herbal blend featuring the woody vine Derris scandens, has long been a trusted remedy for aches and stiffness. Now researchers are evaluating its value through contemporary clinical eyes. What should health-conscious readers know about this iconic herbal medicine?

Historically, Thai healers looked to the forest for relief from back pain, joint discomfort, and muscle strains. ยาผสมเถาวัลย์เปรียง embodies classical botanical pharmacology, with Derris scandens as its star ingredient. The formula often includes other barks, roots, or leaves, yet the vine remains central in most preparations.

A recent health-focused exploration into shoulder knots shows promising relief through a short, low-cost routine. Health journalist insights from a published experiment highlight how targeted movement—and not just massages or pills—can help stressed shoulder muscles.

Shoulder knots form when muscle fibers stay contracted, causing soreness and reduced mobility. Physiotherapists explain that poor posture—think long hours at a computer—plays a major role, a common reality for many people in Thailand. Active stretching can move fluids in the fascia, the tissue surrounding muscles, which may offer more lasting relief than static stretching alone.

Shoulder knots and chronic upper body tension are everyday struggles for millions of office workers—especially in busy urban centers like Bangkok, where a typical workday means hours at a desk, hunched over a screen. A recent popular feature from Fit&Well describes a firsthand trial of four stretching exercises designed to relieve stubborn shoulder knots, with surprisingly positive, lasting results in less than 10 minutes a day. This personal discovery aligns with a growing body of medical research showing that targeted stretching routines can do far more than provide fleeting comfort—they may actually improve pain, mobility, and quality of life for people suffering from muscle tension or pain linked to poor posture and repetitive activities (Fit&Well, 21 April 2025).

Shoulder knots and chronic tension are common among office workers worldwide, including Bangkok’s bustling corporate scene. A recent feature from Fit&Well shares a personal trial of four stretches designed to ease shoulder knots, with noticeable, lasting relief in under 10 minutes daily. This aligns with a growing body of research suggesting targeted stretching can reduce pain, improve mobility, and enhance quality of life for people dealing with posture-related muscle tension.

Thai readers searching for new hope in the battle against recurrent low back pain may be encouraged by a recent international study validating the Canali Postural Method (CPM), a personalized exercise technique backed by solid science. A collaborative team from Italy’s National Research Council and Temple University in the US published their findings in the respected journal Healthcare, demonstrating that CPM offers significantly greater pain relief and functional recovery than conventional exercise programs for people with non-specific low back pain—a condition that remains a leading cause of disability both globally and in Thailand.

A new international study validates the Canali Postural Method (CPM), a personalized exercise approach that could change how Thai readers manage recurrent low back pain. Researchers from Italy’s National Research Council and Temple University in the United States published their findings in Healthcare, showing CPM provides greater pain relief and functional recovery than conventional exercise for non-specific low back pain.

Global data show nearly 700 million people suffer from low back pain at any moment, imposing costs on productivity and health systems. In Thailand, back pain is common among office workers, motorbike drivers, farmers, and the elderly—reflecting the country’s evolving, physically demanding lifestyle. Most cases are non-specific, meaning there is no identifiable structural cause. This makes sustained improvement a persistent challenge, a reality readers in Thai clinics know well.

Tucked away in the lush forests of Thailand, the twisting vines of Derris scandens—known locally as เถาวัลย์เปรียง—have played a quiet yet powerful role in the realm of traditional Thai healing. Today, as scientific scrutiny meets centuries-old herbal wisdom, this unassuming plant is once again stepping into the spotlight. Is there genuine healing potential behind the folk tale remedies? New research offers intriguing answers.

Across generations, Thai villagers and traditional health practitioners have leaned on เถาวัลย์เปรียง for its reputed pain-relieving powers. Extracts from the vine, especially the stems, have been integral to herbal concoctions applied for ailments like musculoskeletal pain and inflammation. Local knowledge—gathered under names like เครือเขาหนัง, เครือตาปลา, ย่านเหมาะ, and พานไสน—extends across regions from Nakhon Ratchasima to Chumphon and Nakhon Si Thammarat. In these communities, เถาวัลย์เปรียง has long been recognized for soothing stiff backs, tired limbs, and aching knees—a practical remedy for those whose lives are closely tied to the land.

Derris scandens, known locally as เถาวัลย์เปรียง, long anchored Thai traditional healing. Now, modern science is examining its potential to ease pain and inflammation. The question is whether folklore can translate into proven medicine for today’s Thailand.

Across generations, communities in Thailand have relied on เถาวัลย์เปรียง for musculoskeletal relief. The vine’s stems are common in herbal preparations used to soothe back pain, joint stiffness, and tired limbs. In regions from the northeast to the south, local names such as เครือเขาหนัง, เครือตาปลา, ย่านเหมาะ, and พานไสน reflect a broad, practical knowledge of the plant’s benefits. For many, it remains a dependable remedy tied to daily labor and agricultural life.

For generations, the vine known across Thailand as โคคลาน or “Koh Khlan” has been a wellspring of traditional healing. Behind this name are other local monikers—มะกายเครือ, มะปอบเครือ, กระเปี้ยะ, โพคาน, แนวน้ำ, เยี่ยวแมว, เยี่ยวแมวเถา—reflecting its widespread recognition in rural and forested communities from the northern hills to the heart of Isan. Scientifically catalogued as Mallotus repandus (Willd.) Müll. Arg., this robust member of the Euphorbiaceae family is best known in Thai traditional medicine for alleviating muscle, bone, and joint pains, often earning its place in time-honoured herbal mixtures for ailments that sap vitality and disrupt daily life.

Koh Khlan, known across Thailand by several local names such as makay kreua and yeo maeo, has long been a source of traditional healing. In rural communities from the northern hills to Isan, families rely on its bark, leaves, and stems to ease muscle, bone, and joint pains. Scientifically, the plant is Mallotus repandus, a member of the Euphorbiaceae family, widely used in Thai herbal blends that aim to restore vitality in daily life.

Deep within the forests, along waterways, and atop rural fences across Thailand, a twisting green vine known as โคคลาน (kok lan), or Mallotus repandus, quietly weaves itself into the cultural and medical heritage of the nation. Revered by traditional healers and often passed down in recipes from older generations, this little-known botanical—alternately called มะกายเครือ, มะปอบเครือ, กระเปี้ยะ, among numerous other names—occupies a unique intersection of folk wisdom and contemporary science. Once sought to quiet burning aches, sooth itching skin, and fortify the liver, Mallotus repandus now finds itself the focus of global biomedical inquiry, testing the boundaries between enduring Thai tradition and modern clinical scrutiny.

In Thai villages by forest streams, a resilient vine known as kok lan (Mallotus repandus) sits at the heart of local healing traditions. Various regional names—makay krew, makay krew, and kobieya—reflect its wide cultural footprint. Traditionally used for muscle and joint pain, skin irritations, and liver support, kok lan is now the subject of scientific inquiry exploring its therapeutic potential.

Mallotus repandus is a climbing plant in the Euphorbiaceae family. It has a broad native range from the Indian subcontinent through Southeast Asia to New Guinea and northern Australia. In Thailand, communities use its heartwood, leaves, or whole vine in topical applications, infusions, and multi-herb recipes. Northeastern villagers, including those in Kut Chum District, historically valued kok lan as an antibiotic and as a remedy for bone pain. Other communities linked it to venom neutralization and fever recovery, illustrating a healing philosophy that emphasizes balance between body and environment.