Common Chinese Materia Medica: Volume 2 [1st ed. 2021] 9811620652, 9789811620652

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Common Chinese Materia Medica Volume 2 Huagu Ye Chuyuan Li Wencai Ye Feiyan Zeng Editors

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Common Chinese Materia Medica

Huagu Ye • Chuyuan Li • Wencai Ye Feiyan Zeng Editors

Common Chinese Materia Medica Volume 2

Editors Huagu Ye South China Botanical Garden Chinese Academy of Sciences Guangzhou, Guangdong China

Chuyuan Li Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited Guangzhou China

Wencai Ye Coll Pharm Jinan University Guangzhou, Guangdong China

Feiyan Zeng South China Botanical Garden Chinese Academy of Sciences Guangzhou, Guangdong China

ISBN 978-981-16-2065-2    ISBN 978-981-16-2066-9 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-2066-9 © Chemical Industry Press 2021 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publishers, the authors, and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publishers nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publishers remain neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. The registered company address is: 152 Beach Road, #21-01/04 Gateway East, Singapore 189721, Singapore

Participating Units

SOUTH CHINA BOTANICAL GARDEN, THE CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES GUANGZHOU PHARMACEUTICAL HOLDINGS LIMITED JINAN UNIVERSTY Honorary Editor-in-chief: Changxiao Liu Associate Honorary Editor-in-chief: Hai Ren Editor-in-Chief: Huagu Ye, Chuyuan Li, Wencai Ye, Feiyan Zeng Associate Editor-in-Chief: Fangfang Liu, Yuanyuan Liu, Faguo Wang, Yushi Ye, Lin Fu, Jianrong Li Editorial Board Members: Ling Ma, Faguo Wang, Guoping Wang, Jun Wang, Xiyong Wang, Linke Yin, Ye Lu, Wencai Ye, Huagu Ye, Yushi Ye, Yun Ye, Mingliang Shen, Shaozhi Fu, Lin Fu, Guohua Bai, Jibin Zhu, Qiang Zhu, Jian Quan, Fangfang Liu, Xiaofeng Liu, Mei Liu, Yuanyuan Liu, Shangchuan Sun, Shiquan Ling, Xiaojie Li, Shuyuan Li, Shiyu Li, Ruliang Li, Chengwen Li, Zexian Li, Jianrong Li, Haitao Li, Cehong Li, Chuyuan Li, Yi Yang, Xiaoling Yu, Bo Xiao, Haiyan Gu, Bin Zou, Fengqiu Zhang, Shupeng Zhang, Qiuying Zhang, Xiaoqi Zhang, Huiye Zhang, Yushun Chen, Hongyuan Chen, Haishan Chen, Xiaojing Fan, Chunlin Fan, Sirong Yi, Shimin Duan, Xinsheng Qin, Han Jia, Lei Xu, Jing Xia, Zhihai Huang, Ya Huang, Xiujuan Tang, Ning Kang, Song Lu, Feiyan Zeng, Jingjin Cai, Kaiyun Guan, Wenbo Liao, Xueying Wei, Yujie Liao, Liyun Nie, Xueying Wei, Minghui Cai

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Preface

Traditional Chinese medicine, a generic term for all medicines used by Chinese ethnic groups, including Han and minority races, reflects the Chinese nation’s understanding of life, health, and diseases. Also, it is a pharmaceutical system that has a long tradition of unique theories and technical methods. Traditional Chinese medicine is the cream of the crop of the Chinese culture, which has played a very important role in the reproduction and prosperity of the Chinese nation for thousands of years. With the research and development of traditional Chinese medical resources, many folk drugs are also added into the inventory of traditional Chinese medicine, making it encompass microbes, plants, animals, and minerals used for the prevention and treatment of diseases on the basis of Chinese traditional medical theories as well as other substances processed from them. Either produced in China or foreign lands, medications commonly used in traditional medical therapies and circulated in the market of medicinal materials are collectively called traditional Chinese medicine, but those folk medicines which are not expansively acknowledged are commonly referred to as herbal medicines. In recent years, owing to the changes in health concepts and medical models, the effects of traditional Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of common, frequent, chronic, and major diseases have been progressively acknowledged and accepted by the international community. At present, Chinese medicines have spread to 183 countries and regions. The discovery of artemisinin by professor Youyou Tu, winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is a good indicator of the outstanding contribution made by traditional Chinese medicine to human health. Traditional Chinese medications are time-honored, widely distributed, tremendously diverse, and complex in origins. These factors, coupled with the uneven quality of medical works in history as well as different conventions in drug use contributed to the common phenomena that several drugs are namesakes and the same drug is given many names. What adds to the complication is that novel drug varieties are emerging, resulting in contentions among professionals and unassured qualities of traditional Chinese medications.

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In an effort to fully demonstrate the growing environment and attributes of the original plants and animals contained in this series of books, systematically introduce their origins, and clarify the main differences between approximate species and the easily confused species, compilers visited places throughout China, against unimaginable hardships. A large number of unedited color pictures were taken in plant habitats, which vividly reflected the original appearance of the plants in different growing periods. Thousands of high-resolution pictures of commonly used traditional Chinese medications were taken, which remarkably and scientifically presented distinguishing features of medicinal materials. Experts in the application of Chinese herbal medicines have scoured a colossal number of materials to carefully codify exhaustive information related to the medicines, including the alias, sources, morphology, habitats, distributions, acquisition and processing methods, medicinal properties, tastes, functions, use and dosages, cautions in use, prescription samples, annotated notes, etc. This series of books is arranged in a systematic way from algae, fungi, ferns, gymnosperms, angiosperms, resins, animals to minerals. For the convenience of readers, the book will be published in 10 volumes. This book series seeks to describe the habitat distributions and historical evolution of traditional Chinese medicine from a global perspective. In combination with contemporary scientific research results, this book series provides a reference for the protection and scientific use of traditional Chinese medical resources. Due to reasons like the large assortment of traditional Chinese medications, the editors’ knowledge limitations, etc., errors and incompleteness are inevitable. We welcome critical remarks from readers in the medical arena both at home and abroad. Editorial Committee of Common Chinese Materia Medica (I–X) Guangdong, China  August 2019  

Huagu Ye Chuyuan Li Wencai Ye Feiyan Zeng

Abstract

This volume discribes 231 species of 40 families of medicinal plants, in which the most important families are Magnoliaceae, containing Magnolia officinalis and Magnolia officinalis subsp. biloba; Schisandraceae including Schisandra chinensis; Lauraceae including Cinnamomum aromaticum, Ranunculaceae including Coptis chinensis, Coptis omeiensis, and Coptis teeta; Cruciferae including Isatis indigotica, Lepidium apetalum, and Raphanus sativus; Polygonaceae including Rheum palmatum, Rheum officinale, and Rheum taguticum, etc. The book introduces the scientific names, herbal medicine names, morphological characteristics, habitat, distribution, collection and processing methods, medicinal properties, functional treatment, usage and dosage of these medicinal plants. Not only color pictures of all species by its wild form are attached, but also medicinal products partially.

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Contents

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Medicinal Angiosperms of Magnoliaceae, Illiciaceae, Schisandraceae, and Annonaceae������������������������������������������������������������   1 Huagu Ye, Chuyuan Li, Wencai Ye, Feiyan Zeng, Fangfang Liu, Faguo Wang, Yushi Ye, Lin Fu, and Jianrong Li

2 Medicinal Angiosperms of Lauraceae and Illigeraceae������������������������   61 Huagu Ye, Chuyuan Li, Wencai Ye, Feiyan Zeng, Fangfang Liu, Faguo Wang, Yushi Ye, Lin Fu, and Jianrong Li 3 Medicinal Angiosperms of Ranunculaceae, Nymphaeaceae, and Berberidaceae��������������������������������������������������������  109 Huagu Ye, Chuyuan Li, Wencai Ye, Feiyan Zeng, Fangfang Liu, Faguo Wang, Yushi Ye, Lin Fu, and Jianrong Li 4 Medicinal Angiosperms of Lardizabalaceae, Sargentodoxaceae, Menispermaceae, Aristolochiaceae, and Nepenthaceae������������������������������������������������������������������������������������  185 Huagu Ye, Chuyuan Li, Wencai Ye, Feiyan Zeng, Fangfang Liu, Faguo Wang, Yushi Ye, Lin Fu, and Jianrong Li 5 Medicinal Angiosperms of Piperaceae, Saururaceae, Chloranthaceae, Papaveraceae, Fumariaceae, Capparidaceae, and Moringaceae����������������������������������������������������������  235 Huagu Ye, Chuyuan Li, Wencai Ye, Feiyan Zeng, Fangfang Liu, Faguo Wang, Yushi Ye, Lin Fu, and Jianrong Li 6 Medicinal Angiosperms of Cruciferae, Violaceae, and Polygalaceae��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������  293 Huagu Ye, Chuyuan Li, Wencai Ye, Feiyan Zeng, Fangfang Liu, Faguo Wang, Yushi Ye, Lin Fu, and Jianrong Li

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7 Medicinal Angiosperms of Crassulaceae, Saxifragaceae, and Caryophyllaceae������������������������������������������������������  365 Huagu Ye, Chuyuan Li, Wencai Ye, Feiyan Zeng, Fangfang Liu, Faguo Wang, Yushi Ye, Lin Fu, and Jianrong Li 8 Medicinal Angiosperms of Molluginaceae, Portulacaceae, and Polygonaceae ����������������������������������������������������������  419 Huagu Ye, Chuyuan Li, Wencai Ye, Feiyan Zeng, Fangfang Liu, Faguo Wang, Yushi Ye, Lin Fu, and Jianrong Li 9 Medicinal Angiosperms of Phytolaccaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Amaranthaceae, and Linaceae����������������������������������  487 Huagu Ye, Chuyuan Li, Wencai Ye, Feiyan Zeng, Fangfang Liu, Faguo Wang, Yushi Ye, Lin Fu, and Jianrong Li 10 Medicinal Angiosperms of Zygophyllaceae, Geraniaceae, Oxalidaceae, Balsaminaceae, Lythraceae, and Punicaceae��������������������������������������������������������������������  537 Huagu Ye, Chuyuan Li, Wencai Ye, Feiyan Zeng, Fangfang Liu, Faguo Wang, Yushi Ye, Lin Fu, and Jianrong Li

Chapter 1

Medicinal Angiosperms of Magnoliaceae, Illiciaceae, Schisandraceae, and Annonaceae Huagu Ye, Chuyuan Li, Wencai Ye, Feiyan Zeng, Fangfang Liu, Faguo Wang, Yushi Ye, Lin Fu, and Jianrong Li

Contents 1.1  F  amily: Magnoliaceae 1.1.1  Liriodendron chinense 1.2  Family: Magnoliaceae 1.2.1  Magnolia coco 1.3  Family: Magnoliaceae 1.3.1  Magnolia denudata 1.4  Family: Magnoliaceae 1.4.1  Magnolia grandiflora 1.5  Family: Magnoliaceae 1.5.1  Magnolia liliiflora 1.6  Family: Magnoliaceae 1.6.1  Magnolia Officinalis, Magnolia Officinalis Subsp. Biloba 1.7  Family: Magnoliaceae 1.7.1  Michelia alba 1.8  Family: Magnoliaceae 1.8.1  Michelia champaca 1.9  Family: Illiciaceae 1.9.1  Illicium verum

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H. Ye (*) · F. Zeng · F. Wang · Y. Ye · L. Fu · J. Li South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China e-mail: [email protected] C. Li Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited, Guangzhou, China W. Ye Jinan University, Guangzhou, China F. Liu Huizhou Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Huizhou, China © Chemical Industry Press 2021 H. Ye et al. (eds.), Common Chinese Materia Medica, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-2066-9_1

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2 1.10  F  amily: Schisandraceae 1.10.1  Kadsura coccinea 1.11  Family: Schisandraceae 1.11.1  Kadsura heteroclita 1.12  Family: Schisandraceae 1.12.1  Kadsura longipedunculata 1.13  Family: Schisandraceae 1.13.1  Kadsura oblongifolia 1.14  Family: Schisandraceae 1.14.1  Schisandra chinensis 1.15  Family: Schisandraceae 1.15.1  Schisandra henryi 1.16  Family: Schisandraceae 1.16.1  Schisandra sphenanthera 1.17  Family: Schisandraceae 1.17.1  Schisandra viridis 1.18  Family: Annonaceae 1.18.1  Annona squamosa 1.19  Family: Annonaceae 1.19.1  Desmos chinensis 1.20  Family: Annonaceae 1.20.1  Fissistigma glaucescens 1.21  Family: Annonaceae 1.21.1  Fissistigma oldhamii 1.22  Family: Annonaceae 1.22.1  Fissistigma polyanthum 1.23  Family: Annonaceae 1.23.1  Uvaria macrophylla References

H. Ye et al.  26  26  29  29  34  34  36  36  38  38  42  42  44  44  46  46  48  48  50  50  52  52  54  54  56  56  58  58  60

This chapter introduces 24 species of medicinal plants in 4 families, including Liriodendron chinense, Magnolia coco, Magnolia denudata, Magnolia grindediflora, Magnolia officinalis, and Magnolia officinalis subsp. biloba of Magnoliaceae, Kadsura coccinea, and Schisandra chinensis of Schisandraceae. This chapter introduces the scientific names, herbal medicine names, morphology, habitats, distributions, acquisition and processing methods, medicinal properties, tastes, functions, use and dosages of these medicinal. Not only color pictures of all species by its original form are attached, but also medicinal products partially.

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1.1  Family: Magnoliaceae 1.1.1  Liriodendron chinense Chinese Name(s): e zhang qiu, ma gua mu, shuang piao shu. Source: This medicine is made of the roots and barks of Liriodendron chinense (Liriodendron chinense (Hemsl.) Sarg.). Morphology: The trees are up to 40  m in height, 1  m or more in DBH.  The branchlets are gray or grayish brown. The leaves are mandarin jacket shaped, 4–12(18) cm in length, with 1 lateral lobe on each side of base, apically 2 lobed, pale on abaxial surface, petiole being 4–8(−16) cm in length. The flowers are cupular. There are 9 perianths. The outer 3 are green, calyx like, curved outward. There are 10 perianths at inner two layers, which are erect, petal-shaped, obovate, 3–4 cm in length, green, with yellow longitudinal stripes. The anthers are 10–16  mm in length. The filaments are 5–6 mm in length. The pistil group exceeds perianth in anthesis. The endothelium is yellowish green. The aggregate fruits are 7–9 cm in length. The winged nutlets are ca. 6 mm, apically obtuse or obtuse, with 1–2 seeds. The flowering period is in May. The fruiting period is from September to October. Habitat: It is cultivated. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Shaanxi, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, as well as Vietnam. Acquisition and Processing: The roots and barks are harvested in summer and autumn and then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and dampness, relieving cough, it is often used to treat muscular dystrophy, rheumatism joint pain, cough caused by cold and wind. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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1.2  Family: Magnoliaceae 1.2.1  Magnolia coco Chinese Name(s): ye he hua, he xiang mu lan. Source: This medicine is made of the barks and flowers of Magnolia coco (Magnolia coco (Lour.) DC). Morphology: The plants are evergreen shrubs or small trees, 2–4 m in height, glabrous. The barks are gray. The branchlets are green, smooth, slightly ridged, and lustrous. The leaves are leathery, elliptic, narrowly elliptic or obovate-elliptic, 7–14(−28) cm in length, 2–4.5(−9) cm in width, apically acuminate, basally cuneate, dorsal surface being dark green glossy, slightly wrinkled, margins being slightly recurved. There are 8–10 lateral veins on each side, which are sparsely reticulated. The petioles are 5–10 mm in length. The stipules trace to the tips of petioles. The pedicels are slightly recurved downward, with 3–4 bracts deciduous scars. The flowers are round, 3–4 cm in diameter. There are 9 perianth segments, which are fleshy, obovate, ventrally concave. 3 outer segments are greenish. There are 5 longitudinal veins, there are 2 cm in length. The inner 2 circles are pure white, 3–4 cm in length, about 4 cm in width. The stamens are 4–6 mm in length, anthers being 3 mm long, connectives of anthers being elongated, forming a short cusp. The filaments are white, ca. 2 mm in length. The pistil groups are green, ovate, 1.5–2 cm in length. The carpels are ca. 10, narrowly ovate, 5–6 mm in length, abaxially with 1 longitudinal groove to base of style. The stigmas are short, apically truncate after exfoliation. The aggregate fruits are ca. 3 cm. The follicles are near woody. The seeds are ovoid, ca. 1  cm in length. The flowering period is in May to June. The fruiting period is from September to October. Habitat: It grows in the humid forest, rim of thickets or moist valleys under the forests. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of southern China and widely cultivated in southeastern Asia. Acquisition and Processing: The barks are harvested in summer and autumn, and flowers are harvested in spring and then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property. Functions: Setting fractures and soothing five internal organs, it is often used to treat injuries, abdominal mass, leucorrhea, cough and asthma, thirst, and edema in the extremities. Use and Dosage: 10–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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1.3  Family: Magnoliaceae 1.3.1  Magnolia denudata [1] Chinese Name(s): yu lan, mu lan, xin yi. Source: This medicine is made of the buds of Magnolia denudata (Magnolia denudata Desr.). Morphology: The plants are deciduous trees up to 15  m in height with wide canopy. The buds are densely covered with grayish-yellow long silky hairs in winter. The leaves are papery, obovate, or obovate-elliptic, 10–18 cm in length, 6–12 cm in width, apically rounded, truncate or slightly concave, mucronate, attenuating into

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a wedge at below. The leaf surfaces are covered with tender hairs primarily, which only exist on the midrib and the lateral veins after. The leaf back is pilose. There are 8–10 pairs of lateral veins. The petioles are 1–2.5 cm in length, pilose. The flowers are white, aromatic, leafless. There are 9 tepals, which are oblong-obovate, 7–10 cm in length. The stamens are about 1.2  cm in length. The anthers are 6–7  mm in length, laterally fissured, connectives protruding into a short cusp. The pistil groups are cylindrical, 2–2.5 cm in length. The aggregate fruits are cylindrical, 13–15 cm in length, 3.5–5 cm in diameter, thick woody, brown, with white lenticels. The seeds are obliquely ovate or broadly ovate. The flowering period is from May to June. The fruiting period is from August to September. Habitat: It grows in mountain forests at altitude of 500–1300 m, and also cultivated in many gardens. Distribution: It is cultivated all over the country. The wild plants grow in the eastern forests. Acquisition and Processing: The flower buds are collected in spring and then dried for storage. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and cold, and dredging the respiratory tract, it is often used to treat headache, nasal obstruction, acute and chronic rhinitis, and allergic rhinitis. Dosage: 10–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: nasosinusitis: Magnolia denudata, sponge gourd, sponge cucumber 6 each, decocted in water for oral use. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: urticaria:1 Magnolia denudate, 2 eggs. Chop the flowers and mix with eggs, fry them with tea seed oil for eat.

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1.4  Family: Magnoliaceae 1.4.1  Magnolia grandiflora Chinese Name(s): he hua yu lan, guang yu lan. Source: This medicine is made of the flowers, leaves, and barks of Magnolia grandiflora (Magnolia grandiflora Linn.). Morphology: The trees are evergreen, up to 30 m in height. The barks are pale brown or gray, thinly flaky dehiscent. The twigs are stout. The medullas are with septas. The branchlets, buds, leave backs, petioles are densely brown or grayish brown tomentose. The leaves are thick leathery, elliptic, oblong-elliptic or obovate-­elliptic, 10 × 20 cm in length, 4 × 8 cm in width, apically obtuse or shortly obtuse-­apical, base being cuneate, dark green on the back, glossy. There are 8–10 lateral veins on each side. The petioles are 1.5–4 cm long, sessile, deeply sulcate. The flowers are white, aromatic, 15 × 20 cm in diameter. There are 9–12 tepals, which are, thick fleshy, obovate, 6 × 10 cm in length, 5 × 7 cm in width. The stamens are ca. 2 cm in length, filaments being flattened, purple, anthers being introverted, septa being protuberant and mucronate. The pistil groups are ellipsoid, densely tomentose. The carpels are ovate, 1–1.5 cm in length. The stylets are curly. The aggregated fruits are terete-oblong or ovoid, 7–10 cm in length, 4–5-cm in diameter, densely brown or grayish-yellow tomentose. The follicles are dorsal lobed, abaxially rounded, with long beaks on apical outside. The seeds are subovoid or ovate, ca. 14 mm in length, ca. 6 mm in diameter, exotesta being red. The apex of seeds elongated into short neck after removed of exotesta. The flowering period is from May to June. The fruiting period is from September to October.

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Habitat: The plant is cultivated. Distribution: It is cultivated all over the south of the Yangtze River in China. The wild plants are distributed in southeast America. Acquisition and Processing: The flowers are harvested in spring. The leaves and barks are harvested in summer and autumn, then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property, belonging to the meridians of lung and stomach. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and cold, activating Qi and relieving pain, it is often used to treat exogenous wind-cold, headache, stuffy nose, abdominal distension and pain, vomiting, diarrhea, migraines, and high blood pressure. Dosage: 3–10  g per dose for flowers, 6–12  g per dose for leaves and barks, decocted in water for oral use.

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1.5  Family: Magnoliaceae 1.5.1  Magnolia liliiflora Chinese Name(s): xin yi, mu bi. Source: This medicine is made of the buds of Magnolia liliiflora (Magnolia liliiflora Desr.). Morphology: The trees are deciduous and small, up to 6  m in height, often tufted. The barks are grayish brown. The branchlets are greenish-purple or lilac. The leaves are elliptic obovate or obovate, 8–18 cm in length, 3–10 cm in width, apically acute or acuminate. The bases attenuate along petioles and elongate to stipules, dark green adaxially, sparsely tomentose when young, grayish green abaxially, tomentose along veins. There are 8–10 lateral veins on each side. The petioles are 8–20 mm in length. The petiole scars are about half the length of petiole. The buds are ovoid, covered with yellowish sericeous hairs. The flowers blossom with leaves, slightly aromatic. There are 9–12 tepals, 3 calyxes at outer whorl being flaky, purple-green, lanceolate, 2–3.5 cm in length, often caducous, 2 calyx whorls at inner being fleshy,

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purple or purplish red outside, white at inner surface, petaloid, elliptic obovate, 8–10 cm in length, 3–4.5 cm in width. The stamens are purplish red, 8–10 mm in length. The anthers are about 7 mm in length, lateral dehiscent, connectives protruding into a short cusp. The pistils are ca. 1.5 cm, lilac, glabrous. The aggregate fruits are dark purple-brown, brownish, cylindrical, 7–10 cm in length. The mature follicles are subglobose, with a short beak at the top. The flowering period is from March to April. The fruiting period is from August to September. Habitat: The plant is cultivated. Distribution: It is cultivated in many places. The wild plants are distributed in Hubei province. Acquisition and Processing: The buds are harvested in spring and then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property, belonging to the meridians of lung and stomach. Functions: Inducing resuscitation, dispelling pathogenic wind and heat, warming and invigorating the spleen and stomach, relieving pain, it is often used to treat headache, toothache, nasosinusitis, cold, nasal sores. Dosage: 3–10 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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1.6  Family: Magnoliaceae 1.6.1  M  agnolia officinalis [2], Magnolia officinalis subsp. Biloba Chinese Name(s): hou pu, chuan pu, zi you hou pu. Source: This medicine is made of the barks on stems, roots, and branches of Magnolia officinalis (Magnolia officinalis Rehd. & Wils.) and Magnolia biloba subsp. biloba (Magnolia officinalis Rehd. et Wils. subsp. biloba (Rehd. et Wils.) Cheng et Law). Morphology: (A) Magnolia officinalis: The trees are deciduous, 5–15 m in height. The barks are purple-brown, tomentose on slender branchlets when young, glabrous when old. The winter buds are conical, bud scales densely covered with russet hairs. The leaves are alternate, leathery, elliptic obovate, 25–45 cm in length, 10–20 cm in width, apically rounded, mucronate, base being cuneate, sometimes rounded, margins being entire, yellowish-green adaxially, glabrous, densely gray hairy abaxially when young, white powdery when old, densely covered with long hairs on the lateral veins. The petioles are 3–4 cm in length. The flowers are solitary on branchlets terminal, white, aromatic, 12–15 cm in diameter. There are 9–12 sepals and petals, which are fleshy, equal in length. The follicles are long ellipsoid ovoid, 9–12 cm in length, woody when mature. The seeds are triangular-obovate. The exotesta are red. The flowering period is from May to June. The fruiting period is from August to October. Habitat: It grows in mountain forest and is mostly cultivated. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Anhui, and Hunan. Morphology: (B) Magnolia officinalis subsp. biloba: The difference between Magnolia officinalis Rehd. & Wils. and Magnolia officinalis Rehd. et Wils. subsp. biloba (Rehd. et Wils.) Cheng et Law is that the leaves are 2-lobed apically. The flowering period is from May to June, and the fruiting period is from August to October. Habitat: It grows in the mountain forest with an altitude of 300–1000 m. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Anhui, and Hunan. Acquisition and Processing: The barks are harvested from April to June. The barks are peeled and boiled in water, piled at damp place for sweating, until the inner surface turning purple-brown or brown, then steamed for softening, rolled into a cylinder, and dried or roasted with weak fire. Root barks and branch barks are directly dried in shade. Medicinal Properties: (A) The dried barks are in the forms of a wound roll or a double-sided roll, about 30 cm in length or over, 2–7 mm thick, called Magnolia officinalis tubes. The dried barks near the root are slightly thicker, on which one end is flared to the trumpet shape, called boot tubes Magnolia officinalis. The outer surface is grayish brown, rough, sometimes scaly, flaking, with longitudinal wrinkles and oval lenticels. If the rough skin has been scraped, the medicine is yellowish brown. The inner surface is purple-brown or purple-brown, slightly smooth, wrinkles are very dense, and there is oily exudation when scraped. It is hard, not easy to break,

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cross-section being granular, gray-brown on outside, purple or brown on inner layer, sometimes with star-shaped small crystals. It is fragrant in odor, pungent, and slightly bitter in taste. Bitterness is one of the important indicators of high-quality Magnolia. (B) The barks on root are single tubes or irregular pieces, sometimes curved like chicken intestines, called chicken intestines Magnolia officinalis, which are, easy to break, multi-filamentary in the section. (C) The barks on branches are in the shape of one side wound rolls, about 10–20 cm in length and 1–2 mm in thickness. It is brittle and easy to break, multifilamentary in the section. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and pungent in taste, warm in property, belonging to the meridians of spleen, stomach, lung, and large intestine. Functions: Warming the spleen and stomach, regulating Qi, eliminating accumulation, and scattering stagnation, it is often used to treat abdominal pain and fullness, nausea and vomiting, intestinal obstruction and food stagnation, asthma and cough with sputum, diarrhea caused by wet hysteresis, ascariasis. Dosage: 3–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: abdominal pain and constipation: Magnolia officinalis, Fructus aurantii immaturus each 9 g, Rheum officinale 6 g, decocted in water for oral dose. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: acute enteritis, bacterial dysentery: Magnolia officinalis powder, take 3 g per dose, or add with appropriate amount of flour to make paste, 2–3 times a day, 4.5–9 g per dose. Or use injections (1 g of crude drug per ml), 2–3 times a day, 2 ml each time for intramuscular injection. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: intestinal obstruction (general intestinal obstruction with Qi stagnation): Magnolia officinalis, Radix Paeoniae rubra each 15 g, frying Semen raphani 30 g, mirabilite, medlar, Fructus Aurantii immaturus, raw rhubarb, each 9–15 g, peach kernel 9 g, decocted in water for oral use. Annotations: Magnolisa officinalis flowers: This product is the dry flowers of Magnolia officinalis and Magnolia biloba. The products are narrow conical shaped, 4–7 cm in length and 1.5–2 cm in diameter at base, reddish brown. There are 9–12 pieces of perianth, the 3 of outer whorl are long round obovate, flaky; perianth of the middle at inner whorls is obovate to elliptical, fleshy. The stamens are numerous, anthers being in strip-type. The carpels are numerous, spirally arranged on a conical receptacle, crisp and fragile, fragrant in odor, bland in taste. The products large and complete, brownish red and strong fragrant are of better quality. Magnolisa officinalis flower is bitter in taste, warm in property, belonging to the meridians of spleen and stomach, functioning regulating Qi and dissipating dampness.

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Magnolia officinalis

Magnolia officinalis

Magnolia officinalis

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Magnolia officinalis

Magnolia officinalis

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Magnolia officinalis subsp. biloba

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1.7  Family: Magnoliaceae 1.7.1  Michelia alba Chinese Name(s): bai lan, bai yu lan. Source: This medicine is made of the roots and leaves of Magnolia alba (Michelia alba DC.). Morphology: The trees are evergreen, up to 17 m in height. The branches spread widely, forming a broad umbrella canopy. It is 30 cm in DBH. Its barks are gray. The leaves are aromatic when rubbed. The shoots and buds are densely covered with yellowish-white hairs, which gradually fall off when old. The leaves are thinly leathery, long elliptic, or lanceolate elliptic, 10–27 cm in length, 4–9.5 cm in width, apically long acuminate or caudate acuminate, basally cuneate, glabrous on above, sparsely puberulent on below. The reticulate veins are conspicuous on both sides when dry. The petioles are 1.5–2 cm in length, sparsely puberulent. The stipules trace to the middle of petiole. The flowers are axillary, white, extremely aromatic. There are 10 tepals, which are lanceolate, 3–4 cm in length, 3–5 mm in width. The connectives of the stamen extend into a long cusp. The gynecia are puberulent. The carpels are numerous, usually partially undeveloped, which extend with the receptacles when mature, forming aggregate fruits with few follicles. The follicles are bright red when ripe. The flowering period is from April to September. The florescence is in summer. It is usually infertile. Habitat: It grows in warm and moist places where the soils are loose and fertile. Distribution: It is cultivated in provinces along the Yangtze river. It is native to Java island. Acquisition and Processing: The roots and leaves are harvested in summer and autumn; flowers are harvested in spring and summer, and then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and pungent in taste, slightly warm in property. Functions: Removing dampness with aroma, diuresis, relieving cough and eliminating phlegm, the roots are often used in treatment of urinary tract infections, dysuria, and abscess; the leaves are often used in treatment of bronchitis, urinary tract infection, and dysuria; the flowers are often used in treatment of bronchitis, pertussis, chest distress, thirst, prostatitis, and leucorrhea. Dosage: 15–30 g per dose for roots and leaves, 6–12 g per dose for flowers. For external use, appropriate amount of fresh leaves is mashed and applied to the affected areas. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and sympteoms: acute urinary tract infection: Magnolia alba root 60 g or Magnolia alba leaves 30 g, decocted in water for oral use, 1–2 times per day. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: chronic bronchitis in the elderly: (a) Magnolia alba leaf distillate: 500 g of Magnolia alba leaves, add with 1000 ml of water, retrieve 500 g of distillate by distillation, distill again, retrieve 1/4 distillate, the final concentration is 1:4. Take 2 times a day, 10  ml each time. 10  days as a course of treatment. (b) Magnolia alba leaves, banyan leaves each 30 g, lumbricus 4.5 g. Make into pill and divide into 3 portions. Take one portion each time,

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10  days as a course of treatment. After taking the drug, inject the gelatinous calcium into Zusanli every 3 days. 2–3 courses of treatment later, the injection could be reduced to once a week to reinforce the effect.

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1.8  Family: Magnoliaceae 1.8.1  Michelia champaca [3] Chinese Name(s): huang lan, huang yu lan, huang mian gui. Source: This medicine is made of the roots and fruits of Michelia champaca (Michelia champaca Linn.). Morphology: The trees are up to more than 10 meters. The branches spread obliquely upward, forming a narrow umbrella canopy. The buds, shoots, leaves, and petioles are yellowish pubescent. The leaf blades are thinly leathery, lanceolate ovate or lanceolate oblong, 10–25  cm in length, 4–9  cm in width, apically long acuminate or subcaudate acuminate, basally broadly cuneate or cuneate, slightly puberulent below. The petioles are 2–4 cm in length. The stipules trace above middle of petioles. The flowers are orange, extremely aromatic. There are 15–20 tepals, which are oblanceolate, 3–4 cm in length, 4–5 mm in width. The connectives of stamens protrude into a long cusp. The gynoecia is hairy, stipes being ca. 3 mm. The aggregate fruits are 7–12 cm in length, obovate-oblong, 1–1.5 cm long, papilliferous. There are 2–4 wrinkled seeds. The flowering period is from June to July. The fruiting period is from September to October. Habitat: It grows in warm and moist places. Distribution: It is cultivated in provinces of Guangdong, southern Yunnan and Guangxi, and other provinces on south of the Yangtze river. Acquisition and Processing: The roots and barks are harvested in summer and autumn; flowers are harvested in spring; fruit oil is harvested in autumn and winter and then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cool in property. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and dampness, disinhibiting the throat, invigorating the stomach and relieving pain, the roots are often used in treatment of stomachache caused by wind and dampness, stuckness of foreign body in; the fruits are often used in the treatment of dyspepsia and stomachache.

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Dosage: 15–30 g per dose for roots, decocted in water for oral use. To treat rheumatoid bone pain, it is soaked in wine for drink; to treat bone choking, put root slices in mouth, and slowly swallow medicine liquid; or grind the fruit into powder and dissolve in water to take, 0.3–0.6 g per dose.

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1.9  Family: Illiciaceae 1.9.1  Illicium verum Chinese Name(s): ba jiao, da hui xiang. Source: This medicine is made of the fruits of Illicium verum (Illicium verum Hook. f.). Morphology: The trees are 10–15  m in height. The barks are dark gray. The twigs are dense. The leaves are irregular and alternate; apical 3–6 are subverticillate or loose fasciate, thickly leathery, obovate-elliptic, oblanceolate or elliptic, 5–15 cm in length, 2–5 cm in width, apically cuspidate or mucronate, basally acuminate or cuneate. Dense transparent oil spots can be seen on leaves in the sun. The midribs are slightly concave on above. The petioles are 8–20 mm in length. The flowers are

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pink to deep red, born solitary on leaf axils or subterminal. The pedicels are 15–40 mm in length. There are 7–12 perianth segments, with inconspicuous translucent glandular dots. The largest perianth segment is oblong to broadly ovoid, 9–12 mm in length, 8–12 mm in width. There are 11–20 stamens, 13–14 mostly, which are 1.8–3.5 mm in length. The filaments are 0.5–1.6 mm in length. The connectives are truncate. The anther locules are slightly protruding, 1–1.5 mm in length. There are usually 8 carpels, sometimes 7 or 9, which are 2.5–4.5 mm in length at anthesis. The ovaries are 1.2–2 mm in length. The styles are subulate, longer than the ovaries. The peduncles are 20–56  mm in length. The aggregate fruits are 3.5–4 cm in diameter, full, and straight. There are often 8 follicles, which are octagonal, 14–20 mm in length, 7–12 mm in width, 3–6 mm in thickness, apex being blunt or obtuse. The flowering period of normal-season fruits is from March to May, and fruiting period is from September to October. The flowering period of spring fruits is from August to October, and fruiting period is from March to April in the following year. Habitat: It grows wildly in warm, wet valleys. It can also be cultivated. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Guizhou, Yunnan, and other provinces. Acquisition and Processing: The fruits are harvested in autumn and winter when turning from green to yellow and placed in boiling water for a while and then dried, or dried directly after collection. Medicinal Properties: This product is the aggregate fruit, which is composed of 8 follicles radially arranging on the central axis. Follicles are 1–2  cm in length, 0.3–0.5 cm in width, 0.6–1 cm in height, reddish brown, irregular wrinkled, apically coracoid, upper dehiscent. The inner surface is light brown, smooth and glossy, hard and brittle. There is 1 seed in each follicle, which is flat oval, about 6 mm in length, reddish brown or yellowish brown, bright. The exotesta is hard. White endosperm appears when broken. It is aromatic in odor, pungent, and sweet in taste. The products of better quality are large, complete, reddish brown, and aromatic. Natural taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and sweet in taste, warm in property, aromatic in odor, belonging to the meridians of spleen, stomach, and kidney. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and relieving pain, eliminating phlegm and stopping cough, invigorating the stomach and arresting vomiting, it is often used in treatment of vomit, abdominal distension, abdominal pain, and hernia pain. Dosage: 3–6 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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1.10  Family: Schisandraceae 1.10.1  Kadsura coccinea Chinese Name(s): hei lao hu, leng fan tuan, chou fan tuan, zuan di feng. Source: This medicine is made of the roots and stems of Kadsura coccinea (Kadsura coccinea (Lem.) A. C. Smith.). Morphology: The plants are vines, glabrous. The roots are thick linear, fleshy, xylem being small, aromatic, and pungent. The leaves are oblong to ovate-lanceolate, 7–18 cm in length, 3–8 cm in width, apically obtuse or acute or shortly acuminate, basally broadly cuneate or suborbicular, margins being entire, slightly dorsally introrse. There are 6–7 lateral veins on each side, reticular veins being obvious. The petioles are 1–2.5 cm in length. The flowers are solitary or rarely paired, axillary,

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diecious. Male flowers: There are 10–16 perianth segments, which are red. The ones on outside and inside gradually attenuate. The ones in the middle are the largest, elliptical or elliptical obovate, 12–25 mm in length, 5–14 mm in width. The innermost 3 pieces are obviously thickened, fleshy. The stamens are elliptical or conical, with a linear-subulate appendage at the top. There are 14–48 stamens. The peduncles are 10–40 mm in length. The perianth segments of female flowers are similar to male flowers. There are 50–80 carpels. The pedicels are 5–10 mm in length. The aggregated fruit is nearly spherical, 6–10  mm in diameter or larger. The mature carpels are obovate, 1.3–1.8 cm in length. The epicarp is leathery, seeds not exposing when dry. The seeds are heart-shaped or ovate-shaped, 1–1.5  cm in length, 0.8–1 cm in width. The flowering period is from April to July. The fruiting period is from July to November. Habitat: It grows in mountain forests below the elevation of 1500 m. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan, as well as in Vietnam. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested all year round. The roots are excavated, removed off the fibrous roots, and cut into long segment, slices, or piece, and then dried in sun. Medicinal Properties: This product is cylindrical, not straight, up to 100 cm in length, generally cut into sections of 50–80 cm and 1–4 cm in diameter. The surface is dark brown or blackish brown, with multiple longitudinal wrinkles and annular cracks. It is tough, not easy to break, thick skinned in section, brown or dark brown, easy to peel, with guava flavor when chewed, with few dregs, light brown in xylem, densely distributed with pinhole-shaped catheter. It is slightly aromatic in odor and slightly astringent in taste. The products with uniform root strip, thick skin, dark brown surface, and no fibrous roots are of better quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and slight bitter in taste, warm in property, belonging to the meridians of liver and spleen. Functions: Promoting Qi circulation and relieving pain, dispelling pathogenic wind and activating collaterals, invigorating circulation and relieving swelling, it is often used in treatment of rheumatism, stomach and duodenal ulcer, chronic gastritis, stomachache, dysmenorrhea, acute gastroenteritis, rheumatoid arthritis, injuries and swelling, abdominal pain caused by postpartum blood stasis. Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use, or ground into powder, and taken 0.9–1.5 g per dose. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: chronic gastritis, ulcers: (a) Kadsura coccinea, Alpinia japonica each 15 g, wild cinnamon, galangal each 9 g, rhizoma cyperi 6 g, decocted in water for oral use. In case of bleeding, 15 g of Chinese arborvitae twig and leaf charcoal is added to the prescription. (b) Kadsura coccinea, Cortex Ilicis Rotundae, cuttlefish bone, each 30 g, ground into powder. Take 3 times a day, 6 g per dose. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: rheumatic pain: Kadsura coccinea, Sassafras tzumu, Piitosporum glabraium, each 30 g, Caulis spatholobi, Herba siegesbeck-

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iae, each 15 g, decocted in water for oral use. Or soak the medicine in alcohol, and take a little to rub the affected areas. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: dysmenorrhea: (a) Kadsura coccinea, Kadsura longipedunculata finet et gagnep, each 15 g, Chinese brake herb 30 g, Lindera aggregata 3 g, decocted in water for oral use. Take 1 dose per day. (b) Kadsura coccinea 30 g, Litsea cubeba root 15 g, decocted in water for oral dose. It can also be used to treat abdominal pain caused by lochia after birth.

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1.11  Family: Schisandraceae 1.11.1  Kadsura heteroclita Chinese Name(s): hai feng teng, yi xing nan wu wei zi, da ye fng sha teng, da ye guo shan long. Source: This medicine is made of the roots, stems, and fruits of Kadsura heteroclita (Kadsura heteroclita (Roxb.) Craib). Morphology: The plants are large vines. The leaves are ovate-elliptic to broadly elliptic, 6–15 cm in length, 3–7 cm in width, apically acuminate or acute, basally broadly cuneate or subobtuse, entire or serrate on upper half. There are 7–11 pairs of lateral veins. The reticular veins are obvious. The petioles are 0.6–2.5  cm in length. The flowers are solitary in leaf axils, diecious. There are 11–15 perianth

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segments, which are white or pale yellow, smaller in outer and inner whorls, the largest being in middle whorl, elliptic to obovate, 8–16 mm in length, 5–12 mm in width. Staminate flowers: receptacles are elliptic, apically elongate terete, conically protruding outside stamens. The stamen group is elliptical, 6–7 mm in length, 5 mm in diameter, with 50–65 stamens. The stamens are 0.8–1.8 mm in length. The filaments and connectives connect together, forming a flat square. The top of connectives is long oval. The anthers are about the same length with stamens. The filaments are extremely short. The pedicels are 3–20 mm in length, with several bracteoles. Pistillate flowers: The pistils are subglobose, 6–8 mm in diameter, with 30–55 pistils. The ovaries are obovate-oblong; styles are with small bractlets apically. The pedicels are 3–30 mm in length. The aggregate fruits are subglobose, 2.5–4 cm in diameter. The carpels are obovate, 10–22 mm in length, leathery when dried without exposure of seeds. There are 2–3 seeds, rarely 4–5, which are oblong reniform, 5–6 mm in length, 3–5 mm in width. The flowering period is from May to August. The fruiting period is from August to December. Habitat: It grows in the forest next to the ravine, climbing on trees. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Hubei, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, as well as in Sikkim, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka. Acquisition and Processing: The old canes are cut, scraped off the cork, cut into long sections, and dried. Medicinal Properties: These products are cylindrical, often slightly curved, 50–80 cm in length, and 2.5–4 cm in diameter. The cork is as soft as a sponge and has been scraped off generally, leaving knife cut marks. The surface is light brown with irregular rough lines and residual gray-white cork. It is solid and not easy to break. The phloem of section is brown. The xylem is light brown and distributed with dense pinhole-shaped catheters (blowing smoke from one end of the cane, the smoke can emerge from the other end). The center is dark brown pulpy. It is aromatic in odor, sweet, and slightly pungent in taste. The products uniform in size with little cork are of better quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property, belonging to the meridians of liver and spleen. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and dampness, activating Qi circulation and relieving pain, invigorating blood circulation and relieving swelling, it is often used in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, pain in waist and lower extremities, lumbar muscle strain, muscle and vessel contracture, postpartum paralysis. Dosage: 10–20 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Or mix the decoctum with Shaoxin wine for drink. Or soak the medicine in wine. Or dry in sun, grind into powder, and take 0.9–1.5 g per dose.

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1.12  Family: Schisandraceae 1.12.1  Kadsura longipedunculata Chinese Name(s): nan wu wei zi, zi jin pi, zi jin teng, xiao hao feng sha teng. Source: This medicine is made of the roots, stems, leaves, and fruits of Kadsura longipedunculata (Kadsura longipedunculata Finet et Gagnep.). Morphology: The plants are vines, glabrous throughout. The leaves are long lanceolate, obovate-lanceolate, 5–13 cm in length, 2–6 cm in width, apically acuminate or acute, basally narrow cuneate or broadly cuneate, sparsely denticulate. There are 5–7 lateral veins on each side, which are with pale brown transparent glands on leaves. The petioles are 0.6–2.5 cm in length. The flowers are solitary in leaf axils, diecious. Staminate flowers: there are 8–17 tepals, which are or yellowish. The biggest tepal is in the middle whorl, which is elliptic, 8–13 mm in length, 4–10 mm in width. The receptacles are elliptical, apex being elongate terete, not prominent beyond the stamens. There are 30–70 stamens, which are spherical, 8–9  mm in diameter, 1–2  mm in length. The filaments and connectives connect together, forming a flat square, the top of connective is long oval. The anthers are about the same length with stamens. The filaments are very short. The pedicels are 0.7–4.5 cm in length. Pistillate flowers: the perianth segments are similar to male flowers. There are 40–60 pistils, which are elliptic or spherical, ca. 10 mm in diameter. The ovaries are broadly ovoid. The styles are with peltate cordate stigma, 3–5 ovules superimposed on ventral suture. The pedicels are 3–13 cm in length. The aggregate fruits are globose, 1.5–3.5 cm in diameter. The small berries are obovate, 8–14 mm in length. The exocarp are thinly leathery, seeds being visible when dry. There are 2–3 seeds, sparse 4–5. The flowering period is from June to September. The fruiting period is from September to December. Habitat: It grows on hillsides and valley forests below elevation of 1000 m. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, and Yunnan. Acquisition and Processing: The roots, stems, leaves, and fruits are harvested in autumn and winter and then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Activating Qi and blood circulation and relieving distention, detoxicating, it is often used in treatment of irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea and abdominal pain, rheumatoid arthritis, bruises, and injuries, and sore throat. It can also be used to treat swelling and pain of hemorrhoids, insect or snake bites externally. Dosage: 6–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, appropriate amount of Kadsura longipedunculata is decocted to wash the affected areas with, or ground into powder for application.

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1.13  Family: Schisandraceae 1.13.1  Kadsura oblongifolia Chinese Name(s): leng fan tuan, fan tuan teng Source: This medicine is made of the roots, stems, leaves, and fruits of Kadsura oblongifolia (Kadsura oblongifolia Merr.). Morphology: The plants are vines, glabrous throughout. The leaves are papillary, oblong-lanceolate, narrowly oblong or narrowly elliptic, 5–10 cm in length, 1.5–4 cm in width, apically rounded or obtuse, basally broadly cuneate, margins being inconspicuously sparsely dentate. There are 4–8 lateral veins on each side. The petioles are 0.5–1.2 cm in length. The flowers are solitary in leaf axils, diecious. Staminate flowers: there are 12–13 yellow perianths. The largest perianth is in middle whorl, oblong or obovate-oblong, 5–8 mm in length, 3.5–5.5 mm in width. The receptacles are elliptical, not elongated on apex. The stamens are spherical, 4–5 mm in diameter, with about 25 stamens. The two anthers are 0.6–0.8 mm in length, with few filaments. The pedicels are 1–1.5 cm in length. Pistillate flowers: perianth segments are similar to male flowers. There are 35–50 pistils (−60). The pedicels are slender, 1.5–4  cm in length. The aggregate fruits are subglobose or elliptical, 1.2–2  cm in diameter. The small berries are elliptical or obovate, ca. 5  mm in length. The apical exocarps are thinly leathery, not thickened, seeds being visible when dry. There are 2–3 seeds, which are reniform or reniform elliptic, 4–4.5 mm in length, 3–4 mm in width. The umbilicuses are slightly concave. The flowering period is from July to September. The fruiting period is from October to November. Habitat: It grows in hillsides and valley forests below elevation of 500–1200 m. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian. Acquisition and Processing: The roots, stems, leaves, and fruits are harvested in autumn and winter and then dried.

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Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Clearing away heat and toxic materials, promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, it is often used in treatment of rheumatism, bruises and injuries, knife wounds, and snake bites. Dosage: 10–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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1.14  Family: Schisandraceae 1.14.1  Schisandra chinensis Chinese Name(s): wu wei zi, bei wu wei zi, liao wu wei zi. Source: This medicine is made of the fruits of Schisandra chinensis (Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill.).

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Morphology: The plants are deciduous woody vines, nearly 8 m in length, glabrous or nearly glabrous throughout. The branchlets are grayish brown, slightly ridged. The leaves are alternate, papillary or submembranous, broadly elliptic, ovate or obovate, 5–10 cm in length, 2–5 cm in width, apically mucronate or acuminate, basally cuneate, margins being sparsely glandular denticulate, glabrous adaxially, puberulent abaxially when young. The petioles are 1.5–4.5 cm in length. The flowers are unisexual, diecious, solitary or clustered in leaf axils. The pedicels are slender and tender, which are much longer than petioles. There are 6–9 perianth, which are milky white or pinkish, aromatic. There are 5 stamens in male flowers. The pistils are elliptic, with 17–40 carpels, imbricate arranged on receptacles, which gradually elongate after anthesis. The fruits are spicate aggregate when ripe. The berries are fleshy, globose, dark red. The flowering period is from May to July. The fruiting period is from July to October. Habitat: It grows in the forest or in forest edge. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces on Northeast, North China and Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan, and other provinces. Acquisition and Processing: The fruits are harvested in autumn when ripe, got rid of the impurities, and then dried. Medicinal Properties: The products are spherical or oblate, 0.5–0.8 cm in diameter. The flesh is reddish brown or purple red, wrinkled and soft, oily luster and moist, not easy to dry completely. There are 1–2 seeds, mostly 2, which are reniform and occasionally exposed to the flesh. The surface is yellow-brown and glossy, and the seed coat is hard and brittle. The flesh is sour and the seeds are pungent and slight bitter in taste. The products with large grain, thick meat, and oily surface are better in quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sour and sweet in taste, warm in property, belonging to the meridians of lung, heart, and kidney. Functions: Astringing, supplementing Qi and promoting the production of body liquid, tonifying kidney and tranquilizing mind, it is often used in treatment of chronic cough and asthma, spermatorrhea, enuresis, frequent urination, long-term diarrhea, spontaneous sweating, night sweats, thirst caused by body fluid deficiency, internal heat and thirst, palpitations, and insomnia. Dosage: 3–6 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: neurasthenia: Schisandra chinensis 9–15  g decocted in water for oral use or Schisandra chinensis 30 g, soaked in 300 ml of wine for 7 days, and drank 1 cup once a day. b. Schisandra chinensis, Chinese yam, each 15  g, spina date seed, platycladi seed, each 9  g, longan aril 30  g, decocted in water for oral use. Or Schisandra chinensis, glossy privet fruit 60 g, Polygonum multiflorum 30 g, wine 250 ml, the medicines are soaked for 1 week added with 600 ml of boiling water. Take 1 small cup every day at 5 pm, and repeat at 8 pm for several days.

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2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: jaundice-free infectious hepatitis: Schisandra chinensis dried, ground into powder (or made into pills with honey). Take 3 times a day, 3 g of powder each time, 1 month as a course of treatment. After the normalization of the alanine aminotransferase, it is still advised to continue taking the drug for 2–4 weeks to consolidate the curative effect. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: chronic bronchitis of kidney deficient type: Schisandra chinensis, herba ephedra, Angelica sinensis, fructus psoraleae Pinellia ternata, each 9 g, decocted in water for oral use. Annotations: (A) The fruits of Schisandra sphenanthera (Schisandra sphenanthera Rhed. et Wils.) are also used as medicine for Schisandra, whose quality is inferior. The product is called schisandra sphenanthera. (B) The peel and pulp of Schisandra chinensis taste sour and sweet; the kernels taste pungent and bitter; the whole fruit has a salty taste; five tastes in all.

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1.15  Family: Schisandraceae 1.15.1  Schisandra henryi Chinese Name(s): yi geng wu wei zi, huang pi xue teng, qi teng, xue teng, da shen jing, xi wu wei, yao wu wei. Source: This medicine is made of the roots, stems, and fruits of Schisandra henryi (Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill.). Morphology: The plants are deciduous woody vine. The branchlets are narrowly to conspicuously winged 1–2.5  mm wide, white powdery. The leaves are ovate, oblong, ovate or subcircular, 6–11 cm long, 3–8 cm wide, apically short acuminate or short acute, basally broad cuneate or nearly circular, upper margin being denticulate, serrulate or entire, adaxially green, abaxially pale green, with 4–6 lateral veins. The lateral veins and reticular veins are slightly convex on both sides. The petioles are red, 2.5–5 cm long, reticular veins being slightly convex on both sides, basally decurrent winged. Staminate flowers: The petioles are 4–6 cm long. The perianths are yellow, 8–10 pieces, subcircular, maximum diameter being 9–12 mm. The outermost and inmost 1–2 pieces are slightly smaller. The stamens are obovate, about 5 mm in diameter. The receptacles are cylindrical, apex being with a subcircular peltate appendage. There are 30–40 stamens. The anthers are 1–2.5  mm length. Pistillate flowers: The pedicels are 7–8 cm long. The perianths are similar to male flowers. The pistils are round and oval, about 7 mm long, 50 in number. The ovaries are narrow and oval. The styles are 0.3–0.5 mm in length. The berries are red, globular, 4–5 mm in diameter, with carpopodia of 1 mm, and white style appendages at the top. The seeds are brown-yellow, oblate, 3–5 mm in length, 2–4 mm in width, 2–2.5 mm in height. The testa are pale brown, papillary or wrinkled protuberant, especially on the back. The flowering period is from May to July and fruiting period from August to September. Habitat: It grows in the valley creek forest at altitude of 500–1500 m. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guangdong, and Guangxi. Acquisition and Processing: The roots, stems, and fruits are harvested in autumn and winter and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: The roots and stems are slight pungent in taste, slightly warm in property. The fruits are sweet and sour in taste, warm in property, belonging to the meridians of lung, heart, and kidney. Functions: The roots and stems function in dispelling pathogenic wind and dampness, activating blood circulation and stopping pain. The fruits function in astringing the lung to stop coughing, antiperspiration, and astringing essence. The roots and stems are often used in treatment of rheumatism, ostealgia, vasculitis, injury, stomachache, and fracture. The fruits are used in treatment of asthma and cough due to lung deficiency, spontaneous sweating, and spermatorrhea. Dosage: 9–15 g per dose for roots and stems, 3–6 g per dose for fruits, decocted in water for oral use.

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1.16  Family: Schisandraceae 1.16.1  Schisandra sphenanthera Chinese Name(s): hua zhong wu wei zi, wu wei zi. Source: This medicine is made of the fruits of Schisandrae sphenantherae (Schisandra sphenanthera Rehd. et Wilson). Morphology: The plants are deciduous woody vines, glabrous throughout. The leaves are papery, obovoid, broad obovate, sometimes round, 5–11  cm in length, 3–7 cm in width, apically short acute or acuminate, basally cuneate or broadly cuneate, narrowly winged from dry membranous margins to petioles, adaxially dark green, abaxially light pale green, with white spots. More than 1/2–2/3 of margins are denticulate or serrulate. The midribs of leaves are slightly concave. There are 4–5 lateral veins on each side. The reticular veins are fine and close. The petioles are red, 1–3 cm in length. The flowers insert in leaf axils near base. The pedicels are slender, 2–4.5 cm in length, with 3–4 mm membranous bracts on base. There are 5–9 perianth pieces, which are orange, similar, elliptic or oblong-obovate, 6–12 mm in length in the middle whorl, 4–8 mm in width, ciliate, with glandular spots on the back. Staminate flowers: The stamens are obovate, 4–6 mm in diameter. The receptacles are cylindrical, apical elongated, without peltate appendages. There are 11–19 (−23) stamens. Pistillate flowers: The pistils are ovoid, 5–5.5 mm in diameter. There are 30–60 pistils; ovaries are nearly sickle elliptic, 2–2.5  mm in length. The stigma crowns are narrow. The styles are only 0.1–0.2 mm in length. The receptacles of aggregate fruits are 6–17 cm in length, 4 mm in diameter. The peduncles are 3–10 cm in length. The apocarps are red at maturity, 8–12 mm in length, 6–9 mm wide, shortly stalked. The flowering period is from April to July. The fruiting period is from July to September. Habitat: It grows in the forest on the edge of the valley. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Guizhou, and northeastern Yunnan. Acquisition and Processing: The fruits are harvested in autumn and winter, and then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sour in taste, warm in property, belonging to the meridians of lung, heart, and kidney. Functions: Invigorating the lung and nourishing the kidney, promoting Qi and fluid metabolism, arresting sweating, calming the heart and tranquilizing the mind, it is often used in treatment of chronic cough and asthma, spermatorrhea, enuresis, frequent urination, chronic diarrhea, spontaneous sweating, night sweats, thirst caused by deficiency of body liquid, palpitations, and insomnia. Dosage: 3–6 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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1.17  Family: Schisandraceae 1.17.1  Schisandra viridis Chinese Name(s): guo shan feng, lv ye wu wei zi. Source: This medicine is made of the roots and stems of Schisandra viridis (Schisandra viridis A. C. Smith). Morphology: The plants are deciduous woody vines, glabrous throughout. The leaves are papery, ovate-elliptic, usually widest below the middle, 4–16  cm in length, 2–4(7) cm in width, apically acuminate, basally obtuse or broadly cuneate, middle upper margins being thick serrulate or denticulate. The leaf surface is green, abaxially pale green, olive green when dry. There are 3–6 lateral veins on each side.

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Staminate flowers: pedicels are 1.5–5  cm in length. There are 6–8 perianth segments, which are yellowish green or green, similar in size, broadly elliptic, obovate or suborbicular, 5–10 mm in length, 4–10 mm in width. The smallest perianth is on the innermost whorl. The stamens are obovate or subglobose, 4–6 mm in diameter. There are 10–20 stamens, which are 1.2–2.2 mm in length at the base. The anthers are 0.7–1.5 mm in length, interior dehiscence. Pistillate flowers: pedicels are 4–7 cm in length, perianth segments are similar to male flowers, pistils are subglobose, 5–6 mm in diameter. There are 15–25 carpels, which are obliquely obovate or elliptical, 1.8–2.5  mm in length. The descending appendages of stigmas are about 0.2 mm in length. The fruiting stalks are 3.5–9.5 cm in length. The fruit receptacles are 7–12  cm in length. The matured carpels are red, arranging in two rows. The carpels are with yellow glandular spots. The base of apical styles are persistent. The bases are shortly stalked. The seeds are reniform, 3.5–4.5 mm in length. Seed coats are with wrinkles or small nodules. The flowering period is from April to June. The fruiting period is from July to September. Habitat: It grows in the valley side forest at altitude of 200–1500 m. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guizhou, Guangdong, Guangxi. Acquisition and Processing: The roots and stems are harvested in autumn and winter and then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and dampness, promoting Qi circulation and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of rheumatic bone pain, herpes and zoster, stomach pain, hernia, irregular menstruation. Dosage: 15–30 cg per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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1.18  Family: Annonaceae 1.18.1  Annona squamosa Chinese Name(s): fan li zhi, mai luo tuo. Source: This medicine is made of the roots, leaves, or fruits of Annona squamosa (Annona squamosa Linn.) Morphology: The tree of Annona squamosa Linn is small and deciduous, 3–5 m tall. The barks are thin, grayish white. The branches are numerous. The leaves are thin papery, arranging in two rows, typically in elliptical lanceolate or oblong shapes, 6–17.5 cm long, 2–7.5 cm wide, acute or blunt at the tip, broadly cuneate or rounded at the base, pale and green at the back. The leaves are pubescent initially, glabrescent later. There are 8–15 lateral veins on either side of leaf, which are on the upper, and raised on back. The flowers are solitary or 2–4 clustering at apex or opposite to leaves, roughly 2 cm in length. The flowers are yellowish green, pendulous. The buds are lanceolate. The sepals are triangular and puberulent. The outer pedals are narrow, thick, valvate, oblong in shape, sharply pointed at the top, puberulent. The inner pedals are tiny, reduced into scales, puberulent. The stamens are oblong, with wide connectives. Almost truncate on the top. The carpels are oblong, glabrous. The stigmas are ovate-lanceolate, with 1 ovule per carpel. The fruits are aggregate berries, composed of a plurality of round or oval fruits that connected by mature carpels and are easily separated, spherical, or cordate conical shape, 5–10 cm in diameter, glabrous, yellowish green, and pruinose. The flowering period is from May to June and fruiting period from June to November. Habitat: It is only cultivated. Distribution: It is introduced and cultivated in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Yunnan, and other places, while the plant is native to the tropical America.

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Acquisition and Processing: The roots and seeds are collected in autumn and winter and dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet in taste, cold in property. Functions: Clearing heat, and detoxifying, it is used to treat acute diarrhea with blood. The fruit is used to cure malignant swelling and pain. Use and Dosage: 10–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. The extract of the seeds is effective against malignant swelling and pain.

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1.19  Family: Annonaceae 1.19.1  Desmos chinensis Chinese Name(s): jia yin zua, jiu bing ye, ji zhua feng. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Desmos chinensis (Desmos chinensis Lour.) Morphology: The plants are climbing shrubs, sometimes spreading on branches, glabrous throughout, except for flowers. The branches are rough, with vertical stripes and grayish white lenticels. The leaves are thin papery or membranous, oblong or elliptic, or sometimes broadly ovate, 4–13 cm long, 2–5 cm wide, obtuse or acute apically, base being rounded to slightly oblique. The leaves are lustrous, pinkish green at the back. The flowers are yellowish white, single, opposite to leaves or alternate. The peduncles are 2–5.5  cm long, glabrous. The sepals are ovoid, 3–5 mm long, puberulent outside. The petals of outer whorl are larger than petals of inner whorl, oblong or long rounded lanceolate, up to 9 cm long, 2 cm wide, blunt at the top, puberulent on both sides. The petals at inner whorl are oblong-lanceolate, 7 cm long, 1.5 cm wide, pubescent on both sides. The receptacles are distinct, apex being flat or slightly concave. The stamens are oblong. The connectives are truncate. The carpels are oblong, 1–1.5 mm long, pubescent. The stigmas are suborbicular, outwardly curved, apex being 2-cleft. The fruit are petiolated, moniliform, 2–5 cm long, with 1–7 seeds inside. The seeds are globular, about 5 mm in diameter. The flowering period is from summer to winter. The fruiting period is from June to spring. Habitat: It grows on mountains, valleys, forest margins, or on the ground. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hong Kong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, as well as in other tropical regions in Asia.

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Acquisition and Processing: The whole plants are harvested in autumn and winter and dried in sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, slight warm in property, slight toxic. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and relieving pain, promoting Qi circulation and invigorating spleen, it is used to treat rheumatoid arthralgia, postpartum wind and abdominal pain, bleeding, dysmenorrhea, stomachache, abdominal distension, indigestion, diarrhea, nephritis edema, bruises. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, appropriate amount of medicine is mashed and added with wine to applicate on the affected areas.

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1.20  Family: Annonaceae 1.20.1  Fissistigma glaucescens Chinese Name(s): bai ye gua fu mu, wu gu teng, que luo feng. Source: This medicine is made of the roots of Fissistigma glaucescens (Fissistigma glaucescens (Hance) Merr. [F. obtusifolium Merr.]) Morphology: The plants are woody vines, up to 8  m long. The branches are glabrous. The leaves are nearly leathery, oblong or oblong-elliptic, sometimes obovate-oblong, 3–19.5  cm long, 1.2–5.5  cm wide, apically rounded, sometimes concaved, base being rounded or obtuse glabrous on both sides, white green on the back, glaucous when dry. There are 10–15 secondary veins on each side of midvein, which are adaxially very slightly prominent or flat, abaxially inconspicuously raised. The petioles are about 1 cm long. The inflorescences are terminal, thyrsoid, 6 cm in length; cymules are 2-or 3-flowered, brownish tomentose. The sepals are broadly triangular, ca. 2 mm long. Outer pedals are broadly ovoid, ca. 6 mm, fulvous pubescent. The inner petals are ovate oblong, ca. 5 mm, grayish white pubescent. The connectives are triangular. There are 15 carpels, which are brownish tomentose. The fruits are globose, ca. 8 mm in diam, glabrous. The flowering period is from January to September. The fruiting period is almost all year round. Habitat: It grows in mountain bushes or sparse forests. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hong Kong, Hainan, Guangxi, Fujian, and Taiwan. Acquisition and Processing: The roots are harvested in summer and autumn, sliced, and then dried in sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, slight warm in property, slight toxic. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and dampness, dredging collaterals and promoting blood circulation, stopping bleeding, it is used to treat rheumatic bone pain, bruises, irregular menstruation, as well as fractures, traumatic bleeding externally.

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Use and Dosage: 9–18 g per dose, decocted in water or soaked in wine for oral use. For external use, appropriate amount of dried roots is made into powder for applicate on the affected areas. Pregnant women should not use it.

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1.21  Family: Annonaceae 1.21.1  Fissistigma oldhamii Chinese Name(s): gua fu mu, zhuan shan feng, feng yang teng, feng gu zi. Source: This medicine is made of the roots and stems of Fissistigma oldhamii (Fissistigma oldhamii (Hemsl.) Merr.) Morphology: The plants are rattan shrubs. The branchlets are fulvous pubescent. The leaves are leathery, ovoid to oblanceolate, 5–13 cm long, 2.5–4.5 cm wide, apically obtuse or retuse, basally cuneate or broadly cuneate, glabrous adaxially except for the midvein. There are 12–18 lateral veins on each side of the midvein, which are adaxially very slightly prominent or flat, abaxially inconspicuously raised. The petioles are about 1 cm long, pubescent. The flowers are solitary or 3-clustering in glomerules. The peduncles are 2.5 cm long. The sepals are broadly triangular, ca. 3 mm, apically acute. The outer petals are ovate-elliptic, 2.1 cm long, 1.2 cm wide; inner petals are 2 cm in length, 6 mm in width. The stamens are oblong, ca. 2 mm long, connectives being oblique triangular. The carpels are long pubescent. The stigmas are slightly curved, glabrous, apex being 2-cleft. There are 10 ovules per carpel, arranging in two rows. The mature fruit is round and spherical, 1.8 cm in diameter, densely yellowish pubescent. The seeds are round, about 8 mm diameter. The flowering period is from April to September. The fruiting period is from July to February of the next year. Habitat: It grows in low altitude valleys or waterside shrubs. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hong Kong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, Hunan, Jiangxi, Fujian, Taiwan, Zhejiang, as well as in Vietnam. Acquisition and Processing: The roots and rattan stems are harvested in summer and autumn and then dried in sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is slight pungent and astringent in taste, warm in property.

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Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind, promoting blood circulation, and relieving pain, it is used to treat sciatica, arthritis, bruises. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: rheumatoid arthralgia and sciatica: Fissistigma oldhamii root 15–30 g, Cortex acanthopanacis 9 g, Indian Damnacanthus Herb 30 g, Daphne odora velamen 9 g, sassafras 15 g, decocted in water for oral use. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: postpartum arthralgia: Fissistigma oldhamii root, Euscaphis japonica, sharpleaf gambir plant root, each 15 g, decocted with chicken, and taken orally. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Stomachache: fresh Fissistigma oldhamii root 15 g, Lagerstroemia indica 30 g, Cirsium japonicum 30 g, decocted and mixed with egg, and taken orally. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: lumbago: fresh Fissistigma oldhamii root 60  g, fresh Celastrus orbiculatus 30  g, fresh Indian damnacanthus herb 30  g, fresh root of Bidentate achyranthes 15 g, decocted in water for oral use. 5. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: lumbar sprain: fresh Fissistigma oldhamii root 120 g, Canavalia gladiata DC 30–60 g, decocted in water for oral use. 6. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: bruises and old injuries: fresh Fissistigma oldhamii root 60 g, fresh Bauhinia champloni 60 g, fresh Cudrania tricuspidata root 30 g, decocted in water for oral use.

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1.22  Family: Annonaceae 1.22.1  Fissistigma polyanthum Chinese Name(s): duo hua gua fu mu, hei feng teng, tong qi xiang, hei pi die da, la gong teng. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Fissistigma polyanthum (Fissistigma polyanthum (Hook. f. et Thoms.) Merr.). Morphology: The plants are climbing shrubs, up to 8 m long. The roots are black and strongly aromatic when tore. The branches are grayish black or brown, pubescent, glabrescent when old. The leaves are nearly leathery, oblong or obovate-­ oblong, sometimes elliptic, 6–17.5  cm long, 2–7.5  cm wide, apically acute or rounded, sometimes concave. The leaf blades are abaxially puberulent, adaxially glabrous. There are 13–18 lateral veins on each side, which are obliquely raised, adaxially flat, convex at back. The petioles are 8–15 mm in length, pubescent. The flowers are small. The flower buds are conical, apically acute. The inflorescences are axillary, leaf opposed, or extra axillary, glomerulate, usually 3 to 7-flowered, yellowish pubescent. The peduncles are up to 1.5  cm in length. The bracteolate grow between base and below middle. The sepals are broadly triangular, pilose. The outer petals are ovate-elliptic, ca. 12 mm in length, densely fulvous pubescent outside, glabrous inside. The inner petals are oblong, ca. 9  mm in length, apically acuminate. The connectives are 3-angular, apically obtuse. The carpels are oblong, villous. The stigmas are entire at apex. There are 4–6 ovules per carpel, arranging in 2 series. The fruits are globose, ca. 1.5 cm in diam, yellowish pubescent. The seeds are reddish brown, ellipsoid, flat, reddish brown. The fruit pedicels are weak, 2.5 cm in length. The flowering period is almost all year round. The fruiting period is from March to October.

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Habitat: It grows in the valleys and under the forest. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Tibet, as well as in Vietnam, Myanmar, and India. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plant or roots are harvested in summer and autumn and then dried in sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and slight astringent in taste, warm in property. Functions: Clearing pathogenic wind and dampness, strengthening muscles and bones, promoting blood circulation, and relieving swelling and pain, it is often used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, irregular menstruation, and bruises. Use and Dosage: 9–15  g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Pregnant women should not take it.

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1.23  Family: Annonaceae 1.23.1  Uvaria macrophylla Chinese Name(s): zi yu pan, jiu bing zi, shi ba feng teng, niu dao shu, niu tou luo. Source: This medicine is made of the roots of Uvaria macrophylla (Uvaria macrophylla Roxb. [U. microcarpa Champ. ex Benth.]). Morphology: The plants are climbing shrubs, about 2 m in height. The branchlets, tender leaves, petioles, pedicels, bracts, sepals, petals, carpels, and fruits are yellow stellate tomentose when young and glabrescent. The leaves are leathery, long obovate or oblong, 10–23 cm long, 5–11 cm wide, apex being acute or blunt, base being shallowly cordate, or rounded. There are approximately 13 lateral veins on each side, which are concave on dorsal surface. There are 1–2 flowers, which are

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opposite to leaves, dark purple or reddish brown, 2.5–3.5 cm in diameter. The pedicels are less than 2 cm in length. The sepals are broadly ovate, ca. 5 mm in length, ca. 10 mm in width. The inner petals and outer petals are similar, ovoid, ca. 2 cm in length, 1.3 cm in width, apically round or blunt. The stamens are linear, ca. 9 mm in length. The connectives are ovoid, glabrous. The stamens on the outside usually reduced to oblanceolate pseudostamens. The carpels are oblong or linear, ca. 5 mm in length. The stigmas are horseshoe-shaped, apex being 2-cleft and involute. The fruits are ovoid or short cylindrical, 1–2 cm long in length, 1 cm in diameter, dark purple-­brown, short cuspidate at the top. The seeds are spherical, 6.5–7.5 mm in diameter. The flowering period is from March to August. The fruiting period is from July to March. Habitat: It grows in low altitude mountain forests or shrubs. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macau, Guangxi, Taiwan, as well as in Vietnam and Laos. Acquisition and Processing: The roots are harvested in summer and autumn, cleaned, and then dried in sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and sweet in taste, slight warm in property. Functions: Strengthening stomach and promoting Qi circulation, dispelling pathogenic wind, and relieving pain, it is often used to treat indigestion, abdominal distension, diarrhea, bruises, and lumbago. Use and Dosage: 15–21 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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References 1. Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China (Part 1: 169) [S]. The Medicine Science and Technology Press of China; 2015. 2. Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China (Part 1: 235) [S]. The Medicine Science and Technology Press of China; 2015. 3. Xie ZW et al. Compilation of the National Chinese Herbal Medicine, Vol. 1: 1937 [M]. Beijing: People’s Medical Publishing House; 1975.

Chapter 2

Medicinal Angiosperms of Lauraceae and Illigeraceae Huagu Ye, Chuyuan Li, Wencai Ye, Feiyan Zeng, Fangfang Liu, Faguo Wang, Yushi Ye, Lin Fu, and Jianrong Li

Contents 2.1

Family: Lauraceae 2.1.1  Cassytha filiformis 2.2 Family: Lauraceae 2.2.1  Cinnamomum aromaticum 2.3 Family: Lauraceae 2.3.1  Cinnamomum burmannii 2.4 Family: Lauraceae 2.4.1  Cinnamomum camphora 2.5 Family: Lauraceae 2.5.1  Lindera aggregata 2.6 Family: Lauraceae 2.6.1  Lindera angustifolia 2.7 Family: Lauraceae 2.7.1  Lindera chunii 2.8 Family: Lauraceae 2.8.1  Lindera communis 2.9 Family: Lauraceae 2.9.1  Lindera glauca 2.10 Family: Lauraceae 2.10.1  Lindera reflexa 2.11 Family: Lauraceae 2.11.1  Litsea cubeba

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H. Ye (*) · F. Zeng · F. Wang · Y. Ye · L. Fu · J. Li South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China e-mail: [email protected] C. Li Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited, Guangzhou, China W. Ye Jinan University, Guangzhou, China F. Liu Huizhou Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Huizhou, China © Chemical Industry Press 2021 H. Ye et al. (eds.), Common Chinese Materia Medica, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-2066-9_2

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62 2.12 Family: Lauraceae 2.12.1  Litsea glutinosa 2.13 Family: Lauraceae 2.13.1  Litsea euosma 2.14 Family: Lauraceae 2.14.1  Litsea rotundifolia var. oblongifolia 2.15 Family: Lauraceae 2.15.1  Litsea verticillata 2.16 Family: Lauraceae 2.16.1  Machilus velutina 2.17 Family: Lauraceae 2.17.1  Neolitsea cambodiana 2.18 Family: Lauraceae 2.18.1  Phoebe bournei 2.19 Family: Lauraceae 2.19.1  Phoebe sheareri 2.20 Family: Lauraceae 2.20.1  Sassafras tzumu 2.21 Family: Illigeraceae 2.21.1  Illigera celebica References

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This chapter introduces 21 species of medicinal plants in 2 families, mainly including Cassytha filiformis, Cinnamomum aromaticum, Cinnamomum burmannii, Cinnamomum camphora, Lindera aggregata, Litsea rotundifolia var. oblongifolia of Lauraceae, and Illigera celebica of Illigeraceae. This chapter introduces the scientific names, herbal medicine names, morphology, habitats, distributions, acquisition and processing methods, medicinal properties, tastes, functions, use and dosages of these medicinal plants, with clear original plant photos and part photos of herbal medicines.

2.1  Family: Lauraceae 2.1.1  Cassytha filiformis Chinese Name(s): wu gen teng, wu tou cao, wu ye teng, luo wang teng. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Cassytha filiformis (Cassytha filiformis Linn.). Morphology: The plants are parasitic twining herbaceous vines, clinging to host plants by discoid suckers. The stems are linear, green or greenish brown, slightly woody. The young parts are ferruginous pubescent, sparsely puberulent or glabrous when old. The leaves degenerate into minute scales. The spikes are 2–5 cm in length, densely ferruginous pubescent. The bracts and bracteoles are small, broadly ovate, ca. 1 mm in length, brown, ciliate. The flowers are small, white, less than 2 mm in

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length, sessile. There are 6 perianth lobes, arranging in 2 whorls, outer 3 are small, round, ciliate, inner 3 being larger, ovate, pubescent at outside, almost glabrous at inside. It has 9 fertile stamens. The first whorl stamen filaments are subpetalous. The others are linear. The first and second whorl stamen filaments are glandless. The anthers are 2-loculed, introrse. There is a pair of sessile glands at the base of the third whorl stamen filaments. The anthers are 2-celled, extrorse. There are 3 staminodes at the innermost whorl, which are, stalked. The ovaries are ovate, almost glabrous. The styles are short, slightly ribbed. The stigmas are small, capitate. The fruits are small, ovate, included in dilated fleshy perianth tube, free. The perianth lobes are persistent on top. The flowering and fruiting periods are from May to December. Habitat: It grows in hillside, roadside, or sparse forests. Distribution: It is distributed in the provinces of Taiwan, Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, as well as in Tropical Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plant is harvested in summer and autumn and then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property. Functions: Clearing heat and dampness, cooling blood, and stopping bleeding, it is often used in treatment of common cold and fever, malaria, acute jaundice hepatitis, hemoptysis, epistaxis, urolithiasis, nephritis, and edema. It is also used to treat skin eczema, multiple furuncles, and swelling externally. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, appropriate amount of cassytha filiformis is mashed and applied to the affected areas or its decoctum used for washing. Pregnant women should not use it.

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2.2  Family: Lauraceae 2.2.1  Cinnamomum aromaticum Chinese Name(s): rou gui, yu gui, gui pi, gui zhi, mu gui, jun gui, gui tong. Source: This medicine is made of the barks and twigs of Cinnamomum aromaticum (Cinnamomum aromaticum Nees [C. cassia [1] auct non Nees ex Blume]). Morphology: The trees are medium-sized. The leaves are alternate or subopposite, long elliptic to sublanceolate, 8–16  cm in length, 4–5.5(–9.5) cm in width, apically slight acute, basally acute, leathery, margins being cartilaginous, involute, green on above, glossy, glabrous, pale green at below, sparsely yellowish tomentulose, triplinerved. The petioles are stout, 1.2–2 cm in length, ventrally flat or slightly grooved at below, short yellowish tomentose. The panicles are axillary or subterminal, 8–16  cm in length, triplicate-branched, apex of branch bearing a 3-flowered cyme. The flowers are white, ca. 4.5  mm in length. The pedicels are 3–6  mm in length, yellowish brown tomentulose. The perianth is densely yellowish brown tomentulose outside and inside. The perianth tubes are obconical, ca. 2  mm in length. There are 9 fertile stamens, filaments being pilose. The filaments of 1st and 2nd whorls are ca. 2.3  mm in length, filaments being flat, ca. 1.4  mm in length, dilated at upper 1/3, anthers being oblong, ca. 0.9 mm in length, apically flattened, 4-celled, cells being introrse, upper 2 cells being much smaller. The third whorl of stamens is ca. 2.7 mm in length, filaments being flat, ca. 1.9 mm in length, each with 2 orbicular reniform glands at upper 1/3, anthers being oblong. The ovaries are ovoid, ca. 1.7 mm, glabrous. The styles are slender, as large as ovary. The stigmas are small, inconspicuous. The fruit are elliptic, ca. 1 cm in length, 7–8 mm in width, black purple when mature, glabrous. The fruit receptacles are shallow. The flowering period is from June to August. The fruiting period is from October to December. Habitat: It is generally cultivated or born in the mountains. Distribution: It is cultivated in provinces of Guangdong, Hong Kong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, Fujian, Taiwan, as well as in tropical regions of Asia. Acquisition and Processing: The barks and twigs are harvested in summer and autumn, then dried and rolled in branches, or sliced when fresh and then dried. Medicinal Properties: (1) Cinnamon (cassia bark): The products are in the shape of groove or drum, 30–40 cm in length, 3–10 cm in width or diameter, 2–8 mm in thickness. The outer surface is grayish brown, slightly rough, with irregular fine wrinkles and lateral protuberant lenticels, sometimes with grayish white strips. Inner surface is reddish brown, slightly flat, with fine longitudinal lines and oil marks. It is hard and brittle, easily to break, uneven in sections, outer layer being brown and rough, inner layer being reddish brown and oily, with a yellow-brown line between the two layers. It is extremely aromatic, sweet, and pungent in taste. (2) Cassia twig: The products are long cylindrical, slightly 4-ribbed, 30–75 cm in length, 0.3–1 cm in diameter, brownish red or purplish red on surface, with marks of leaves, branches, buds, and oval lenticels, in addition with longitudinal ridges and wrinkles. It is firm and brittle, easy to break, with broad xylem on the sections, which are yellowish white or yellowish brown, square in medulla, very thin in skin, reddish brown in color. It is fragrant in odor, sweet, and slightly pungent in taste, but

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bland in taste of xylem. The twigs with few leaves, diameter less than 0.8 cm, and no dead branches are of better quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property, belonging to the meridians of heart, lung, spleen, liver, and bladder. Functions: Warming the stomach and spleen, nourishing the kidney, dispelling cold, and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of cold pain of stomach and abdomen, diarrhea caused by cold and deficiency, kidney yang deficiency, cold and pain in extremities and lumbar, asthma and cough caused by cold in lung. Use and Dosage: 1–5 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. It is improper for syndromes of Yin deficiency, excess heat, and pregnancy. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: pain of stomach and abdomen and diarrhea caused by cold: Cinnamomum cassia 1.5–3  g, made into powder. Take with warm water. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: asthma and cough caused by kidney deficiency, enuresis, frequent micturition: (Guifu Dihuang Pills) Cinnamomum cassia, cooked aconite root, Rhizoma alisma, Cortex moutan, each 3  g, prepared Rehmannia glutinosa 12 g, Cornus officinalis, Chinese yam, Poria cocos, each 6 g, decocted in water for oral use. Or make the medicines into pills, and take twice a day, 9 g per dose.

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2.3  Family: Lauraceae 2.3.1  Cinnamomum burmannii Chinese Name(s): yin xiang, shan yu gui, xiang jiao ye. Source: This medicine is made of the barks, velamen, leaves and twigs of Cinnamomum burmannii (Cinnamomum burmannii (C. G. & Th. Nees) Bl.). Morphology: The plants are trees. The leaves are alternate or subopposite, sparsely opposite, ovoid, oblong to lanceolate, 5.5–10.5 cm in length, 2–5 cm in width, apically short acuminate, basally broadly cuneate, leathery, green, glossy, flaxen-green, glabrous on both sides, triplinerved, midrib and lateral veins being conspicuous on above side. The petioles are 0.5–1.2 cm in length, subglabrous. The panicles are axillary or subterminal, shorter than leaves, 3–6  cm in length, sparsely flowered, densely gray-puberulent, branched into 3-flowered cymes at the terminal. The flowers are green and white, about 5 mm in length. The pedicels are slender, 4–6  mm in length, grayish puberulent. The perianth is densely graypuberulent on inner and outer surfaces, perianth tube being short, obconical, ca. 2 mm in length. The perianth lobes are oblong-ovoid, apically acute. The stamens on the first and second whorls are 2.5  mm in length. The filaments are slightly longer than the anther and glandless. The anthers are oblong, 4-loculed, locules being introrse. The stamens on the third whorl are 2.7 mm in length. The filaments are slightly longer than the anther. There is a pair of sessile suborbicular glands in the middle. The anthers are oblong, 4-loculed, locules being extrorse. There are 3 pistillodes. The ovaries are subglobose. The fruits are ovoid, ca. 8 mm in length, 5 mm in width. The fruit receptacles are 4 mm in length, apically 3 mm in width, shallowly dentate at top margins, teeth being truncate. The flowering period is from March to April. Habitat: It grows in the valley forests. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Jiangxi, Fujian, Zhejiang, Hunan, Hubei, Yunnan, Guizhou, and other provinces. Acquisition and Processing: The barks, velamen, leaves, and twigs are harvested in summer and autumn, then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and slight sweet in taste, warm in property. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and cold, warming the stomach and spleen, relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of stomachache caused by cold and deficiency, diarrhea, rheumatic joint pain. It is also used to treat swelling and pain, sore and boils, injuries and bleeding externally. Use and Dosage: 6–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use, or 1.5–3 g per dose, ground into powder for oral dose. For external use, appropriate amount of Cinnamomum burmannii is made into powder to spread to the affected areas or blended with wine for application.

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2.4  Family: Lauraceae 2.4.1  Cinnamomum camphora Chinese Name(s): zhang shu, xiang zhang, zhang mu, wu zhang, you zhang, xiang tong, fang zhang. Source: This medicine is made of the roots, xylem, barks, and fruits of Cinnamomum camphora (Cinnamomum camphora (Linn.) Presl). Morphology: The trees are evergreen and large, up to 30 m in height and 3 m in diameter. The whole plant is strongly camphor-scented. The barks are yellowish brown, irregularly and longitudinally fissured. The terminal buds are broadly ovoid or globose, slightly pubescent. The leaves are alternate, leathery, ovate-elliptic, 6–12 cm in length, 2.5–5.5 cm in width, apically acute, basally broadly cuneate to suborbicular, yellowish green or pale green and glaucous abaxially, green or yellowish green and shiny adaxially, white when dry, triplinerved or sometimes inconspicuously 5-nerved. The midrib is conspicuous on both surfaces. There are 1–5 pairs of lateral veins on the upper side. The lateral veins and branch veins are obviously raised above. The crypts are obvious on the lower part, puberulent inside. The petioles are 2–3 cm in length and glabrous. The panicles are axillary, 3.5–7 cm in length, glabrous or grayish to yellowish brown puberulent. The flowers are greenish white or yellowish, ca. 3 mm in length. The stalks are 1–2 mm in length, glabrous. The ovaries are globose, glabrous. The fruits are ovoid or subglobose, 6–8 mm in diameter, purple-black. The fruit receptacles are cupuliform, ca. 5  mm, apically truncated, 4 mm in width, 1 mm at base. The flowering period is from April to May. The fruiting period is from August to November. Habitat: It grows in mountain forests.

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Distribution: It is distributed in all provinces and regions on south of the Yangtze River, as well as in Vietnam, North Korea, and Japan. Acquisition and Processing: The roots, xylem, barks, and fruits are harvested in summer and autumn, then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and cold, regulating Qi and promoting blood circulation, relieving pain and itching, the root and xylem are often used in treatment of cold, headache, rheumatism, bone pain, injury, and Keshan; the barks and leaves are often used in external treatment of chronic lower limb ulcer, skin itching. Its smoke kills mosquitoes. The fruits are often used in treatment of gastroabdominal cold pain, food stagnation, abdominal distention, and gastroenteritis. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose for roots and xylem, decocted in water for oral use. For external application, appropriate amount of barks and leaves are decocted in water and used for washing the affected areas with. 9–15 g per dose for fruits, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Keshan disease: Cinnamomum camphora, trogopterus dung, each 15 g, valerian 9 g, safflower 6 g, added with 1500 ml of water, decocted for about 1 h, filtered out the liquid, then added with 50 g of yellow wine as guiding drug. Take 1 time every morning and evening, 100 ml per dose. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: chronic ulcers on lower extremities: fresh barks of Cinnamomum camphora washed, chopped, and roasted to make powder. Clean the wound, sprinkle the medicine powder on to the wound, add with some anti-inflammatory powder, and then bind up. Change the dressing 3 times a week. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: lumbago (caused by wind cold and wet): tender leaves of Cinnamomum camphora and peach tree, onions, each 30 g, fine bran 250 g, wine 50 ml. Smash the medicines, add with bran shorts, stir well, then add with wine and fry to yellow, wrap with cloth and apply to the affected areas. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: bruise and internal injuries: cinnamomum camphora root soaked in wine for oral use. 5. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms and symptoms: arthralgia (rheumatoid arthritis): Cinnamomum camphora root, Litsea cubeba root, Ardisia crenata, lindera root, 10 g each, decocted in water and divided into two portions for oral use.

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2.5  Family: Lauraceae 2.5.1  Lindera aggregata [2] Chinese Name(s): wu yao, tian tai wu, tai wu, ai zhang, mao yao, xi ye zhang, qian da chui. Source: This medicine is made of the roots and barks of Lindera aggregata (Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm. [L. strychnifolia F.-Vill.]). Morphology: The trees are small, up to 5 m in height and 4 cm in diameter. The leaves are alternate, ovate, elliptic to suborbicular, usually 2.7–5 cm in length, 1.5–5 cm in width, apex being long acuminate or caudate, base being rounded, leathery or sometimes nearly leathery, adaxially green, glossy, abaxially pale white, densely covered with brown hairs when young, which gradually fall off later. There are concaves on both sides. It’s triplinerved. The midrib and the first pair of the lateral veins are concave at above, sparsely convex, while obvious bulge at below. The petioles are 0.5–1 cm in length, brown tomentose at first and glabrous later. The inflorescences are umbellate and axillary, sessile, often 6–8 clustering on a short branch of 1–2 mm. There is one bract on each inflorescence and 6 tepals, which are subequal, white pilose outside, glabrous inside, yellow or yellowish green, occasionally being outer milky white, inner purplish red. The pedicels are ca. 0.4 mm, pilose. The perianths of male flower are about 4 mm in length and 2 mm in width. The stamens are 3–4 mm in length. The filaments are sparsely tomentose. There are 2 wide reniform stipitate glands on 3rd whorl inserting at filament base. Sometimes there are 1–2 glands on 2nd whorl too. The pistillodes are urceolus. The tepals of female flowers are ca. 2.5 mm in length and 2 mm in width. The ovaries are elliptic, ca. 1.5 mm, brownish pubescent. The stigmas are capitate. The fruits are ovate or sometimes suborbicular, 0.6–1 cm in length, 4–7 mm in diameter. The flowering period is from March to April. The fruiting period is from May to November. Habitat: It grows in valleys and hillside of sparse forest. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Taiwan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hong Kong, Hainan, Hunan, Anhui, as well as in Japan. Acquisition and Processing: The roots and barks are harvested in summer and autumn, then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property, aromatic in odor. Functions: Warming stomach and spleen, regulating Qi and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of pain of heart and stomach caused by Qi stagnation, vomiting and diarrhea, abdominal pain, dysmenorrhea, hernia, frequent urination, rheumatic pain, bruises and injury, and traumatic bleeding. Use and Dosage: 3–12 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: gastroenteritis, stomachache: Lindera aggregata, Aristolochia debilis in equal amount, grind into powder and add with water to make pills. Take for 2 times a day, 3–7.5 g per dose. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: traumatic bleeding: Lindera aggregata bark dried and ground into powder, then applied to the affected areas.

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3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: dysmenorrhea: (Jiawei Wuyao decoctum) Lindera aggregata, Rhizoma cyperi, ginger, each 9  g, Amomum villosum, Costustoot each 6 g (to be decocted later), decocted in water for oral use.

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2.6  Family: Lauraceae 2.6.1  Lindera angustifolia Chinese Name(s): xia ye shan hu jiao, ji po zi, xiang ye zi shu. Source: This medicine is made of the roots, stems, and leaves of Lindera angustifolia (Lindera angustifolia Cheng). Morphology: The plants are deciduous shrubs or small trees, 2–8 m in height. The shoots are yellowish green, glabrous. The winter buds are ovate, purple-brown, bud scales being ridged, glabrous outside, sericeous-pubescent on dorsum, glabrous on inner surface. The leaves are alternate. The leaf blades are elliptic-lanceolate, 6–14 cm in length, 1.5–3.5 cm in width, apically acuminate, basally cuneate, subleathery, green and glabrous adaxially, pale white abaxially, pubescent along veins. The veins are pinnate. There are 8 to 10 lateral veins on each side, and 2–3 umbels inserted at base of winter bud. The male umbels are 3- or 4-flowered, peduncles being 3–5 mm, with 6 perianth and 9 stamens. The female umbels are 2–7-flowered. The peduncles are 3–6 mm with 6 perianths and 9 degenerate stamens. The ovaries are ovate, glabrous. The stigmas are capitate. The fruits are spherical, about 8mm in diameter, black at maturity. The fruit receptacles are ca. 2 mm in diameter. The fruit stipes are 0.5–1.5  cm in length, puberulent or glabrous. The flowering period is from March to April. The fruiting period is from September to October. Habitat: It grows in the mountain sparse forest. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Shandong, Zhejiang, Fujian, Anhui, Jiangsu, Henan, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Shaanxi. Acquisition and Processing: The roots, barks, and leaves are harvested in summer and autumn, then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and slight astringent in taste, warm in property. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind, relaxing muscles and activating collaterals, detoxification and detumescence, it is often used in treatment of colds, headaches, indigestion, gastroenteritis, dysentery, rheumatoid arthralgia, numbness, bruises, swollen sores, urticaria, cervical lymph node tuberculosis.

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Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, appropriate amount of fresh lindera angustifolia leaves are mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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2.7  Family: Lauraceae 2.7.1  Lindera chunii Chinese Name(s): ding hu diao zhang, chen shi diao zhang, bai jiao mu, ba chi gou. Source: This medicine is made of the roots of Lindera chunii (Lindera chunii Merr.). Morphology: The plants are shrubs or small trees, 6 m in height. The leaves are alternate, elliptic to oblong, 5–10 cm in length, 1.5–4 cm in width, apex being caudate, base being cuneate or acute, both sides covering with white or yellowish sericeous hairs when young, which only remain at veins and axilla of veins. The leaves are often olive green when dry, triplinerved, lateral veins reaching margins. The petioles are 5–10 mm in length, white or yellowish sericeous-pubescent initially, glabrous later. Several umbels inserted on short branches of axil, 4–6 flowered. The final peduncles, pedicels, perianths and capillaments are brownish pilose. The perianth tubes are funnel, ca. 1 mm in length. The perianths are fasciated, apically acuminate, obtuse at apex, 1.5  mm in length, 0.3 mm in width. The inner whorl is slightly longer than outer whorl, brownish puberulent outside. The stamens are fasciated, brownish pilose. There are two stalked obovate glands inserted above the base of the second whorl. The ovaries are elliptic, pilose with styles. The styles are 1  mm in length. The stigmas are discoid. The fruits are oval, 8–10  mm in length, 6–7  mm in diameter, glabrous. The flowering period is from February to March. The fruiting period is from August to September. Habitat: It grows in valleys, hillside sparse forests. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi as well as in Vietnam. Acquisition and Processing: The roots are harvested in summer and autumn, then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property. Functions: Dispersing stasis and detumescence, promoting Qi circulation and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of bruises, rheumatism and bone pain, stomachache caused by Qi stagnation. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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2.8  Family: Lauraceae 2.8.1  Lindera communis Chinese Name(s): xiang ye shu, xiang ye zhang, da xiang ye, xiang guo shu. Source: This medicine is made of the barks and leaves of Lindera communis (Lindera communis Hemsl.). Morphology: The trees are evergreen and small, 3–4 m in length. The leaves are alternate, often lanceolate, ovate or elliptic, 4–9 cm in length, 1.5–3 cm in width, apically acuminate, acute or sometimes caudate, basally broad cuneate or suborbicular. The leaves are green, glabrous, grayish green or pale yellow on the back, yellowbrown pubescent, margins curved, veins being pinnate. There are 5–7 pairs of the lateral veins. The petioles are 5–8 mm in length, puberulent or glabrous. The umbels are 5–8 flowered, solitary or twin inserted in leaf axils. The peduncles are very short.

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There are 4 involucral bracts, which are early deciduous. The male flowers are yellow, up to 4 mm in diameter. The pedicels are 2–2.5 mm in length, slightly golden puberulent. There are 6 tepals, which are, subulate, ca. 3 mm in length, 1.5 mm in width, apically rounded, laxly golden pubescent or subglabrous outside. There are 9 stamens, which are 2.5–3  mm in length. The filaments are slightly puberulent or glabrous, equal to length of anthers. There are 2 reniform cornute glands at the base of 3rd whorl. The female flowers are yellow or yellowish white. The peduncles are which are 2.5–3 mm in length. There are 6 tepals, which are ovate, ca.2 mm in length, puberulent outside. There are 9 reduced stamens, which are fasciated, 1.5  mm in length. There are 2 glands at filament base in 3rd whorl. The ovaries are elliptic, 1.5 mm in length, glabrous. The styles are 2 mm in length. The stigmas are peltate, papillate. The fruits are ovate, ca. 1 cm in length, 7–8 mm in width, red when mature. The flowering period is from March to April. The fruiting period is from September to October. Habitat: It grows in open forest. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hong Kong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Shaanxi, Gansu, Fujian, Taiwan, as well as in Vietnam. Acquisition and Processing: The barks and leaves are harvested in summer and autumn, then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and slight bitter in taste, warm in property. Functions: Dispersing stagnation and relieving pain, hemostasis and detoxification, it is often used in treatment of fractures, bruises, swellings, traumatic bleeding, sores, and boils. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, appropriate amount of fresh barks and leaves are mashed and applied to the affected areas. Or the powder of barks and leaves is blended with water for external application. Prescription Example(s): Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: furunculosis and carbuncle: fresh Lindera communis leaves added with wine (when not suppurative) or sugar (when suppurative), mashed and applied to the affected areas. Change the dressing once a day, or take the decoctum of fresh branches and leaves simultaneously.

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2.9  Family: Lauraceae 2.9.1  Lindera glauca Chinese Name(s): shan hu jiao, niu jing tiao, jiu jing shu. Source: This medicine is made of the roots, leaves, and fruits of Lindera glauca (Lindera glauca (Sieb. et Zucc.) Bl.). Morphology: The plants are deciduous shrubs or small trees, up to 8 m in height. The leaves are alternate, broadly elliptic, elliptic, obovate to narrowly obovate, 4–9 cm in length, 2–5 cm in width, dark green adaxially, pale green abaxially, white pilose, papery, pinninerved. There are (4 or)5 or 6 pairs of the lateral veins. The leaves do not fall until new leaves grown in the next year. The umbels are axillary. The peduncles are short and inconspicuous, not more than 3 mm in length generally. There are 3–8 flowers in involucral bracts. The male flowers: perianth segments are yellow, elliptic, ca. 2.2 mm, subequal in size in 1st and 2nd whorls, pubescent on dorsal fossil fragments. There are 9 stamens, which are in length. The filaments are

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glabrous. There are 2 glands at base in the 3rd whorl, which are broadly reniform, cornute. The stipe base and filament base are connate. There is sometimes a small gland at filament in the 2nd whorl. The pistillodes are small, elliptical, about 1 mm in length, mucronate at apex. The peduncles are about 1.2 cm in length, densely white pubescent. Pistillate flowers: tepals are yellow, elliptical or obovate, equal in length in outer and inner whorl, ca. 2 mm in length, laxly pubescent on dorsal fossil fragments of outer surface or rarely pubescent at base. The staminodes are ca. 1 mm in length, fascinated. There are 2 glands at filament base in the 3rd whorl, which are about 1.5 mm in length, irregularly reniform, stipitate. The styles are about 0.3 mm in length. The stigmas are disciform. The peduncles are 3–6  mm in length, dark brown when ripe. The fruit stipes are 1–1.5 cm in length. The flowering period is from March to April. The fruiting period is from July to August. Habitat: It grows on hillsides and forest margins. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Henan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Shanxi, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou, Sichuan, as well as in Japan, North Korea, and Vietnam. Acquisition and Processing: The roots, leaves, and fruits are harvested in summer and autumn, then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and activating collaterals, detoxification and detumescence, hemostasis and analgesia, it is often used in treatment of rheumatism and numbness, pain of muscle and bone, bruises and injury, splenomegaly, stomach pain caused by cold and deficiency, nephritis edema, headache caused by cold and wind. The leaves are used externally in treatment of traumatic hemorrhage, sores and boils, snake bite, and body itching. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water or soaked in wine for oral use. For external use, appropriate amount of fresh leaves is mashed and applied to the affected areas. Or the powder of leaves is blended with sesame oil for external application. Prescription Example(s): Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: colds, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, lymphadenitis: injection of Lindera glauca root, intramuscular injected, once a day.

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2.10  Family: Lauraceae 2.10.1  Lindera reflexa Chinese Name(s): shan jiang, fu shan cang, da ye shan jiang. Source: This medicine is made of the roots of Lindera reflexa (Lindera reflexa Hemsl.). Morphology: The plants are deciduous shrubs or small trees. The leaves are alternate, ovate, or obovate-elliptic, 7–15 cm in length, 5–8 cm in width, apically acuminate, basally round or broadly cuneate, sometimes subcordate, papery, green adaxially, pubescent on the midrib, soon glabrous, green and pale abaxially, white pilose, gradually glabrous, pinninerved. There are 6–8 pairs of lateral veins on each side. The petioles are 6–17 mm in length. The umbels insert on both sides of the leaf buds, peduncles being about 3 mm in length, red, densely reddish brown puberulent,

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cadacous when fruiting. There are 4 involucral bracts, with about 5 flowers inside. The male flower: stalks are 4–5 mm in length, densely white pilose, with 6 perianth segments, yellow, elliptic, subequal, ca. 2 mm. The filaments are glabrous. There are 2 glands at base in the 3rd whorl, which are broadly reniform. The stipe base and filament base are connate. The pistillodes are small. The peduncles are about 4–5 cm in length, densely white pubescent. The perianths are yellow, broadly oblong, ca. 2 mm in length. The outer whorl is slightly smaller, laxly pubescent on dorsal fossil fragments of outer surface, sparsely pubescent at inner surface. The staminodes are fascinated. The pistils are about 2 mm in length. The ovaries are elliptic. The styles are as long as the ovary, and the stigmas are disciform. The fruits are spherical, about 7 mm in diameter, red when ripe. The fruit stipes are without lenticels, ca. 1.5  cm in length, pubescent. The flowering period is in April. The fruiting is in August. Habitat: It grows in valleys, hillsides, or thickets below elevation of 1000 m. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Anhui, Henan, and other places. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and regulating Qi, hemostasis, and insecticide, it is often used in treatment of scabies, allergic dermatitis, stomachache, knife wound bleeding. Use and Dosage: 2.4–6 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, appropriate amount of fresh medicine is mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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2.11  Family: Lauraceae 2.11.1  Litsea cubeba Chinese Name(s): bi cheng qie, mu jiang zi, shan ji jiao. Source: This medicine is made of the fruits of Litsea cubeba Pres (Litsea cubeba (Lour.) Pers.). Morphology: The plants are deciduous shrubs or small trees, 3–8 m in height, aromatic throughout the whole plant. The stem barks are green, brown at maturity, with lenticels. The leaves are alternate, papery, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 5–13 cm in length, 1.5–2.5 cm in width, apically acuminate, basally cuneate, pale green abaxially. The petioles are up to 2  cm. It flowered without or with leaves, flowers being parthenogenetic, pale yellow. The umbels are 4–6-flowered, solitary or clustered, inserted in leaf axil, shorter than leaves. The male flowers are about 3 mm in diameter. There are 9 stamens, arranging in 3 whorls, with shortly stipitate

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glands at base of the 3rd whorl. The flowering period of female flowers is later than that of the male flower. The female flowers are about 2 mm in diameter. The fruits are subglobose, 4–6 mm in diam., dark purple when mature. The flowering period is from February to March. The fruiting period is from July to August. Habitat: It grows in the sunny slopes, sparse forests, and thickets. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan, Tibet, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Fujian, Taiwan, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Anhui, as well as in Southeast Asia. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in autumn when the fruits are ripe, got rid of the impurities, and then dried in sun. Medicinal Properties: This product is subspherical, 4–6 mm in diameter, brown to dark brown, with reticular wrinkles, and occasional persistent calyx and residual fruit stalk at the base. outer skin and medium peel is soft. endocarp is hard and brittle, containing 1 seed. There are 2 cotyledons, which are, yellowish brown, oily. It is aromatic in odor, slightly pungent, and bitter in taste. The products better in quality are large, oily, and strong aromatic. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and slight bitter in taste, warm in property, belonging to the meridians of spleen, stomach, and large intestine. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and cold, regulating Qi and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of cold headache, indigestion, and stomachache. Use and Dosage: 3–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: simple dyspepsia: Litsea cubeba 6 g, tea 3 g, Paederia scandens 9 g, decocted in water for oral use. Take 1 dose each day in 3–4 times. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: cold: Litsea cubeba root 15–30 g, decocted in water for oral dose. Use brown sugar as introduction medicine. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: stomach pain (deficiency and cold syndrome): (a) Litsea cubeba, Rhizoma cyperi, each 15 g, camphorwood 9 g, decocted in water for oral dose. (b) Litsea cubeba root 30 g, jujube 15 g, decocted in water. Take 2 times a day before breakfast and supper. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: acute mastitis: appropriate amount of fresh Litsea cubeba mashed with washing water of rice, applied in the affected areas. 5. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: swelling of foot caused by march: Litsea cubeba leaves, Araliaceae acanthopanax trifoliatus skin, each 15  g, Curculigo orchioides 12 g, mint, Rhizoma cyperi each 3 g. The medicines are mashed when fresh, added with wine, applied to the affected areas once a day. Annotations: The root of the Litsea cubeba is called the cardamom ginger. It is pungent in odor, warm in nature, functioning in dispelling pathogenic wind and dampness, promoting Qi circulation and relieving pain. Litsea cubeba oil has obvious curative effect on coronary heart disease and angina pectoris, but the safrole contained in oil has been reported to be carcinogenic.

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2.12  Family: Lauraceae 2.12.1  Litsea glutinosa Chinese Name(s): chan gao mu jiang zi, chan gao shu, xiang jiao mu, you gao shu, jiao zhang, qing ye gao. Source: This medicine is made of the roots, barks, and leaves of Litsea glutinosa (Litsea glutinosa (Lour.) C. B. Rob.). Morphology: The trees are evergreen and small, 3–15 m in height. The branchlets are pale brown, gray-yellow tomentose when young. The apical buds are ovoid and the scales are grayish yellow. The leaves are alternate, obovate, obovate-oblong or ellipticlanceolate, 6.5–10(–26) cm in length, 5–11  cm in width, apically obtuse or round, basally cuneate, blunt or suborbicular, leathery, tomentose on both surfaces when young, tomentose or subglabrous abaxially and only midrib being slightly tomentose adaxially when old, pinninerved. There are 8–12 pairs of the lateral veins, which are straight, middle and the lateral veins being slightly convex on upper surface, convex on the back. The petioles are 1–2.6 cm in length, grayish-yellow hairy. The umbels are born in the upper part of the branchlets, axillary, solitary or several on short branches. The short branches are up to 2–4 cm or longer. The peduncles are 1–1.5 cm in length, gray-yellow tomentose. There are 4 sepals and several flowers in each inflorescence. The peduncles are grayish-yellow tomentose. The perianth segments are imperfect or absent. There are usually 15 or more fertile stamens. The filaments are long, gray villous, glands are with long hairy stalks; reduced pistils are elliptic, glabrous. The ovaries of female flowers are suborbicular, glabrous. The stigmas are big. The fruits are spherical, about 7 mm in diameter, and the fruit pedicels are 5–6 mm long, slightly thickened at apex. The flowering period is from May to June. The fruiting period is from September to October. Habitat: It grows in low-altitude mountain forests. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Yunnan, and other places. Acquisition and Processing: The roots, barks, and leaves are harvested in summer and autumn and then dried in sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet, bitter, and astringent in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing heat and dampness, reducing swelling, stopping bleeding and pain, the barks and leaves are often used in treatment of mumps, boils and abscess, initial mastitis, bruise and injury, and traumatic bleeding, the roots are often used to treat diarrhea, bruises, mumps, and diabetes. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, appropriate amount of fresh barks and leaves are mashed or made into powder for application. Prescription Example(s): Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: traumatic hemorrhage: Litsea glutinosa leaves are dried and ground into powder, disinfected with high pressure for storage. The wound is sterilized and sprinkled with medicine powder and wrapped with gauze.

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2.13  Family: Lauraceae 2.13.1  Litsea euosma Chinese name(s): qing xiang mu jiang zi, mao mei sang. Source: This medicine is made of the fruits of Litsea euosma (Litsea euosma W. W. Sm.). Morphology: The trees are small and deciduous, 10 m in height. The barks are gray-green or taupe. Branchlets are tomentose. The apical buds are conical and grayish-yellow tomentose. The leaves are alternate, ovate-elliptic or oblong, 6.5–14 cm in length, 2.2–4.5 cm in width, apically obtuse or round, basally cuneate, papery, dark green on top, pink green and pilose on below, slightly dense along the midrib, pinninerved. The midrib is slightly convex on upper surface, convex on the back. There are 8–12 pairs of lateral veins. The petioles are 1.5 cm in length, pubescent at initial, glabrous later. The umbels are axillary, often 4 clustering on short branches. Short branches are 2 mm in length. The bracts are hairless outside with 5–6 veins. There are 4–6 flowers in each inflorescence, which blossom without or with leaves. There are 6 perianth lobes, which are yellowish green or yellowish white, oblong, ca. 2 mm in length, apically terete. There are 9 stamens. The filaments are pubescent. The glands at base in the 3rd whorl are peltate cordate, sessile. The fruits are spherical, 5–7 mm in diameter, cuspate at the tip, black when mature. The fruit pedicels are 4 mm in length, not thickened at apex, sparsely pubescent. The flowering period is from February to March. The fruiting period is in September. Habitat: It grows in the evergreen broad-leaved forests of the mountains. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Tibet, and Zhejiang. Acquisition and Processing: The fruits are harvested in summer and autumn and then dried in sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and bitter in taste, warm in property. Functions: Warming the spleen and stomach, promoting Qi circulation and relieving pain, drying dampness, invigorating spleen, and helping digestion, it is often used in treatment of abdominal pain caused by cold in stomach, vomiting and diarrhea caused by summer-heat and damp, food stagnation, dysmenorrhea, malaria, boils, and sores. Use and Dosage: 3–10 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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2.14  Family: Lauraceae 2.14.1  Litsea rotundifolia var. oblongifolia [3] Chinese Name(s): cai pi zhang, yuan ye mu jiang zi. Source: This medicine is made of the roots and leaves of Litsea rotundifolia var. oblongifolia (Litsea rotundifolia Hemsl. var. oblongifolia (Nees) Allen). Morphology: The plants are evergreen shrubs, up to 3 m in height. The barks are gray or grayish brown, often with brown patches. The branchlets are grayish brown. The bud scales are yellowish pubescent. The leaves are thinly leathery, alternate, broadly ovoid to suborbicular, 2.2–4.5  cm in length, 1.5–4  cm in width, apically obtuse or shortly acuminate, basally suborbicular, abaxially greenish, glabrous. There are usually 3–4 lateral veins on each side, which are pinninerved. The midrib and lateral veins are concave on the upper side and convex on the back. The petioles are short and stout, 3–5 mm in length, pubescent at initial, glabrous later. 3 umbels cluster in the branchlets axil, often 3–4 flowered. The perianth tubes are pilose, with 6 perianth segments. The filaments are sparsely pilose. The fruits are spherical,

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4–6 mm in diameter, gray-blue. The fruit pedicels are almost absent. The flowering period is from August to September. The fruiting period is from September to November. Habitat: It grows in low-altitude mountain forests. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macau, Hainan, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, Fujian, Taiwan, Zhejiang. Acquisition and Processing: The roots and leaves are harvested in summer and autumn and then dried in sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and dampness, promoting Qi circulation and relieving pain, promoting blood circulation and unblocking collaterals, it is often used in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, bruises and injury, lumbago, dysmenorrhea, stomachache, diarrhea, and edema. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water or soaked in wine. Divide the liquid into two portions and drink respectively.

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2.15  Family: Lauraceae 2.15.1  Litsea verticillata Chinese Name(s): lun ye mu jiang zi, gao shu, gao mu jiang. Source: This medicine is made of the roots, leaves, and barks of Litsea verticillata (Litsea verticillata Hance). Morphology: The plants are evergreen shrubs or small trees, 2–5 m in height. The leaves are 4–6 verticillate, lanceolate or oblanceolately oblong, 7–25  cm in length, 2–6 cm in width, apically acuminate, basally acute, obtuse or suborbicular, thin leathery. The leaves are green on the upper, midrib being short pilose, margins being long pilose when young, grayish-green or yellow-brown green at back, yellow-­brown pilose, pinninerved. There are 12–14 lateral veins on each side of the midvein, recurving and connecting at the leaf margins. The midrib is concave on the leaf surface, and convex at back. The lateral veins are slightly convex or flat on the leaf surface, and convex on the back side. The veinlets are prominently convex underneath. The petioles are 2–6 mm long, yellow and pilose. The umbels are in cluster of 2–10 at apex of branchlet. There are 4–7 bracts, which are grayish-brown filamentous pubescence outside. The inflorescences are 5–8 flowered, yellowish, sessile. There are 4–6 perianth segments, which are lanceolate, pubescent. There are 9 fertile stamens. The filaments are slender exserted, villous, with 2 peltate-cordate glands at base of 3rd whorls, pistillode being absent. The ovaries are oval or elliptic in female flowers. The stigmas are large, 3-cleft. The fruits are ovate or elliptic, 1–1.5 cm in length, 5–6 mm in diameter, small cuspidate at the top. The fruit receptacles are discoid, about 3 mm in diameter, often with perianth segments residue on the edges. The flowering period is from April to November. The fruiting period is from November to January in the next year.

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Habitat: It grows in valleys and sparse forests. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hong Kong, Hainan, Guangxi, Hunan, as well as in Vietnam and Cambodia. Acquisition and Processing: The roots and barks are harvested in summer and autumn and then dried in sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and dredging collaterals, promoting blood circulation and relieving swollen, relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, pain in waist and lower extremities, paralysis of the limbs, dysmenorrhea, bruises, and swelling. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water or soaked in wine for oral dose. For external use, appropriate amount of fresh leaves is mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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2.16  Family: Lauraceae 2.16.1  Machilus velutina Chinese Name(s): rong nan, hou gao tie, rong mao zhen nan. Source: This medicine is made of the velamen and leaves of Machilus velutina (Machilus velutina Champ. ex Benth.). Morphology: The plants are trees, up to 18 m in height, 40 cm in DBH. The branches, buds, leaf backs, and inflorescences are densely ferruginous tomentose. The leaves are narrowly obovate, elliptic or narrowly ovate, 5–11(–18) cm long, 2–5.5 cm wide, apically acuminate or shortly acuminate, basally cuneate, leathery, glossy. The midrib is abaxially raised, prominent concave adaxially. The lateral veins are 8–11 in pairs, abaxially conspicuously raised; veinlets are very slender, inconspicuous. The inflorescences are solitary or in clusters at apex of branchlet, sessile, in glomerule. The flowers are yellowish green, aromatic, ferruginous tomentose. The inner filaments are ovary, 6 mm in length, about 3 mm in width; filaments on the outer whorl are smaller and narrower. The stamens are about 5 mm in length. The filaments of 3rd whorl are tomentose at base. The glands are cordate, stipitate. The staminodes are about 2 mm in length, tomentose. The ovaries are reddish. The fruits are spherical, about 4 mm in diameter, purplish red. The flowering period is from October to December. The fruiting period is from February to March. Habitat: It grows in mountain forests. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macau, Guangxi, Fujian, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, as well as in The Indochina Peninsula. Acquisition and Processing: The roots and leaves are harvested in summer and autumn and then dried in sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cool in property. Functions: Eliminating phlegm and stopping cough, relieving swollen and pain, convergence and hemostasis, it is often used in treatment of bronchitis, burning, scalding, traumatic bleeding, carbuncle, and fracture.

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Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral dose. For external use, appropriate amount of barks and leaves is mashed or made into powder and applied to the affected areas.

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2.17  Family: Lauraceae 2.17.1  Neolitsea cambodiana Chinese Name(s): xiu ye xin mu jiang Source: This medicine is made of the leaves of Neolitsea cambodiana (Neolitsea cambodiana Lec.). Morphology: The plants are trees, 8–12  m in height. The leaves are 3–5-­subverticillate, oblong-lanceolate, oblong-elliptic or lanceolate, 10–17  cm long and 3.5–6 cm wide, apex being subcaudate acuminate or acute, base being cuneate, leathery, densely ferruginous tomentose on both surfaces when young, glabrous later. The old leaves are pilose only at base of the midvein on upper surface, the rest being glabrous. The leaf blades are dark green, lustrous, pubescent along veins at back, the rest being glabrate, pale, pinninerved or subtriplinerved. There are 4–5 lateral veins on each side, curving and ascending. The midvein and the lateral veins raise on both sides, transverse veins being obvious abaxially. The petioles are 1–1.5  cm in length, densely ferruginous tomentose. The umbels cluster on axil or branch, sessile or subsessile. There are 4 bracts, with pubescence on the outer dorsal ridge. Each inflorescence is 4–5 flowered. The pedicels are 2 mm in length, densely ferruginous pubescent. Staminate flowers: The perianths are ovate, densely ferruginous pubescent on the outer and margins, villous on the inner base. There are 6 fertile stamens, which are exserted, filaments being villous at the base, each with 2 small glands at base of 3rd whorl. Pistillate flowers: The perianths are clavate or ovate lanceolate. The styles are pilose. The stigmas are 2-cleft. The fruits are spherical, 8–10  mm in diameter. The fruit receptacles are flat and discoid, 2–3 mm in diameter, with perianth segments residue at the edge. The pedicels are about 7 mm in length and pubescent. The flowering period is from October to December. The fruiting is from July to August in the following year.

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Habitat: It grows in the valley and sparse forest. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hong Kong, Hainan, Guangxi, Hunan, Fujian, as well as in Cambodia. Acquisition and Processing: It can be harvested all year round. The leaves are used when fresh. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing away heat and toxic material, dispelling dampness and relieving itching, it is often used in treatment of swollen and poison, abscess and sores. Use and Dosage: Fresh leaves are mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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2.18  Family: Lauraceae 2.18.1  Phoebe bournei Chinese Name(s): min nan, nan mu, zhu ye nan. Source: This medicine is made of the velamen and leaves of Phoebe bournei (Phoebe bournei (Hemsl.) Yang). Morphology: The plants are big trees, up to 15–20  m in height with straight trunk and few branches. The barks are grayish white when old, yellowish brown when young. The branchlets are hairy or subglabrous. The leaves are leathery or thick lathery, lanceolate or oblanceolate, 7–15 cm long, 2–3 cm wide, apically acuminate or long acuminate, basally attenuate or cuneate. The leaf blades are glossy, pubescent on the back, villous along veins, sometimes with tricholoma. The midveins are concave abaxially. There are 10–14 lateral veins on each side. The transverse veins and veinlets are numerous, conspicuously foveolate abaxially. The petioles are 5–11 (–20) mm in length. The panicles arise from middle and lower part

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of newly sprouted branchlet, which are 3–7(–10) cm in length, usually 3–4, lowest ramifications being 2–2.5 cm, hairy. The perianths are ovate, about 4 mm in length, 3 mm in width, stellate puberulent on both surfaces. The filaments are hairy. Those of 1st and 2nd whorls are sparsely pilose, and the 3rd whorl are densely villous, with subsessile glands. The staminodes are triangular, stipitate, villous. The ovaries are glabrous or upper part sparsely pubescent. The styles are glabrous or partly pubescent. The stigmas are capitate. The fruits are elliptical or oblong, 1.1–1.5 cm long and 6–7 mm in diameter. The persistent perianth lobes are hairy, clasping base of fruit. The flowering period is in April. The fruiting period is from October to November. Habitat: It grows in the valleys of the evergreen broad-leaved forest. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou, and Zhejiang. Acquisition and Processing: The velamen can be harvested all year round. The leaves are used when fresh. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, slight cold in property. Functions: Clearing away heat and toxic material, convergence and hemostasis, it is often used in treatment of swollen and poison, carbuncles, and sores. Use and Dosage: For external use, appropriate amount of fresh velamen and leaves are mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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2.19  Family: Lauraceae 2.19.1  Phoebe sheareri Chinese Name(s): zi nan, zi jin nan, da ye zi nan, jin xin nan, jin si nan, nan mu, zhu jiao nan, shi huan shu. Source: This medicine is made of the roots and leaves of Phoebe sheareri (Phoebe sheareri (Hemsl.) Gamble). Morphology: The trees are 5–15 m in height. The barks are grayish white. The branchlets, petioles, and inflorescences are densely yellowish brown or gray-­ blackish pubescent to tomentose. The leaves are leathery, obovate, elliptic obovate or broadly lanceolate, 8–27 cm long, 3.5–9 cm wide, usually 12–18 cm long, 4–7 cm wide, apically acuminate, basally attenuate. The leaves are glabrous or hairy along veins. The midrib and the lateral veins are adaxially concave. The lateral veins are 8–13 in pairs, curved, anastomosing at margins. The veinlets are numerous, densely

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reticulate. The panicles are 7–15 cm in length, branched at apex. The flowers are ca. 4–5 mm in length. The perianths are subequal, ovate, hairy on both surfaces. The filaments are hairy, particularly in 3rd whorl. Those of 3rd whorl are with sessile glands at base. The fruits are ovate, ca. 1 cm in length, 5–6 mm in diam. The fruit receptacles are somewhat or conspicuously thickened, hairy. The persistent perianth lobes are hairy on both surfaces, loose. The seeds are with solitary embryo, symmetrical on both sides. The flowering period is from April to May. The fruiting period is from September to October. Habitat: It grows in mountain evergreen broad-leaved forests, below elevation of 1000 m. Distribution: It is distributed in the south and southwestern provinces of the Yangtze River. Acquisition and Processing: The roots and leaves are harvested in summer and autumn and then dried in sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, slight warm in property. Functions: Leaf: warming the stomach and spleen, regulating Qi. Root: dispelling stasis and detumescence. Leaf: It is often used in treatment of foot edema, abdominal distention. Root: It is often used in treatment of bruises and injuries. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose for leaves, 15–30 g per dose for roots, decocted in water for oral dose.

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2.20  Family: Lauraceae 2.20.1  Sassafras tzumu Chinese Name(s): cha mu, ban feng he, feng he gui, sha zhang. Source: This medicine is made of the roots, barks, and leaves of Sassafras tzumu (Sassafras tzumu (Hemsl.) Hemsl.). Morphology: The trees are deciduous, up to 35 m in height. The leaves are ovate or obovate, 9–18 cm long, 6–10 cm wide, apically acuminate, basally cuneate, unlobed or 2-or 3-lobed. The lobes are apically blunt, hard papery. The leaf blades are graygreen abaxially, green adaxially, glabrous on both surfaces or sometimes hirtellous, pinninerved, or triplinerved. The petioles are slender, 2–7 cm in length. The inflorescences are terminal, appearing before leaves, 4–5 cm in length, many flowered, pedunculated. The peduncles are less than 1 cm in length, dioecious. The flowers are yellow, ca. 4 mm in length. The peduncles are slender, ca. 4.5–6 mm in length, densely brown

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villous. Staminate flowers: The perianth tubes are very short with 6 perianth segments, which are lanceolate, subequal, ca. 3.5 mm in length, slightly obtuse at apex, sparsely pilose outside, glabrous inside. There are 9 fertile stamens arranged in three series, which are subequal, ca. 3 mm in length. The filaments are complanate, pilose. Those in the 1st and 2nd series of stamen are glandless. Those in the base of the 3rd series of stamen have a pair of short-pedicled gland. The anthers are 4 celled, introverted, upper 2 cells being smaller. There are 3 staminodes. The pistillodes are obvious. Pistillate flower: The ovaries are oval, ca. 1 mm in length, glabrous. The styles are about 1.2 mm in length, not thickened. The stigmas are discoid. The fruits are subspherical, 8 mm in diameter, blue-black with white wax powder at maturity, seated on shallow cupular fruit receptacles, stalks being 1.5–2 cm in length, gradually dilated at apex, glabrous. Habitat: It grows in mountain evergreen broad-leaved forests, below elevation of 1000 m. Distribution: It is distributed in mountain valleys and hillside forests. Acquisition and Processing: The roots, leaves, and barks are harvested in summer and autumn and then dried in sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and bland in taste, warm in property. Functions: Clearing pathogenic wind and dampness, activating blood circulation and dissipating blood stasis, it is often used in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, lumbar muscle strain, chronic low back pain, hemiplegia, bruises, contusion, and external treatment of knife wounds. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral dose. Prescription Example(s): Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: rheumatoid arthritis: a. Sassafras tzumu root, Dendropanax chevalieri root, each 30 g, decocted with pork bone or lean meat for oral use.b. Sassafras tzumu root 500 g, sliced and ​​soaked in wine of 2.5 kg for 10 days. Take 3 times a day, 15–30 ml each time, or it can be used to treat rheumatic lumbar and leg pain by rubbing the affected part until redness on skin.

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2.21  Family: Illigeraceae 2.21.1  Illigera celebica Chinese Name(s): da qing teng, kuan yao qing teng, yao shan qing teng. Source: This medicine is made of the roots and stems of Illigera celebica (Illigera celebica Miq. [I. platyandra Dunn]). Morphology: The plants are vines. The stems are angulate and glabrous. The palmate compound leaves are 3-foliolate. The petioles are 5–7 (–14) cm long, angular and glabrous. The leaflets are ovate to ovate-elliptic, papery to subleathery, 6–15  cm long, 3.5–7  cm wide, glabrous on both sides, apically acute, basally rounded to subcordate. The lateral veins are 4–5 in pairs, conspicuous on both sides. The reticular veins are prominent on both sides. And the petioles are 1–2  cm in length, glabrous. The cymes cluster at the axil in a panicle, ca. 20 cm in length. The sepals are small. The flowers are greenish white. The calyx tubes are 3 mm in length, apically constricted, glabrous. There are 5 sepals, which are ellipsoid oblong, 5–6 mm long, 2.5 mm wide, puberulent, transparently glandular, pubescent. There are 5 stamens. The filaments curved around the anthers in buds, which extend to two times the length of petal after blossom. The filaments are flat at bottom, about 1.5–2.5 mm in width, puberulent. The appendages are ovate, minute, hidden in filaments, stipitate. The ovaries are hypogynous, tetragonous. The styles are 2.5 mm long, puberulent. The stigmas dilute to cristate. There are 5 glands on disc, which are globular, small. The fruits are 4-winged, 3–4.5  cm in diameter, small wings being 0.5–1 cm, large ones being 1.5–2.3 cm. The flowering period is from April to October. The fruiting period is from June to November. Habitat: It grows in sparse forests or shrubs in low-altitude hilly areas or in valleys, slopes, and roadsides. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hong Kong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, as well as in Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

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Acquisition and Processing: The roots and stems are harvested in summer and autumn and then dried in sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property, aromatic in odor. Functions: Clearing pathogenic wind and dampness, activating blood circulation and killing pain, it is often used in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, hypertrophic spondylitis. Use and Dosage: 10–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral dose.

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References 1. Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China (Part 1: 127–259). The Medicine Science and Technology Press of China; 2015. 2. Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China (Part 1: 71). The Medicine Science and Technology Press of China; 2015. 3. Xie ZW et al. Compilation of The National Chinese Herbal Medicine, Vol. 2: 1887. Beijing: People’s Medical Publishing House; 1975.

Chapter 3

Medicinal Angiosperms of Ranunculaceae, Nymphaeaceae, and Berberidaceae Huagu Ye, Chuyuan Li, Wencai Ye, Feiyan Zeng, Fangfang Liu, Faguo Wang, Yushi Ye, Lin Fu, and Jianrong Li

Contents 3.1  F  amily: Ranunculaceae 3.1.1  Aconitum carmichaelii  3.2  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.2.1  Cimicifuga foetida  3.3  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.3.1  Clematis chinensis, Clematis hexapetala, Clematis terniflora var. mandshurica 3.4  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.4.1  Clematis filamentosa 3.5  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.5.1  Clematis henryi 3.6  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.6.1  Coptis chinensis, Coptis omeiensis, Coptis teeta 3.7  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.7.1  Coptis chinensis var. brevisepala 3.8  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.8.1  Delphinium anthriscifolium 3.9  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.9.1  Paeonia lactiflora

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H. Ye (*) · F. Zeng · F. Wang · Y. Ye · L. Fu · J. Li South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China e-mail: [email protected] C. Li Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited, Guangzhou, China W. Ye Jinan University, Guangzhou, China F. Liu Huizhou Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Huizhou, China

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110 3.10  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.10.1 Paeonia suffruticosa 3.11  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.11.1 Ranunculus ternatus 3.12  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.12.1 Semiaquilegia adoxoides 3.13  Family: Nymphaeaceae 3.13.1 Euryale ferox 3.14  Family: Nymphaeaceae 3.14.1 Nelumbo nucifera 3.15  Appendix 3.16  Family: Berberidaceae 3.16.1 Berberis chingii 3.17  Family: Berberidaceae 3.17.1 Berberis virgetorum, Berberis julianae 3.18  Family: Berberidaceae 3.18.1 Berberis impedita 3.19  Family: Berberidaceae 3.19.1 Dysosma versipellis 3.20  Family: Berberidaceae 3.20.1 Epimedium sagittatum, Epimedium brevicornu, Epimedium pubescens, Epimedium koreanum 3.21  Family: Berberidaceae 3.21.1 Mahonia bealei 3.22  Family: Berberidaceae 3.22.1 Mahonia shenii 3.23  Family: Berberidaceae 3.23.1 Nandina domestica References

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This chapter introduces 23 species of medicinal plants in 3 families, mainly including Aconitum carmichaelii, Cimicifuga foetida, Clematis chinensis, Clematis hexapetala, Clematis terniflora var. mandshurica, Clematis filamentosa, Coptis chinensis, Coptis omeiensis and Coptis teeta of Ranunculaceae, Berberis chingii and Berberis impedita of Berberidaceae. This chapter introduces the scientific names, herbal medicine names, morphology, habitats, distributions, acquisition and processing methods, medicinal properties, tastes, functions, use and dosages of these medicinal plants, with clear original photos for each plant and part photos of herbal medicines.

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3.1  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.1.1  Aconitum carmichaelii [1] Chinese Name(s): chuan wu, chuan wu tou, wu tou, wu du gen. Source: This medicine is made of the main root of Aconitum carmichaelii (Aconitum carmichaelii Debx.). Morphology: The plants are perennial herbs, ranging from 60 to 150  cm in height. The root tubers are 1–1.6 cm thick. The leaves are equally arranged along stems, alternate, palmately lobed. The proximal cauline leaves wither at anthesis. The middle ones are long petiolate, leathery or papery, pentagonal, 6–11 cm long and 9–15  cm wide. The central segment is broad rhombic, mucronate, parted at margins. The lateral segments are unequally 2-parted and sparsely pubescent. The flowers are bisexual, symmetrical on both sides. The inflorescences are terminal, 6–10(–25) cm, many flowered. The bracts are approximately similar to leaves. The sepals are petaloid, blue-purple, abaxially retrorse pubescent. The upper sepals are high galeate, 2–2.6 cm from base to beak. The lateral sepals are slightly shorter. There are 2 petals, which are unguiculate, glabrous, with lips and spurs. The lips are about 6 mm in length, slight concave. The seeds are mostly triangular. The flowering period is from June to July and fruiting is from July to August. Habitat: It grows on mountain grass slopes or shrubs. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Shaanxi, Henan, Shandong, Liaoning, and other places in China, as well as in Vietnam. Acquisition and Processing: It is excavated from the beginning of June to the beginning of August, removed off the roots and fibrils and dried. Medicinal Properties: The medicines are irregularly conical, slightly curved, often with stem residual at the top, bulge in the central to left or right, 2–7.5 cm in length and 1.2–2.5 cm in diameter. The surface is brown or grayish-brown, shrinking, with traces of small tuberculiform lateral roots and roots. The texture is firm and the sections are white or light grayish-yellow, ring of the forming layer being polygonal. It is slightly odored, spicy, and pungent in taste. The products with better quality are large and full, without or with short residual, solid in texture, white and pruinose at cross-sections. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property. Radix Aconitum carmichaelii is extremely poisonous, while preserved Radix Aconiti Sinensis is poisonous. It belongs to meridians of heart, liver, spleen, and kidney. Functions: Clearing pathogenic wind and cold, dispelling dampness and killing pain, it is often used in treatment of rheumatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, Kashin–Beck disease, hemiplegia, spasm of hand and foot, sciatica, bruises and swelling, and pain caused by cold in stomach and abdomen. Use and Dosage: 1.5–3 g per dose, decocted in water for oral dose. Because of its poison, the medicine should be prepared before use.

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Annotations: The pregnant women should not use. It should not be used together with pinellia ternata, fritillaria, trichosanthes, bletilla striata, and radix ampelopsis. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: rheumatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, lumbago and pain of legs: A. Radix aconiti preparata, Radix polygoni multiflori preparata, each 15  g, prepared Kusnezoff monkshood root 6  g, Cortex illicii, Homalomena rhizome, each 9  g. The medicines are soaked in 0.5  kg liquor, sealed for 48 h, and filtered for reserve. Take 3 times a day, 5–10 ml of the medicinal alcohol per dose. (B) a. Radix aconiti, Radix aconiti agrestis, Carthamus tinctorious, smoked plum, licorice, halite, each 6 g. The medicines are soaked in 0.5 kg liquor (60°) for 21 days, take 3 times a day, 5 ml per dose (only for male patients). b. Aconitum carmichaelii, Radix aconiti agrestis, safflower, smoked plum, licorice each 9 g, soaked in 0.5 kg liquor for 7 days, take 3 times a day, 5 ml per dose (only for female patients). The medicine is forbidden in cases of hypertension, heart disease, rheumatic fever, severe ulcer. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: collapse caused by sweating, vomiting and diarrhea, cold of limbs: (Sini decoctum) Radix Aconiti Lateralis Preparata (decocted in prior), dried ginger each 6 g, licorice 4.5 g, decocted in water for oral use. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: cold and pain in stomach and abdomen, vomiting, diarrhea, limbs cold: (Fu zi li zhong pill) Radix aconiti lateralis preparata, ginseng, dried ginger each 60  g, Bighead atractylodes rhizome, licorice, each 90 g, ground into powder, made into pills with honey, each pill weighting 9 g. Take 1 pill per day, 2 times daily. Or the medicines are made into tablets, 0.3 g per tablet. Take 4 tablets at a time, twice a day. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: pyelonephritis (syndrome of spleen and Kidney Yang deficiency): Radix aconiti lateralis preparata, Bighead atractylodes rhizome, Codonopsis pilosula each 9  g, Plantago asiatica, Rhizoma alisma, Polyporus umbellatus 15 g, Poria cocos 12 g, cinnamon twig, dried ginger 3 g, decocted in water for oral dose. 5. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Chronic uremia: Radix aconiti lateralis preparata, Codonopsis pilosula, Rhizoma alisma each 9 g, Poria cocos 12 g, raw rhubarb 6–9 g, dried ginger 3 g, cinnamon 2–4 g, decocted in water for oral dose. If the stool has been thin, the raw rhubarb can be changed to prepared rhubarb. Or raw rhubarb 12 g, radix aconiti lateralis preparata 9 g, oyster 30 g. Add or subtract as appropriate. Remarks: The toxicity of radix aconite sinensis is very strong. Too much dose or not enough time of decoctum can cause poisoning. Some people used ginger, licorice, and honeysuckle 15 g each, decocted in water to rescue the Sichuan aconite poisoning. The patient completely recovered to normal in 12 h.

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3.2  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.2.1  Cimicifuga foetida [2] Chinese Name(s): sheng ma, lv sheng ma, xi sheng ma, chuan sheng ma. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant above ground of Cimicifuga foetida (Cimicifuga foetida Linn.). Morphology: The plants are perennial herbs. The stems are erect, 1–2 m high, upper branched. The proximal cauline leaves are long petiolate. The leaf blades are triangular or rhombic, 2 or 3 times pinnatisect, abaxially sparsely white pubescent at veins, villous, or densely pubescent. The distal cauline leaves are shortly petiolate or sessile, small, 1 or 2 times pinnatisect. The inflorescences are racemose, 3–20-branched. The rachis and peduncles are densely gray glandular pubescent, intermixed gray or ferruginous pubescent. The flowers are bisexual. There are 5 sepals, which are petaloid. The male flowers are numerous. There are 2–5 carpels. The follicles are oblong, appressed pubescent, apically rostrate. The seeds are with scaly wings all around. The flowering period is from July to September and fruiting is from August to October. Habitat: It grows in mountain forests, forest margins, and grasses. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Tibet, Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu, Shaanxi, western Henan, and Shanxi, as well as in Mongolia and Russia. Acquisition and Processing: The roots and stems are excavated in autumn, washed off the soil and dried until 80–90%. Then the fibrous roots are burned (commonly known as burned cimicifuga) and dried. Medicinal Properties: The products are irregular long blocks, multi-branched, nodular, 10–20 cm long, 2–4 cm in diameter. The surface is black-brown or brown, rough and uneven, with stiff and fine fibrous root remnants. There are several round hollow stem base marks on the surface and reticulate grooves on the inner wall of the hole. The bottoms are uneven and have fibrous root marks. It is light in weight, hard in quality, not easy to break, uneven in cross-sections, fissured, fibrous, yellowish-­ green or yellowish-white. It is slightly odored, bitter, and astringent in taste. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and slight sweet in taste, slight cold in property, belonging to the meridians of lung, spleen, stomach, and large intestine. Functions: Relieving exterior syndrome and promoting eruption, clearing heat and toxic materials, lifting Yang Qi, it is often used in treatment of headache caused by wind-heat, sore throat, impermeable measles, Yang poisoning spots, anal prolapse, uterine prolapse, and gastroptosis. Use and Dosage: 3–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral dose. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: furuncle: Jiaziwa 20  g, Aconitum brachypodum 50 g, medlar 100 g, Aucklandia lappa 50 g, benzoin 50 g, Acorus calamus 50  g, A Herba Artemisiae Vestitae, 50  g of Oxytropis chiliophylla 35  g, Kaempferia galanga 35 g, Piper longum 35 g, pepper 35 g. The above eleven herbs are mixed and pulverized into fine powder. 0.3 g each time, twice a day, spread on the affected areas.

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2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: uterine prolapse: Codonopsis, Astragalus, Angelica, Motherwort each 9 g, Cimicifuga 3 g. Decocted in water for oral dose.

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3.3  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.3.1  Clematis chinensis [3], Clematis hexapetala [3], Clematis terniflora var. mandshurica Chinese Name(s): wei ling xian, feng ling xian, tie jiao wei ling xian, lao hu xu. Source: This medicine is made of the roots and rhizomes of Clematis chinensis (Clematis chinensis osbeck), Clematis hexapetala (Clematis hexapetala Pall.), or Clematis terniflora var. mandshurica (Clematis terniflora DC. var. mandshurica (Rupr.) Ohwi [Clematis manshurica Rupr.]) Morphology: A: Clematis chinensis: The plant is climbing vines, usually ranging from 3 to 5 m in length, sometimes up to 10 m. The roots are clustered, slender, yellowish on skin. The cross-sections are pink, with a pungent taste when chewed. The stems are slender, longitudinal grooved. The leaves are opposite, odd pinnate compound, 20 cm in length, turning black on drying. The leaflets are usually 5 in pieces, papery, oval to lanceolate, usually 3–8 cm long, 1–6 cm wide, apex being acuminate or sometimes obtuse, base being round or broad cuneate, both sides being subglabrous. The petioles are long, often spirally winding. The panicles are broad and many flowered, inserting axillary and terminal. There are 4 sepals which are spreading, white, oblong or oblanceolate, about 6.5 mm long, margins being abaxially velutinous, apetalous. The stamens are many, shorter than sepals. The anthers are linear. The carpels are numerous. The achenes are narrowly ovate or ovate, about 3 mm long, sparsely pubescent. The pinnate persistent styles are up to 1.8 cm long. The flowering period is from June to September and fruiting is from August to November. Habitat: It grows on hillsides, valleys, and roadsides. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hong Kong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Shaanxi, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Fujian, Taiwan, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, and other places in China, as well as in Vietnam. Morphology: B: Clematis hexapetala: The plant is perennial, erect, 30–100 cm in height. The old branches are cylindrical, longitudinally furrowed. The stems are sparsely pubescent, glabrous later. The leaves are subleathery, green, often black after drying, single to compound, 1-or 2-pinnatisect. The lobes are linear lanceolate, long round lanceolate to elliptic, or linear, 1.5–10 cm long, 0.1–2 cm wide, apex being acute or convex, sometimes obtuse, entire, sparsely pubescent or nearly glabrous on both sides or along the vein. The reticular veins are prominent. The inflorescences are terminal, cyme or raceme or conical cyme, sometimes solitary. The flowers are 2.5–5 cm in diameter. There are 4–8 sepals, often 6, which are, long oval or narrowly obovate, 1–2.5 cm long, 0.3–1(–1.5) cm wide, densely velutinous abaxially. The buds look like cotton ball, and are hairless inside. The stamens are glabrous. The achenes are obovate, flat, densely pubescent. The persistent styles are 1.5–3 cm long, gray-white pubescence. The flowering period is from June to August and fruiting is from July to October.

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Habitat: It grows on sand dunes, dry hillsides, or hillside grasslands. Distribution: It is distributed in eastern Gansu, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, and other places in China, as well as in North Korea, Mongolia, and eastern Siberia in Russia. Morphology: C: Clematis terniflora var. mandshurica: The plant is perennial climbing herbs, 1–1.5 m in length. The roots are clustered, dark brown, brittle. The stems are ascending, cylindrical, with fine ridges, densely hairy on nodes. The leaves are opposite, 1–2-pinnate compound. The leaflets are 5–7 in pieces. The petioles are 1–3 cm long. The petioles curve or twist on other things. The leaves are leathery, lanceolate oval, 2–7 cm long, 1.2–4 cm wide, apically acuminate, basally subcircular or microcentric, margins being entire. The leaf blades are 2–3-lobed, green on above, pale green at lower. The veins are obvious, densely hirtellous. The inflorescences are in panicles. There are 2 bracts, which are linear lanceolate, hirtellous. There are 4–5 sepals, which are white, oblong to obovate-oblong, adaxially glabrous, margins being abaxially velutinous. The stamens are numerous, glabrous. The carpels are numerous, white pubescent. The achenes are subovate, with persistent styles at apex, 3 cm long, curved, feathered. The flowering period is from June to August and fruiting is from July to September. Habitat: It grows in hillside shrubs, in mixed forests or in forests. Distribution: It is distributed in Northeast China, Shanxi, Shandong, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, and other regions and places, as well as in North Korea, Mongolia, and the Russian Far East. Acquisition and Processing: It can be excavated all year round, autumn being the best season. The plants are removed off stems on the ground and soils and dried in sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent, salty, and a little bitter in taste, warm in property, belonging to the meridian of bladder. Functions: Clearing heat and dampness, unblocking collaterals, and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of paralysis caused by wind, cold, and dampness, joint disadvantage, limb numbness, muscle and vein constriction, flexion and extension disadvantage, injury, tonsillitis, jaundice-type acute infectious hepatitis, fish bone obstructing throat, esophageal foreign body, filariasis, besides, external treatment of toothache, corneal ulcer. Use and Dosage: 3–9 g per dose for roots. Proper amounts of products are used externally. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: rheumatoid arthritis: Clematis chinensis, Atractylodes each 9 g, prepared Kusnezoff monkshood root 4.5 g, decocted in water for oral dose. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms; laryngitis: fresh Clematis chinensis leaves, washed and mashed, wrapped in cloth and twisted for juice. Disinfectant cotton velvet (4–5  cm, suitable for the patient’s nostril size) is twisted into a strip, soaked in the medicinal juice at one end, and stuffed into the patient’s first nasal tract (same side with the location of pain). 4–6 min later, the patient would be

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tearful and sneezing. About 30 min later, the symptoms would be significantly reduced. Repeat in 4–6 h if necessary. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms; acute tonsillitis: Fresh clematis chinensis (or only stems and leaves) 60 g, or dry products 30 g. Decocted in water for oral use or serve as a tea drink. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Jaundice acute infectious hepatitis: Fresh clematis chinensis 9 g, powdered, 1 egg, mixed the two together, fried with vegetable oil or sesame oil and then eat. Take it 3 times a day for 3 continuous days. 5. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: cornea ulcer: Fresh clematis chinensis root appropriate amount, washed, mashed, and stuffed in the nostrils cross to the affected eye, removed when feeling spicy, 3 times a day. 6. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: toothache: Fresh clematis chinensis, fresh ranunculus japonicus in equal amount, washed, mashed for the juice, added with 95% ethanol 20 ml to 100 ml medicinal juice. Dip and rub the painful teeth with a cotton swab. Pay attention that too much medicinal juice may lead to blistering. 7. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: esophageal foreign bodies (fish bones are mostly seen in X-ray and barium meal perspective, at the upper esophagus mostly): clematis chinensis (dried branches and stems) 250  g, added with 1300 ml water, decocted and condensed into 470 ml, added with 10% acetic acid 10 ml.Take 1 time a day, 60 ml per dose, and finish in 20 min. 8. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: filariasis: fresh clematis chinensis 500  g, brown sugar 500 g, liquor 60 g. Chop the clematis chinensis, decoct for 0.5 h, filter, and then blend with brown sugar, liquor, and clematis chinensis decoctum, decoct again for a while. Take it 1 time every morning and evening, and finish in 10 times, five days as a treatment course. The dosage should be reduced for children.

Clematis chinensis

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Clematis hexapetala

Clematis hexapetala

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Clematis terniflora

Clematis chinensis

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Clematis terniflora var. mandshurica

Clematis terniflora var. mandshurica

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3.4  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.4.1  Clematis filamentosa Chinese Name(s): gan mu tong, she yan yao, tie si xian lian. Source: This medicine is made of the stems and leaves of Clematis filamentosa (Clematis filamentosa Dunn). Morphology: The plants are lianas. The stems are cylindrical, glabrous, longitudinally grooved. The leaf blades are papery or thin leathery, oval, broadly oval to lanceolate, 7–11  cm long, 4–8  cm wide, apex being obtuse, base being broadly cuneate, circular or subcordate, margins being entire. There are 5 palmate veins at base which are slightly convex on surface, prominent dorsally. The lateral veins are inconspicuous on above, prominent on the back. The petioles are 7–13  cm long, columnar on upper, small grooved at the base. The petiolules are cylindrical, 2–5 cm long. The panicles or cymes are axillary or terminal, 7–12 flowered, sometimes more, sparsely less. The peduncles are pubescent, glabrescent, 3–4 cm in length. The bracts are linear to lanceolate, 2–5 mm. There are 4 sepals, which are white, narrow ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 1.6–2 cm long, 5–8 mm wide, spreading, ferruginous or pale brown pubescent outside, glabrous inside, obtuse at apex. The outerwhorl stamens are longer, inner whorl shorter. The anthers of fertile stamens are elliptic, connectives being protruding, as long as 1–2 times the length of anthers. The filaments are linear, glabrous. The carpels are about 1  cm long at flowering period, white villous. The styles are pubescent. The achenes are narrowly ovate, often oblique, brown, ca. 1 cm long, ca. 2 mm wide. The persistent styles are 3–5 cm long, filiform, with spreading pubescence. The flowering period is from November to December. The fruiting is from January to February of the following year. Habitat: It grows in the forest or forest edge. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hong Kong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, and Fujian. Acquisition and Processing: The stems and leaves are harvested in summer and autumn and dried in sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet in taste, slight cool in property. Functions: Sedation, analgesia, depressurization. It is often used in treatment of acute conjunctivitis, headache, and hypertension. This product is effective in improving the symptoms caused by high blood pressure, such as headache, dizziness, heavy feeling in the brain, numbness of the limbs, and insomnia. At the same time, it was initially observed helpful to patients with coronary heart disease or hemiplegia caused by cerebrovascular. Use and Dosage: 10–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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3.5  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.5.1  Clematis henryi Chinese Name(s): dan ye tie xian lian, di lei gen, xue li kai. Source: This medicine is made of the roots of Clematis henryi (Clematis henryi Oliver). Morphology: The plants are lianas. The lower part of the main root is enlarged, tumorous or gourd-like, 1.5–2 cm thick, with a light-brown surface and white interior. The leaf blades are ovate-lanceolate, 10–15 cm long, 3–7.5 cm wide, acuminate apically, shallow cordate at base, denticulate at margins, glabrous on both sides or appressed puberulous only on veins. There are 3–5(–7) cambered basal vein, which are flat on the surface, slightly raised on the back. The reticular lateral veins are visible on both sides. The petioles are 2–6 cm long, pubescent early, glabrous later. The cymes are axillary, usually 1 flowered, sparsely 2–5 flowered. The pedicels are slender, subequal the length of petioles, glabrous. There are 2–4 pairs of linear bracts at below, which are cross-opposite. The flowers are campanulate, 2–2.5 cm in diameter. The sepals are 2–4  in pairs, thick, white or yellowish, cross-opposite, ovateoblong to ovate, 1.5–2.2 cm long, 7–12 mm wide, apically obtuse, sparsely appressed tomentose outside, white puberulous at margins, glabrous at inner surface, where the straight parallel veins are prominent. The stamens are 1–1.2  cm long. The anthers are long elliptic. The filaments are linear, with one vein, long pubescent on both sides, longer than anthers. The carpels are pubescent. The styles are sericeous hairy. The achenes are narrowly ovate, 3  mm long, 1  mm thick, pubescent. The persistent styles are 4.5  cm long. The flowering period is from November to December. The fruiting is from March to April in the next year. Habitat: It grows in the valley stream or in the shrub. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Sichuan, Hunan, Hubei, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Anhui. Acquisition and Processing: The roots are harvested in summer and autumn and dried in sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and bitter in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxifying, promoting Qi and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of stomach pain, abdominal pain, bruises, vomiting, bronchitis, in addition with mumps externally. Use and Dosage: 1.5–6 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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3.6  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.6.1  Coptis chinensis, Coptis omeiensis, Coptis teeta Chinese Name(s): huang lian, wei lian, chuan lian. Source: This medicine is made of the rhizomes of Coptis chinensis (Coptis chinensis Franch.), Coptis omeiensis (Coptis omeiensis (Chen) C. Y. Cheng et Hsiao), and Coptis teeta (Coptis teeta Wall.). Morphology: A. Coptis chinensis: The plants are perennial herbs. The rhizomes are long columnar, shaped like chicken feet, yellow, often branched, densely covered with a plenty of fibrous roots. The leaves are long petiolated, hard papery, triangular ovate, 3–8 cm long, 2.5–7 cm wide, 3-lobed, central lobes being petiolated. The lobes are subulate narrow oval, pinnate being parted, margins being sharply serrated, bilateral lobes being sessile, unequally two parted. There are 1–2 scapes, which are 12–25 cm high. The cymes are terminal, 3–8 flowered. The bracts are lanceolate, pinnately parted. There are 5 sepals, which are narrowly ovate, 9–12 mm long. The petals are small, inverted lanceolate, 5–7 mm long, apically acuminate, central grooved. The stamens are numerous, 3–6 mm long. There are 8–12 carpels, which are petiolated. The follicles are 6–8 mm long, with slender ovary stalks, 8–12 gathering on the growing pedicels. There are 8–12 seeds. The flowering period is from February to April and fruiting is from May to June. Habitat: It grows on wet rocks under the valley forest. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, Fujian, Zhejiang, Anhui, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Guizhou, and other provinces. Morphology: B: Coptis omeiensis: The herb is perennial. The rhizomes are yellow, cylindrical, rarely branched, with short internodes. The leaves are long petiolated, slightly leathery, lanceolate or narrowly ovate in outline, 6–16  cm long, 3.5–6.3 cm wide, deeply 3 lobed. The central lobe is rhombic lanceolate, 5.5–15 cm

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long, 2.2–5.5 cm wide, apically acuminate to long acuminate, petiolulate at base, 0.5–2 cm long, 7–10 deeply pinnate-fissured. The lateral lobe is only 1/3–1/4 the length of central lobe, oblique ovate, unequally deep 2-cleft or nearly complete 2-cleft. The lateral veins raise on both sides, puberulent along the veins, while glabrous for the other parts. The petioles are 5–14 cm long, glabrous. Scape is usually single, erect, 15–27 cm high. The inflorescences are pleiochasium. The bottom two pedicels are often opposite. The bracts are lanceolate, margins being pectinate. The pedicels are 2.2  cm in length. The sepals are yellow-green, narrow lanceolate, 7.5–10 mm long, apically acuminate. There are 9–12 petals, which are lanceolate, about 1/2 the length of sepals, with honey groove in the middle. There are 16–32 stamens, who have yellow anthers, filament of 4 mm and 9–14 carpels. The follicles are nearly equal to the length of carpophor, 5–6 mm in length and 3 mm in width. The flowering period is from February to March. The fruiting is from April to July. Habitat: It grows on mountain cliffs or rocks between elevation of 1000 and 1700 m, or in damp places. Distribution: It is distributed in areas of Emei, Yubian, Hongya in Sichuan province. Morphology: C: Coptis teeta: The plants are perennial herbs. The rhizomes are yellow with dense internode and many fibrous roots. The leaves are long petiolate. The leave blades are ovate triangular, 6–12 cm long, 5–9 cm wide, 3-segmented. The central lobes are ovate rhomboid, 3–6 cm wide, with 1.4 cm slender petioles at base, apically long acuminate. There are 3–6 pairs of pinnated lobes, which are obliquely elliptic ovate, apically acute, distant from each other, the widest distance being 1.5 cm, sharp spiny denticulate at edge. The lateral lobes are sessile or petiolated, petioles being 1–6 mm in length. The lobs are obliquely ovate, shorter than the central lobe, which is 3.3–7 cm long, deeply 2-cleft to about 4 mm from the base. The veins are convex on both sides of leaves, whose surfaces are pubescence except for the areas along the veins. The petioles are 8–19 cm long, glabrous. There are 1–2 scapes, 15–25 cm high at fruiting, 3–4(–5) flowered in pleiochasium. The bracts are elliptic, triparted, or pinnated-lobed. The sepals are yellow-green, ellipse, 7.5–8  mm long and 2.5–3  mm wide. The petals are cochlear, 5.4–5.9  mm long, 0.8–1 mm wide, apically round or obtuse, narrowly unguiculate below the middle, with honey groove in the center. The anthers are about 0.8 mm in length, and filaments are 2–2.5 mm in length. There are 11–14 carpels. The styles curve outward. The follicles are 7–9 mm long and 3–4 mm wide. Habitat: It grows in the shade of alpine in cold and wet forests between elevation of 1500 and 2300 m, being wild or sometimes cultivated. Distribution: It is distributed in areas at the Northwestern Yunnan and southeastern Tibet in China, as well as in Myanmar and other places. Acquisition and Processing: The plant is excavated in late autumn, removed off the soil and stems on the ground, dried for 1–2 days in the sun, and then toasted with a low-temperature charcoal fire, got rid of the fibrous roots and the dust for preservation. Medicinal Properties: A. Coptis chinensis: The products look like chicken feet and are bent and different in thickness. The single rhizomes are 3–6 cm long and 0.3–0.8 cm in diameter,

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yellowish-brown or grayish-yellow on the outside, with intermittent irregular nodular protuberances, rough and uneven, like beads, attaching with fine roots and fibrous root scars, which prickles by touching. Occasionally there are no cross lines. The surfaces of rhizomes are as smooth as stems, which are commonly known as “bridge crossing.” There are residual brown scaly leaves on the upper part and petioles on the top. It is solid and hard, irregular at cross-section, orange-red or dark brown on the skin, bright yellow on xylem, with radial striations, sometimes hollow. It is slightly odored, extremely bitter in taste. The products strong and firm, with fewer glabrous branches and red, yellow colors are of better quality. B. Coptis omeiensis: Most of products are single branched, subcylindrical, slightly curved, 4–8 cm long, 0.5–1 cm in diameter, and the “bridge crossing” is longer, with a little residual stem at the top. C. Coptis teeta: It is hooked, mostly in single branch, slender. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cold in property, belonging to the meridians of heart, spleen, stomach, liver, gallbladder, and large intestine. Functions: Clearing heat and dry dampness, purging fire, and detoxifying, it is often used in treatment of distension and fullness caused by dampness and heat, vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, high fever, fainting, heart fire, upset insomnia, hematemesis and epistaxis caused by blood heat, acid regurgitation, toothache, diabetes, carbuncle, acute conjunctivitis, aphthous ulcer and burns. Use and Dosage: 1.5–6 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, appropriate amount of medicine is made into powder for application on the affected areas. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: enteritis, dysentery: (Xianglian pills) Coptis chinensis 60 g, costustoot 15 g, mixed and ground into powder, blended with rice vinegar 60 g and cold water to make small pills. Take 1–3 times daily, 3–6 g per dose. Cold and greasy food are forbidden during the treatment. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: fever, hematemesis and epistaxis, sores and furuncles: (Huanglian Jiedu decoctum) Coptis chinensis 6 g, Scutellaria baicalensis, golden cypress, cape jasmine, each 9 g, decocted in water for oral dose. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: abscess and ulcers: Coptis chinensis, Scutellaria baicalensis, golden cypress in equal amounts, ground into powder, sprinkled on the affected areas, or added with vaseline to make paste for external application. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: burns: Coptis chinensis, Scutellaria baicalensis, golden cypress, garden burnet, Chinese rhubarb, Gypsum rubrum, 30 g each, borneol 0.3 g, ground for powder, added 60% sesame oil into 40% of the medicinal powder to make paste. Soak the affected areas with 1% borneol solution for about 3 to 10 min firstly, and then apply the medicinal paste with cotton swabs.

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Coptis chinensis

Coptis chinensis

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Coptis chinensis

Coptis chinensis

Coptis teeta

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Coptis teeta

Coptis chinensis

Coptis omeiensis

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3.7  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.7.1  Coptis chinensis var. brevisepala Chinese Name(s): duan e huang lian, ji zhua huang lian. Source: This medicine is made of the rhizomes of Coptis chinensis var. brevisepala (Coptis chinensis Franch. var. brevisepala W. T. Wang et Hsiao). Morphology: The rhizome of the plants is yellow, often branched, densely fibrous rooted. The leaves are long petiolate, subleathery, oval-triangular, 6–10 cm wide, 3-segmented. The central lobes are oval rhomboid, 4–9 cm long, 2.5–5.5 cm wide, apically acute, with 0.8–1.8 cm long petioles, 3 or 5 pairs pinnate parted. The lobes at the bottom are the deepest parted, 2–6 mm apart from each other, sharp spiny denticulate at edge. The lateral lobes are 1.5–5 mm petiolated, oblique ovate, more complete than the center. The lobes are short, unequally bifurcated, and the veins raise on both sides. The surfaces are pubescent except for the areas along the veins. The petioles are 5–12 cm long and glabrous. There are 1–2 scapes, which are 7–20 cm high, dichotomous or pleiochasium, 3–8 flowered. The bracts are lanceolate, 3-or 5-pinnated. The sepals are yellowish-green, oval, 6.5 mm long. The petals are linear or linear lanceolate, 5–6.5 mm long, apically acuminate, honey grooved in central. There are about 20 stamens, anthers being about 1 mm long, filaments being 2–5 mm long. There are 8–12 carpels. The styles slightly curved. The lengths of follicles are about 7 mm and the stalks are about the same in length. There are 7–8 seeds, which are long oval, about 2 mm in length, 0.8 mm in width, brown. The flowering period is from February to March and fruiting is from April to June. Habitat: It grows on wet rocks under the valley forest at an altitude of 800–1500 m. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, Fujian, Zhejiang, and Anhui. Acquisition and Processing: The plants are excavated in late autumn, removed off the soil and stems on the ground, dried for 1–2 days in the sun, and then toasted with a low-temperature charcoal fire, got rid of the fibrous roots and the dust for preservation. Medicinal Properties: The products look like chicken feet, which are bent and different in thickness. The single rhizome is 3–6 cm long and 0.3–0.8 cm in diameter, yellowish-brown or grayish-yellow on the outside, with intermittent irregular nodular protuberances, rough and uneven, like beads, attaching with fine roots and fibrous root scars, which prickles by touching. Occasionally there are no cross lines. The surface of rhizome is as smooth as stems, which are commonly known as “bridge crossing.” There are residual brown scaly leaves on the upper part and petioles on the top. It is solid and hard, irregular at cross-section, orange-red or dark brown on the skin, bright yellow on xylem, with radial striations, sometimes hollow. It is slightly odored, extremely bitter in taste. The products strong and firm, with fewer glabrous branches and red, yellow colors are of better quality.

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Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cold in property, belonging to the meridians of heart, spleen, stomach, liver, gallbladder, and large intestine. Functions: Clearing heat and dry dampness, purging fire, and detoxifying, it is often used in treatment of distension and fullness caused by dampness and heat, vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, high fever, fainting, heart fire, upset insomnia, hematemesis, and epistaxis caused by blood heat, acid regurgitation, toothache, diabetes, carbuncle, acute conjunctivitis, aphthous ulcer and burns. Use and Dosage: 1.5–6 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, appropriate amount of medicine is made into powder for application on the affected areas.

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3.8  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.8.1  Delphinium anthriscifolium Chinese Name(s): huan liang cao, fei yan cao, yu deng su. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Delphinium anthriscifolium (Delphinium anthriscifolium Hance). Morphology: The herbs are 30–78 cm tall. The leaves are 2–3 subpinnated compound leaves, or sometimes ternately compound leaves, with long or short petioles. The leaf blades are rhombic oval or triangular oval, 5–11 cm long, 4.5–8 cm wide, 2–4 pairs pinnated, opposite, sparsely alternate. The lower pinnates are finely petiolate, narrow ovate, long acuminate, from which the midrib splits. The terminal lobes are narrow oval or lanceolate, usually 2–4 mm wide, sparsely pubescent on the surface, glabrous or subglabrous on the back. The petioles are 2.5–6 cm long, glabrous or subglabrous. The racemes are 2–15 flowered. The axes and pedicels are

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retrorsely pubescent. The basal bracts are leafy. Other bracts are small, lanceolate to lanceolate-subulate, 2.5–4.5 mm long. The pedicels are 0.4–1.2 cm long. The bracts inserted in center of the pedicels, lanceolate linear, 2.5–4 mm long. The flowers are 1–2  cm long. The sepals are corydalis or purple, elliptic to oblong, 6–9(11) mm long, sparsely pubescent outside. The petals are purple, glabrous, upper widened. The staminodes and sepals are homochromous, glabrous, dolabriform, bifid near base. The stamens are glabrous. There are 3 carpels. The ovaries are sparsely pubescent or subglabrous. The follicles are 1.1–1.6 cm length, and the seeds are spheroid, 2–2.5 mm in diameter. The flowering period is from March to May. Habitat: It grows in hilly or low mountain grassland or forest. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, Shanxi, and other places. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plant is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property, toxic. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and dredging collaterals, it is often used in treatment of hemiplegia, rheumatic bone pain. It can also be used to treat sores and carbuncles externally. Use and Dosage: 3–6 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, appropriate amount of medicine is mashed and applied on the affected areas.

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3.9  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.9.1  Paeonia lactiflora Chinese Name(s): bai shao. Source: This medicine is made of the roots of Paeonia lactiflora (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.). Morphology: The plants are perennial herbs, 80 cm in height, glabrous or subglabrous throughout. The leaves are alternate, with long petioles. The proximal leaves are 2-ternate. The terminal ones are often 2-or 3-segmented. The lobules are narrowly ovate, lanceolate or elliptic, 7–12  cm long, apically short acuminate or acuminate, densely bony denticulate at margins, glabrous or sparsely pubescent only on dorsal veins. The flowers are usually several per shoot, both terminal and axillary, sometimes only terminal ones develop, white or pink in color, large, 5.5–11 cm in diameter. There are 4 sepals, which are 2 cm in length. There are 9–13 petals, which are obovate, 3.5–6 cm in length, 1–2.5 cm in width, concave on the tip, shallowly cleft or subrounded. The stamens are numerous. There are 3–5 carpels, which are glabrous. There are usually 2–4 follicles, which are subovate about 2 cm long, crooked at apex. The flowering period is from May to June. The fruiting is in August. Habitat: It is cultivated. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, Shanxi, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, and other northern provinces. Acquisition and Processing: The roots are excavated in summer and autumn, removed off the head, tail and rootlets, boiled in water, removed the peel, then boiled again and dried in sun. Medicinal Properties: This product is slightly cylindrical, usually thickened at one end, straight or slightly curved, flat at both ends, branchless, 20 cm in length, 1–2.5 cm in diameter. The surfaces are gray-white or light reddish-brown, rarely pink, with longitudinal wrinkles, rootlet marks, and transverse lenticels. It is solid, not easy to break, flat in cross-section, gray-white or slightly brown-red, with obvious circular and radial texture. It is slightly odored, slightly bitter in taste. The products thick, solid, without white medulla or cracks are better in quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent, and sour in taste, cool in property, belonging to the meridians of liver and spleen. Functions: Nourishing blood and yin, soothing liver and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of dizziness, headache, pain on chest and ribs, dysentery, appendicitis, abdominal pain, gastrocnemius spasm, hand and foot spasm, irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, morbid leucorrhea. Use and Dosage: 6–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Example(s): Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: abdominal spasm, gastrocnemius spasm pain: Paeonia lactiflora 15–24  g, roasted licorice 9–15  g, decocted in water for oral use. Annotations: It should not be used with the black false hellebore.

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3.10  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.10.1  Paeonia suffruticosa Chinese Name(s): mu dan pi, dan pi fen, dan pi. Source: This medicine is made of the velamen of Paeonia suffruticosa (Paeonia suffruticosa Andr.). Morphology: The plants are deciduous shrubs, up to 2 m in height. The stems are stout, gray-black, short branched. The proximal leaves are 2-ternate. The leaves usually double-triple compound. The leaflets are papery, terminal leaflets being up to 10 cm in length, deeply 3-lobed to the middle. The lobes are compound 3-lobed or non-lobed. The lateral leaflets are small, obliquely ovate, unequal 2-lobed, green

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on above, glabrous, pruinose at lower side, subglabrous or pubescent only on midrib. The flowers are single terminal, large, 12–20 cm in diameter. There are 5 sepals and 5 petals, which are double, white, red-purple or yellow, obovate, often 2-lobed apically. The stamens are numerous, anthers being yellow, disc being purple-red, cyathiform, enveloped in carpels at anthesis. The follicles are ovate, densely brownyellow villous. The flowering period is from April to May and fruiting is in June. Habitat: It is cultivated. Distribution: It is widely cultivated throughout the country. It has been introduced in many parts of the world. Acquisition and Processing: The roots are excavated in spring and autumn, removed the rootlets, peeled off the velamen, and then dried. Medicinal Properties: The products are rolled cylindrical or semi-­cylindrical, slightly curling inward or flat at edge, 5–10  cm long or over, 0.5–1.2  cm wide, 1–4 mm thick, grayish-brown or yellowish-brown on outer surface, brown-­red on the exfoliation, with many transverse lenticels and rootlet marks. The inner surfaces are brown-yellow or light-brown, with obvious longitudinal lines and bright crystal dots. It is hard and brittle, easy to break, flat in the cross-section, powdery in quality, light red in color. It is aromatic in odor, bitter, and astringent in taste. The products with thick strips, thick flesh, white cross-section, powdery quality and strong aroma are better in quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent, and bitter in taste, cool in property, belonging to the meridians of heart, liver, and kidney. Functions: Clearing heat and cooling blood, promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis, it is often used in treatment of heat in the Yin stage, hematemesis, epistaxis, macula caused by blood heat, menstrual cramps, bruise, and injury, as well as hypertension, acute appendicitis, neurodermatitis, allergic rhinitis. Use and Dosage: 4.5–9  g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Pregnant women should use with caution. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: stagnation liver Qi and blood heat, irregular menstruation: Paeonia suffruticosa, gardenia, chinses angelica, Paeonia lactiflora, Poria cocos, Bighead atractylodes rhizome, each 9 g, Radix Bupleuri 6 g, licorice, mint each 3 g, decocted in water for oral dose. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: acute urticaria: Paeonia suffruticosa, Radix paeoniae rubra, Forsythia suspense, fruit of summer cypress, each 9 g, cicada slough 4.5 g, duckweed grass 3 g, decocted in water for oral dose.

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3.11  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.11.1  Ranunculus ternatus Chinese Name(s): mao zhua cao, xiao mao gen, huang hua cao. Source: This medicine is made of the roots of Ranunculus ternatus (Ranunculus ternatus Thunb.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial. Many of its roots are small tubers, fleshy and fascicled, ovoid or fusiform, hard at the top and cat claw like shaped, with a diameter of 3–5 mm. The stems are spreading, 5–20 cm tall, multi-branched, soft, mostly glabrous. The basal leaves are long petiolate, and the leaf blades are variable in shapes, single or ternately compound, broad ovate to round reniform, 5–40 × 4–25 mm. The leaflets are 3-lobed or 3-partite, sometimes 1–2 × 3-sect and with ultimate segments obovate to lanceolate linear and glabrous. The petioles are 6–10 cm long. The stem leaves are sessile, and the leaf blades are small, divided or lobed, with the lobes being linear and 1–3 mm wide. The flowers are solitary, inserting terminal on the apex of stems or branches, 1–1.5 cm in diameter. There are 5–7 sepals, which are 3–4 mm in length, sparsely pubescent on the outside. There are 5–7 petals or more, which are yellow or white, obovate, 6–8 mm in length, with claws of about 0.8 mm in length on the base and prismatic nectary pit. The anthers are about 1 mm in length. The receptacles are glabrous. The aggregate fruit is about 6 mm in diameter, and the achene is about 1.5 mm in diameter, glabrous, with longitudinal ribs on its margin, and its beak is thin and short, about 0.5 mm long. The flowering period is early in March, and the fruiting period is from April to July. Habitat: It grows on the edge of wet grassland or paddy field. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces and regions in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, to Taiwan on the east, to the south of Henan on the north, to the north of Guangxi on the south.

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Acquisition and Processing: The roots are collected in summer and dried in the sun. Medicinal Properties: The products are clustered by several to dozens of fusiform tubers, which are similar to cat claws, 3–10 mm long, 2–3 mm in diameter, with yellow-brown stumps or stalk marks on the top. It is yellowish-brown or grayish-­yellow on surfaces, which becomes dark after long-time storage, and there are slight longitudinal wrinkles, punctate fibrous root marks, and residual fibrous roots. It is solid in quality, white yellow or white on sections, hollow or solid, farinose. It is slight in odor and sweet, pungent, and bitter in taste. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and bitter in taste, warm in property, a little poisonous, belonging to the meridians of liver and spleen. Functions: Detoxicating and diminishing stagnation, it is often used for treatment of tuberculosis, lymphadenitis, lymphadenitis, and pharyngitis. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Example(s): Clinical diagnoses and symptoms: cervical lymph node tuberculosis: Ranunculus ternatus 15 g, Prunella vulgaris 15 g, Chinese honey locust 9 g, Lucid asparagus, Ophiopogon japonicus, 6 g each, decocted in water for oral use. For patients with deficiency of liver and kidney yin, add with dried rhizome of rehmannia and Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata, Polygonum multiflorum and Paeonia Lactiflora, each 9 g. For patients with deficiency of Qi and blood or chronic ulcer, add with Codonopsis pilosula, Astragalus mongholicus and Angelica sinensis, each 9 g. For patients with excessive liver fire, add with peony bark 9 g. Take one dose a day, for 30 continuous doses. In addition, take Neixiao leili pill with water at the same time, 9 g per dose, twice a day.

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3.12  Family: Ranunculaceae 3.12.1  Semiaquilegia adoxoides Chinese Name(s): tian kui zi, tian kui cao. Source: This medicine is made of the rhizomes of Semiaquilegia adoxoides (Semiaquilegia adoxoides (DC.) Makino [Aquilegia adoxoides (DC.) Makino]). Morphology: The plants are perennial herbs. The rhizomes are elliptic or spindle-­shaped. The stems are 10–30 cm tall and slender, usually 1–5 branches clustered, sparsely tomentose. The basal leaves are palmate trichotomous compound leaves, whose petioles are up to 3 cm in length. The leaves are flabellate, 6–25 mm long and 1–2.8 cm wide. The stem leaves are sessile or short-petiolate, small, triple-­ lobed. Each lobe is composed of 2–3 loblets which are purple at the back. The flowers are small, 6 mm in diameter, white or lilac, arranged in terminal cymes. There are 5 sepals, which are narrowly elliptic, and 5 petals, cochlear, base expanding into a short spacing. There are 5 stamens, with 2 white staminodes at inner side, subequal in length with filaments. There are two follicles, which are oval-oblong, 6–7 mm long, dehiscent inwardly and stellate at maturity. The seeds are small, about 1 mm long, oval-oblong, brown to black-brown, with many small protuberance. The flowering period is from March to April and fruiting is from May to June. Habitat: It grows in hilly grasslands or under the low mountain forests. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces and regions in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, north to southwest Shaanxi, as well as in Japan. Acquisition and Processing: It is excavated in spring and autumn, washed, dried, and removed the rootlets. Medicinal Properties: The products are short columnar, spindle or massive, often slightly curved, enlarged in the middle, 1–2 cm in length, 0.5–1 cm in diameter, dark brown to gray-black, with wrinkles and fibrous root scars on surface, and stem and leaf residues at the top. It is covered with several layers of yellowish-­ brown sheaths, soft and easy to break. The cuticle of section is white, and the xylem is yellow-white or yellow-brown, with unconspicuous radial texture. It is slight in odor sweet, and slightly bitter in taste. The products with massive size, white cuticle at cross-section are better in quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet, bitter in taste, cold in property, belonging to the meridians of liver and stomach. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxifying, inducing diuresis, and reducing edema, it is often used in treatment of boils, mastitis, tonsillitis, lymph node tuberculosis, bruises and injuries, snake bites, and dysuria. Use and Dosage: 3–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, appropriate amount of fresh herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas. Annotations: People weak in stomach and intestine should not use it.

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Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: boils and carbuncles: Semiaquilegia adoxoides seed 9 g, Mother chrysanthemum, Japanese violet herb or root, dendrobe, honeysuckle, each 15 g, dandelion 30 g, decocted in water for oral dose. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: acute tonsillitis: Semiaquilegia adoxoides seed, 10 to 15, mashed and decocted in water for oral dose. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: lymph node tuberculosis: a. Semiaquilegia adoxoides 9–18 g, mashed, infused with water and wine (half to half). It can also be cooked with 2 eggs. Take the eggs in addition with decoctum. b. Semiaquilegia adoxoides seed 4.5  g, seaweed, kelp, Platycodon grandiflorum, fritillary, each 30 g, cuttlebone 15 g, mixed and ground into powder, added with wine to make a paste, rubbed into pills of mung bean big. Take 2 times a day, 6 g per dose with warm wine after meals. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: poisonous snake bites: fresh Semiaquilegia adoxoides seed 18 g, Paris polyphylla 15 g, fresh dandelion 30 g, Radix ophiopogonis 9 g, decocted in water for oral dose. Or smash fresh semiaquilegia adoxoides, apply into the affected areas, change the dressing when the drug is dry.

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3.13  Family: Nymphaeaceae 3.13.1  Euryale ferox about 8 mm in diameter. The testa are thick, purple-black, covered with aril. The flowering period is from July to August. The fruiting is from August to September. Habitat: It grows in pond marshes. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces and regions in north and south China, wild or cultivated, as well as in Japan and India. Acquisition and Processing: Mature fruits are harvested at later autumn and early winter, and the peels are removed by occumulation and retting; the seeds are taken out, washed, and the hard shells are removed and dried. Medicinal Properties: The products are mostly incomplete. The complete ones are subspherical, 5–8 mm in diameter, reddish-brown, yellowish-white or white at one end, accounting for about 1/3 of the whole, with a pit-like umbilical mark. It is white at the sections, hard, and powdery. It is odorless, bland in taste. The product with pure white color, rich powder, and no fragments are of better quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and astringent in taste, neutral in property, belonging to the meridians of spleen and kidney. Functions: Tonifying kidney and astringing essence, tonifying spleen and stopping diarrhea, it is often used in treatment of diarrhea caused by spleen deficiency, nocturnal emission, frequent urination, enuresis, and excessive leucorrhea. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: diarrhea of spleen deficiency: Euryale ferox, lotus seed, White Atractylodes rhizome 12 g, Codonopsis pilosula 15 g, Poria cocos 9 g, ground into fine powder. Take 2 to 3 times a day, 3 to 6 g per dose. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: nocturnal emission: Euryale ferox fruit of Chinese wolfberry, each 12 g, Psoralea corylifolia, Chinese chive seed, 9 g each, oysters shell 24 g (decocted in prior), decocted in water for oral dose. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: leucorrhea: (a) Euryale ferox 15 g, cuttlebone 12 g, the seed of Chinese dodder 24 g, decocted in water for oral dose. (b) stirbaked Euryale ferox, stir-baked yam, 30 g each, stir-baked Cortex phellodendri with salt solution, Plantago asiatica each 9 g, ginkgo 6 g, decocted in water for oral dose. Take 1 dose per day.

3.14  Family: Nymphaeaceae 3.14.1  Nelumbo nucifera Chinese Name(s): lian zi, he hua. Source: This medicine is made of the seeds of Nelumbo nucifera (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.).

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Chinese Name(s): qian shi, zhao shi. Source: This medicine is made of the kernels of Euryale ferox (Euryale ferox Salib. ex König & Sims). Morphology: The plants are annual herbs. Its rhizomes are short and thick. The leaves are large, floating, round or oval, 35–100 cm in diameter, wrinkled, pricky on both sides, green on the surface, purple on the back, yellowish-brown pubescent. The palmate veins radiate from the petiole site, often bifid, spongy. The petioles are thick, peltate, pricky. There are 4 sepals. The petals are numerous, bright green abaxially, purple adaxially. There are 8 bundles of stamens. The ovaries are 8 chambered. The berries are spongy, spiny, 5–10 cm in diameter. The seeds are polygonal,

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Morphology: The herbs are perennial. Its rhizomes are thick, creeping, with long internodes, fibrous roots and scaly leaves on nodes. The leaves are peltate, mostly above water surface, papery or herbaceous, round or subround, 30–90 cm in diameter, with entire margins, glaucous. The veins are thick, radiating from petioles. The petioles and pedicels are 1–2 m long, smooth or scattered spinules, with many small holes. The flowers are large, usually 10–20 cm in diameter, fragrant, red or white. There are 4 or 5 sepals, which are caducous. Petals and stamens are mostly located below the receptacle, multilayered. Petals are elliptic, concave. The anthers are with clavate appendages at the top. The carpels are mostly free, embedded in a large flat-­topped, gyroscopic receptacle. Fruit receptacles are 5–10 cm in diameter. The fruits are oblong to ovoid, 1–1.8 cm long. Peels are hard, leathery, glabrous. Seed coats are spongy. The flowering period is from June to August and fruiting is from August to October. Habitat: It grows in ponds and paddy fields rich in humus soil. Distribution: It is widely cultivated in all parts of China, as well as in Russia, North Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, and Oceania. Acquisition and Processing: The lotus houses are harvested in autumn when the fruit is ripe; the seeds are taken out, peeled off, and dried. Medicinal Properties: The products are elliptical or subspherical, about 1.2–1.8 cm in length and 0.8–1.5 cm in diameter. Its surfaces are light yellow-brown to brown-red, sometimes pink, with veins and wrinkles. It is papillary protuberant at center of one end, dark brown, with many fissures, and the periphery slightly subsides into a circular shallow groove, hard in quality. The seed coats are thin and difficult to peel off. Cotyledons are large, yellowish-white or milky-white, thick, with gaps between the two cotyledons and green lotus seed hearts (young leaves and radicles). It is odorless, sweet in taste, slightly astringent in the taste of seed coat. The products with large and full seeds and complete shape are better in quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and astringent in taste, neutral in property, belonging to the meridians of spleen, kidney, and heart. Functions: Reinforcing spleen to nourishing the stomach, astringing essence, nourishing heart and calming mind, it is often used in treatment of diarrhea caused by spleen deficiency, loss of appetite, nocturnal emission, palpitations, and insomnia. Use and Dosage: 6–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Example(s): Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: diarrhea caused by spleen deficiency: Nelumbo nucifera seed, Poria cocos, Psoraleae fructus, medicated leaven, 9 g each, Chinese yam 15 g, decocted in water for oral use. Annotations: Lotus seeds without seed coat are called red lotus seeds, which can be divided into Hunan lotus seeds (round seeds, mainly produced in Hunan) and Hulian lotus seeds (slightly longer seeds, mainly produced in Hubei and Jiangsu) because of their different origins and slightly different medicinal properties. White lotus seeds with seed coat erased are also called Jianlian seeds, because they are mainly produced in Fujian.

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Lotus root

Lotus root knot

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3.15  Appendix 1. Lotus seed: This product is the dried ripe fruit of lotus, oval or elliptical, slightly pointed at both ends, 1.5–2 cm long and 1–1.5 cm in diameter. The surface is gray-brown to gray-black, and the gray-white powder frost is remained. Many pits are visible observing under a magnifying glass. There are small round holes at one end, short fruit stalks at the other end, and small round brown protuberances beside the fruit stalks. It is hard, not easy to break. The peels are thick, about 1 mm. The inner surface is red-brown. The seeds are visible after removal of peels. It is odorless. It is sweet and slightly astringent in taste, neutral in property, belonging to meridians of heart, lung, and kidney, functioning in invigorating the spleen and appetizing the stomach, stopping vomiting and stopping diarrhea. It is often used in treatment of chronic diarrhea due to spleen deficiency and loss of appetite. 2. Lotus plumule: The products are dried young leaves and radicals in mature seeds of lotus. The products are small rod-shaped, slightly flat, 1–1.5  cm long. There are 2 young leaves, which are green. One of the young leaves is long and the other is short, with both tips recurved. Small erect germ can be seen between the two young leaves. The radicle is yellow-green cylindrical, 3–4  mm long, brittle and fragile, with many holes in the cross-section. It is slight in odor bitter in taste. The products green, intact, and without lotus meat are of better quality. It is bitter in taste, cold in property, belonging to the meridians of heart, lung, and kidney. It functions in clearing the heart and tranquilizing the nerves, coordinating the heart and the kidney, astringing essence and hemostasis. It is often used in the treatment of fever, irritation due to heat diseases, dizziness, insomnia, and hematemesis caused by heat, spermatorrhea.

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3. Lotus seedpod: The products are the fruit receptacles of lotus when the fruits are ripe. It is an inverted conical gyroscope with flat top, mostly torn, 4.5–6 cm high and 5–8 cm in diameter. Its surfaces are gray-brown to purple-brown, with longitudinal lines and wrinkles. On the top, there are circular holes left by most seeds taken out. The pedicel residues are about 1 cm long at the base. It is loose in texture, spongy in the broken surface, brown, slight in odor astringent in taste. The product big and purple-­ brown in color is of better quality. It is bitter taste and astringent in taste, warm in property, belonging to the meridians of liver, functioning in removing blood stasis and hemostasis. It is often used in treatment of metrorrhagia, hemorrhoids bleeding, postpartum stasis, incomplete elimination of the lochia. 4. Lotus stamen: The products are the stamens of lotus, linear, 2–3 cm long, less than 0.5 mm in diameter, consisting of anthers and filaments. The anthers are yellow or brown-­ yellow, 1–1.5  cm long, twisted. The filaments are slightly flat, 1.5–1.8  cm long, dark, slightly twisted. It is loose in quality, with strong aroma at first, which decreases with the time. The products bright yellow and fragrant are of better quality. It is sweet, astringent in taste, warm in property, belonging to the meridians of heart and kidney, functioning in clearing away the heart fire, tonifying kidney, controlling nocturnal emission, stopping bleeding. It is often used in treatment of spermatorrhea caused by kidney deficiency, enuresis, and frequent urination. 5. Lotus root: The products are the fresh plump rhizomes of lotus. It is short cylindrical with nodular when fresh, 3–4 in segments of the original strip, 30–40 cm long. The first section is thinner, while the second and third sections are hypertrophic, and the tail section is thin and long. Lotus rhizome nodes are short and thin, light red or reddish-­ brown, with earth-brown markings, smooth. There are colloidal filaments when broken, which can be elongated. It is yellow-white at cross-section, with a number of triangular or quasi-circular voids. The products are slight in odor sweet in taste, cold in property, belonging to the meridians of lung and stomach, functioning in relieving thirst irritation, cooling blood and stopping bleeding. It is often used in treatment of fever and thirst, hemoptysis, epistaxis, hematemesis, hematochezia, and hematuria caused by blood heat. 6. Lotus root knot: The products are the dry nodes of lotus rhizome. It is short cylindrical, slightly enlarged in the middle, 2–4 cm long and 2 cm in diameter. The surfaces are grayish-­ yellow to grayish-brown with residual fibrous roots and fibrous root scars,

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occasionally dark brown-red residual scaly leaves left. There are often residual lotus root bodies at both ends, and longitudinal wrinkles on the surface. It is hard in quality, difficult to break, light pink in cross-section, with many round holes. The products with black-­brown nodes and white ends, less rootlets are of better quality. It is sweet and astringent in taste, neutral in property, belonging to the meridians of liver, lung, and stomach, functioning in stopping bleeding and eliminating blood stasis. It is often used in treatments of epistaxis, hematemesis, hematochezia, hematuria, hemorrhagic dysentery, and metrorrhagia. 7. Lotus flower: The products are dried petals of lotus, which are cochlear and papery, apically obtuse, soft, folding, 6–9 cm long, 3–5 cm wide. The surfaces are purple-red or light red, with many longitudinal veins. The base is slightly thick and narrow, purple-­ brown or pale white. It is aromatic in odor, bitter and sweet in taste and warm on property belonging to the meridians of heart and Liver, functioning in invigorating blood circulation and stopping bleeding, clearing pathogenic wind and dampness. It is often used in treatment of injury, hematemesis, blisters and eczemas. 8. Lotus stalk: The products are dried petioles or peduncles of lotus. It is slender and irregular cylindrical, 30–80 cm long and 1–1.5 cm in diameter. The surfaces are pale yellow or brownish yellow, with longitudinal grooves and many protuberant spines. It is light in weight, easy to break, with dust flying out when broken off and often adhered with white filaments. The cross-sections are light pink white, with several different sizes of channels. It is slightly odored bitter in taste, neutral in property, belonging to the meridians of liver, spleen, and stomach, functioning in dissipating summer heat, regulating Qi and relieving discomfort in chest and upper abdomen. It is often used in treatment of heatstroke, chest distress, and Qi stagnation.

3.16  Family: Berberidaceae 3.16.1  Berberis chingii Chinese Name(s): hua dong xiao bo. Source: This medicine is made of the roots, velamen, branches and leaves of Berberis chingii (Berberis chingii Cheng).

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Morphology: The plants are evergreen shrubs, 1–2 m high. The old branches are dark gray. The shoots are light yellow, cylindrical or slightly angulate, sparsely black verruculose. The spines are strong and concolorous, 3-fid, 1–2.5 cm long. The leaves are thin leathery, oblong oblanceolate, or oblong narrow oval, 2–8 cm long, 0.8–2.5 cm wide, apically acute, cuneate at base, dark green, sometimes lustrous, obvious concave at midrib. There are 5–10 pairs of the lateral veins, which are slightly obvious, pruinose on the back. The midrib raised, and the lateral veins are indistinct, both surfaces being with inconspicuous reticulate veins, and the leaf margins are flat. The margins above middle are 2–10-spinose-serrate on each side, with distance of 3 to 20 mm between teeth. The petioles are 2 to 4 mm in length. The flowers are 4–14-fascicled, and the pedicels are 7–18 mm in length. The flowers are yellow. The bracteoles are triangular. The sepals are in 2 whorls, outer sepals being elliptic, 5–5.5  mm, apically obtuse. Inner sepals being obovateoblong, ca. 6.5 mm. The petals are obovate, 5.5 mm long, 3 mm wide, apex being emarginate, base being unguiculate, with 2 approximate glands. The stamens are 4.5  mm long, apically elongated, obtuse. There are 2–3 ovules. The berries are ellipsoid or obovoid-­ellipsoid, 6–8 mm in length, 4–5 mm in diameter, with persistent styles at the apex, and pruinose. The flowering period is from April to May and fruiting is from June to September. Habitat: It grows in valleys or beside rocks. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hunan, Jiangxi, and Zhejiang. Acquisition and Processing: The roots, branches, and leaves are harvested in summer and autumn and dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cold in property. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxifying, purging intense heat, it is often used in treatment of bacterial dysentery, gastroenteritis, paratyphoid, indigestion, jaundice, cirrhosis ascites, urinary tract infection, acute nephritis, tonsillitis, stomatitis, bronchial pneumonia. And external treatment of otitis media, conjunctivitis, and traumatic infection. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, appropriate amount of herb is mashed to powder and applied to the affected areas.

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3.17  Family: Berberidaceae 3.17.1  Berberis virgetorum, Berberis julianae Chinese Name(s): san ke zhen, ci huang lian, tu huang lian. Source: This medicine is made of the toots of Berberis virgetorum (Berberis virgetorum Schneid.) and Berberis julianae (Berberis julianae Schneid.) and other plants of the order of berberis. Morphology: A: Berberis virgetorum: The plants are deciduous shrubs, 1.5–2 m high with dark yellow branches and spines of 1–2.5 cm long. The leaves are alternate, thin leathery, long oval, about 3–8  cm long, 1.5–3.5  cm wide, apex being asymptotically acuminate, sometimes obtuse, base being narrow, whole or sometimes repand, yellow-green at leaf surface, pruinose on the back. The petioles are

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1–2 cm long. The racemes sometimes shortened into umbrella axillary, 1.5–3.5 cm long, 3–15 flowed. The pedicels are slender, 5–6 mm long. The sepals are long oval, inner whorl being long obovate, slightly longer than petals. The petals are about 3 mm long, entire. The berries are narrowly elliptic, 9–12 mm long, without persistent styles. The flowering period is from April to May and fruiting is from June to October. Habitat: It grows in mountain bushes and valley forests. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, etc. Morphology: B: Berberis julianae: The plants are evergreen shrubs, 1.2–2  m high. The branches are angulate, yellow, spiny, spines being trigeminal, up to 3.5 cm long, hard, and yellow. The leaf blades are leathery, lanceolate or oblanceolate, oblong or elliptic, 3–7 cm long or sometimes slightly longer, 1–3 cm wide, acute at tip, with spiny serrated teeth about 1–1.5 mm long at edge. The veins are obvious. The petioles are usually 1.5–4 mm in length. The flowers are yellow, 6–7 mm in diameter, often 10–25 clustering in axil. The pedicels are uneven in length, often 8–15 mm, with 3 oval to lanceolate bracts. The sepals arrange in 2 whorls, with 3 at each whorl, petaloid. There are 6 petals, which are suboblong, 5–6 mm long, apically concave. The berries are oval, 7–8 mm long, blue-black, pruinose. The flowering period is from March to April and fruiting is from May to November. Habitat: It grows in mountain dwarf forests over 1000 m above sea level. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces of Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan, etc. Acquisition and Processing: The roots are excavated in summer and autumn, rinsed, and dried. Medicinal Properties: It is difficult to distinguish between Berberis virgetorum and Berberis julianae. The latter is nearly cylindrical, slightly curved, with a few branches, 10–15 cm long and 1–3 cm in diameter. The roots are thick and attenuate downward. The bark is gray-brown with fine wrinkles and easy to be peeled off. It is hard in property, difficult to break, uneven at cross-section, bright yellow. The sections are nearly circular or oblong, with radial texture and brown-yellow medulla. The products bitter and yellow are better in quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cold in property, belonging to the meridians of lung, liver, and large intestine. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxicating, it is often used in treatment of bacterial dysentery, gastroenteritis, paratyphoid fever, dyspepsia, jaundice, cirrhosis ascites, urinary tract infection, acute nephritis, tonsillitis, stomatitis, bronchopneumonia, and external treatment of otitis media, conjunctivitis, traumatic infection, sores and ulcers, and prevention of meningitis. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, appropriate amount of herb is ground into powder for application. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Bacterial dysentery, gastroenteritis: a. Berberis virgetorum 15 g, decocted in water for oral use. B. 3% berberine injection, intramuscular injected, twice a day, 2 ml each time.

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2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Upper respiratory tract infection, bronchopneumonia, tonsillitis, early mastitis, urinary tract infection, wound infection: 1% berberine, injected intramuscular, twice a day, 2 ml each time. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Paratyphoid fever: Berberis virgetorum 2000 g, chopped, added with 10,000 ml water, decocted to 5000 ml, and taken 2–3 times a day, 70–100 ml per dose. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Chronic tracheitis: Berberis virgetorum 30 g, mulberry bark 15  g, ephedra 12  g, Platycodon grandiflorum 9  g (daily dose), made into 18 pieces of extract tablets. Take 3 times a day, 6 pieces each time, ten days as a course of treatment. Annotations: The roots of many species of berberis can be used as berberis virgetorum for medicine. The stems of these plants can also be used for medicines, because they are the same in property, taste, and functions as berberis virgetorum, but weaker in efficacy. The roots and stems of these plants contain a large amount of berberine; therefore, they are important raw materials for extracting berberine.

Berberis julianae

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3.18  Family: Berberidaceae 3.18.1  Berberis impedita Chinese Name(s): nan ling xiao bo. Source: This medicine is made of the roots, branches, and leaves of Berberis impedita (Berberis impedita Schneid.). Morphology: The plants are evergreen shrubs, 0.5–1.5 m high. The branches are dark gray, angulate, not verruculose. The shoots are pale yellow. The spines are absent or very weak, 3-fid, pale yellow, ca. 1 cm. The leaves are leathery, elliptic, oblong or narrowly elliptic, 4–9 cm long, 1.8–3.5 cm wide, blunt or acute at apex, narrow at base, dark green on above, abaxially with obviously raised midvein and lateral veins, reticulate veins being inconspicuous, adaxially with impressed

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midvein, lateral veins being slightly raised, reticulate veins being indistinct, base attenuate, margins being flat, each side being with 8–12 spines. The petioles are 5–8 mm long. The flowers are 2–4-fascicled. The pedicels are 8–18 mm long. The bracteoles are ovate, 2.5 mm long, apically acute. The flowers are yellow. There are 2 rounds of sepals. The outer sepals are elliptic oblong, 3.5–4.5 mm long, 1.8–2.5 mm wide. The inner sepals are elliptic, 5–5.5 mm long, 3–3.5 mm wide, apical rounded. The petals are obovate, 4 mm long, 2.5 mm wide, apical being clefted. The stamens are about 3 mm long, apical with sepals slightly enlarged and two small teeth, 4–6 ovules. The fruit stalks are often red. The berries are oblong, black at maturity. 8–9 mm long and 5–6 mm in diameter, with no persistent styles at the top, sometimes with very short persistent styles, not covered with white powder. The flowering period is from April to May and fruiting is from June to October. Habitat: It grows in valleys under the sparsely forest and bushwoods. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Sichuan, and Jiangxi. Acquisition and Processing: The roots, branches, and leaves are harvested in summer and autumn and dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cold in property, belonging to the meridians of lung, liver, and large intestine. Functions: Clearing heat and dampness, purging intense heat, and detoxifying, it is often used in treatment of damp heat diarrhea, dysentery, stomach heat pain, conjunctivitis, mouth ulcer, sore throat, acute eczema, and burns. Use and Dosage: 15–20 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For conjunctivitis, appropriate amount of herb is decocted to wash the affected areas with.

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3.19  Family: Berberidaceae 3.19.1  Dysosma versipellis Chinese Name(s): ba jiao lian, ba jiao jin pan. Source: This medicine is made of the roots and stems of Dysosma versipellis (Dysosma versipellis (Hance) M. Cheng ex Ying). Morphology: The plants are perennial herbs, 40–150  cm in height. The rhizomes are stout, transverse, with numerous fibrous roots. The stems are erect, unbranched, glabrous, pale green. There are 2 stem leaves, which are thinly papery, alternate, peltate, subcircular, 30 cm in diameter, palmately 4–9 lobed. The lobes are broadly triangular, oval or oval-oblong, 2.5–4 cm long, 5–7 cm wide at base, apically acuminate, not lobed, glabrous on top, pubescent on back, veins being

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prominent on the edge, margins being remotely serrate. The petioles of lower leaves are 12–25 cm long, and petioles of upper leaves are 1–3 cm long. The pedicles are slender, bent, pubescent. The flowers are dark red, 5–8 clustering not far from the base of leaves, pendulous. There are 6 sepals, which are elliptic, 0.6–1.8 cm long, 6–8 mm wide, apical acute, pubescent outside, glabrous inside. There are 6 petals, which are cochlear obovate, about 2.5 cm long, 8 mm wide, glabrous. There are 6 stamens, which are about 1.8 cm long. The filaments are shorter than anthers. The anther connectives are slightly prolonged, glabrous, acute. The ovaries are elliptic, glabrous. The styles are short, stigma being peltate. The berries are elliptic, about 4 cm long, about 3.5 cm in diameter. The seeds are numerous. The flowering period is from March to June and fruiting is from May to September. Habitat: It grows in wet places under the valley forest. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces of Henan, Hubei, and provinces at south of the Yangtze River. Acquisition and Processing: The roots and stems are harvested in summer and autumn, rinsed, and dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and pungent in taste, warm in property, toxic. Functions: Reducing inflammation and detoxifying, dispersing stagnation and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of snakebite, boils, toothache, dysentery, cough of lung heat, mumps, acute lymphadenitis, bruises, and sores. Use and Dosage: 6–10 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Venomous snake bites: Dysosma versipellis, Paris polyphylla, Serissa serissoides, Cynanchum auriculatum Royle ex Wight, Stephania tetrandra each 9 g, decocted in water for oral dose. For external use, Siphonostegia chinensis benth, Serissa serissoides, Cynanchum stauntoni, Ampelopsis sinica, each appropriate amount, decocted in water for washing with, in addition, Houttuynia cordata, Perfoliate knotweed, Lysimachia fortunei, Humulus japonicus were mashed and applied to the affected areas. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Furuncles: Dysosma versipellis ground into powder, added with 90% Vaseline, mixed into ointment to be applied to the affected areas. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Breast cancer: Dysosma versipellis, Rhododendron lutescens 15  g each, Begonia fimbristipula 30  g, added with 500 ml of liquor, soaked for 7 days. Take 2–3 times a day orally, 9 ml per dose or rub the affected areas with the medicinal liquor. Annotations: Rhododendron lutescens is very poisonous. It should not be used overdose or directly taken.

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3.20  Family: Berberidaceae 3.20.1  E  pimedium sagittatum, Epimedium brevicornu, Epimedium pubescens, Epimedium koreanum Chinese Name(s): yin yang huo, san zhi jiu ye cao. Source: This medicine is made of the branches and leaves of Epimedium sagittatum (Epimedium sagittatum (Sieb. et Zucc.) Maxim.), Epimedium brevicornu (Epimedium brevicornu Maxim.), Epimedium pubescens (Epimedium pubescens Maxim.), and Epimedium koreanum (Epimedium koreanum Nakai). Morphology: A: Epimedium sagittatum: The plants are perennial herbs, usually 25–55  cm in height. Its rhizomes are hard, stout, nodose, dark brown, with many fibrous roots. The stems are thin and slightly firm. The leaves are basal, trifoliolate. The petioles are slender. The leaflets are ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 4–15 × 3–9 cm, adaxially acuminate, base being deeply or shallowly cordate. The lateral lobules are

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asymmetrical on both sides, closely spinulose-subserrulate at margins. There are 3–5 basal veins. The reticular veins are obvious. The flowers open in spring, white (inner sepals), about 6  mm in diameter, many arranging in terminal panicles or racemes. There are 8 sepals, arranged in two whorls, the outer-whorl being smaller, purple spotted, inner whorl being petaloid. There are 4 petals, which are yellow with short spurs. There are 4 stamens and 1 carpel. The follicles are oval, dorsal lobed, containing many seeds. The flowering period is from April to May and fruiting is from May to July. Habitat: It grows under the evergreen bamboo forest and in the rock crevices beside the roadside, it is also found in wet areas under the forest and at the edge of ditch. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces of Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, etc. Morphology: B: Epimedium brevicornu: The plant is perennial herbs 20–60 cm in height. Its rhizomes are short, lignified, and dark brown. The leaves are basal and cauline, usually biternate, 9-foliolate. The basal leaves are 1–3 clustered, long petiolated. The 2 cauline leaves are opposite. The leaflets are papery or thick papery, ovate or broadly ovate, 3–7 cm long, 2.5–6 cm wide, apically acute or short acuminate, base being deeply cordate. The terminal leaflets are with equal rounded lobes, nearly the same in size. The lateral leaflets are slightly oblique, apex being rounded or acute to acuminate, abaxially glabrous, with conspicuous reticulate veins, adaxially pale, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, with 7 basal and prickly teeth on the leaf margins. The flowering stems are with 2 opposite usually biternate leaves. The panicles are 10–35 cm long, 20–50 flowed. The rachises and pedicels are glandular. The pedicels are 5–20 mm long. The flowers are white or yellowish. The sepals are with 2 whorls, outer sepals being oval triangle, dark green, 1–3 mm long, inner sepals being lanceolate, white or yellowish, about 10 mm long, 4 mm in width. The petals are much shorter than the inner sepals. The spurs are conical, 2–3 mm in length. The petals are very small. The stamens are 3–4 mm long, exserted. The anthers are about 2 mm long and the petals are valved. The capsules are about 1 cm long. The persistent styles are coronoid, 2–3 mm long. The flowering period is from May to June and fruiting is from June to August. Habitat: It grows under the evergreen bamboo forest and in the rock crevices beside the roadside. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, Shanxi, Henan, Qinghai, Hubei, Sichuan, etc. Morphology: C: Epimedium pubescens: The plants are perennial plants, 20–70  cm tall. Its rhizomes are short, sometimes elongated, covered with brown scales. The leaves are basal and cauline, trifoliolate. There are 2 opposite cauline leaves and 3 leaflets. The petioles are about 2 cm long, sparsely pubescent. The leaflets are leathery, ovate, narrowly ovate or lanceolate, 3–15 cm long, 2–8 cm wide, apex being acuminate or short acuminate, base being deeply cordate, sometimes shallow cordate. The terminal leaflets are with equal rounded lobes, nearly the same in size. The base lobes of lateral leaflets are very different in size, acute or rounded, adaxially deep green, glossy, densely pubescent to tomentose. There are prickly teeth on the leaf margins and 2 opposite leaves on stem. The panicles are more than 30–100 flowered, 10–20 cm long. The rachises and pedicels are glandular usually pubescent, sometimes without pedicels. The pedicels are 1–2 cm long. The flowers are about 1 cm in diameter. The sepals are in 2 whorls, outer sepals being broadly

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ovate, 2–3 mm long, purple, inner sepals being lanceolate or narrowly lanceolate, acute or acuminate, white, 5–7 mm long, 1.5–3.5 mm wide. The petals are far shorter than inner sepals, about 2 mm long, saccate, pale yellow. The stamens are long. The anthers are about 2 mm in length. The pistils are about 4 mm in length and the styles are about 2 mm. The capsules are oblong. The persistent styles are long coronoid. The flowering period is from April to May and fruiting is from May to July. Habitat: It grows under the evergreen bamboo forest and in the rock crevices beside the roadside. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, Hubei, Sichuan, Henan, Guizhou, Anhui, etc. Morphology: D: Epimedium koreanum: The plants are perennial herbs, 15–40 cm in height. Its rhizomes are transverse, brown, hard, 3–5 mm in diameter, with many fibrous roots. The leaves are basal and cauline, biternate, usually 9-­foliolate. The leaflets are papery, ovate, 3–13 cm long, 2–8 cm wide, apically acute or acuminate, base being deeply cordate with usually rounded lobes. The base lobes of lateral leaflets are unequal, dark green on top, glabrous, abaxially pale, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, with fine spiny teeth on margins. The flowering stems are with 1 biternate leaf. The inflorescences are simple racemes, terminal, 4–16-flowered, 10–15  cm, glabrous or pilose. The pedicels are 1–2 cm long. The flowers are large, 2–4.5 cm in diameter, variously colored, white, pale yellow, dark red or purple blue. The sepals are in 2 whorls, outer sepals being oblong, 4–5 mm long, red, inner sepals being narrowly ovate to lanceolate, sharp, flat, 8–18 mm long and 3–6 mm wide. The petals are usually longer than the inner sepals, attenuate to the apex, 1–2 cm long, with petal-shaped petals at the base. The stamens are about 6 mm long. The anthers are about 4.4 mm long. 5 mm. The filaments are about 1.5 mm. The pistils are about 8 mm. The ovaries are about 4.5 mm. The styles are about 3.5 mm. The capsules are narrow spindle-shaped, about 6 mm long. The persistent styles are about 2 mm long. There are 6–8 seeds. The flowering period is from April to May, fruiting is in May. Habitat: It grows under the evergreen bamboo forest and in the rock crevices beside the roadside. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces of Jilin, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Anhui, etc., as well as in North Korea and Japan. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plants are harvested in summer and autumn, rinsed, and dried. Medicinal Properties: A. Epimedium sagittatum: The stems are slender, cylindrical, about 3 mm in diameter, yellow, smooth, crisp, easy to break, hollow in section. The leaves are trifoliate, with slender petioles. The leaflets are thin leathery, ovate-lanceolate, cordate or halberd at the base. The lateral leaflets are markedly asymmetrical at the base, graygreen or brown-green, with spiny serrated margins. It is odorless, bitter in taste. B. Epimedium: The leaves are triple compound. The lobules are ovate, 3–8 cm long and 2–6 cm wide, sharp apically. The bases of apical lobules are cordate, while the bilateral lobules are subcordate, which are smaller than the lateral ones, auricular. The margins are yellow spiny serrated. There are 7 basal veins. The petioles are 1–5 cm long. The leaf blades are subleathery. It is slightly odored slightly bitter in taste.

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C. Epimedium pubescens: The main characteristics of Epimedium pubescens are the dense villi on the dorsal surface of leaves and petioles. D. Epimedium koreanum: The lobules are larger, 4–13 cm long, 3.5–7 cm wide, apex being long and acuminate, and leaves are thinner. The products yellow and green, with many leaves and tender stems are better in quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and sweet in taste, warm in property, belonging to the meridians of liver and kidney. Functions: Invigorating essence and strengthen Yang, dispelling pathogenic wind and dampness, strengthening liver and kidney, benefiting muscles and bones, it is often used in treatment of impotency, premature ejaculation, urinary incontinence, rheumatic arthralgia, lumbago, coronary heart disease, dizziness, tinnitus, limb paralysis, neurasthenia, chronic bronchitis, leukopenia, climacteric hypertension, chronic tracheitis, chronic prostatitis, etc. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: impotency, premature ejaculation: Epimedium 500 g, liquor 3000 ml, immersed for one week, sealed, with the temperature of the first four days being above 50 degrees Celsius, while the next three days maintaining in 5–8 degrees Celsius, filtered and reserved. Take three times a day, 10 to 20 ml per dose. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Chronic tracheitis: Epimedium 4 portion, Japanese ardisia stem and leaf 1 portion, ground into powder, added with5 portions of honey to make pills, 9 g each pill. Take twice a day, 2 pills each time, 10 days as course of treatment. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Climacteric hypertension: Epimedium, Rhizoma curculiginis, Angelica sinensis, Morinda officinalis, Anemarrhena asphodeloides, golden cypress, each 9 g, decocted in water for oral dose, take 1 dose a day. Or dosage of 7 days decocted in water and condensed into 500 ml. Take the serum twice a day, 30 ml each time.

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Epimedium brevicornu

Epimedium brevicornu

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3.21  Family: Berberidaceae 3.21.1  Mahonia bealei Chinese Name(s): kuo ye shi da gong lao, Tu huang lian, huang tian zhu. Source: This medicine is made of the roots, stems, and leaves of Mahonia bealei (Mahonia bealei (Fort.) Carr.). Morphology: The plants are shrubs or small trees, 0.5–5 m in height. The leaves are narrow obovate to oblong, 27–51 cm long, 10–20 cm wide, with 4–10 pairs of leaflets. The leaflets are thick leathery, rigid, increasing in length but decreasing in width from base to apex. The last pair of leaflets is oval, 1.2–3.5 cm long, 1–2 cm wide, with 1–2 rough serrated teeth. Those above are suborbicular to ovate or oblong, 2–10.5 cm long, 2–6 cm wide, broadly cuneate or round at base, oblique,

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sometimes cordate. The margins are with 2–6 teeth on each side, apically cuspidate. The terminal leaflets are much larger, 7–13 cm long, 3.5–10 cm wide. The petiolules are 1–6 cm. The inflorescences are erect, 3–9-fascicled in racemes. The pedicels are 4–6 cm long. The flowers are yellow. The outer sepals are ovate, 2.3–2.5 mm long, 1.5–2.5 mm wide, middle sepals are oval, 5–6 mm long, 3.5–4 mm wide, and inner sepals are oblong-oval, 6.5–7 mm long, 4–4.5 mm wide. The petals are obovate-­ elliptic, 6–7 mm long, 3–4 mm wide, with distinct glands at base, slightly emarginate on apex. The stamens are 3.2–4.5 mm long. The connectives do not extend and are rounded to truncated at apex. The ovaries are long, oval, about 3.2 mm in length. The styles are short, and the ovules are 3–4. The berries are ovate, about 1.5 cm long, 1–1.2  cm in diameter, dark blue, pruinose. The flowering period is from September to January of the next year. The fruiting is from March to May. Habitat: It grows in or under forests and thickets in valleys and streams. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces of Shaanxi, Henan, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, etc. Acquisition and Processing: The stems are cut and roots are excavated in autumn and winter and dried for storage. The leaves can be harvested all year round. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cold in property. Functions: leaf: nourishing yin and clearing heat. Root and stem: clearing heat and detoxifying, the leaves are often used for treatment of tuberculosis and colds; the roots and stems are often used for treatment of bacillary dysentery, acute gastroenteritis, infectious hepatitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, bronchitis, and sore throat, as well as external treatment of conjunctivitis, carbuncles, burns, and scalds. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: acute tonsillitis in children: Mahonia bealei, Ardisia crenata, holly root, Cape jasmine, Lophatherum gracile, Akebiaquinata, blackberry lily, licorice,each 9 g, gypsum 12 g, decocted 2 times to about 100 ml. Take the decoctum in 2 times. For adult, the dosage should be doubled. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: bronchitis, pneumonia: roots of Mahonia bealei, Polygonum cuspidatum, Folium eriobotryae, 15  g each,decocted in water. Take 1 dose a day. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Acute jaundiced infectious hepatitis: Mahonia root 9–15 g, Malvastrum coromandelianum 15 g, 1 dose a day, decocted in water for oral use. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: conjunctivitis: Mahonia leaf 200  g, added with 1000 ml water, decocted, filtered, disinfected with high-pressure. Drop the medicinal liquid to eyes for several times a day.

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3.22  Family: Berberidaceae 3.22.1  Mahonia shenii Chinese Name(s): shen shi shi da gong lao, huang xi, huang lian mu. Source: This medicine is made of the roots, and stems of Mahonia shenii (Mahonia shenii Chun). Morphology: The plants are shrubs, 0.6–2 m high. The leaves are ovate-elliptic, 23–40 cm long, 13–22 cm wide, with 1–6 pairs of leaflets, dark green, and 3 basal veins, which are flat or slightly raised, pale yellow-green on the back. The leaflets are sessile, basal pair being scarcely smaller than others, narrow to broadly elliptic or obovate, 6–13 cm long, 1–5 cm wide, base being cuneate or broadly so, margins

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being thickened, entire or with 1–3 inconspicuous teeth near apexes, which are acute or acuminate. The terminal leaflets are long, round, elliptic to obovate, 10–15 cm long and 3–6 cm wide, margins being entire or with 1 or 2 inconspicuous teeth near apex, petiolules being 1.5–6.5  cm long. The inflorescences are 6–10-­fascicled racemes, about 10 cm long. The bracts are ovate, about 1 mm long and 0.8 mm wide. The flowers are yellow. The outer sepals are ovate, about 2 mm long, 1–1.6 mm wide. The middle sepals are oval-elliptic to elliptic, about 4 mm long, 2–3  mm wide. The inner sepals are obovate-elliptic, 4–4.6  mm long and 2.2–3  mm wide. The petals are obovate-oblong, about 3.6  mm long, 1.6–2  mm wide, with indistinct glands at base, margins being round and entire. The stamens are 2.5 mm long. The anther connectives do not prolong and are truncate. The ovaries are 1.8–2 mm long. The styles are about 0.3 mm long. There are 2 ovules. The berries are globular or subglobular, 6–7 mm in diameter, blue, white. The flowering period is from April to September and fruiting is from October to December. Habitat: It grows in the valleys at an altitude of 500–1200 m. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Sichuan, etc. Acquisition and Processing: The roots and stems are harvested in autumn and winter and then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cold in property. Functions: Clearing away the fire in heart and stomach, detoxification, antibacterial, and anti-inflammation, it is often used for treatment of jaundice hepatitis, dysentery, conjunctivitis, gunshot wounds, burns, and scalds. It can be used as a substitute for Coptis chinensis. Use and Dosage: 10–12 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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3.23  Family: Berberidaceae 3.23.1  Nandina domestica Chinese Name(s): nan tian zhu zi, bai tian zhu, tian zhu zi, tu huang lian. Source: This medicine is made of the dried ripe fruit of Nandina domestica (Nandina domestica Thunb.). Morphology: The plants are evergreen shrubs. The stems are usually clustered and sparsely branched, 1–3 m tall, smooth and hairless. The branchlets are reddish when young and gray when old. The leaves are alternate, clustered in the upper part of the stem, tripinnate and compound, 30–50 cm long. The 2-pinnae and the 3-­pinnae are opposite. The leaflets are thin leathery, elliptic or elliptic lanceolate, 2–10 cm long, 0.5–2 cm wide, apically acuminate, base being cuneate, with entire margins,

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dark green, red in winter, dorsal veins raised, both sides being glabrous, subsessile. The panicles are erect, 20–35  cm long. The flowers are small, white, aromatic, 6–7 mm in diameter. The sepals are multiple, outer-whorl sepals being oval-triangular, 1–2 mm long, the inner sepals gradually turn larger in each whorl. The innerwhorl sepals are oval-oblong, 2–4 mm long. The petals are oblong, about 4.2 mm long, about 2.5 mm wide, apically obtuse. There are 6 stamens, which are about 3.5 mm long. The filaments are short. The anthers are longitudinal cleft, anther connectives being extended. The ovaries are 1–3-chambered, with 1–3 ovules. The fruit petioles are 4–8 mm long. The berries are spherical, 5–8 mm in diameter, bright red and light orange-red when ripe. The seeds are oblate. The flowering period is from March to June and fruiting is from May to November. Habitat: It grows in limestone mountains and are cultivated in many gardens all over the country. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Sichuan, etc. Acquisition and Processing: The fruits are harvested in autumn and winter when ripe, removed impurities and dried in sun. Medicinal Properties: The products are spherical, about 7 mm in diameter. Its surface is brown-red or dark purple, slightly glossy, but after long storage, the color becomes darker and loses luster. Style residues are found at the top and fruiting stalks were found at the base. It is light in quality. The cortex is crisp and fragile. There are 2 seeds which are subhemispherical, pale brown. The products with uniform granules, plumpness, heavier weight, and less fruit petioles are of better quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sour, sweet, and bitter in taste, neutral in property, a little poisonous, belonging to the meridian of lung. Functions: Relieving cough and asthma, it is often used for treatment of cough, asthma, and pertussis. Use and Dosage: 3–6 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Use cautiously when coughing due to exogenous wind and cold.

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References 1. Pharmacopoeia of the Peoples Republic of China (Part 1: 36). The Medicine Science and Technology Press of China, 2015. 2. Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China (Part 1: 68). The Medicine Science and Technology Press of China, 2015. 3. Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China (Part 1: 234). The Medicine Science and Technology Press of China, 2015.

Chapter 4

Medicinal Angiosperms of Lardizabalaceae, Sargentodoxaceae, Menispermaceae, Aristolochiaceae, and Nepenthaceae Huagu Ye, Chuyuan Li, Wencai Ye, Feiyan Zeng, Fangfang Liu, Faguo Wang, Yushi Ye, Lin Fu, and Jianrong Li

Contents 4.1

Family: Lardizabalaceae 4.1.1  Akebia quinata, Akebia trifoliata, Akebia trifoliata subsp. australis 4.2 Family: Lardizabalaceae 4.2.1  Stauntonia chinensis 4.3 Family: Sargentodoxaceae 4.3.1  Sargentodoxa cuneata 4.4 Family: Menispermaceae 4.4.1  Cocculus laurifolius 4.5 Family: Menispermaceae 4.5.1  Cocculus orbiculatus 4.6 Family: Menispermaceae 4.6.1  Cyclea racemosa 4.7 Family: Menispermaceae 4.7.1  Diploclisia affinis 4.8 Family: Menispermaceae 4.8.1  Fibraurea recisa 4.9 Family: Menispermaceae 4.9.1  Hypserpa nitida 4.10 Family: Menispermaceae 4.10.1  Sinomenium acutum

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H. Ye (*) · F. Zeng · F. Wang · Y. Ye · L. Fu · J. Li South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China e-mail: [email protected] C. Li Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited, Guangzhou, China W. Ye Jinan University, Guangzhou, China F. Liu Huizhou Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Huizhou, China © Chemical Industry Press 2021 H. Ye et al. (eds.), Common Chinese Materia Medica, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-2066-9_4

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186 4.11 Family: Menispermaceae 4.11.1  Stephania cepharantha 4.12 Family: Menispermaceae 4.12.1  Stephania dielsiana 4.13 Family: Menispermaceae 4.13.1  Stephania japonica 4.14 Family: Menispermaceae 4.14.1  Stephania longa 4.15 Family: Menispermaceae 4.15.1  Stephania tetrandra 4.16 Family: Menispermaceae 4.16.1  Tinospora sagittata 4.17 Family: Menispermaceae 4.17.1  Tinospora sinensis 4.18 Family: Aristolochiaceae 4.18.1  Asarum caudigerum 4.19 Family: Aristolochiaceae 4.19.1  Asarum forbesii 4.20 Family: Aristolochiaceae 4.20.1  Asarum geophilum 4.21 Family: Aristolochiaceae 4.21.1  Asarum heterotropoides var. manshuricum 4.22 Family: Nepenthaceae 4.22.1  Nepenthes mirabilis

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This chapter introduces 25 species of medicinal plants in 5 families, mainly including Akebia quinata, Akebia trifoliata, Akebia trifoliata, Stauntonia chinensis of Lardizabalaceae, Sargentodoxa cuneata of Sargentodoxaceae, Cocculus laurifolius, Fibraurea recisa, Sinomenium acutum of Menispermaceae, Asarum caudigerum, Asarum heterotropoides var. manshuricum of Aristolochiaceae, Nepenthes mirabilis of Nepenthaceae. This chapter introduces the scientific names, herbal medicine names, morphology, habitats, distributions, acquisition and processing methods, medicinal properties, tastes, functions, use and dosages of these medicinal plants, with clear original photos of each plant and part photos of herbal medicines.

4.1  Family: Lardizabalaceae 4.1.1  A  kebia quinata, Akebia trifoliata, Akebia trifoliata subsp. australis Chinese Name(s): yu zhi zi, mu tong, ba yue zha, ye mu gua, ba yue gua. Source: This medicine is made of the stems of Akebia quinata (Akebia quinata (Houtt.) Decne.), Akebia trifoliata (Akebia trifoliata (Thunb.) Koidz.), and Akebia trifoliata subsp. australis (Akebia trifoliata (Thunb.) Koidz. subsp. australis (Diels) T. Shimizu).

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Morphology: (A) Akebia quinata: The plants are deciduous or semi-evergreen twisted vines, 3 m in length. Its stems are gray and angular. The leaves are palmately compound, often 3–5 leaves clustering on short branches, alternating on long branches. The petioles are slender, leathery, oval, 3–6 cm long, apically round, base being cuneate or round, entire, glabrous on both sides. The flowering period is in spring. The racemes are axillary, about 10 cm long. The flowers are monoecious. Pistillate flowers: there are 1–2 female flowers at the lower part of inflorescence, bracts being linear, with 3 perianths, purple, oval, with 6 staminodes and 6 columnar pistils. Staminate flowers: the male flowers locate on upper inflorescence, which are smaller than the female flowers, with 3 perianths, 6 stamens, and 3–4 pistillodes. The follicles are berry-like, round at both ends, 8 cm long or over, 3 cm wide in diameter. The seeds are mostly black. The flowering period is from April to May and fruiting is from June to August. Habitat: It grows in forests near valleys and streams. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hong Kong, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, Fujian, Henan, as well as in Japan. Morphology: (B) Akebia trifoliata: The plants are deciduous woody vine, as long as 10 m. The stems and branches are glabrous, grayish brown. The leaves are triternate. The lobules are oval, long and wide, obtuse or cuspidate at apex, rounded at base, sometimes slightly cordate. The margins are shallow lobed or sinuate. The petioles are slender, 6–8 cm long, 3–7 cm long, 2–4 cm wide, slightly glossy on above, pink-gray on below. The flowers are purple-red, dioecious. The flowering period is from April to May and fruiting is from July to August. Habitat: It grows in open forests or thickets of valleys at altitudes of 300–1500 m. Distribution: It is commonly distributed in provinces on the basin of Yangtze river, southwest to Yunnan, northwest to Henan, Shanxi, Shaanxi, etc. Morphology: (C) Akebia trifoliata subsp. australis: The plants are deciduous or semi-evergreen twisted vines, 6–10 m long, glabrous throughout. The leaves are palmate-compound, with 3 lobules, which are ovate or ovate-oblong, 3–7  cm long, 2–4 cm wide, apically round, centrally concave, round or subcordate to broad cordate at base. The margins are entire or sinuate. Both sides of the leaf are light green. The flowers are monoecious. The racemes are axillary, about 15 cm long. The pedicels are slender. The flowers are purple reddish or lilac. 1–3 female flowers grow in the lower part of inflorescence, bracts being linear, with 3 perianth, which are oval, round at apex, 6 staminodes, and 3–6 pistils, whose stigmas are capitate. The male flowers are with smaller bracts, 3 perianth, obovate, apically slightly concave, 6 stamens, triangular filaments, and 3 or 4 pistils. The follicles are berry-like, oval or long cylindrical, 8–13 cm long and 4 cm wide, purple at maturity. The seeds are oblong, dark red. The flowering period is from March to May and fruiting is from June to October. Habitat: It grows in forests near valleys and streams. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hunan, Hubei, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, etc. Acquisition and Processing: The fruits are harvested in summer and autumn when turning yellow, dried in the sun directly, or dried after scalding in boiling water. Medicinal Properties: The medicinal material of akebia quinate, kebia trifoliata and akebia trifoliata subsp. australis are stems. The difference among them is small; therefore, they are difficult to distinguish. This product is long cylindrical, often

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slightly twisted, 30–70 cm long, 0.5–2 cm in diameter. The surface is grayish brown to dark brown. The skin is rough and has many irregular cracks or longitudinal grooves with protuberant holes. The nodules are enlarged or obscure, with lateral branches marks. It is light in quality, solid, not easy to break, irregular in cross-section. The skins are thick, yellow-brown, and yellowish granular dotted. The xylem is yellow-white, radially arranged. The medulla is small or sometimes hollow, yellowwhite or yellow-­brown. It is slightly odored, slightly bitter, and astringent in taste. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cold in property, belonging to the meridians of liver, gallbladder, stomach, bladder, large intestine, and small intestine. Functions: Soothing liver-and regulating Qi, activating blood and relieving pain, diuresis, dissolving lumps, it is often used for treatment of stomachache, hernia, orchitis, lumbago, spermatorrhea, irregular menstruation, leucorrhea, uterine prolapse, abdominal pain, dysmenorrhea, dysuria. Use and Dosage: 3–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Annotations: The fruits of akebia quinate are equal in medical efficacy to stems.

Akebia quinata

Akebia quinata

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Akebia quinata

Akebia quinata

Akebia trifoliata

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Akebia trifoliata subsp. australis

Akebia trifoliata subsp. australis

4.2  Family: Lardizabalaceae 4.2.1  Stauntonia chinensis Chinese Name(s): qi ye lian, ye mu gua, mu tong qi ye lian. Source: This medicine is made of the roots, stems, and leaves of Stauntonia chinensis (Stauntonia chinensis DC.). Morphology: The plants are woody vines, glabrous throughout. The stems are cylindrical, grayish brown. The leaves are palmately 5 to 7-foliolate. The petioles are 5–10 cm in length. The leaflets are leathery, oblong or oblong lanceolate, 8–12 cm long, 2–4 cm wide, apically long acuminate, base being round or cuneate, green on upper, slightly glossy, yellow-green or light green at back. The midrib is concave on above, and raised on below. The lateral veins are 9–11 in pairs. The petioles are 1.5–3 cm long. The flowers are unisexual, dioecious, usually arranged in umbrella-shaped racemes. The pedicels

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are slender, 2–3 cm long. Staminate flowers: there are 6 sepals, which are yellow or milky white, outer 3 sepals being lanceolate, about 18 mm long, apically acuminate, inner 3 sepals being lanceolate, slightly short. There are 6 petals, which are with nectaries. There are 6 stamens. The filaments syncretize to tubular. The apical appendages of connectives are hornlike. 2 mm long, as long as the anther. Pistillate flowers: the sepals are similar to male flowers, but slightly larger. There are 3 carpels, which are clavate, and 6 staminodes, which are minute. The fruits are oblong, 7–10 cm long, 3–5 cm in diameter, orange when ripe. The flowering period is from March to April. The fruiting is from July to October. Habitat: It grows in mountain forests. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Zhejiang, Hunan, etc. Acquisition and Processing: The roots, stems, and leaves are harvested in summer and autumn and dried for storage. Medicinal Properties: The product is cylindrical, 3–5 cm long and 0.2–3 cm in diameter. The thick stems are grayish yellow or grayish brown on surfaces, with coarse longitudinal lines, and the outer barks often fall off in blocks. The thin stems are dark brown, lustrous, with obvious longitudinal lines, marks of twigs and leaves. The cortex on the sections is narrow, dark brown. The xylem is broad, light brownish yellow, with dense radial texture and rows of small holes, and the medulla is obvious. It is hard or slightly tough in texture. The leaves are palmatecompound and alternate, and the leaflets are oblong, leathery, 5–10 cm long and 2–4  cm wide, apically acuminate, basally subrounded, entire, with conspicuous reticulate veins. The petioles are about 15  mm long. It is slightly odored and slightly bitter in taste. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet in taste, warm in property. Functions: Dispersing blood stasis and relieving pain, diuresis and detumescence, it is often used for treatment of bruise and injury, rheumatoid arthritis, various neuropathic pain, edema, dysuria, irregular menstruation. Use and Dosage: 9–15  g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Pregnant women should not take it. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Pain after surgery: (A) Stauntonia chinensis. (whole plant) 3–9 g, decocted in water for oral use. (B) Tablets of Akebia quinata and Stauntonia chinensis, take 3 times daily, 3–4 tablets per dose. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Rheumatoid arthritis: Stauntonia chinensis, Polygonum cuspidatum, Houttuynia cordata, Verbena, decocted in water for oral use, or mashed fresh products for external application on the affected areas. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Sciatic neuralgia, rheumatic arthralgia: roots of Stauntonia chinensis, Sargentg loryvine, Cortex acanthopanacis, Japanese oak root, Fujian Elaeagnus root, 15–25 g each, decocted in water for oral dose. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: injuries: fresh Stauntonia chinensis roots, added with appropriate amount of distiller’s grains, mashed, wrapped in banana leaves, heated and applied to the affected areas.

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5. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Scald: fresh Stauntonia chinensis leaf, Houttuynia cordata in appropriate amount, added with a little salt, mashed and applied to the affected areas. 6. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: axillary carbuncle: velamen of Stauntonia chinensis 30 g, brown sugar 60 g, liquor 250 ml, bottling, placed in warm soup for 1 h. Get the extract, and take 90 ml before meals. The dosage can be increased or decreased as appropriate. It is necessary not to take sour, spicy, mustard foods. 7. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Testicular swelling: stauntonia chinensis cooked with pig waist to eat. 8. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Gastroduodenal ulcer: Stauntonia chinensis 54 g, Litsea cubeba leaves 30 g, Cyperus rotundus 6 g, mixed and ground into powder. Take 3 g per dose.

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4.3  Family: Sargentodoxaceae 4.3.1  Sargentodoxa cuneata Chinese name(s): da xue teng, xue tong, bin lang zuan, da xue teng. Source: This medicine is made of the stems of Sargentodoxa cuneata (Sargentodoxa cuneata (Oliv.) Rehd. et Wils.). Morphology: The plants are deciduous woody vines, up to 13 m long, 9 cm in diameter. The branches are dark red and with longitudinal fissures when old. The leaves are trifoliate, or unifoliate. The petioles are 3–12 cm long. The leaflets are leathery, nearly ridged obovate at apex, 4–12.5 cm long, 3–9 cm wide, apically acute, attenuated into 6–15 mm short petioles, with entire margins. The lateral leaflets are obliquely ovate, apically acute, basally narrowly cuneate at inner surface and truncate to oblique ovate at outer surface. The leaves are green on surface, light green on the back, often became red-brown when dry, slightly larger than apical leaflets, sessile. The racemes are 6–12 cm long. The male flowers and female flowers are in the same inflorescence or not. The male flowers are on the base if in the same inflorescence with female flowers. The pedicels are slender, 2–5 cm long. There is 1 bract, which is long oval, membranous, about 3 mm long, apically acuminate. There are 6 sepals, which are petaloid, oblong, 0.5–1 cm long, 0.2–0.4 cm wide, obtuse at apex. There are 6 petals, which are small, round, about 1 mm long, with nectaries. The stamens are 3–4 mm long. The filaments are only half of anther length or shorter. The apex of the septum is slightly prominent. The staminodes are about 2 mm long. The pistils are mostly spiral on ovoid receptacles. The ovaries are ampuliform, about 2 mm long. The styles are linear. The stigmas are oblique. Each berry is subspherical, about 1 cm in diameter, black-blue at maturity and 0.6–1.2 cm in petiole length. The seeds are ovoid. The flowering period is from April to May and fruiting is from June to September. Habitat: It grows in the forest beside the valley and stream. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, and other provinces and regions, as well as in Laos, Vietnam. Medicinal Properties: The product is cylindrical, 30–60 cm long and 1–3 cm in diameter, grayish brown and rough on surfaces. The outer barks often flaked off, making the dark reddish brown inside visible, and sometimes the enlarged nodes and slightly sunken marks of branch or leaf too. It is hard in quality. The cortex of cross-section is reddish brown, which embedded into the xylem somewhere. The xylem is yellow and white, with many small pitted vessels and radial rays. It is slightly odored and slightly astringent in taste. Acquisition and Processing: The vines are harvested, removed the lateral branches, sliced into segments, and dried in the sun or shade. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is slight bitter and pungent taste, neutral in property. Functions: Clearing pathogenic wind and dampness, activating blood circulation, inducing menstruation, expelling parasite, it is often used for treatment of

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appendicitis, amenorrhea, abdominal pain due to amenorrhea, rheumatism, numbness and constriction of limbs, hookworm disease, and ascariasis. Use and Dosage: 9–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: acute simple appendicitis: Sargentodoxa cuneate 60 g, dandelion 30 g, rhubarb 9–18 g, Magnolia officinalis, 9 g, decocted in water for oral dose. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: rheumatoid arthritis: Sargentodoxa 30  g, Clematis root leaves, Clematis chinensis leaves and stems each 15 g, decocted in water for oral dose. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Amenorrhea: fresh Sargentodoxa cuneate 60 g, Leonurus 30 g, decocted in water for oral dose.

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4.4  Family: Menispermaceae 4.4.1  Cocculus laurifolius Chinese name(s): zhang ye mu fang ji, heng zhou wu yao. Source: This medicine is made of the roots of Cocculus laurifolius (Cocculus laurifolius DC.). Morphology: The plants are erect shrubs or small trees, rarely climbing, usually 1–5(−8) m tall. The branches are angular. The shoots are slightly angular, and glabrous. The leaves are thin leathery, elliptic, oval or long elliptic to lanceolate, rarely oblanceolate, 4–15  cm long, 1.5–5  cm wide, apex being acuminate, base being cuneate or acute, glabrous on both sides, palmately 3 veined, with basal pair of veins reaching beyond middle of leaf blade. The reticulate veins slightly raise on both sides. The petiole lengths are less than 1 cm. The inflorescences are axillary, cyme or thyrsoid, 1–5 cm long, subglabrous. Staminate flowers: There are 6 sepals, the outer whorl being subelliptic, 0.8–1 mm, inner whorl being ovate-elliptic to broadly elliptic-rotund. There are 6 petals, which are deeply 2-lobed obcordate, not reflexed inward at base, very small, about 0.2–0.4 mm long. There are 6 stamens, which are 1 mm long. Pistillate flowers: The sepals and petals are similar to male flowers, with 6 staminodes, which are minute, and 3 carpels, which are glabrous. The drupes are subspherical, rotund, 6–7 mm long. The endocarps are bony, abaxially ornamented with branched ridges on the back. The flowering period is in spring and summer. The fruiting is in autumn. Habitat: It grows in mountain, valley forest. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Hubei, Guizhou, Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan as well as in South to southeast Asia. Acquisition and Processing: The roots are harvested in autumn and winter, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, slight cold in property. Functions: Disperse stasis and detumescence, dispelling pathogenic wind and killing pain, it is often used for treatment of abdominal pain, rheumatism, lumbago and arthralgia, injuries, and edema. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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4.5  Family: Menispermaceae 4.5.1  Cocculus orbiculatus Chinese Name(s): mu fang ji, zi shan fan shu. Source: This medicine is made of the roots of Cocculus orbiculatus (Cocculus orbiculatus (Linn.) DC.). Morphology: The plants are woody vines. The leaves are papery to nearly leathery, highly variable in shape, linear lanceolate to broadly ovate, narrowly elliptical to nearly circular, oblanceolate to obcordate, occasionally oval-cordate, apex being acute or obtuse with a finely mucronate acumen, sometimes slightly emarginate or 2-lobed, palmately 3(or 5)-veined, 3–8  cm long, varied in width. Both sides are densely pubescent to tomentose, sometimes subglabrous except for the lower midrib. It is palmately 3(or 5)-veined, abaxially slightly convex. The petioles are 1–3 cm long, densely white pubescent. The inflorescences are axillary, cymose, few flowered, or many flowers arranged in a narrow terminal or axillary thyrse, up to 10 cm long, puberulent. Staminate flowers: there are 2 or 1 bracteoles, which are about 0.5 mm long, closely adnate to sepals, puberulent, and 6 sepals, which are ovate or elliptic-ovate at outer whorl, 1–1.8  mm long, broadly elliptic to rotund at inner whorl, sometimes broadly obovate, up to 2.5 mm long or slightly longer. There are 6 petals, which are 1–2 mm long. The lower margin above base fold inward around opposite filament, apex divided into 2 acuminate or acute lobes. There are 6 stamens, which are shorter than petals. Pistillate flowers: The sepals and petals are the same as male flowers. There are 6 staminodes, which are tiny, and 6 carpels, which are glabrous. The drupes are subspherical, red to purple-red, usually 7–8  mm in diameter. The endocarps are bony, about 5–6 mm in diameter, abaxially ornamented with branched ridges. Habitat: It grows on mountains, valleys, roadside forests or thickets. Distribution: It is widely distributed throughout the country except for the northwest and Tibet. It is also found in East and southeast Asia and Hawaii. Acquisition and Processing: The roots are harvested in autumn and winter and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and pungent in taste, cold in property. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and killing pain, inducing diuresis to reduce edema, detoxication and reducing blood pressure, it is often used for treatment of rheumatic arthralgia, intercostal neuralgia, acute nephritis, urinary tract infection, hypertension, rheumatism of heart, edema, and venomous snake bites for external treatment. Use and Dosage: 6–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Example(s): Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Edema: Cocculus orbiculatus, Astragalus membranaceus, Poria cocos 9 g, Cinnamon twig 6 g, licorice 3 g, decocted in water for oral dose.

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4.6  Family: Menispermaceae 4.6.1  Cyclea racemosa Chinese Name(s): lun huan teng, shan dou gen, bai jie teng, da she shen, qing mu xiang, xiao qing teng, zuan gu feng, bai mu xiang. Source: This medicine is made of the roots of Cyclea racemosa (Cyclea racemosa Oliver). Morphology: The plants are lianas. The leaves are peltate or subpeltate, papery, oval triangular or triangular, 4–9 cm long, 3.5–8 cm wide, apex being mucronate to caudate acuminate, base being subtruncate to cordate, entire at margins, adaxially sparsely puberulent or subglabrous, abaxially usually densely puberulent, palmately 9 to 11-veined. The lower 4–5 leaves are fine, prominent abaxially together with fine reticulation. The petioles are slender, equal in length with leaf blades or shorter, pubescent. The inflorescences are narrowly thyrsoid, densely flowered, 3–10 cm or longer. The rachises are slender, densely puberulent, branched part being less than 1 cm, obliquely ascending. The bracts are ovate-lanceolate, about 2 mm long, apically caudate acuminate, dorsally pubescent. The male flowers: calyxes are mitriform, 4-lobed almost to base, 2 lobes being broadly ovate, 2.5 mm long, 2–2.5 mm wide, the other 2 lobes being suboblong 1.8–2 mm wide. The corollas are discoid or shallow cupular, entire or 2–6 parted to the base. The synantherous stamens are about 1.5  mm long, with 4 anthers. The female flowers: there are 2 or 1 sepals, which are saccate at base, contracted in the middle, apically slightly expanded and inflexed, 1.8–2.2 mm long. There are 2 or 1 petals, which are small, often rotund, about 0.6 mm in diameter. The ovaries are densely bristled, with 3-lobed stigmas. The drupes are oblate, sparsely setose. The drupes are about 3.5–4 mm. The flowering period is from April to May. The fruiting is from August. Habitat: It grows in forests or thickets. Distribution: It is widely distributed in Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan, etc. Acquisition and Processing: The roots are excavated in autumn and winter, sliced, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cold in property. Functions: Clearing heat and dampness, regulating Qi and relieving pain, it is often used for treatment of stomach pain, acute gastroenteritis, dyspepsia, abdominal pain due to heatstroke. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use, or dry powder 1.5–3 g taken with water.

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4.7  Family: Menispermaceae 4.7.1  Diploclisia affinis Chinese Name(s): cheng gou feng, chuan qiang feng, jiu ceng pi, tu fang ji. Source: This medicine is made of the dried roots, rhizomes and old stems of Diploclisia affinis (Diploclisia affinis (Oliv.) Diels). Morphology: The plants are woody vines, usually 3–4 m long, sometimes longer, glabrous. The branches are yellow-green, striate. There are 2 axillary buds, with upper bud inserted above lower. The leaves are alternate, with long petioles. The leaf blades are herbaceous, triangular-oblate or rhombic-oblate, 3–8 cm long, 9 cm wide, apically acute, dorsally round, truncated to cordate, entire or inconspicuously undulate at margins. It is palmately 5-veined, with reticulation prominent on both

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surfaces. The inflorescences insert superaxillary and solitary on leafy shoots, umbel-­ like cymes, total pedicel length being 2–4 cm, 3-to many flowered. The flowers are unisexual, dioecious. Staminate flowers: there are 6 sepals, which are elliptic to broadly elliptic, 2–3 mm long, with 6 petals, which are subrhombic, 1.5–2 mm long, with sides folded inward at base around filaments. The stamens are 6, 2–2.5 mm long. Pistillate flowers: The perianths are similar to male flowers, with 6 staminodes and 3 carpels. The drupes are obovate, 8–10 mm long. The endocarps are abaxially ornamented with branched ridges. The flowering period is from April to May and fruiting is from July to September. Habitat: It grows in forest margins or thickets. Distribution: It is widely distributed in Hubei, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, Fujian, and Zhejiang. Acquisition and Processing: It is excavated in autumn and winter, got rid of the shoots and branches, and then dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and pungent in taste, cold in property. Functions: Inducing diuresis and alleviating edema, dispelling pathogenic wind and dampness, regulating Qi and relieving pain, it is often used for treatment of rheumatism, arthralgia, injury, urination, and snake bite. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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4.8  Family: Menispermaceae 4.8.1  Fibraurea recisa Chinese Name(s): huang teng, huang teng gen, huang lian teng, teng huang lian. Source: This medicine is made of the roots of Fibraurea recisa (Fibraurea recisa Pierre). Morphology: The plants are woody vines, 6 m in height, glabrous throughout. The roots are stout, tortuous, bright yellow. The branchlets are cylindrical, longitudinal. The leaves are leathery, ovate to broadly ovate, 9–20 cm long, 4–12 cm wide, apex being short-pointed or sharp, obtuse headed, base being subcircular, rarely subcordate. The veins are thickly triplinerved, lateral pairs often extended to the middle of leaves. The petioles are 5–12 cm long, enlarged at both ends, with knee flexion at base. The flowers are small, unisexual, dioecious. The inflorescences are paniculate, arising from leafless old stems. The perianth are variable, outermost whorl being minute, ca. 0.3–0.5 mm, inner whorl being bigger, 2.5 mm long and 1.5–1.8 mm wide. There are usually 3 stamens. The filaments are thick. The anthers are 2 chambered. The anthers are obliquely attached to broad connectives. The fruit inflorescences are broad, peduncle being strong, apex being enlarged. The drupes are long oval or suboblong, 2.5–3 cm long, black at maturity. The endocarps raise dorsally, being flat ventrally, with a longitudinal groove. The flowering period is in spring and summer, and the fruiting is in autumn. Habitat: It grows in the forests of valleys. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hainan, Yunnan, Guangxi, etc., as well as in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia. Acquisition and Processing: It can be harvested all year round; the roots are excavated, removed off the stems and fibrous roots, washed, sliced, and then dried. Medicinal Properties: This product is cylindrical, often bent or twisted, with different sizes and diameters ranging from 1.5 to 4  cm. The surface is brown or

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grayish yellow, with many irregular longitudinal grooves and fissures, and remarks of branches and roots. It is hard in quality, not easy to break. The cross-section is brown to dark yellow. The skin color is slightly lighter. The wood color is more distinct and has a spoke texture, often with cracks. It is slightly odored, bitter in taste, chewing makes saliva yellow. The products with uniform roots, no aboveground stems, golden yellow, wrinkled skin, chrysanthemum heart and bitter taste are better in quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cold in property, a little poisonous, belonging to the meridians of lung, spleen, stomach, large intestine, and liver. Functions: Clearing away heat and dampness, elminating fire and detoxication, diuresis, it is often used for prevention of epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis, treatment of diarrhea due to damp-heat, fever and headache, acute tonsillitis, pharyngitis, conjunctivitis, dysentery, jaundice, acute and chronic endometritis, acute pelvic inflammation, vaginitis, and external use for sores and boils, burns and scalds. Use and Dosage: 6–12 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of medicine is ground and the juice is taken and laid over the affected areas. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Upper respiratory tract inflammation: Fibraurea recisa, the tuber of stemona, each 10 g, added with 100 ml of 25% ethanol, immersed for 15 days, and then filtered. Take three times a day 5–10 ml each time. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Prevention of epidemic cerebrospinal meningitis: Fibraurea recisa 500 g, added with 2500 ml of water, decocted for half an hour, and then filtered. Take it twice a day, 1–3 spoons each time. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Bacterial dysentery: Fibraurea recisa and Stephania sinica each 15  g, licorice 3  g, decocted in water for oral, one dose per day. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Conjunctivitis and conjunctival swelling, acanthaceous indigo, celosia seeds, each 15 g and horsetail, cassia seed each 9 g, decocted in water for oral use. Take one dose daily. 5. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Skin ulcer infection: Fibraurea recisa 10, 10 g Mangosteen bark powder 10 g, added with 90 g of vaseline, made into ointment for application. 6. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Trichomonal vaginitis: Fibraurea recisa 30–60 g, Radix stemonae 30–90 g, decocted. Wash or rinse the vagina with the decoctum, once a day.

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4.9  Family: Menispermaceae 4.9.1  Hypserpa nitida Chinese Name(s): ye hua teng, xi hong teng. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Hypserpa nitida (Hypserpa nitida Miers ex Benth.). Morphology: The plants are woody vines. The branchlets are sparsely to densely pubescent with yellowish hairs when young, glabrescent. The leaf blades are papery to leathery, ovate, ovate-elliptic to oblong-elliptic, rarely elliptic or broadly elliptic, 4–10 cm long and 1.5–5 cm wide, apically acuminate, mucronate, or slightly obtuse with a finely mucronate acumen, usually glabrous on both sides, sparsely pubescent at veins but glabrous at leaves. It is palmately 3-veined, obvious to obscure. The petioles are about 1–2 cm long, pubescent or nearly glabrous. The male inflorescences are usually only few flowered, cymose to paniculate, 1–2 cm, rarely longer and more flowered, pubescent. The male flowers: there are 7–11 sepals, which elongated from outside to inside. The outer sepals are minute and bracteole like, 0.5–0.8 mm, puberulent outside, and the innermost 4 or 5 are broadly obovate or ovate to ovate-­rotund, 1.5–2.5 mm, ciliate. There are 4–5 petals, which are subobovate, 1–1.2 mm long, and 5–10 stamens whose filaments are free above or connate only at base, 1–1.5  mm long. The female inflorescences are similar to male inflorescence, or only 1–2 flowered. The female flowers: sepals and petals are similar with that of the male flowers, but with no staminodes. There are often 2 carpels. The ovaries are hemispherical or subelliptic, 0.8–1 mm long, glabrous. The drupes are yellow or orange-red at maturity, subspherical, slightly flat, with a broadly obovate core, 5–6 mm in length. The flowering and fruiting periods are in summer. Habitat: It grows in the forests of valleys. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces of Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hong Kong, Hainan, as well as in Sri Lanka, Indo-china peninsula, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plant is harvested in summer and autumn and then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cool in property. Functions: Cooling blood and stopping bleeding, anti-inflammation and diuresis, it is often used in treatment of hemoptysis, hemoptysis, hematemesis, hematochezia, and traumatic bleeding. Use and Dosage: 6–12 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of medicine is ground into powder and applied to the affected areas.

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4.10  Family: Menispermaceae 4.10.1  Sinomenium acutum Chinese Name(s): feng long, tu teng. Source: This medicine is made of the stems of Sinomenium acutum (Sinomenium acutum (Thunb.) Rehd. et Wils.). Morphology: The plants are large woody vines, up to 20 m long. The old stems are gray, with irregular longitudinal fissures on bark. The branches are cylindrical, with regular ridges, pubescent to subglabrous. The leaves are leathery to papery, cordate to broadly ovate, 6–15 cm long or slightly longer, apex being acuminate or cuspidate, base being cordate, sometimes subtruncate or subrounded, entire at margins, angular or 5 to 9-lobed. The lobes are apically acute or obtuse-rounded. The tender leaves are pubescent, glabrescent on both sides, or only glabrous on surface, but pubescent dorsally. It is palmately 5-veined, occasionally 7, which prominently raise at the underside together with reticulate veins. The stems are 5–15 cm long, striate, glabrous or pubescent. The panicles are up to 30 cm in length, usually no more than 20 cm. The inflorescences are

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axillary, paniculate, pubescent or villous. The bracts are linear lanceolate. Staminate flowers: there are 2 bracts, which are close to calyx. The sepals are dorsal pubescent, oblong to narrow oblong at outer whorl, 2–2.5 mm long, subovate at inner whorl, nearly in equal length to the outer whorl. The petals are slightly fleshy, 0.7–1 mm long. The stamens are 1.6–2  mm long. Pistillate flowers: the staminodes are filamentous. The carpels are glabrous. The drupes are red to dark purple, 5–6 mm in diameter or slightly longer. The flowering period is in summer. The fruiting is in late autumn. Habitat: It grows in cracks in limestone and in sunny places. Distribution: It is widely distributed in central China, south China, east China, and southwest provinces, as well as in Japan. Acquisition and Processing: The stems are harvested in late autumn and early winter, tied or cut into long sections, and then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and bitter in taste, warm in property. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and dampness and dredging meridians and collaterals, it is often used in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, arthralgia, numbness of skin, and itching. Use and Dosage: 6–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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4.11  Family: Menispermaceae 4.11.1  Stephania cepharantha Chinese Name(s): jin xian diao wu gui, bai yao zi, du jiao wu jiu. Source: This medicine is made of the rhizomes of Stephania cepharantha (Stephania cepharantha Hayata). Morphology: The plants are herbaceous, deciduous, glabrous vines, 1–4 m long. The roots are tuberous or subconical, sometimes irregular, brown, with many projecting lenticels. The branchlets are purple-red, slender. The leaves are papery, triangular, oblate to subcircular, 2–6  cm long and 2.5–6.5  cm wide, with a finely mucronate apex, round or subtruncated at base, entire or subrepand at margins, palmately 7–9-veined, very slender downward. The petioles are 1.5–7 cm long, slender. The male inflorescences are often in axillary panicles, capitate, with discoid receptacle, peduncles being filamentous, 1–2  cm. The female inflorescences are similar, solitary, and axillary, peduncles being thicker, 1–2 cm. Staminate flowers: there are 6 sepals, rarely 8 (or even 4), which are spatulate or subcuneate, 1–1.5 mm long. The petals are in 3 or 4 (rare 6) pieces, suborbicular or broadly obovate, about 0.5 mm long. The synandria are shorter than sepals. Pistillate flowers: there are 1 sepal, occasionally 2–3 (−5), about 0.8 mm long or over. There are 2 (−4) petals, which are, smaller than sepals. The drupes are broadly obovate, about 6.5 mm long, red at maturity. The endocarps are abaxially ornamented with 10–12 branched ridges, and the placenta traces are often not perforated. The flowering period is from April to May and fruiting is from June to July. Habitat: It grows in valleys, villages, fields, and thickets. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces from Shaanxi to Zhejiang, Jiangsu, south of Taiwan, except for Hainan. Acquisition and Processing: The rhizomes are harvested in autumn and winter, removed the fibrous roots, rinsed, sliced, and then dried in the sun or on fire. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cold in property. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxication, cooling blood and stopping bleeding, scattering blood stasis and relieving swelling, it is often used in treatment of acute hepatitis, bacterial dysentery, acute appendicitis, stomach pain, internal bleeding, bruises, snake bites, as well as external treatment of mumps, lymphadenitis, and neurodermatitis. Use and Dosage: 6–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, the medicine is mashed or ground for application. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Stephania cepharantha, taken 3–4 times a day, 0.6 g per dose (excessive dosage might cause nausea and vomiting). 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Epidemic mumps and lymphadenitis: appropriate amount of Stephania cepharantha, ground with vinegar for medicinal juice, which was used for external application.

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3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Neurodermatitis: Stephania cepharantha is mashed and wrapped in gauze. It is made into thin slices equal to the size of the affected areas. It is applied to the affected areas before bed every day and removed the next morning.

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4.12  Family: Menispermaceae 4.12.1  Stephania dielsiana Chinese Name(s): xue san shu, du jiao wu jiu, shan wu gui, shi chan shu. Source: This medicine is made of the rhizomes of Stephania dielsiana (Stephania dielsiana Y. C. Wu). Morphology: The plants are herbaceous, deciduous vines, 2–3 m long, with red juice in its branches and leaves. The roots are tuberous, huge, exposed, brown, prominently lenticellate. The branches are slightly stout, often purplish red, glabrous. The leaves are papery, triangular-rotund, 5–15  cm long, 4.5–14  cm wide, base being slightly rounded to subtruncate, apex being with mucronate acumen. It is palmately 8–10-veined, 5–6 of the veins spreading upward and horizontal. Reticulations are slender, and purplish. The petioles are equal in length with leaf blades or slightly over. The inflorescences are compound umbelliform cymes, axillary or on short axillary branches with reduced leaves. The male inflorescences are 1–3 umbellate branched. The cymelets are with pedicels, often many inserted at end of umbellet pedicel. The male flowers: there are 6 sepals, which are obovate to oblanceolate, about 1.5 mm long, broad at inner whorl, with purple stripes, and 3 petals, which are fleshy, conchiform, about 1.2 mm long, often purplish or slightly orange. The female inflorescences are subcapitate. Cymelets are almost sessile. The female flowers: there is 1 sepal and 2 petals, which are than in male flowers. The drupes are red, obovoid, rather flat, about 7 mm in length. The endocarps are abaxially ornamented with 10–12 falcate spines, and the placenta traces are often perforated. The flowering period is in early summer. Habitat: It grows in a forest, forest margins, or beside a stream. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, and Hunan. Acquisition and Processing: The rhizomes are harvested in autumn and winter, sliced, and then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxifying, scattering blood stasis, and relieving swelling, it is often used in treatment of respiratory tract infections, pharyngitis, stomach pain, acute gastroenteritis, bacterial dysentery, malaria, rheumatic pain, traumatic pain, as well as external treatment of bruises, poisonous snake bites, sores, and carbuncles. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, the medicine is mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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4.13  Family: Menispermaceae 4.13.1  Stephania japonica Chinese Name(s): qian jin teng, shan wu gui, qing teng. Source: This medicine is made of the rhizomes of Stephania japonica (Stephania japonica (Thunb.) Miers). Morphology: The plants are vines, glabrous. The roots are not tuberous, brownish yellow. The branchlets are slender and straight. The leaves are papery or hard papery, usually triangular-rotund or broadly triangular ovate to rotund, 6–15 cm long, usually not more than 10 cm. It is more or less the same in length and width, with a finely mucronate apex, and broadly rounded base, pruinose, palmately 8 to 11-veined, raised abaxially, reticulation slightly raised, conspicuous. The petioles are 3–12 cm long, obviously peltate. The inflorescences are compound umbelliform cymes, axillary, usually with 4–8 pedicels. The umbellets are sessile, very condensed, capitate. The flowers are subsessile. Staminate flowers: there are 6 or 8 sepals, which are membranous, obovateelliptic to spatulate 1.2–1.5 m long, glabrous, and 3 or 4 petals, which are yellow, slightly fleshy, broadly obovate, 0.8–1 mm long. The synandria are 0.5–1 mm long, exserted or not. Pistillate flowers: with 3–4 sepals and petals. The shape and size are as in male or slightly smaller. The carpels are ovoid. The drupes are red, obovate to subglobose, 6–8 mm. The endocarps are 5–6 mm, abaxially ornamented with 10 or slightly more rows of transvers ridges. The placenta traces perforate or not. Habitat: It grows in stony places in a forest, forest margins, or beside a stream. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces on East China, central China, southwest China, and south China. Acquisition and Processing: The rhizomes are harvested all year round, washed, sliced, and then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and pungent in taste, cold in property. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxifying, dispelling pathogenic wind and relieving pain, inducing diuresis to reduce edema, it is often used in treatment of sore throat, sores and boils, snake bites, rheumatism arthritis, stomach pain, foot edema.

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Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, the medicine is mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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4.14  Family: Menispermaceae 4.14.1  Stephania longa Chinese Name(s): fen ji du, qian jin teng, tian ji cao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Stephania longa (Stephania longa Lour.). Morphology: The plants are herbaceous vines, 1–4  m long or slightly over, glabrous except for inflorescence. The branches are slender, striped. The leaves are papery, triangular ovate, 3–9 cm long, 2–6 cm wide, obtuse at apex, slightly cuspidate, subtruncated or slightly rounded at base, rarely concave, dark green on surface, light green at back, which are pale green sometimes. There are 10–11 palmate veins. Those downward are usually slender. The petioles are 1–4.5 cm long, often twisted at base. The inflorescences are compound umbelliform cymes, axillary. The total pedicels are 1–4 cm long. The male inflorescences are slender, hirtellous. The male flowers: there are 8 sepals, which are occasionally 6, arranging in 2 whorls, cuneate or obovate, about 1 mm long, papillary puberulent at back. There are 4 (3) petals, which are green-yellow, often subcircular, about 0.4 mm long. The stamens are about 0.6  mm long. Female flowers: there are 4 sepals and petals, sparsely 3, which are about 0.6 mm long. The ovaries are glabrous. The stigma lobes are forked. The drupes are red, 5–6 mm long. The endocarps are abaxially ornamented with 2 rows of transvers ridges, 9–10 ridges in a row. The placenta traces are perforate. The flowering period is in late spring and early summer, and fruiting is in autumn. Habitat: It grows in valleys, thickets, and wilderness. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces of Taiwan, Fujian, Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao, and Hainan.

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Acquisition and Processing: The whole plant is harvested in autumn and winter and then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and astringent in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxifying, inducing diuresis to reduce edema, it is often used in treatment of pyelonephritis, cystitis, chronic nephritis, enteritis, dysentery, snake bites as well as external treatment of hemorrhoids, suppurative otitis media. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, the medicine is mashed and applied to the affected areas or dripped in earhole. Pregnant women are improper to use it. Prescription Example(s): Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: suppurative otitis media: Stephania longa 30 g, rice wine (or 30–40% alcohol) 100 ml, immersed for 48 h, added with water, decocted for 5–10 min, and cooled. Wipe the purulent from the affected ear, tilt the head to one side (affected ear upward), and drip 3–4 drops of the liquid into the affected ear, maintain for 5–10 min, wipe the affected ear, and then drip 1–2 drops, at last, block the external auditory canal with cotton. Use once a day (patients may feel slight burning when dripping the medicinal liquid into ear canal).

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4.15  Family: Menispermaceae 4.15.1  Stephania tetrandra Chinese Name(s): fang ji, shan wu gui, chan chu shu, shi qin chu. Source: This medicine is made of the rhizomes of Stephania tetrandra (Stephania tetrandra S. Moore). Morphology: The plants are herbaceous vines, ca. 1–3 m in length. The main root is fleshy, columnar. The branchlets are straight. The leaves are papery, broadly triangular, sometimes triangular, subcircular, often 4–7 cm long, 5–8.5 cm wide or over, with a mucronate acumen at apex, emarginate or subtruncated at base, both sides being pubescent or only abaxially. It is palmately 9 to 10-veined, slender, reticulation being very dense, conspicuous, petioles being 3–7  cm long. The inflorescences are capitate, axillary, inserting racemose on long and pendulous branches. The bracts are small or very small. The male flowers: there are 4 or sometimes 5 sepals, which are often obovate-elliptic, ca. 0.8 mm including claw, pubescent. There are 5 petals, which are fleshy, 0.6 mm long. The margins are involute. The synantherous stamens are about 0.8 mm long. The female flowers: sepals and petals are similar to male flowers. The drupes are red, subglobose when mature. The drupes are about 5.5 mm in diameter. The endocarps are ca. 5.5 mm in diam, bearing 4 rows of ornamentations abaxially. The flowering period is in summer. The fruiting is in autumn. Habitat: It grows in the valley sparse forest, the thicket, and the wilderness. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces of Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Taiwan, Hunan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hong Kong, Jiangxi, Hainan, etc. Acquisition and Processing: The rhizomes are harvested in autumn and winter, sliced, and then dried. Medicinal Properties: This product is irregular cylindrical, semi-cylindrical or block, usually bending, 5–10 cm long, 1–5 cm in diameter. The surface is pale grayish yellow, with transverse grooves and nodular tumors in the bend. It is heavy weighted, solid, flat on cross-section, grayish-white, powdery, with sparsely arranged radial texture. It is slightly odored, bitter in taste. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and pungent in taste, cold in property, a little toxic, belonging to the meridians of bladder and lung. Functions: Inducing diuresis to reduce edema, dispelling pathogenic wind and dampness, invigorating Qi and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of edema, dysuria, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, as well as external use for venomous snake bite, sores, and carbuncles. Use and Dosage: 4.5–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, the medicine is mashed and applied to the affected areas. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Four edema of limbs: Stephania tetrandra, Astragalus membranaceus, Bighead atractylodes rhizome, each 9 g, roasted licorice 3 g, decocted in water for oral use. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Various kinds of neuralgia: Stephania tetrandra, 2–3 g, diphenhydramine 25 mg as one dose. Take the medicines 2–3 times a day.

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4.16  Family: Menispermaceae 4.16.1  Tinospora sagittata Chinese Name(s): qing niu dan, jin guo lan. Source: This medicine is made of the rhizomes and leaves of Tinospora sagittata (Tinospora sagittata (Oliv.) Gagnep.). Morphology: The plants are herbaceous vines with conspicuous aerial roots, yellow. The leaves are papery to thin leathery, sagittate or sometimes hastate, sparsely ovate or elliptic sagittated, 7–15 cm long, sometimes up to 20 cm, 2.4–5 cm wide, apex being acuminate, sometimes caudate, base often deeply curved, posterior lobes being round, obtuse or mucronate. It is palmately 5 veined, convex on below together with the reticular veins. The petioles are 2.5–5  cm long, striped, pubescent or subglabrous. The inflorescences are axillary or on old leafless stems, solitary or fascicled, racemose, cymose, or paniculate, 2–10 cm long, sometimes up to 15 cm long, with filamentous pedicels, branches and pedicels. There are 2 bracts, which closely attached to calyx, and 6 sepals, or sometimes more, which often vary in size. The outermost is small, oval or lanceolate, only 1–2 mm long, larger than the inner ones, broadly ovate to obovate. There are 6 petals, which are fleshy, often unguiculate, subrounded or broadly obovate, sparsely rhombic, often with lateral edges involuted, 1.4–2 mm long. There are 6 stamens, which are nearly equal to or slightly longer than petals. Pistillate flowers: the sepals are similar to male flowers. The petals are cuneate, about 0.4 mm long. There are 3 carpels, which are subglabrous. The drupes are red, subglobular. The endocarps are subhemispherical, 6–8 mm wide. The flowering period is in April. The fruiting in autumn. Habitat: It grows in valleys, roadsides, and open forests. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, etc. Medicinal Properties: The product is an irregular block, 5–10  cm long and 3–6 cm in diameter, brownish yellow or light brown on surfaces, rough and uneven, with deep wrinkles. It is hard in quality, difficult to break and dissect. The cross-­ section is light yellow and white. The catheter bundles arranged radially and are deeper colored. It is slightly odored and bitter in taste. Acquisition and Processing: The rhizomes and leaves are harvested in summer and autumn and then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cold in property. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxication, relieving pain and inflammation, clearing throat, it is often used in treatment of acute pharyngitis, tonsillitis, stomatitis, acute gastroenteritis, stomach pain, bacterial dysentery, sores, lymph node tuberculosis, as well as external use of poisonous snake bites. Use and Dosage: 3–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, the medicine is ground for juice to lay over the affected areas.

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Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Acute and chronic pharyngitis, tonsillitis, stomatitis: tinospora sagittata root powder 1  g, brewed in water. Take it three times a day. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Bacterial dysentery, dyspepsia in children: Tinospora sagittata root powder 6–15 g, decocted in water and finished 2 times; or grind the medicine into powder, take it twice a day, 1.5–3 g per dose. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Stomach pain, abdominal spasmodic pain: Tinospora sagittata root powder 9 g, brewed in water. Take the liquid 3 times a day.

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4.17  Family: Menispermaceae 4.17.1  Tinospora sinensis Chinese Name(s): kuan jin teng, zhong hua qing niu dan, shu jin teng. Source: This medicine is made of the stems and leaves of Tinospora sinensis (Tinospora sinensis (Lour.) Merr.). Morphology: The plants are vines, 20 m long. The branches are slightly fleshy. The shoots are green, striped, pubescent. The old branches are stout, brown, membranous, usually glabrous on surface, protruding on lenticels, usually 4-lobed, sparsely 2 or 6-lobed. The leaves are papery, broadly ovate, suborbicular, sparsely ovate, 7–14  cm long, 5–13  cm wide, apically acute, dorsally deep-cordate to shallow-­cordate, often deeply curved. The posterior lobes are usually round, entire, pubescent on both sides, especially dense on the back. It is palmately 5 veined, the outermost pair of basal veins are bifurcate, slightly convex on the back. The petioles are pubescent, 6–13 cm long. The racemes extend before the first leaves. The male inflorescences are 1–4 cm long or over, solitary or sometimes several clustered. The male flowers: there are 6 sepals, arranging in 2 whorls. The outer whorl is small, oblong or subelliptic, 1–1.5 mm long, and the inner whorl is broadly ovate, 5 mm long and 3 mm wide. There are 6 petals, which are subrhombic, about 1 mm long clawed. The petals are about 2 mm long. There are 6 stamens, filaments being about

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4 mm long. The female inflorescences are solitary. Pistillate flowers: sepals and petals are similar to male flowers, with 3 carpels. The drupes are red, subglobular. The endocarps are subhemispherical, up to 10 mm long, with ridges on the back and many small verrucous protuberances. The flowering period is in April. The fruiting is from May to June. Habitat: It grows in thin forests or fences near villages. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces of Hainan, Guangdong, Macao, Guangxi, and Yunnan, as well as in Indo-china peninsula, India, and Sri Lanka. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested all year round. The stems are cut into diagonal slices and then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cold in property, belonging to the meridians of liver. Functions: Relaxing muscles and activating collaterals, clearing pathogenic wind and dampness, it is often used in treatment of rheumatism arthralgia, sciatica, lumbar muscle strain, fall and sprain. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Example(s): 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Rheumatoid arthritis: (A) Tinospora sinensis 15–30 g, mulberry twig, Melastoma dodecandrum, pine knot, 30 g each, decocted in water. (B) Tinospora sinensis, Litsea cubeba root, Sargentg loryvine and Drynaria rhizome, each 15 g, decocted in water for oral use.

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4.18  Family: Aristolochiaceae 4.18.1  Asarum caudigerum Chinese Name(s): wei hua xi xin, yuan ye xi xin, tu xi xin Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Asarum caudigerum (Asarum caudigerum Hance). Morphology: The plants are perennial herbs, pubescent throughout. The rhizomes are stout, with short or longer internodes and multiple fibrous roots. The leaf blades are broadly ovate, triangular ovate or oval-cordate, 4–10  cm long and 3.5–10 cm wide, apex being acute to long acuminate, base being auriculate or cordate, abaxial surface being dark green, occasional with white blotches along veins, sparsely pubescent, adaxial surface being light green, sparsely reddish, densely pubescent. The petioles are 5–20 cm long, villous. The cataphylls are ovate or oval lanceolate, 8–13 cm long, 4–6 mm wide, dense pubescent at back and margins. The perianths are green, covering with purplish red punctate short hairs. The pedicels are 1–2 cm long, pubescent. The perianth lobes are erect, lower part attaching to the pseudotube, 8–10 mm in diameter, slightly constricted at throat, inner surface being pubescent and longitudinal lined. The perianth lobes are ovate-oblong on upper part, which abruptly narrowed to slender caudae, which are 10–25 mm at apex and pubescent on outer surfaces. The filaments are as long as anthers. The connectives extend beyond anthers, ligulate to awl-shaped. The ovaries are inferior, apically 6-angled. The styles are connate, apically 6-clefted. The stigmas are terminal. The fruits are subglobose, ca. 1.8 cm in diameter, with persistent perianths. The flowering period is from April to May, and lasts to November in Yunnan and Guangxi provinces. Habitat: It grows in valleys and streams in the shade under the trees. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Fujian, and Zhejiang, as well as in Vietnam. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in spring and autumn. The whole plant is used freshly or dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property. Functions: Promoting blood circulation and activating collaterals, dispelling pathogenic wind and relieving cough, clearing heat and detoxication, it is often used in treatment of measles, bruises, erysipelas, snake bites, cold, cold, cough, headache, toothache, and mouth sores. Use and Dosage: 3–6 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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4.19  Family: Aristolochiaceae 4.19.1  Asarum forbesii Chinese Name(s): du heng, tu xi xin, ma xin, ma xi xin Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Asarum forbesii (Asarum forbesii Maxim.). Morphology: The plants are perennial herbs. Its rhizomes are short. The roots are in clusters, slightly fleshy, 1–2 mm in diameter. The leaf blades are broad cordate or auriculate, 3–8 cm in length and width, blunt or round at apex, cordate at base. The lateral lobes are 1–3 cm in length and 1.5–3.5 cm in width, adaxially dark green with white blotches along veins, puberscent on veins and margins, abaxially light green. The petioles are 3–15 cm in length. The cataphylls are ovate-lanceolate or obovate, about 1 cm in both length and width, with eyelashes on edge. The flowers are dark purple. The pedicels are 1–2 cm long. The perianth tubes are campanulate or cylindrical, 1–1.5 cm long, 8–10 mm in diameter, which do not constrict at

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throat. The laryngeal orifices are 4–6 mm in diameter, and the membrane loops are extremely narrow, less than 1 mm wide. There are obvious reticular meshes at inner wall. The perianth lobes are erect, oval, 5–7 mm long, equal in width and length, glabrous, without papillary folds. The connectives extend beyond anthers. The ovaries are inferior. The styles are free, apically 6-lobed, stigma being ovate, lateral. The flowering period is from April to May. Habitat: It is generally cultivated. Distribution: It is widely cultivated in provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, etc. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested all year round. The whole plant is used freshly or dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property, a little toxic, belonging to the meridians of heart, lung, and kidney. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and cold, relieving pain, promoting blood circulation, it is often used in treatment of headache due to cold attack, toothache, asthma and cough, abdominal pain of heatstroke, dysentery, acute gastroenteritis, rheumatoid arthritis, bruises and injury, poisonous snake bites. Use and Dosage: 1.5–3 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Or the fresh herbs are mashed for external application on the affected areas.

4.20  Family: Aristolochiaceae 4.20.1  Asarum geophilum Chinese Name(s): hua ye xi xin, da kuai wa, tu xi xin Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Asarum geophilum (Asarum geophilum Hemsl.).

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Morphology: The plants are perennial herbs, which are pubescent throughout. Its rhizomes are transverse, 1–3 mm in diameter, with slender roots. The leaves are cordate, ovate-cordate or broadly ovate, 5–10  cm long, 5.5–12.5  cm wide, apex being obtuse or acute, base being cordate. The bilateral lobes are 1–3  cm long, 2–6  cm wide, adaxially pubescent or glabrous, abaxially densely yellow-brown pubescent. The petioles are 3–15 cm long, densely yellow-brown pubescence. The cataphylls are ovate or long ovate, 8 mm long, 4 mm wide, densely pubescent. The flowers are purple. The pedicels are 5–15 mm in length, often declinate, puberulent. The sepals are connate with ovaries, spherical or ovoid. The tubes are about 5 mm long, 6–10 mm in diameter, with narrow convex rings at the height parallel to the styles, usually above the middle. The perianth lobes are oval, light green, dense covered with purple punctate hairs adaxially. The margins are golden yellow (purple after drying), about 8 mm long, 10–12 mm wide, pubescent on both sides. The stamen filaments are shorter than anthers. The connectives extend beyond anthers, conical or ligulate. The ovaries are inferior, 6-ridged, pubescent. The styles are connate, shorter than stamens, apically 6-lobed, stigmas being terminal, radiating downward, decurrent. The fruits are ovate, brown-yellow, about 12 mm in diameter, with persistent perianths. The flowering period is from April to June. Habitat: It grows in valleys and streams in the shade under the trees. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, and Guizhou. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plant is harvested in summer and autumn and then dried. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property, belonging to the meridians of heart, lung, and kidney. Functions: Dredging collaterals and promoting blood circulation, dispelling pathogenic wind and soothing coughing, clearing heat and detoxication. It is often used in treatment of measles, bruises, erysipelas, snake bites, cold, cough and asthma with phlegm, headache, toothache, mouth sores. Use and Dosage: 3–5 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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4.21  Family: Aristolochiaceae 4.21.1  Asarum heterotropoides var. manshuricum Chinese Name(s): xi xin, dong bei xi xin Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Asarum heterotropoides var. manshuricum (Asarum heterotropoides F. Schmidt var. manshuricum (Maxim.) Kitag.). Morphology: The plants are perennial. Its rhizomes are transverse, about 3 mm in diameter, with slender roots, about 1  mm in diameter. The leaves blades are ovate-cordate or nearly reniform, 4–9 cm long, 5–13 cm wide, apex being acute or blunt, base being cordate. The bilateral lobes are 3–4 cm long, 4–5 cm wide, apex being rounded, adaxial surface being pubescent along veins, sometimes puberulent, abaxial surface being densely pubescent. The cataphylls are subrounded, about 8 mm long. The flowers are purple-brown, occasionally purple-green. The pedicels

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are 3–5 cm long, recurved at anthesis, erected in fruiting. The perianth tubes are urceiform or hemispherical, about 1 cm in diameter, slightly constricted at throat, longitudinal ridged on the inner wall. The perianth lobes are triangular ovate, about 7 mm long, 9 mm wide, folded outward from the base, adhering to perianth tube. The stamens are in the middle of ovary. The filaments are often slight longer than anthers. The connectives do not extend out of anthers. The ovaries are semiinferior or subepigynous, subglobose, style 6, apex 2-lobed, stigma being lateral. The fruits are hemispherical, about 10 mm long and 12 mm in diameter. The flowering period is from April to May and fruiting is from May to June. Habitat: It grows under coniferous and mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests and in places with rich humus and good drainage under rock shade. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, as well as in Korea, Russia far east region. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plant is harvested from May to August, removed off the impurities, cleaned, and then dried in shades. Medicinal Properties: The product often curled in clumps. Its rhizomes are irregular cylindrical, with short branches, 1–10  cm long, 2–4  mm in diameter, gray-­brown on surface, rough, with annular nodes. The lengths between internodes range from 2 to 3 mm. There are calathiform stem scars at the top of the branches. The roots are slender, densely inserted on nodes, 10–20 cm long, about 1 mm in diameter, gray-yellow on the surface, smooth or with longitudinal wrinkles, fibrous roots and fibrous root marks. It is crisp and fragile in quality, flat on cross-section, yellow-­white or white, spicy in taste, arousing numbness of tongue when taken. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property, a little toxic, belonging to the meridians of heart, lung, and kidney. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and cold, dredging orifice and relieving pain, warming the lung to reduce watery phlegm, it is often used in treatment of cold due to wind and cold, headache, nasosinusitis, cough due to phlegm, asthma due to cold in lung, rheumatism arthritis, and toothache. Use and Dosage: 3–5 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. The efficacy of this herb contradicts with black false hellebore; therefore, they should not be used together, and it should not be used in cases of sweating caused by Qi deficiency, headache caused by blood deficiency, and cough caused by Yin deficiency. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: mouth ulcers and blisters in children: Asarum heterotropoides 7.5 g, ground into fine powder, and divided into 5 packets. 1 bag of medicine powder is blended with rice vinegar to make paste, and then applied to the navel. Use it once daily for 4–5 continuous days. The ulcers usually heal in 4 days. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: headache caused by wind and cold: Asarum heterotropoides 5 g, ligusticum wallichii, Chrysanthemum, Angelica dahurica, each 10 g, deLcocted in water for oral use. Prescription in folk 1: 2–3 asarum

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heterotropoides roots cut into pieces (added with 5–6 Chinese prickly ash or not), added with liquor and flour to make a cake. Stick the cake at temple and forehead. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Migraine: realgar, Asarum heterotropoides powder in equal amount. Mix the two ingredients and grind into powder, take 0.25  g of the powder and inhale into the nasal cavity across to the location of pain. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: stuffy nose in cold: Asarum heterotropoides, Perilla frutescens crispa, Saposhnikovia divaricata, almond, Chinese bellflower, mint, Morus alba, decocted in water for oral dose. Or use a little asarum heterotropoides powder, blow into the nose tract. 5. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Toothache: Asarum heterotropoides, Chinese prickly ash, Angelica dahurica, Saposhnikovia divaricata each 5 g, decocted for 20 min and removed the dregs. Gargle with the decoctum (do not swallow), and spit out, repeat for 3–4 continuous time, 2–3 times a day.

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4.22  Family: Nepenthaceae 4.22.1  Nepenthes mirabilis Chinese Name(s): zhu long cao, zhu zai long, dan shui tong, lei gong ping. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Nepenthes mirabilis (Nepenthes mirabilis (Lour.) Druce.). Morphology: The herbs are 0.5–2 m tall. The basal leaves are blade lanceolate, ca. 10 cm long, with ciliate serrulate margins, and semimolar base, sessile or subsessile. The tendrils are shorter than blades. The pitchers are narrowly ovoid to subcylindric, variable in size, 2–6 cm long, 0.6–2 cm in diameter, pubescent with simple and stellate hairs, 2 winged, denticulate at margins. The lids are ovate or rounded, glandular inside. The cauline leaves are petiolate. The leaf blades are oblong or lanceolate, 10–25 cm long, 4–8 cm wide, base being decurrent, entire or ciliate, with 4–8 longitudinal veins on each side of the middle veins. The tendrils are as long as the leaf blades, with or without pitchers, which are cylindric, slightly dilated basally, 8–16 cm long, 2–5 cm in diameter, often purplish red spotted, subglabrous to pubescent, simple, furcate, and stellate hairy, 2 winged, narrow at mouth or not, flat on the mouth margins, 0.2–0.4 cm wide. The proximal part of inside wall of pitcher is glandular, and distal part is smooth, with 1–2 spurs near the cap, which is ovate or oblong, densely glandular adaxially with elliptic glands. The racemes are 20–50 cm long, weakly pubescent, opposite to leaves or terminal. The male inflorescences are longer than female ones. The flowers are red or purplish red, pedicels being 0.5–1.5 cm long, tepals being elliptic or oblong, slightly contorted. The perianth segments of female flowers are 4–5 mm. The ovaries are oval, with capsule. Habitat: It grows in sunny marshes offshore. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hong Kong, Hainan, and Guangxi, as well as in Indo-china peninsula, Malaysia. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plant is harvested in summer and autumn, sliced into sections and then dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and bland in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing away heat and relieving cough, promoting diuresis and lowering blood pressure, it is often used in treatment of hemoptysis due to heat in lung, whooping cough, cough due to wind-heat, urinary stones, diabetes, hypertension. Use and Dosage: 15–20  g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Pregnant women should use with caution. Prescription Examples: Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: hypertension: Nepenthes mirabilis 30–60  g decocted in water for oral use.

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Chapter 5

Medicinal Angiosperms of Piperaceae, Saururaceae, Chloranthaceae, Papaveraceae, Fumariaceae, Capparidaceae, and Moringaceae Huagu Ye, Chuyuan Li, Wencai Ye, Feiyan Zeng, Fangfang Liu, Faguo Wang, Yushi Ye, Lin Fu, and Jianrong Li

Contents 5.1  Family: Piperaceae 5.1.1  Peperomia blanda 5.2  Family: Piperaceae 5.2.1  Peperomia tetraphylla 5.3  Family: Piperaceae 5.3.1  Piper hainanense 5.4  Family: Piperaceae 5.4.1  Piper hancei 5.5  Family: Piperaceae 5.5.1  Piper longum 5.6  Family: Piperaceae 5.6.1  Piper nigrum 5.7  Family: Piperaceae 5.7.1  Piper sarmentosum 5.8  Family: Saururaceae 5.8.1  Gymnotheca chinensis 5.9  Family: Saururaceae 5.9.1  Houttuynia cordata

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H. Ye (*) · F. Zeng · F. Wang · Y. Ye · L. Fu · J. Li South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China e-mail: [email protected] C. Li Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited, Guangzhou, China W. Ye Jinan University, Guangzhou, China F. Liu Huizhou Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Huizhou, China

© Chemical Industry Press 2021 H. Ye et al. (eds.), Common Chinese Materia Medica, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-2066-9_5

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236 5.10  Family: Saururaceae 5.10.1  Saururus chinensis 5.11  Family: Chloranthaceae 5.11.1  Chloranthus spicatus 5.12  Family: Chloranthaceae 5.12.1  Sarcandra glabra 5.13  Family: Papaveraceae 5.13.1  Eomecon chionantha 5.14  Family: Papaveraceae 5.14.1  Macleaya cordata 5.15  Family: Papaveraceae 5.15.1  Papaver somniferum 5.16  Family: Fumariaceae 5.16.1  Corydalis sheareri 5.17  Family: Fumariaceae 5.17.1  Corydalis yanhusuo 5.18  Family: Capparidaceae 5.18.1  Capparis acutifolia 5.19  Family: Capparidaceae 5.19.1  Capparis membranifolia 5.20  Family: Capparidaceae 5.20.1  Capparis versicolor 5.21  Family: Capparidaceae 5.21.1  Cleome viscosa 5.22  Family: Moringaceae 5.22.1  Moringa oleifera

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This chapter introduces 22 species of medicinal plants in 7 families, mainly including Peperomia blanda, Piper longum, Piper nigrum of Piperaceae, Houttuynia cordata, Saururus chinensis of Saururaceae, Chloranthus spicatus and Sarcandra glabra of Chloranthaceae, Papaver somniferum of Papaveraceae, Corydalis yanhusuo of Fumariaceae, Capparis versicolor of Capparidaceae, Moringa oleifera of Moringaceae. This chapter introduces the scientific names, herbal medicine names, morphology, habitats, distributions, acquisition and processing methods, medicinal properties, tastes, functions, use and dosages of these medicinal plants, with clear original plant photos and photos of herbal medicines for each plant.

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5.1  Family: Piperaceae 5.1.1  Peperomia blanda Chinese Name(s): shi chan cao, huo shang cao, san xue dan, san xue dan. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Peperomia blanda (Peperomia blanda (Jacq.) Kunth [P. dindygulensis Miq.]). Morphology: The herbs are perennial and succulent, 10–45 cm tall. The stems are erect or procumbent at base, branched, pubescent, often with adventitious roots on lower nodes. The leaves are opposite or 3–4 grow verticillate, membranous or thinly papery, glandular, elliptic, obovate or obovate-rhomboid, sometimes suborbicular at lower part, 2–4 cm long, 1–2 cm wide, apically rounded or obtuse, thinly mucronate, base being attenuate or cuneate, both surfaces being pubescent. There are 5 basal veins; outermost 1 pair is thin and short or sometimes inconspicuous. The petioles are 6–18 mm long, pubescent. The spikes are axillary and terminal, solitary or 2–3 fascicled, 5–8  cm long, 1.3–2  mm in diameter. The pedicels are sparsely pilose, 5–15 mm long. The flowers are lax. The bracts are rounded, scutellate, glandular, ca. 0.8  mm in diam. The stamens and bracts inserted at base of ovaries. The anthers are long elliptic, with short filaments. The ovaries are obovate, apically obtuse. The stigmas are terminal, pubescent. The berries are spherical, apically slightly acute, 0.5–0.7 mm in diameter. The flowering period is from April to July and October to December. Habitat: It grows in the woods of a valley. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hong Kong, Hainan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan, Fujian, and Taiwan, as well as in India and Malaysia. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plant is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and bland in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing heat and resolving phlegm, inducing diuresis to reduce edema, removing stasis and resolving stagnation, it is often used in treatment of bronchitis, asthma, tuberculosis, nephritis edema, cancers of stomach, liver, lung, esophagus and breast, as well as external treatment of bruises, burns, boils and sores. Use and Dosage: 9–30 g per dose, decocted in water or soaked in wine for oral use. For external use, appropriate amount of fresh herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: bronchitis and cough with lung heat: Peperomia blanda 15 g, Herba pholidota chinensis 15 g, Bletilla striata 9 g decocted in water.

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5.2  Family: Piperaceae 5.2.1  Peperomia tetraphylla Chinese Name(s): dou ban lv, hu jiao cao, yuan ye gua zi cai. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Peperomia tetraphylla (Peperomia tetraphylla (Forst. f.) Hook. et Arn.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, fleshy, forming clumps. The stems are procumbent, many branched, 10–30  cm long, rooting on lower nodes. The internodes are thickly ridged. The leaves are dense, uniform in size, 4 or 3 verticillate, fleshy, with pellucid glandular points, pale yellow and usually wrinkled when dried, slightly revolute, broadly elliptic or suborbicular, 9–12  mm long, 5–9  mm wide, both ends being obtuse or rounded, glabrous or sparsely pubescent. The leaves are 3 veined, thin, usually inconspicuous. The petioles are short, 1–2 mm long, glabrous or pubescent. The spikes are solitary, terminal and axillary, 2–4.5  cm long. The pedicels are sparsely pubescent to subglabrous. The rachises are densely hairy. The bracts are suborbicular, short stalked, scutellate. The anthers are subelliptic. The filaments are short. The ovaries are ovate, inserted within excavations of

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rachises. The stigmas are terminal, subcapitate, pubescent. The berries are subovate, nearly 1 mm long, apically acute. The flowering period is from February to April and September to December. Habitat: It grows on wet stones. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan, Tibet, Sichuan, Gansu, Fujian, and Taiwan, as well as in tropical and subtropical regions of America, Oceania, Africa, and Asia. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plant is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Clearing stasis and healing fracture, scattering stagnation, benefiting digestion, and relieving cough, it is often used in treatment of bone fracture, traumatic bleeding, scabies, nameless swelling, infantile malnutrition, uterine prolapse, and tuberculosis. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral dose.

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5.3  Family: Piperaceae 5.3.1  Piper hainanense Chinese Name(s): hai nan ju, shan hu jiao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Piper hainanense (Piper hainanense Hemsl.). Morphology: The plants are woody vines, glabrous except for rachis of inflorescence. The branches are finely furrowed. The leaves are thinly leathery, ovate-­ lanceolate or elliptic, 7–12  cm long, 3–5  cm wide, apically short acuminate to caudate, dorsally rounded or broadly cuneate, with inconspicuously sinus, glossy, abaxially glaucous, adaxially glossy. There are 5 veins, sparsely 7, all from the base. The base of the innermost 1 pair is parallelly close to the midrib, arising up to 1 cm above base to form an acute angle with midrib. The petioles are 1–3.5 cm long. The leaf sheaths are half the length of petioles or slightly longer. The flowers are unisexual, dioecious, clustered into spikes opposite to leaves. The male inflorescences are 7–12 cm long or longer, ca. 1.5 mm in diam. The pedicels are 1–2 cm long. The bracts are obovate to obovate-oblong, ca. 1.5 mm long, ca. 0.8 mm wide, scutellate, glandular on surface. There are 3–4 stamens, filaments being short. The female inflorescences are 8–15  cm long, sometimes up to 22  cm long in fruiting. The peduncles are as in male spikes. The rachises are pubescent. The bracts are oblong or obovate-oblong, 3–3.5 mm long, 1 mm wide, which are about 1/3 of the length, ventrally adnate to the rachises, free at margins, scutellate. The ovaries are obovate, sessile. The berries are spindle-shaped, minutely tuberculate to rugulose, about 5 mm long and 3.5 mm in diameter. The flowering period is from March to May. Habitat: The woods clamber over trees or on rocks.

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Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plant is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property, aromatic in odor. Functions: Clearing pathogenic wind and relieving pain, benefiting digestion, it is often used in treatment of stomach pain due to cold, indigestion, abdominal distension, rheumatism, and joint pain, as well as in external treatment of chronic ulcers and eczema. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral dose. For external use, proper amounts of herb is made into decoctum for washing the affected part with.

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5.4  Family: Piperaceae 5.4.1  Piper hancei Chinese Name(s): shan ju, shi nan teng, hai feng teng. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Piper hancei (Piper hancei Maxim.). Morphology: The plants are climbing vines, glabrous except for inflorescence axis and bract petioles. The stems and branches are finely striated. The leaves are papillary or subleathery, ovate-lanceolate or elliptic, thinly lanceolate, 6–12  cm long, 2.5–4.5 cm wide, apically shortly acute or acuminate, base being attenuate or cuneate, sometimes obtuse, symmetric or nearly so. There are 5–7 veins, apical pair arising 1–3 cm above base, alternate, nearly reaching leaf apex. The outmost pair of veins is slim when the leaves are 7 veined. The reticulate veins are usually conspicuous. The petioles are 5–12 mm in length. The sheath is about half the length of petiole. The flowers are unisexual, dioecious, clustered in spikes opposite to leaves. The male inflorescences are 6–10 cm long, 2 mm in diameter. The peduncles are as long or slightly longer than petioles. The inflorescence rachises are pubescent. The bracts are suborbicular, ca. 0.8 mm in diam, subsessile or shortly sessile, scutellate, pubescent abaxially and on petiole. There are 2 stamens, filaments being short. The female inflorescences are ca. 3  cm long, slightly longer at fruiting stage. The bracts are identical to male inflorescences, but stalked slightly longer. The ovaries are subglobose, free. There are 4 or rarely 3 stigmas. The berries are spherical, yellow, 2.5–3 mm in diameter. The flowering period is from march to August. Habitat: It grows in woods by the side of valleys and streams, clinging to trees or on rocks. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces and regions of southern China. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plant is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and bitter in taste, slight warm in property. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and dampness, dredging collaterals, it is often used in treatment of rheumatism, bone pain caused by cold, weakness of waist and knee, muscle atrophy, cough, asthma, cough due to kidney deficiency. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral dose.

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5.5  Family: Piperaceae 5.5.1  Piper longum Chinese Name(s): bi ba. Source: This medicine is made of the inflorescences of nearly matured fruits of Piper longum (Piper longum Linn.). Morphology: The plants are climbing vines, several meters long. The branches are longitudinal ridged and grooved. The leaves are alternate, papery. Those ones toward base of stems are ovate to reniform, and those at apex are ovate to ovate-­ oblong, 6–12  cm long, 3–12  cm wide, apically mucronate to acuminate, broadly cordate at base, sometimes with basal lobes overlapped, entire, very finely powdery pubescent on both surfaces, especially on the back. There are 7 palmate veins, all from base. The petioles vary in length, 9 cm long at lower part, apically sometimes sessile and embracing. The stipules are caducous. The flowers are without perianth, unisexual, dioecious, clustering in spicate opposite to leaves. The male inflorescences are 4–5 cm long, female inflorescence are 1.5–2.5 cm long. The bracts are suborbicular, shortly stipitate, scutellate inserted, 1–1.5 mm in diam. There are 2 stamens, filaments being very short, and 3 stigmas, which are apically point. The lower parts of the berries are inserted in the middle of the inflorescence axis, apex being umbonate, partly connate to rachis. The flowering period is from July to October. Habitat: It grows under the sparse forest at about 600 m above sea level. Distribution: It is cultivated in Guangdong, Fujian, and southwestern Guangxi. The wild plants are only distributed in southern Yunnan. It is also distributed in Sri Lanka, Vietnam, India, and Malaysia. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in September, when the infructescence turns from green to black, removed off impurities and dried in the sun. Medicinal Properties: The products are cylindrical, slightly curved, composed of many small berries which are semi-embedded in the rachises of inflorescences, 1.5–3.5 cm long, 0.3–0.5 cm in diameter, dark brown or brown, sometimes remaining pedicels at base. It is hard and brittle, easy to break, irregular on cross sections, granular. The berries are spherical, ca. 1 mm in diameter. It is distinctly aromatic, pungent in taste. The products long, full, solid, black brown, and aromatic are better in quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, hot in property, belonging to meridians of stomach and large intestine. Functions: Warming the middle, scattering cold, and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of chest and abdomen pain due to cold, vomiting, diarrhea, toothache, headache, paranasal sinusitis, and caries.

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Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral dose. For external use, proper amounts of herb is ground into powder for plugging into the cavity of caries. Prescription Examples: Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: discord of blood and Qi in women, pain, irregular menstruation: Piper longum (fried to yellow), pollen cattail (fried). The drugs in equal portion are ground in to powder, added with honey to make pills as big as phoenix tree seed. Take 30 pills a day, swallow with warm wine on starving stomach. The wine may be replaced with rice soup.

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5.6  Family: Piperaceae 5.6.1  Piper nigrum Chinese Name(s): hu jiao, bai hu jiao, hei hu jiao. Source: This medicine is made of the fruits of Piper nigrum (Piper nigrum Linn.). Morphology: The plants are woody climbing vines. The stem branches are glabrous, with swollen nodes. The leaves are thick, subleathery, broadly ovate to ovate-­ oblong, 10–15 cm long, 5–8 cm wide, apically shortly acute, basally rounded, often slightly oblique, entire, glabrous on both sides. There are 5–7 palmate veins, reticular veins being prominent. The petioles are 1–2 cm long. The stipules are caducous. The flowers are without perianths, polygamous, usually monoecious. The spikes are leaf-opposed and nearly as long as leaves. The pedicels and petioles are subequal in length. The bracts are spatulate oblong, 3–3.5 mm long, apically broad and rounded, detached from rachis of inflorescence, appearing shallowly cupular, united with rachis of inflorescence below middle. There are 2 stamens, filaments being very short, and 3–4 stigmas, occasionally 5. The berries are globose, glabrous, 3–4 mm in diam., red when ripe, black after drying when immature. The flowering period is from June to October. Habitat: It is cultivated in tropical areas. Distribution: It is widely cultivated in tropical countries and introduced to provinces of Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Fujian, and Taiwan in China. It is native to southeast Asia. Acquisition and Processing: The fruit clusters are cut off in summer and autumn, removed off the skin, and dried in the sun, which is called white pepper. The fruits submature dried directly is called black pepper. Medicinal Properties: White pepper is spherical, 3–4  mm in diameter, gray-­ white, smooth, slightly flat or sometimes slightly concave at the top, with 10–16 longitudinal veins. The outer skin is thin and slightly hard, most of which are yellow-­brown or yellow-white hard endosperm after breaking, and the endosperm and a small amount of endosperm are located at the top. The products with uniform granules, plumpness, peel removal, white color and strong pungent taste are better in quality. The peel of black pepper is obviously reticulate, gray-black, and easy to peel off. It is generally considered to be inferior in quality; therefore, it is rarely used as medicine. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, hot in property, belonging to meridians of stomach and large intestine. Functions: Warming the middle and scattering cold, regulating Qi, and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of gastric cold and vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea, chronic tracheitis, asthma, vomiting, diarrhea, cold phlegm and food accumulation, and loss of appetite in addition. Use and Dosage: 1.5–4.5 g per dose, and 1–1.5 per dose for powder. It should not be used in syndrome of Yin deficiency with fire.

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Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Malaria: Piper nigrum 0.9 g, 1 small plaster. Sprinkle pepper powder on the plaster. Prick on the third thoracic vertebra or the big vertebra acupoint with a needle shallowly. Apply the plaster on to the acupoint about 2 hours before the attack, and last for 1–3 days. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Stomach pain due to cold: Piper nigrum 2 g, one pork belly, clean the pork belly, pound the pepper into small pieces and put into pork belly, boil for 2–3 hours with gentle fire, and take the meat with soup.

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5.7  Family: Piperaceae 5.7.1  Piper sarmentosum Chinese Name(s): jia ju, ma ti lou, chou lou. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Piper sarmentosum (Piper sarmentosum Roxb. ex Hunter). Morphology: The herbs are perennial. The branchlets are suberect. The leaves are submembranous, with minute glandular points, broadly ovate or suborbicular in lower part, 7–14 cm long, 6–13 cm wide, mucronate at apex, cordate or rarely truncate at base, nearly equal in both sides, ventrally glabrous, abaxially covered with minute powdery pubescence along veins. There are 7 veins which are glaucous

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when dry, distinctly convex on the back, apical pair arising 1–2  cm above base, reaching leaf apex. The outermost pair sometimes branches near the base, reticulate veins being conspicuous. The upper leaves are small, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, base being shallowly cordate, rounded, truncate or rarely attenuated. The petioles are 2–5 cm in length. The sheaths are about half the length of the petiole. The flowers are unisexual, dioecious, clustered into spikes opposite to the leaves. The male inflorescences are 1.5–2 cm long, 2–3 mm in diameter. The pedicels are as long as inflorescences or slightly shorter, glaucous pubescent. The inflorescence rachises are pubescent. The bracts are oblate, subsessile, scutellate, 0.5–0.6 mm in diameter. There are 2 stamens. The anthers are subglobose, 2-lobed, filaments being 2 times longer than anthers. The female inflorescences are 6–8 mm long, slightly longer at fruiting stage. The pedicels are similar to the male inflorescences. The rachises are glabrous. The bracts are suborbicular, scutellate, 1–1.3 mm in diameter. There are 4 stigmas, rarely 3 or 5, which are puberulent. The berries are subglobose. The flowering period is from April to November. Habitat: It grows in thin woods or near villages. Distribution: It is distributed in South China and southwest provinces as well as in India, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plant is harvested in summer and autumn and then dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property, belonging to meridians of stomach and large intestine. Functions: Dispelling wet and dampness, diminishing swelling, and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of abdomen pain due to cold, cough due to wind and cold, edema, malaria, toothache, rheumatism and arthritis, bruises, and injury. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose for the whole plant, and 1.5–3 g per dose for the fruits, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Abdominal distension and loss of appetite: 1.5–3 g of Piper sarmentosum fruit, decocted in water for oral use. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Colds and coughs: Piper sarmentosum leaf 30 g, pig blood 120 g, stewed together to eat. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Malaria: Piper sarmentosum root 60 g, half water and half wine, divided into two portions and decocted. Take the decoctum warmly at 4 hours and 2 hours before the onset of symptoms. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Toothache (dental caries): Piper sarmentosum root 15 g, decocted in water. Gargle with the concentrated decoctum.

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5.8  Family: Saururaceae 5.8.1  Gymnotheca chinensis Chinese Name(s): luo shuo, bai ce er gen, huan hun cao, gou li er, shui zhe er. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Gymnotheca chinensis (Gymnotheca chinensis Decne.). Morphology: The herbs are glabrous. The stems are slender and procumbent, 30–65 cm long, rooted at nodes. The leaves are papery, glandless, reniform cordate, 3–6.5 cm long, 4–7.5 cm wide, apex being broadly obtuse or rounded, base being with 2 ears, margins being entire or auriculate serrulate. There are 5–7 veins, all from the base. Sometimes, the outermost pair is slender and insignificant. The petioles and leaves are nearly equal in length. The stipules are membranous, connate with petiole margins, 1.5–2  cm long, enlarged and amplexical at base. The leaf sheaths are 1/3 the length of petiole. The inflorescences are solitary, 3.5–6.5  cm long. The total pedicels are as long as or slightly shorter than inflorescence, compressed, broad-edged or subwinged on both sides. The bracts are oblanceolate, about 3 mm long. Sometimes basal bracts are slightly larger and subligulate. The filaments are nearly as long as or slightly longer than anthers. The ovaries are obovate. The styles are linear, revolute. The flowering period is from April to November. Habitat: It grows in gutter and mountain stream shade and sparse forest. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Chongqing, Guizhou, and Sichuan. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plant is excavated in summer and autumn, rinsed and used freshly or dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, warm in property. Functions: Helping digestion and diuresis, promoting blood circulation, and detoxifying, it is often used in treatment of food distension, dysentery, diarrhea, edema, dysuria, leukorrhagia, injury, ulcer and boil, centipede bite, etc. Use and Dosage: 6–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of freshen herb is applied on the affected areas.

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5.9  Family: Saururaceae 5.9.1  Houttuynia cordata Chinese Name(s): yu xing cao, ji cai, gou tie er. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Houttuynia cordata (Houttuynia cordata Thunb.). Morphology: The plants are perennial and smelly herbs, 30–60 cm tall. Its rhizomes are procumbent, thin. The basal parts of stems are creeping, rooted verticillate at nodes, while apical parts are erect, glabrous or pubescent on nodes, sometimes purplish red. The leaves are thin papery, glandular, especially on the back, ovate or broadly ovate, 4–10 cm long, 2.5–6 cm wide, apically shortly acuminate, basally cordate. Both surfaces are glabrous except for veins, abaxially often purplish red. The leaves are 5–7 veined, all basal or the innermost pair branching from about 5 mm above the basal of the midrib. If the leaves are 7-veined, then outermost pair should be very slender or inconspicuous. The petioles are 1–3.5 cm long, glabrous. The stipules are membranous, 1–2.5 cm long, apically obtuse, lower part being connate with petiole, forming 8–20 mm sheaths, often ciliate, enlarged at base, slightly embracing stems. The inflorescences are about 2 cm long, 5–6 mm wide. The pedicels are 1.5–3  cm long, glabrous. The involucral bracts are oblong or obovate, 10–15 mm long, 5–7 mm wide, apically obtuse. The stamens are longer than ovary. The filaments are 3 times the length of anthers. The capsules are 2–3 mm long with persistent style apically. The flowering period is from April to July. Habitat: It grows in low wet swamps, beside gullies, streams, or forest margins. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces of central southern China, north to Shaanxi, Gansu, as well as in eastern and southeastern Asia. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plant is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Medicinal Properties: The whole length of this product is 15–50 cm. The stems are flat cylindrical, slightly twisted, 2–3  mm in diameter, reddish-brown, with straight edges, obvious nodes, and residual fibrous roots on the lower nodes. It is brittle, fragile, yellow-brown at cross-section. The leaves are alternate, often crisp, cordate when unfolded, 3–7  cm long or over, 3–6  cm wide or over, entire, dark yellow-green to dark reddish-brown on above, with dense glandular dots, gray-­ green or gray-brown at below, brittle and fragile. Stipules merge with petiole base to form sheaths. Spikes are terminal, yellow-brown. They smell fishy and slightly astringent when crushed. The product with many leaves, gray-green color, spikes and strong fishy smell is better in quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sour and pungent in taste, cool in property, a little toxic, belonging to meridian lung. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxication, inducing diuresis and eliminating edema, it is often used in treatment of tonsillitis, lung abscess, pneumonia, bronchitis, urinary tract infection, nephritis edema, enteritis, dysentery, mastitis, cellulitis, otitis media, as well as external use of carbuncles and boils, poisonous snake bites.

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Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, appropriate amount of herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Treatment of bacterial pneumonia: Houttuynia cordata 30 g, dayflower 30 g, sculellaria barbata15 g and wild buckwheat root, Polygonum cuspidatum each 15 g, decocted in water for oral use. The fever was relieved within 2 days after taking the medicines. It is effective for some pneumonia patients who failed on the antibiotic therapy, but occasionally with severe gastrointestinal reactions. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Chronic tracheitis: fresh Houttuynia cordata 30 g, Polygonum cuspidatum 9 g, decadent cotyledon 15 g. The latter two herbs were added with 500  ml water, decocted for 4  hours, and then added with Houttuynia cordata, decocted for another hour until 90–100 ml remains, filtered and flavored with sugar. Take 2 to 3 times a day for 10 days. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Children’s diarrhea: Houttuynia cordata 15 g, stir-fried yam 6 g, stir-fried Bighead atractylodes rhizome 4.5 g, Poria cocos 6 g, decocted in water. 1 dose a day. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Cervical erosion: Houttuynia distillate. Clean the vaginal and cervical secretions with 10% furacilin solution, use the disinfected cotton ball (tied with a thick thread for the patient to pull out), dip in Houttuynia cordata distillate, and put it into the cervix, change the dressings every 24 hours later, 10 times as a course of treatment.

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5.10  Family: Saururaceae 5.10.1  Saururus chinensis Chinese Name(s): tang bian ou, bai mian gu, bai she gu. Source: This medicine is made of the rhizomes and whole plant of Saururus chinensis (Saururus chinensis (Lour.) Baill). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, 30–100  cm high. The stems are stout, basal part creeping and usually whitish, apical part erecting and green, fibrous roots grow verticillate on nodes. The leaves are papery, broadly ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 4–15 cm long, 2–10 cm wide, apically acuminate or shortly acuminate, basally cordate. The apical leaves are smaller, 2 or 3 inserted at stem apex, usually petaloid, white at anthesis. There are 5 basal veins, reticular veins being obvious. The petioles are 1–3 cm long, lower part being connate with petiole, forming sheaths, which are amplexicaul. The racemes are 10–20 cm long. The rachises are densely pubescent. The pedicels are glabrous. The bracts are 1 mm long, subspatulate, slightly rounded on the top, glabrous or sparsely ciliate, linear at below, pubescent, adnate to pedicels. The flowers are small, borne in bract axils. There are 6 stamens, filaments being slightly longer than anther. The pistil is composed of 4 fully developed carpels, which are outward curly. The fruits are divided into 4 subglobose mericarps with a diameter of about 3 mm, whose surfaces are warty. The flowering period is from April to June. Habitat: It grows in low wet ditch, pond, or stream. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces of Hebei, Henan, Shandong in the north, and the provinces to the south of the Yangtze river, as well as in Japan, Philippines, and Vietnam. Acquisition and Processing: The rhizomes and whole plants are harvested in summer and autumn, sliced and dried in the sun.

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Medicinal Properties: The stem of this product is cylindrical, with 4 longitudinal grooves and a broader one. The section is yellow-brown to brown, fibrous, and hollow. The leaves alternate, ovate or oval-lanceolate, 4–15 cm long and 2–10 cm wide, apically acuminate, basally cordate, entire at margins, 5 veined from base. The petioles are longer, with longitudinal wrinkles. The racemes are opposite to leaves at the top of branches, small, with brown flowers. The capsules are subglobose. It is light in odor and taste. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and pungent in taste, cold in property. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxication, inducing diuresis, and eliminating edema, it is often used in treatment of urinary tract infection and stones, nephritis edema, leucorrhea, as well as boil abscess, skin eczema, venomous snake bite externally. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, appropriate amount of herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Abdominal abscess: saururus chinensis 90–120 g, decocted in water for oral use, and meanwhile appropriate amount of fresh herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Liver cancer: saururus chinensis and cirsii japonica root each 90–120 g, decocted separately, removed the dregs, and added with sugar before drink. Take Saururus chinensis root decoctum in the morning and cirsii japonica root decoctum in the afternoon. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Urinary tract infection: Saururus chinensis 100 g, asiatic plantain 50 g, decocted in water for oral use. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Snake bite: appropriate amount of fresh saururus chinensis, mashed and applied to the affected areas. 5. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Dysentery: saururus chinensis 15 g, decocted and taken twice a day. 6. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Carbuncle: appropriate amount of fresh saururus chinensis, mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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5.11  Family: Chloranthaceae 5.11.1  Chloranthus spicatus Chinese Name(s): jin su lan, zhu lan, yu zi lan. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Chloranthus spicatus (Chloranthus spicatus (Thunb.) Makino). Morphology: The plants are subshrubs, erect or slightly prostrate, 30–60  cm tall. The stems are cylindrical, glabrous. The leaves are opposite, thick papery, elliptic or obovate-elliptic, 5–11  cm long and 2.5–5.5  cm wide, apex being acute or blunt, base being cuneate, margins being crenate-serrate, glandular, ventrally dark green, bright, dorsally light yellow-green. There are 6–8 pairs of the lateral veins, which are convex on both sides. The petioles are 8–18 mm long, more or less connate at base. The stipules are small. The spikes arranged in panicles, usually terminal, rarely axillary. The bracts are triangular. The flowers are small, yellowish-­green,

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extremely fragrant. There are 3 stamens, connectives being confluent and ovate, apical part irregularly 3-lobed. The central lobe is larger, sometimes apically shallowly 3-lobed again, with 2-loculed anther sacs. The bilateral lobes are smaller, each with 1-compartment anthers. The ovaries are obovate. The flowering period is from April to July and fruiting is from August to September. Habitat: It grows in moist places along valleys and streams or on hillsides at altitudes of 150–900 m. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces of Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hong Kong, Hainan, and Fujian, as well as in Japan, Vietnam, India, and Indonesia. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plants are harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is slightly bitter, pungent, and astringent in taste, warm in property. Functions: Clearing heat and dampness, promoting healing of bone fracture, it is often used in treatment of colds, rheumatic arthralgia, and injury. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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5.12  Family: Chloranthaceae 5.12.1  Sarcandra glabra Chinese Name(s): cao shan hu, zhong jie feng, jie gu lian, jiu jie cha, zhu jie cha. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Sarcandra glabra (Sarcandra glabra (Thunb.) Nakai). Morphology: The plants are evergreen subshrubs, 50–150  cm tall. The stems and branches are with swollen nodes. The leaves are leathery, elliptic, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 6–17 cm long, 2–6 cm wide, apically acuminate, base being acute or cuneate, margins being coarsely serrate, glandular on teeth, glabrous on both surfaces. The petioles are 0.5–1.5 cm long, basally connate into sheaths. The stipules are subulate. The inflorescences are terminal, usually branched, somewhat paniculate, with pedicels of 1.5–4 cm long. The bracts are triangular. The flowers are yellow-­green. There is 1 stamen, which is fleshy, baculate to terete or ovoid. The anthers are 2-loculed, locating on both sides of upper connectives. Lateral or sometimes introrse. The ovaries are globose or ovate, styles being absent, stigmas being subcapitate. The drupes are spherical, 3–4 mm in diameter, bright red when ripe. The flowering period is in June. The fruiting period is from August to October. Habitat: It grows under the mountain slopes, valleys, and forests at altitudes below 1500 m. Distribution: It is widely distributed in provinces from Southeast to south-­ southwest China, as well as in Japan, Korea, India, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, and Sri Lanka. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plants are harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is slightly bitter in taste, neutral in property, and a little toxic.

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Functions: Clearing heat and dampness, dredging collaterals, and promoting healing of bone fracture, it is often used in treatment of influenza, epidemic encephalitis, pharyngitis, measles pneumonia, pediatric pneumonia, lobar pneumonia, bacterial dysentery, acute appendicitis, sore and abscess, fracture, bruises, rheumatic arthralgia, and cancer. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Inflammation and infection: a. Sarcandra glabra 15 g, decocted in water and taken in 3 times. B. sarcandra injection, intramuscular injected 3 times a day, 1–4 ml each time. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Filariasis: Sarcandra glabra injection (concentration 1:3), intramuscular injected daily, 2–4 ml each time, 7 days as a course of treatment. After finishing one course of treatment, blood examination was carried out at intervals of more than 3 days. If the blood test did not turn negative, the patients were given another 2 to 3 courses of treatment.

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5.13  Family: Papaveraceae 5.13.1  Eomecon chionantha Chinese Name(s): xue shui cao, shui huang lian, guang bian xian, kun xian sheng, ji zhu lian, huang shui yu, jin yao dai. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Eomecon chionantha (Eomecon chionantha Hance). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, glabrous, orange-red lactiferous. The rootstocks are stoloniferous, orange-yellow. The leaves are all basal. The leaf blades are cordate or cordate-reniform, sparsely cordate-sagittate, 5–26 cm long, 5–20 cm wide, apex being acuminate or acute, basally lobed, margins being sinuate, green at surface, gray-green on back, 5–7 palmately veined, renticular veins being thin and obvious. The petioles are linear or narrow linear, 10–30 cm long, blue-gray, slightly enlarged into narrow sheath at base. The scapes are grayish green tinged with purple-red, 20–40 cm tall, with 3–5 flowers arranged in cymose. The bracts and bractlets are oval-lanceolate, 2–10 mm long, apex being acuminate, margins being thin. The pedicels are erect, 0.5–5 cm long. The buds are ovoid, about 1 cm long, apically acuminate. The sepals are 0.5–1 cm long, glabrous. The petals are obovate, 1–2.5 cm long, 0.7–1.8 cm wide, white. The filaments are 5–7 mm long. The anthers are yellow, about 3 mm long. The ovaries are oval or narrow ovate, 0.5–1 cm long, glabrous. The styles are 3–5 mm long. The stigmas are 2-lobed, decurrent on style. The capsules are narrowly elliptic, about 2  cm long and 0.5  cm wide. The flowering period is from March to June and fruiting is from June to October. Habitat: It grows under forests, thickets, or by streams or roadsides. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Anhui, southwest Zhejiang, Jiangxi, north and west Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, southwest Hubei, east and southeast Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan.

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Acquisition and Processing: The whole plants are harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is slightly bitter in taste, cold in property, a little toxic, belonging to the meridians of liver and kidney. Functions: Clearing heat and dampness, promoting blood circulation and relieving pain, stopping bleeding, it is often used in treatment of conjunctivitis, sore throat, oral ulcer, boils and sores, snake bite, tinea, eczema, bruise and injury, lumbago, and hemoptysis. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, appropriate amount of fresh herbs are mashed or dried and ground into powder to apply on the affected areas, otherwise, decocted and used for washing.

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5.14  Family: Papaveraceae 5.14.1  Macleaya cordata Chinese Name(s): bo luo hui, pao tong zhu, san qian san, bo le hui, bo luo tong. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Macleaya cordata (Macleaya cordata (Willd.) R. Br. [Bocconia cordata Willd.]). Morphology: The herbs are erect, basally lignified, yellow lactiferous. The stems are 1–4 m tall, glaucous, smooth, pruinose, hollow, distally branched. The leaf blades are ovate or suborbicular, 5–27 cm long, 5–25 cm wide, apically acute, acuminate, obtuse or rounded, usually 7 or 9 deeply cleft or lobed. The lobes are semicircular, square, triangular or in other shape, undulate, incised, serrate to serrulate, adaxially green, glabrous, abaxially pruinose, villous. There are usually 5 basal veins, and 2 to 3 lateral veins, veinlets netted, often being reddish. The petioles are 1–12 cm long, shallowly sulcate on upper surface. The panicles are large, multiflorous, 15–40 cm long, terminal and axillary. The pedicels are 2–7 mm long. The bracts are narrowly lanceolate. The buds are clavate, subwhite, ca. 1 cm long. The sepals are obovate-oblong, ca. 1 cm long, navicular, yellow-white. The petals are absent. There are 24–30 stamens, which are filiform, ca. 5 mm. The anthers are linear, as long as filaments. The ovaries are obovate to narrowly obovate, 2–4 mm long, apically rounded, basally acuminate. The styles are very short, ca. 1 mm. The stigmas are 2-lobed, descending on style. The capsules are narrowly obovate or oblanceolate, 1.3–3  cm long. 5–7  mm wide, apically rounded or obtuse, basally attenuate, glabrous. The flowering period and fruiting are from June to November. Habitat: It grows in valleys, thickets, roadsides, at altitude of 250–700 m. Distribution: It is distributed from south of Qinling mountains to Guizhou, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, Fujian, and Zhejiang, as well as in Japan.

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Acquisition and Processing: The whole plants are harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cold in property, extremely toxic. Functions: Insecticide and detoxication, dispelling pathogenic wind, scattering blood stasis, and reducing swelling, it is often used in treatment of injuries, rheumatic arthralgia, carbuncle and furuncles, lower limb ulcers. The herbs are mashed freshly for application or dried and ground into powder to spray on the affected areas. For treatment of trichomonas vaginalis, the decoctum of macleaya cordata is used to wash the vagina with. For treatment of eczema, the decoctum is used to wash the affected areas with. For treatment of burns and scalds, the medicinal powder is made into paste to lay on the affected areas. It is also used to kill maggot. Use and Dosage: This product is poisonous. It should be used only externally rather than orally. Prescription Examples: 1. For eradication of maggot and wiggler: the whole plant of macleaya cordata is chopped and threw into the dung pit or sewage. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Tinea pedis: Macleaya cordata stems and roots in proper amount, soaked in vinegar (higher than the medicinal surface) for 1 to 2 days, removed the residue, and take vinegar solution to rub the affected areas with, several times a day. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Trichomonas vaginalis: the whole plant of Macleaya cordata is cleaned and chopped into small pieces, boiled with quick fire, and then concentrate into paste with gentle fire. Cleaning the vagina, and dip the medicine into vagina with cotton ball which tied with thread, then take it out 24 hours later, or apply it to vaginal wall with cotton swab, once a day, 5 days as a course of treatment.

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5.15  Family: Papaveraceae 5.15.1  Papaver somniferum Chinese Name(s): ying su ke, ya pian, su ke, ying zi su ke. Source: This medicine is made of the fruit shell of Papaver somniferum (Papaver somniferum Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, up to 1.5 m. The main root is subconical and vertical. The stems are erect, unbranched, glabrous, pruinose. The leaves are alternate, ovate or long ovate, 7–25 cm long, apically acuminate to obtuse, basally cordate, margins being irregular undulate serrate, glabrous on both sides, pruinose. The

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veins are obvious, slightly protuberant. The leaves are shortly petiolate below, but sessile and amplexicaul above. The flowers are solitary. The pedicels are 25  cm long, glabrous or sparsely setose. The buds are oval-oblong or broadly ovate, 1.5–3.5  cm long, 1–3  cm wide, glabrous. There are 2 sepals, which are broadly ovate, green, membranous at margins, and 4 petals, which are subcircular or subflabellate, 4–7 cm long, 3–11 cm wide. The margins are undulate or variously lobed, white, pink, red, purple or variegated. The stamens are mostly filamentous. The filaments are linear. The ovaries are globular, 1–2  cm in diameter, green, glabrous. There are 8–12 stigmas, which are actinomorphic, united into compressed disk, and whose margins are deeply divided. The lobes are crenulate. The capsules are spherical or oblong elliptic, 4–7 cm long, 4–5 cm in diameter, glabrous, brown at maturity. The seeds are mostly black or dark gray, adaxially alveolate. The flowering and fruiting periods are from March to November. Habitat: Because of the strict control by the government, the cultivation of papaver somniferum is designated to certain departments. Distribution: It is cultivated in provinces of Sichuan, Guizhou, Fujian, Guangdong, etc. Acquisition and Processing: The fruits shells are harvested when the capsule is mature and dried in the sun. Medicinal Properties: The products are oval or ampuliform oval, mostly broken into pieces, with a diameter of 1.5–5 cm and a length of 3–7 cm. The outer surface is yellowish white, light brown to light yellow, smooth, slightly shiny, without cutting marks or with longitudinal or transverse cutting marks. There are 6–14 residual stigmas arranged radially discoid on the top. The petioles are short. The inner surface is yellowish and slightly shiny. False septa are longitudinal arranged, brown, with slightly raised brown blotch on the surface. It is light and brittle, slightly fragrant in odor, slightly bitter in taste. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sour and astringent in taste, slightly cold in property, belonging to the meridians of lung and liver. Functions: Arresting lung to stop persistent cough, astringing the intestines, and stopping pain, it is often used in treatment of chronic cough, chronic diarrhea, rectocele, and all kinds of pains in abdomen, muscles, and bones, etc. Use and Dosage: 2.4–6 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. It should not be used in syndrome of external evil and internal heat. Prescription Examples: Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Chronic cough, spontaneous sweating, and chronic dysentery (Ningshensan): Papaver somniferum 30 g, plum 15 g, baked and mashed for powder. Take 3 g per dose with water before going to bed.

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5.16  Family: Fumariaceae 5.16.1  Corydalis sheareri Chinese Name(s): di jin miao, hu xin dan, qin cai, duan chang cao, lu er cao, gao shan yang bu chi, she han qi. Source: This medicine is made of the roots or whole plant of Corydalis sheareri (Corydalis sheareri S. Moore [C. suaveolens Hance]). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, 20–50 cm high. There are several basal leaves, which are, 12–30 cm long, with purplish long petioles, which are 3–13 cm long, 2-pinnatisect. The primary lobes are petiolate, and secondary lobes are sessile, ovate, crenate above the middle, broadly cuneate at lower part, adaxially green, abaxially grayish green. There are also several cauline leaves, which alternate at upper part of stem. The racemes are 4–10 cm long, 10–20 flowered. The bracts at lower part are suborbicular, 3–5 lobed. Those at the middle are obovate, 3-lobed. The pedicels are usually shorter than bracts. The sepals are scaly, suborbicular, with notched tassels. The petals are purple, spreading horizontally. The upper petals are 2–2.5 cm long, navicular ovate, and the under petals are 1.2 1.8 cm long, cochlear, suborbicular, sometimes revolute at margins, mucronate on apex, cristate convex at back, exceeding petals. The claws are clavate, about twice the length of petals. The inner petals are panduriform, 1.1–1.6 cm long. The petals are obovate, with 1 capsule on lateral. The claws are narrow cuneate, exceeding petals. The stamen bundles are 1–1.4 cm in length. The ovaries are narrowly elliptic, 5–7 mm long, with 2 rows of ovules. The styles are slightly shorter than ovaries, stigmas being double ovate, green, with 8–10 papillae. The capsules are narrowly cylindrical, 2–3  cm long, 1.5–2 mm thick. The flowering and fruiting periods are from March to June. Habitat: It grows in mountain forest or beside the ditch at elevation of 200–600 m. Distribution: It is Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Fujian, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in spring and summer. The roots are dried for storage, and the stems and leaves are used freshly. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cold in property, a little toxic. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxication, eliminating swelling, and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of poisonous insect or snake bites, stomachache due to heat and dampness, abdominal pain and diarrhea, bruising and injury, sore, and carbuncle. Use and Dosage: 6–10 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of herbs is mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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5.17  Family: Fumariaceae 5.17.1  Corydalis yanhusuo Chinese Name(s): yuan hu suo, yan hu, qiu gen zi jin, yuan hu. Source: This medicine is made of the rhizomes of Corydalis yanhusuo (Corydalis yanhusuo W. T. Wang ex Z. Y. Su et C. Y. Wu). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, 10–30  cm in height. Its rhizomes are spherical, (0.5) 1–2.5 cm in diameter, yellowish. The stems are erect, often branched, with 1 scale above base, sometimes 2 scales. There are usually 3–4 cauline leaves. The scales and lower cauline leaves are often with axillary tubers. The leaves are 2-or 3-segmented. The lobules are 3-lobed or 3-deeply-lobed, lobes being

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lanceolate, entire at margins, 2–2.5 cm long and 5–8 mm wide. The lower cauline leaves are often long petiolate, with sheaths at base. The racemes are sparsely 5–15 flowered. The bracts are lanceolate or narrowly ovate, entire, sometimes slightly divided at lower part, about 8 mm long. The pedicles are about 1 cm in flowering which reaches to 2 at fruiting. The flowers are purple red. The sepals are small. The outer petals are broad, toothed, apically concave, with short apex. The upper petals are (1.5–) 2–2.2 cm long. The limbs and spurs are often upcurved. The spurs are cylindrical, 1.1–1.3  cm long, nectary extended through 1/2 of spur, obtuse. The lower petals are with short claws, which gradually enlarged into broad limbs. The inner petals are 8–9  mm long, claws overtopping petals. The stigmas are nearly circular, with a longer 8-mastoid process. The capsules are linear, 2–2.8 cm long, with a row of seeds. Habitat: It grows on hilly grasslands. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hubei, Henan and other places, and also cultivated in south China. Acquisition and Processing: The rhizomes are harvested in spring and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and slight pungent in taste, warm in property. Functions: Activating blood flow and removing blood stasis, invigorating Qi and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of pains in chest and abdomen, waist and knee, menstrual disorders, metrorrhagia, and metrostaxis. Use and Dosage: 6–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. It should not be used on pregnant women.

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5.18  Family: Capparidaceae 5.18.1  Capparis acutifolia Chinese Name(s): mo ye chui guo teng, du xing qian li, jian ye chui guo teng. Source: This medicine is made of the roots and leaves of Capparis acutifolia (Capparis acutifolia Sweet [C. membranacea Gardn. et Champ.]). Morphology: The plants are climbing shrubs. The branchlets are cylindrical, glabrous, sometimes with recurved spinules. The leaves are alternate, oblong to lanceolate, membranous or papery, 7–15 cm long, 2–4 cm wide, apically acuminate, basally cuneate or attenuate. The lateral veins are in 7–9 pairs, distinctly convex together with the reticulate veins on both sides of leaves. The petioles are 5–7 mm in length. The stipules are with 2 prickles. The inflorescences are in superaxillary rows, (1 or)2–4-flowered. The pedicels are 5–20 mm with proximal ones shortest. The sepals are 5–7  mm long, 3–4  mm wide. Both surfaces of outer whorl are

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glabrous, sometimes yellowish tomentose on apical margins. The inner whorl is slightly smaller, yellowish tomentose at margins. The petals are oblong, ca. 10 mm long, ca. 3 mm wide, glabrous, but villous at margins and apical. There are 20–30 stamens. The gynophores are 1.5–2.5 cm long, glabrous. The ovaries are ovate or long ovate, glabrous, with 2 placentas. The peduncle and gynophores are not significant thickened in fruiting. The fruits are red after maturity, subglobose or elliptic, 1–2.5 cm long, 1–1.5 cm in diameter, with 1–2 mm short beak on top and small verrucose areas when dry. There are 1 to several seeds per fruit, which are 7–8 mm long, blackish brown. The flowering period is from April to May. The fruiting is recorded throughout the year. Habitat: It grows in forest at low altitude. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces and regions from the southeast to the south of China, as well as in Vietnam. Acquisition and Processing: The roots and leaves are harvested in spring and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and astringent in taste, warm in property, toxic. Functions: Activating blood flow and removing blood stasis, relieving spasm, and killing pain, the roots are often used in treatment of rheumatic arthralgia, muscle and bone discomfort, sore throat, toothache, abdominal pain (especially spasmodic pain), amenorrhea, as well as external treat of sore and boil, bruise, and injury; the leaves are often used for bruise and injury. Use and Dosage: 1.5–3 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external treatment, proper amount of root is decocted for washing or mashed into powder to lay on the affected areas. The leaves are mashed when fresh for application in cases of bruise and injury. Annotations: If dizziness, nausea, and other side effects occur after taking this medicine, ginger juice and water with honey should be used for detoxification.

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5.19  Family: Capparidaceae 5.19.1  Capparis membranifolia Chinese Name(s): qian zhi chui guo teng, lao hu mu. Source: This medicine is made of the roots of Capparis membranifolia (Capparis membranifolia Kurz. [C. viminea Hook. f. et Thoms.]). Morphology: The plants are climbing shrubs, 3–6(–10) m in height, 3–15 cm in DBH.  New twigs are densely covered with rust-colored villi. The branchlets are without spines or with small outcurved spines. The stems are prickly. The leaves are densely ferruginous tomentose when young, herbaceous or subleathery when old, glabrous, oblong-lanceolate, 2–6 cm wide, 4–13 cm long, which are 2–2.5 times as long as wide, broadest in middle or slightly basally, often yellowish green when dry.

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The bases are cuneate to broadly cuneate and decurrent on petioles. The apexes are often constricted, acuminate, and with a 0.5–1  cm tip. The midvein is abaxially slightly raised and adaxially often impressed from central part basally. There are 5–7 secondary veins on each side of midvein which raised on both surfaces, reticulate veins being obvious. The petioles are 5–10 mm long, tomentose as the twigs. The buds are spherical. The inflorescences are in superaxillary rows, 2–5-flowered. The pedicels are 1–1.8 cm with proximal ones being the shortest. The sepals are subequal, broadly ovate, apically acute, 5–6  mm long, 3  mm wide, outside and inside being shortly tomentose, but glabrescent, margins being ciliate. The petals are white, obovate, 7–10 mm long, 2.5–3 mm wide. The ovaries are ovate, ca. 1 mm long, with 1 loculus. The fruits are spherical, 8–15 mm in diameter, black or purplish black at maturity, rough at surface. There are 1–5 seeds, seed coats being smooth, brown, 5–7 mm long, 4–5 mm wide, 3–4 mm high. The flowering period is from January to April. The fruiting period is from May to August. Habitat: It grows in forest at low altitude. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan, as well as in India, indo-china peninsula. Acquisition and Processing: The roots are harvested in spring and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sour and astringent in taste, warm in property, a little toxic. Functions: Diminishing swelling and soothing pain, strengthening muscles and bones, it is often used in treatment of rheumatic arthralgia, stomachache, and abdominal pain. Use and Dosage: 3–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Examples: Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: pain of fall and sprain: Capparis membranifolia root 30–60 g, soaked in alcohol 500 g, taken 15–30 g daily after 7 days. The medicinal liquor is also used externally.

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5.20  Family: Capparidaceae 5.20.1  Capparis versicolor Chinese Name(s): qu tou ji, yuan tou ji, bao ting chui guo teng, shan mu tong, xi peng chui guo teng. Source: This medicine is made of the roots of Capparis versicolor (Capparis versicolor Griff.). Morphology: The plants are climbing shrubs, 2–10  m in length and 4–6  cm in DBH.  The spines are stout. The leaves are subleathery, elliptic or oblong elliptic, 3.5–8 cm long, 1.5–3.5 cm wide, apically acute or obtuse, often emarginate, basally acute. The midvein abaxially raised and adaxially almost flat to slightly impressed. The lateral veins are 6–9 in pairs, slightly obvious on surface, abaxially almost flat, reticulate veins being not obvious. The petioles are 5–9 mm in length. The inflorescences are axillary and terminal, corymbose, 2–5 flowered. The pedicels are stout, up to 5 cm long, often angular, with 1 to 3 abortive small leaves at the tip. Sometimes single flower inserts axillary with longer pedicel, which is 1.5–3 cm long, stout. The flowers are fragrant, white or pink. The sepals are 9–11 mm long, 8–10 mm wide, glabrous, navicular

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or suborbicular at outer whorl, elliptic at inner whorl. The petals are subround to obovate, 12–17 mm long, 7–4 mm wide, glabrous or pubescent near base of inner surface. Three are 50–70 stamens, filaments being about 2.5 cm long, anthers being oblong, about 2 mm in length. The gynophores are 3–5 cm long, filamentous, glabrous. The ovaries are elliptic, glabrous, 2 mm long, 1.5 mm in diam, with 4 placentas, and numerous ovules. The fruits are spherical, 3–5 cm in diameter, black at maturity, rough on surface. The peel is hard after drying, 2–3 mm thick. The pedicels are 3–5 mm in diameter. The flowering period is from April to July. The fruiting is from August to February. Habitat: It grows in forest at medium altitude. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, as well as in Myanmar, Vietnam, and Malaysia. Acquisition and Processing: The fruits are harvested in autumn, while the roots are harvested all year round and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: The fruit is sweet and a little bitter in taste, neutral in property, toxic. Functions: Relieving cough and asthma, the root also functions in scattering blood stasis, relieving swelling and pain. Fruit functions in curing cough, chest pain, and asthma; the root is also used externally in treatment of bruises and fractures. Use and Dosage: 1 to 2 fruits decocted in water for oral use. The dosage should not be excessive, in order to prevent poisoning. For external use, appropriate amount of roots are mashed to be applied to the affected areas.

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5.21  Family: Capparidaceae 5.21.1  Cleome viscosa Chinese Name(s): chou shi cai, yang jiao cao, huang hua cai. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Cleome viscosa (Cleome viscosa Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, erect, 0.3–1 m high, densely covered with mucous glandular hairs and yellowish pubescence, foul in odor. The leaves are palmate compound with 3–5(–7) lobules. The leaflets are herbaceous, subsessile, oblanceolate, elliptic. The central lobule is the largest, 1–5 cm in length, 5–15 mm in width. The lateral lobules decrease in turn. The margins are entire and ciliate. The lateral veins are 3–7  in pairs. The petioles are 2–4  cm in length, stipules being absent. The flowers are solitary on the upper part of the stem inserting in the axilla of simplified leaves and gradually turn smaller, forming racemes or corymb near the apex. The pedicels are slender, 1–2  cm long. The sepals are separated, narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate elliptic, 6–7 mm long, 1–3 mm wide, submembranous. The petals are pale yellow or orange, glabrous, with several distinct longitudinal veins, obovate or cochlear, 7–12 mm long, 3–5 mm wide, cuneate to somehow clawed at the base, round at apex. There are 10–22 (–30) stamens, filaments being shorter than petals, anthers being dorsifixed, about 2 mm long. The ovaries are sessile, cylindrical, about 8 mm long, except for styles and stigmas which are densely covered with glandular hairs, not exposed in flowering period, 1 chambered. There are 2 lateral membranous placenta and numerous ovules. The styles are 2–6 mm long, stigmas being capitate. The fruits are erect, cylindrical. Habitat: It grows in the open country. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangxi, Yunnan, and Hainan, as well as in tropical regions. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plants are harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: The fruit is bitter and pungent in taste, neutral in property, toxic. Functions: Scattering blood stasis and relieving swelling, eliminating necrotic tissues, and promoting granulation, it is often used in treatment of bruises and swelling, injuries and lumbago. Use and Dosage: Appropriate amount of fresh herbs are mashed and stirred with wine to be applied to the affected areas. For sores and ulceration, the herbs are decocted for washing or ground into powder to sprinkle on the affected part.

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5.22  Family: Moringaceae 5.22.1  Moringa oleifera Chinese Name(s): la mu. Source: This medicine is made of the roots of Moringa oleifera (Moringa oleifera Lam.). Morphology: The plants are trees, 3–12 m tall. Its barks are corky. The branches are with obvious lenticels and leaf scars. The twigs are pubescent. The roots are pungent in taste. The leaves are usually 3-pinnate, compound, 25–60 cm long, with linear or clavate curly glands at the base of the pinna, which mostly fell off. The petioles are weak, base sheathed. The pinnacles are 4–6  in pairs. There are 3–9 leaflets, which are thinly papery, oval, elliptic or oblong, 1–2 cm long, 0.5–1.2 cm wide. The leaf on the top is the largest, pale at back, glabrous. The petioles are

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slender, 1–2 mm long. The glands at base are linear and puberulous. The inflorescences are extensive, 10–30 cm long. The bracts are small, linear. The pedicels are white, fragrant, ca. 2 cm in diameter. The sepals are linear lanceolate, pubescent. The petals are spatulate. The stamens and staminodes are pubescent. The ovaries are hairy. The capsules are slender, 20–50  cm long, 1–3  cm in diameter, dehiscent, 3-lobed, 3-ribbed. The seeds are subspherical, 8  mm in diameter, 3-ribbed, each with membranous wings. The flowering period is all year round. The fruiting period is from June to December. Habitat: It is cultivated. Distribution: It is cultivated in provinces of Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, Fujian while native to India. Acquisition and Processing: The roots are harvested in summer and autumn, sliced, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: The fruit is pungent in taste, slightly warm in property. Functions: Removing dampness and strengthening spleen, it is often used in treatment of stomach distension and pharyngitis. Use and Dosage: 10–20 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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Chapter 6

Medicinal Angiosperms of Cruciferae, Violaceae, and Polygalaceae Huagu Ye, Chuyuan Li, Wencai Ye, Feiyan Zeng, Fangfang Liu, Faguo Wang, Yushi Ye, Lin Fu, and Jianrong Li

Contents 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8

Family: Cruciferae 6.1.1  Brassica campestris Family: Cruciferae 6.2.1  Brassica juncea Family: Cruciferae 6.3.1  Capsella bursa-pastoris Family: Cruciferae 6.4.1  Cardamine hirsuta Family: Cruciferae 6.5.1  Coronopus didymus Family: Cruciferae 6.6.1  Isatis indigotica Family: Cruciferae 6.7.1  Lepidium apetalum Family: Cruciferae 6.8.1  Lepidium virginicum

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H. Ye (*) · F. Zeng · F. Wang · Y. Ye · L. Fu · J. Li South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China e-mail: [email protected] C. Li Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited, Guangzhou, China W. Ye Jinan University, Guangzhou, China F. Liu Huizhou Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Huizhou, China

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H. Ye et al. Family: Cruciferae 6.9.1  Raphanus sativus Family: Cruciferae 6.10.1  Rorippa dubia Family: Cruciferae 6.11.1  Rorippa indica Family: Cruciferae 6.12.1  Thlaspi arvense Family: Violaceae 6.13.1  Viola betonicifolia Family: Violaceae 6.14.1  Viola diffusa Family: Violaceae 6.15.1  Viola grypoceras Family: Violaceae 6.16.1  Viola inconspicua Family: Violaceae 6.17.1  Viola moupinensis Family: Violaceae 6.18.1  Viola philippica Family: Violaceae 6.19.1  Viola stewardiana Family: Violaceae 6.20.1  Viola verecunda Family: Polygalaceae 6.21.1  Polygala caudata Family: Polygalaceae 6.22.1  Polygala fallax Family Polygalaceae 6.23.1  Polygala glomerata Family: Polygalaceae 6.24.1  Polygala japonica Family: Polygalaceae 6.25.1  Polygala koi Family: Polygalaceae 6.26.1  Polygala tenuifolia Family: Polygalaceae 6.27.1  Salomonia cantoniensis

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This chapter introduces 27 species of medicinal plants in 3 families, mainly including Brassica juncea, Isatis indigotica, Lepidium apetalum, Raphanus sativus, Rorippa indica, Thlaspi arvense of Cruciferae, Viola betonicifolia, Viola grypoceras, Viola philippica of Violaceae, Polygala fallax, Polygala glomerata, and Polygala tenuifolia of Polygalaceae. This chapter introduces the scientific names, herbal medicine names, morphology, habitats, distributions, acquisition and processing methods, medicinal properties, tastes, functions, use and dosages of these medicinal plants, with clear original plant photos and part photos of herbal medicines of each plant.

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6.1  Family: Cruciferae 6.1.1  Brassica campestris Chinese Name(s): you cai, yun tai zi, you cai zi Source: This medicine is made of the seeds of Brassica campestris (Brassica campestris Linn.). Morphology: The plants are biennial, 30–90 cm high. The stems are stout, erect, branched or unbranched, glabrous or subglabrous, slightly pruinose. The basal leaves are lyrate-lobed, apical lobes being rounded or ovate, margins being irregularly dentate. The lateral lobes are 1 to several in pairs, ovate. The petioles are wide, 2–6  cm long, base being amplexicaul. The lower cauline leaves are pinnatifid, 6–10 cm long, base being enlarged and amplexicaul, both surfaces being bristly and ciliate. The upper cauline leaves are oblong obovate, oblong or oblong-lanceolate, 2.5–8 (−15) cm long, 0.5–4 (−5) cm wide, basally cordate, amplexicaul, auriculate on both sides, entire or undulate serrulate at margins. The racemes are in corymbose at anthesis, elongated later. The flowers are bright yellow, 7–10 mm in diameter. The sepals are oblong, 3–5 mm long, erect, apically rounded, margins being transparent, slightly pubescent. The petals are obovate, 7–9 mm long, apex being subemarginsate, base being unguiculate. The siliquae are linear, 3–8  cm long, and 2–4 mm in diameter. The peduncle lengths are 5–15 mm. The seeds are spherical, ca. 1.5 mm in diam, purple-brown. The flowering period is from March to April. The fruiting period is in May. Habitat: It is generally cultivated. Distribution: It is widely cultivated in the Yangtze river basin and the northwest provinces of China. Acquisition and Processing: The fruits are harvested in late spring and early summer when ripe, seeds removed, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and pungent in taste, warm in property. Functions: Promoting Qi circulation and dispelling blood stasis, dispersing swelling, and dissipating binds, it is often used in treatment of dysmenorrhea, postpartum blood stasis, and abdominal pain, as well as external use for sores and carbuncle. Use and Dosage: 3–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of herb is mashed and blended with egg white and applied to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: (1) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: blood stasis and dysmenorrhea: Brassica oleracea seed, safflower, corydalis tuber, 9 g each, Salvia miltiorrhiza 15 g, red peony, Cyperus rotundus each 12 g, decocted in water for oral dose. (2) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: postpartum abdominal pain due to blood stasis: Fried brassica oleracea seed 6  g, angelica 9  g, cassia 4.5  g, decocted in water for oral dose.

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6.2  Family: Cruciferae 6.2.1  Brassica juncea Chinese Name(s): jie zi, jie cai, jie cai zi, qing cai zi Source: This medicine is made of the seeds of Brassica juncea (Brassica juncea (Linn.) Czern. et Coss.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, 30–150  cm tall, often glabrous, sometimes spiny on young stems and leaves, pruinose, pungent in taste. The stems are erect, branched. The basal leaves are broadly ovate to obovate, 15–35 cm long, apically obtuse, basally cuneate, lyrate-pinnatifid, with 2–3 pairs of lobes, or no lobes and dentate, or incised margins. The petioles are 3–9  cm long, with small lobes. The lower cauline leaves are smaller, crisped incised, dentate, or repand, not amplexicaul. The upper cauline leaves are narrowly lanceolate, 2.5–5 cm long, 4–9 mm wide, margins being inconspicuously dentate or entire. The inflorescence are terminal, in racemes, prolonged after anthesis. The flowers are yellow 7–10 mm in diameter, with pedicels of 4–9 mm. The sepals are pale yellow, oblong oval, 4–5 mm in length, spreading. The petals are obovate, 8–10  mm in length, 4–5  mm in length. The siliquae are linear, 3–5.5  cm long, and 2–3.5 mm wide, with a prominent midvein on valves, beak of 6–12 mm long and pedicel of 5–15 mm long. The seeds are spherical, ca. 1 mm in diameter, purple-brown. The flowering period is from March to May and fruiting season is from May to June. Habitat: It is generally cultivated. Distribution: It is widely cultivated in north and south China, and is native to Asia. Acquisition and Processing: The fruits are harvested in spring when ripe, seeds removed, and dried in the sun. Medicinal Properties: The products are spherical and ovoid with a diameter of 1–2 mm. Its surface is yellowish brown, sometimes dark reddish brown, lustrous. If ground up and soaked with water, it produces a distinctive stink. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property, and belongs to the meridian of lung. Functions: Eliminating phlegm and promoting breathing, dispelling cold, relieving swelling, and pain, it is often used in treatment of bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis, chest distention, cold abscess and in external treatment of neuropathic pain, sprains, contusions. Use and Dosage: 3–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of herb is mashed into powder, blended with vinegar, and applied to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis: Brassica juncea, asarum 21 g each, corydalis tuber, euphorbia each 12 g, the medicines are ground into powder, divided into 3 portions for external use. When using, take 50 g of ginger, mash and mix the former powder to make a thick paste, spread the paste on six pieces of oiled paper, apply to acupoint of Feishu, Xinshu, and Geshu, and fix with adhesive tape, for 4–6 hours. Use once a day, 3 days as a course of treatment. The prescription is often used in summer dog days.

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6.3  Family: Cruciferae 6.3.1  Capsella bursa-pastoris Chinese Name(s): ji cai, ling jiao cai, di cai, ji yi cai, ji Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Capsella bursa-pastoris (Capsella bursa-pastoris (Linn.) Medic.). Morphology: The herbs are annual or biennial, 10–50  cm tall. The stems are erect, simple or branched from lower part. Basal leaves are rosulate, lyrate-­pinnatifid, 12  cm long, 2.5  cm wide, apical lobes being ovate to oblong, 5–30  mm long, 2–20 mm wide, lateral lobes being 3–8 in pairs, oblong to ovate, 5–15 mm long, apically acuminate, lobed, or irregularly coarsely serrate or subentire. The petioles are 5–40 mm in length. The cauline leaves are narrowly lanceolate or lanceolate, 5–6.5 mm long, 2–15 mm wide, base being sagittate, amplexicaul, margins being notched or serrate. The racemes are terminal and axillary, which extend to 20 cm during fruiting time. The pedicels are 3–8  mm long. The sepals are oblong, 1.5–2 mm long. The petals are white, ovate, 2–3 mm long, shortly clawed. The silicles are obtuse or obtuse triangular, 5–8  mm long, 4–7  mm wide, flat, glabrous, apically retuse, with reticulate veins on lobes. The persistent styles are ca. 0.5 mm. The fruit stalk lengths are 5–15 mm. The seeds are in 2 rows, oblong, ca. 1 mm, light brown. The flowering and fruiting periods are from April to June. Habitat: It grows on hillsides, fields, and roadsides. Distribution: It is widely distributed all over China, as well as in temperate regions of the world.

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Acquisition and Processing: The whole plant is harvested in late spring and early summer, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and bland in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Inducing urination, stopping bleeding, clearing heat and detoxifying, it is often used in treatment of kidney stones and hematuria, postpartum uterine bleeding, menorrhagia, tuberculosis and hemoptysis, hypertension, cold and fever, nephritis and edema, urinary stones, chyluria, and enteritis. Use and Dosage: 15–60 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Examples: (1) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: hypertension: a. Capsella bursa-pastoris, selfheal each 30 g, decocted in water for oral use. b. Capsella bursa-pastoris, Salsola collina each 9 g, decocted in water for oral use, take 3 days with an interval of one day. (2) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: kidney tuberculosis: capsella bursa-pastoris 30  g, added with 3 bowls of water and boil down to 1 bowl, add one egg, decoct until the egg is cooked and then add a little salt. Take the egg with the decoction.

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6.4  Family: Cruciferae 6.4.1  Cardamine hirsuta Chinese Name(s): sui mi ji. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Cardamine hirsuta (Cardamine hirsuta Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are small and annual, 15–35  cm tall. The stems are erect or obliquely ascending, lower parts sometimes being lilac, densely pilose, upper parts being glabrous. The basal leaves are petiolate, with 2–5 pairs of lobules. The terminal lobules are reniform or rounded, 4–10 mm long, 5–13 mm wide, with 3–5 crenations at margins. The petioles are conspicuous. The lateral lobules are ovate or round, smaller than terminal lobules, base being cuneate and slightly skewed on both sides, with 2–3 crenations at margins. The cauline leaves are shortly petiolate, with 3–6 pairs of leaflets, similar to basal leaves at lower part of stem. The terminal leaflets at upper part of stem are rhomboid long ovate, apically 3-cleft. The lateral leaflets are long ovate to linear, mostly entire. All leaflets are slightly pubescent on both sides. The racemes are terminal on branches. The flowers are small, ca. 3  mm in diam. The pedicels are slender, 2.5–4  mm long. The sepals are green or lilac, long elliptic, ca. 2 mm, membranous at margins, sparsely puberulent outside. The petals are white, obovate, 3–5 mm long, apically obtuse, attenuate toward base. The filaments are slightly enlarged. The pistils are columnar. The styles are very short. The stigmas are oblate. The siliquae are linear, slightly compressed, glabrous, up to 30  mm. The peduncles are slender, erect, 4–12  mm long. The seeds are elliptic, ca. 1  mm wide, apically conspicuously winged. The flowering period is from February to April. The fruiting period is from April to June. Habitat: It grows on slopes, wasteland, and roadside wetlands below elevation of 1000 m. Distribution: It is widely distributed almost all over China, as well as in temperate regions of the globe. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plant is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet in taste, cool in property. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind, relieving fever and toxication, clearing away heat and dampness, it is often used in treatment of urethritis, cystitis, dysentery, leukorrhagia, as well as external treatment of hemorrhoids. Use and Dosage: 15–40  g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, appropriate amount of herb is mashed and applied on the affected areas.

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6.5  Family: Cruciferae 6.5.1  Coronopus didymus Chinese Name(s): chou ji, chou bin jie Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Coronopus didymus (Coronopus didymus (Linn.) J. E. Smith). Morphology: The herbs are annual or rarely biennial, procumbent, fetid, 5–30 cm high. The main stem is short and not conspicuous, usually branched from base, glabrous or pilose with straight trichomes. The leaves are 1–2 pinnatisect. The lobes are 3–5 pairs, linear or narrowly oblong, 4–8 mm long, 0.5–1 mm wide, apically acute, basally cuneate, entire, glabrous on both surfaces. The petioles are 5–8 mm in length. The flowers are minute, ca. 1 mm in diam. The sepals are with white membranous margins. The petals are white, oblong, slightly longer than sepals, or apetalous. There are usually 2 stamens. The silicles are reniform, ca. 1.5 mm long, 2–2.5 mm wide, 2-lobed, hemispherical, rugose on surface, 2-devided at maturity. The seeds are reniform, ca. 1 mm, reddish brown. The flowering period is in March, and the fruiting period is from April to May. Habitat: It grows on the roadside or in the wilderness. Distribution: It is widely distributed in East China, central China, south China, and southwest provinces, as well as in Europe, North America, and other parts of Asia. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plant is harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and slightly bitter in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Clearing heat and improving eye sight, inducing urination, and treating stranguria, it is often used in treating inflammation of eyes, pyretic stranguria. Use and Dosage: 20–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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6.6  Family: Cruciferae 6.6.1  Isatis indigotica Chinese Name(s): ban lan gen, bei ban lan gen, song lan. Source: This medicine is made of the roots of Isatis indigotica (Isatis indigotica Fort.). Morphology: The herbs are biennial, 40–100 cm tall. The taproot is 5–8 mm in diameter, grayish yellow. The stems are erect, green, glabrous, pruinose apically many-branched. The basal leaves are rosulate, oblong to broadly oblanceolate,

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5–15 cm long, 1.5–4 cm wide, apically obtuse or acute, basally acuminate, entire or slightly undulate dentate, stipitate. The basal leaves are glaucous, oblong or oblong-­ lanceolate, 7–15  cm long, 1–4  cm wide. The basal auricles are inconspicuous or rounded. The sepals are broadly ovate or broadly lanceolate, 2–2.5 mm long. The petals are yellowish-white, broadly cuneate, 3–4  mm long, apically subtruncate, shortly clawed. The silicles are suboblong, compressed, glabrous, winged at margins. The peduncles are slender, slightly pendulous. The seeds are oblong, 3–3.5 mm long, pale brown. The flowering period is from April to May. The fruiting period is from May to June. Habitat: It generally cultivated. Distribution: It is cultivated in east China, northeast China, north China, northwest China, south China, and it is native to China. Acquisition and Processing: The roots are dug up in late autumn and early winter. After removing off the leaves, dust, straightened, the plant is 70% dried, bundled into small handfuls, and then dried thoroughly. Medicinal Properties: The products are a slender cylindrical, often slightly curved, 10–20 cm long, 0.5–1 cm in diameter. The roots inflate at head, on which there are green, colyliform petiole residues and many warty protuberances. The surfaces are grayish yellow or light brown, with longitudinal wrinkles and transverse lenticels, and root or root trace. It is solid and brittle in texture, powdery, easy to break, flat at section, light brown on skin, and yellow at xylem. It is slightly odored, slightly sweet and pungent in taste. The products with long, bulky, white, and powdery roots are of better quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cold in property, and belongs to the meridians of heart, liver, and stomach. Functions: Clearing heat, detoxifying, cooling blood, and relieving pharynx, it is often used in treatment of infective fever, cold due to wind and heat, sore throat, phlegm, erysipelas, epidemic encephalitis, and hepatitis. Use and Dosage: 10–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Examples: (1) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: prevention and treatment of mumps: a. Isatis indigotica 50  g, decocted in water for oral use. b. Isatis indigotica, Scutellaria, Baicalensis, Forsythia, selfheal, Radix scrophulariae,10  g each, Puffball, mint, Platycodon grandiflorum, 5 g each, Radix glycyrrhizae 3 g. If the testis is swollen and painful, tangerine seeds and litchi seed 10 g each or Radix isatidis or Lygodium japonicum 30  g each should be added into the formula, and decocted once a day. For external use, subprostrate Sophora dandelion, purslane, houttuynia, Commelina communisto are mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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(2) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: acute tonsillitis: Isatis indigotica 15 g, honeysuckle, forsythia, Subprostrate sophora, Radix scrophulariae 10 g each, mint 5 g, licorice 3 g, decocted in water for oral use, (3) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: epidemic B encephalitis: Isatis indigotica 120 g (60 g for children under 13 years old), added with 200 ml water, decocted to 100 ml. Take 1 time or twice a day for 2 to 3 weeks. For unconscious patients, the decoctum could be used by nasal administration. For patients with high heat convulsions, rapid acupuncture can temporarily check convulsions and lower body tempreture (0.5–1 °C). Then the patients are treated according to the traditional Chinese medicine and western therapies, such as dehydrating, antimicrobial and supporting therapy. (4) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: acute jaundice hepatitis: “ganning” injection 2 ml (1 ml for children under 5 years old), injected intramuscularly, once a day, 14–20 days as a course of treatment. Some of the patients are given vitamin B1, C, and yeast for oral use. Some are treated with transfusion and hormone in severe cases (5) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: vegetable solar dermatitis: Isatis indigotica 120 g, Scutellaria baicalensis, Arctium lappa, Radix scrophulariae, Platycodon grandiflorum, each 10  g, coptis, medicinal Silkworms, Bupleurum each 6  g, orange peel, licorice, mint, cohosh each 3 g, puffball 5 g, decocted in water for oral use. (6) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: acute conjunctivitis: 5%, 10% Isatis indigotica eye drops. Drop into eyes for six times a day.

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6.7  Family: Cruciferae 6.7.1  Lepidium apetalum Chinese Name(s): ting li zi, bei ting li zi, ku ting li zi, du xing cai. Source: This medicine is made of the dried seeds of Lepidium apetalum (Lepidium apetalum Willd.). Morphology: The herbs are annual or biennial, 5–30  cm tall. The stems are erect, branched, puberulent with clavate or capitate trichomes. The basal leaves are narrow spatulate, 1 pinnate lobed or parted, 3–5 cm long, often glabrescent. The petioles are 1–2 cm long. The cauline leaves are linear, sparsely dentate or entire. The flowers are minute, arranged in terminal racemes, which elongate to 5 cm in fruiting. The sepals are caducous, ovate, ca. 0.8 mm, pubescent outside. The petals are absent or reduced to filaments. There are 2 or 4 stamens. The silicles are suborbicular or elliptic, 2–3  mm long, compressed, apically emarginate, and narrowly

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winged. The seeds are ovate-elliptic, ca. 1 mm long, glossy, brownish red. The flowering and fruiting periods are May-July. Habitat: It grows along roadsides or in valleys. Distribution: It is cultivated in north China, east China, northwest, southwest, south China, etc., as well as in Russia, Asia, and the Himalayas. Acquisition and Processing: The plants are harvested in summer when the fruits are ripe, dried in the sun, with the seeds and impurities removed. Medicinal Properties: The products are oblate, 1–1.5 mm long, brown or reddish brown, slightly lustrous, with 2 longitudinal grooves, one of which is obvious, blunt round at one end, slightly concave at the other end. The hilum is at the concave. It is odorless, pungent and spicy in taste, and sticky in property. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and bitter in taste, cold in property, and belongs the meridians of lung and bladder. Functions: Dispelling phlegm and relieving asthma, purging lung and inducing urination, it is often used in treatment of asthma, cough, excess sputum, chest suffocation, edema, and dysuria. Use and Dosage: 3–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Examples: Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: tuberculous exudative pleurisy: Lepidium apetalum seed 15 g, jujube 15, used as the basic formula, in cases of cold chest pain, added with poria cocos 12 g, bighead atractylodes 12 g, cassia twig 9 g, Pericarpium trichosanthis, Allium chinensis, Pinellia ternata, 9 g each, licorice, tangerine peel 4.5 g each. For tuberculosis, add radix stemonae 15 g, the root of red-rooted salvia and scutellaria baicalensis each 9 g. For cases of chest pain due to heat, add Radix bupleuri, Scutellaria baicalensis, Radix paeoniae rubrathe root of common peony, peeled root of herbaceous peony, radix curcumae, 9 g, each, and 3 slices of ginger, 4 jujubes. For cases of excessive heat, add buckwheat root, cordate houttuynia, scandent hop, each 30 g. For the recovery period, add Astragalus mongholicus and white peony, 9 g each, cassia twig 6 g, licorice, 3 slices of ginger and 6 jujubes. Annotations: The seeds of Descurainia sophia (descurainia sophia (Linn.) Webb. Ex Prantl) are also used as Lepidium apetalum, which is called south Lepidium or sweet Lepidium, for their similarity on curative function. The seeds of Lepidium commonly used in south China are mostly south Lepidium.

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6.8  Family: Cruciferae 6.8.1  Lepidium virginicum Chinese Name(s): bei mei du xing cai,da ye xiang ji cai, la cai, mei zhou du xing cai, ting li zi, xiao tuan shan ji. Source: This medicine is made of the dried seeds of Lepidium virginicum (Lepidium virginicum Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual or biennial. 20–50  cm tall. The stems are simple, erect, branched above, with columnar glandular hairs. The basal leaves are oblanceolate, 1–5 cm long, pinnatifid or lyrate, lobes being unequal in size, ovate or oblong, serrate at margins, pubescent on both sides. The petioles are 1–1.5 cm long. The cauline leaves are shortly stipitate, oblanceolate or linear, 1.5–5  cm long, 2–10 mm wide, apically acute, basally attenuate, sharply serrate or entire at margins. The racemes are terminal. The sepals are elliptic, ca. 1 mm long. The petals are white, obovate, and sepals are as long as or slightly longer than the petals. There are 2 or 4 stamens. The silicles are suborbicular, 2–3 mm long, 1–2 mm wide, compressed, narrowly winged apically, apically emarginate, styles being very short. The fruit pedicles are 2–3 mm in length. The seeds are ovate, ca. 1 mm long, glabrous, reddish brown, narrowly winged at margins. The cotyledons are accumbent. The flowering period is from April to May, and the fruiting period is from June to July. Habitat: It grows on the edge of a field or heath. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Inner Mongolia, Jilin, Liaoning, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Guangdong, Fujian, Hubei, etc., as well as in America, Europe, and Asia. Acquisition and Processing: The seeds were harvested and dried in summer. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, cold in property. Functions: Purging lung and inducing urination dispelling phlem and diminishing swelling, soothing asthma and cough. It is often used in treatment of asthma, cough, facial edema, pulmonary abscess, exudative enteritis.

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Use and Dosage: 6–10 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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6.9  Family: Cruciferae 6.9.1  Raphanus sativus Chinese Name(s): lai fu zi,lai fu, luo bo Source: This medicine is made of the seeds of Raphanus sativus (Raphanus sativus Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are biennial or annual, 20–100  cm tall. The roots are straight and fleshy, oblong, spherical or conical, green, white or red skinned. The stems are branched, glabrous, slightly pruinose. The basal and lower cauline leaves are mostly lyrate or pinnatisect, 8–30  cm long, 3–5  cm wide, apical lobes being ovate, lateral lobes being in 4–6 pairs, oblong, obtuse, sparsely hirsute. The upper leaves are oblong, serrate or subentire. The racemes are terminal and axillary. The flowers are white or pink, 1.5–2 cm in diameter. The pedicels are 5–15 mm long. The sepals are oblong, 5–7 mm long. The petals are obovate, 1–1.5 cm long, with purplish veins, and claw of 5 mm long at lower part. The siliquae are cylindrical, 3–6 cm long, 10–12 mm wide, constricted between seeds and forming spongy septum. The apical beaks are 1–1.5 cm in length. The peduncles are 1–1.5 cm long. There are 1–6

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seeds, which are ovate, slightly oblate, ca. 3 mm long, reddish brown, with fine reticulation. The flowering period is from April to May. The fruiting period is from May to June. Habitat: It is cultivated. Distribution: It is widely cultivated throughout China and native to Europe. Acquisition and Processing: The seeds are harvested in spring when ripe, and dried in the sun. Medicinal Properties: This product is oval or oval, slightly compressed, angular, 2.5–4 mm long, 2–3 mm wide, yellowish brown or grayish brown. There are dark brown circular umbilicuses on one end, and several longitudinal grooves on one side. The seed coat is thin and crispy, slightly firm, with 2 yellow and white folded cotyledon visible when broken, oily. It is odorless, slightly bitter and pungent in taste. The products with full grain are better in quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and pungent in taste, neutral in property, and belongs the meridians of lung, spleen, and stomach. Functions: Regulating Qi and relieving asthma, dissipating phlegm, and eliminating dyspepsia, it is often used in treatment of chest distension, pain of Qi stagnation and dyspepsia, phlegm wheezing cough, and dysentery. Use and Dosage: 4.5–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Examples: (1) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: mild intestinal adhesions, incomplete intestinal obstruction obstruction: fried Raphanus sativus seed (radish seeds), Mangnolia officinalis each 9–15 g, banksia rose, the root of three-nerved spicebush, peach kernel, Radix paenoniae rubra, the root of common peony, Folium sennae each 9 g, Mirabilite (melt in water) 6 g, decocted in water for oral use. The formula can be added or subtracted with symptoms. At the same time, infusion, antibiotics, and gastrointestinal decompression, etc., are used according to the symptoms and complications. (2) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Qi stagnation and dyspepsia: Raphanus sativus seed, fried hawthorn, medicated Leaven, fried rice sprout, fried malt each 9g, decocted in water for oral use.

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6.10  Family: Cruciferae 6.10.1  Rorippa dubia Chinese Name(s): wu ban han cai,ye cai zi, tie cai zi, ye you cai. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Rorippa dubia (Rorippa dubia (Pers.) Hara). Morphology: The herbs are annual, 10–30 cm tall, glabrous, delicate, erect or creeping, longitudinally grooved on surface. The leaves are simple, alternate, and papery. The basal and lower stem leaves are obovate or obovate-lanceolate, 3–8 cm long, 1.5–3.5 cm wide, lyrate-pinnatipartite or undivided. The terminal lobes are large, irregularly serrate on margins, with 1–2 pairs of lobules at lower part, occasionally

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undivided. The upper leaves on stem are ovate-lanceolate or oblong, undulate dentate on margins. The upper and lower leaves vary in shape and size, pediculate or sessile. The racemes are terminal or lateral, flowers being small, numerous, with fine pedicels. There are 4 sepals, which are erect, lanceolate to linear, ca. 3 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide, membranous at margins, apetalous (occasionally with imperfect petals). There are 6 stamens, 2 of which are shorter. The siliquae are linear, 2–3.5 cm long, 1 mm wide, thin, and straight. The peduncles are slender, ascending obliquely or spreading subhorizontally. The seeds are aligned in 1-row per loculus, numerous, minute, brown, subovate, apically acute and slightly concave, with fine reticulate surface. The flowering period is from April to June. And the fruiting period is from June to August. Habitat: It grows on the riverside, roadside, and the edge of the field. Distribution: It is distributed in east China, central China, south China, northwest China, southwest China, as well as in Japan, Philippines, India, Indonesia, and the southern United States. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in spring and summer, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and pungent in taste, neutral in property, and belongs the meridians of lung, spleen and stomach. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxicating, relieving cough, and inducing urination, it is often used in treatment of colds and fever, sore throat, cough due to heat in lung, chronic bronchitis, acute rheumatoid arthritis, hepatitis, dysuria, and external treatment of paint sores, snake bites, sores and abscess. Use and Dosage: 30–60 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: chronic bronchitis: Rorifone 200–300 mg per dose, take once daily.

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6.11  Family: Cruciferae 6.11.1  Rorippa indica Chinese Name(s): tang ge cai, yin du han cai, la dou cai, ye you cai. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Rorippa indica (Rorippa indica (Linn.) Hiern. [Nasturtium indicum (Linn.) DC.]). Morphology: The herbs are erect, annual or biennial, 20–40 cm tall, stout, glabrous or occasionally pubescent. The stems are simple or branched, with longitudinal groove on surface. The leaves are alternate. The basal leaves and lower cauline leaves are long stipitate, and vary in leaf forms, usually lyrate-pinnatipartite, 4–10 cm long, 1.5–2.5 cm wide. The uppermost lobe is the largest, ovate-lanceolate, irregular denticulate at margins. The lateral lobes are 1–5 in pairs. The upper cauline

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leaves are broadly lanceolate or spatulate, margins being sparsely dentate, shortly stipitate, or auriculate. The racemes are terminal or lateral. The flowers are small, numerous, with fine pedicels. There are 4 sepals, which are ovate-oblong, 3–4 mm long, and 4 petals, which are yellow, spatulate, attenuated to a claw at base, subequal to the length of sepals. There are 6 stamens, 2 of them being slightly shorter. The siliquae are linear cylindrical, short and stout, 1–2 cm long, 1–1.5 mm wide, erect or slightly incurved, petaled at maturity. The peduncles are slender, 3–5 mm long, ascending obliquely or spreading nearly horizontally. The seeds are in 2 rows per loculus, numerous, minute, ovoid and oblate, slightly concave at one end, brown on surface, fine reticulate. The flowering period is from April to June. The fruiting period is from June to August. Habitat: It grows on roadside, in river, field, and other moist places. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Shandong, Henan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Taiwan etc., as well as in Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Indonesia, and India. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plants are harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and bland in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing heat and inducing urination, cooling blood and detoxicating, it is often used in treatment of cold and fever, pneumonia, cough due to lung heat, hemoptysis, sore throat, hoarseness, dysuria, acute rheumatoid arthritis, edema, chronic bronchitis, and hepatitis. Use and Dosage: 30–60 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external treatment of snake bites, boils, carbuncles and swelling, proper amounts of herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: (1) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: chronic bronchitis: Rorifone 200–300 mg per dose, take once daily. (2) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Rorippa indica 15 g, mulberry leaf 9 g, chrysanthemum 15 g, decocted in water for oral use.

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6.12  Family: Cruciferae 6.12.1  Thlaspi arvense Chinese Name(s): xi mi, e lan cai, bai jiang cao, li tou cao. Source: This medicine is made of the overground part of Thlaspi arvense (Thlaspi arvense Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, 20–50  cm tall, glabrous throughout. The stems are erect, branched or simple, ridged. The basal leaves are oblanceolate, entire, stipitate. The cauline leaves are lanceolate, 2–5 cm long, 0.5–2 cm wide, apically obtuse or slightly acute, basally cordate and amplexicaul, sessile. The flowers are white, small, and numerous, arranged in terminal racemes. There are 4 sepals, erect, ovate, ca. 2  mm, obtuse, and 4 petals, cruciform, obovate, 2–4  mm long, rounded or slightly concave at apex, narrowed to a claw-like base. There are 6 stamens, arranged in 2 whorls. The 2 on outer whorl are shorter, while the 4 on inner whorl are longer. The filaments are with dense glands at base. The ovaries are epigynous, with 2 connate carpels, 2 locules. The ovules are numerous, on lateral membranous placenta, shortly obovate or suborbicular, 13–16 mm long, 9–13 mm wide, flat, apically concave, with wings of 3  mm wide on the margin. The seeds are obovate, ca. 1.5 mm long, slightly oblate, blackish brown, concentrically striate. Habitat: It grows on roadsides, in ditches, or in gardens Distribution: It is distributed in provinces on southern and northern China, south to the Nanling Mountains, as well as in Asia, Europe, and Northern Africa. Acquisition and Processing: The fruits are harvested in summer when mature, and dried in the sun. Medicinal Properties: The stem of this product is 20–30 cm in length, 0.2–0.5 cm in diameter, yellow-green or gray-yellow, straightly ridged, brittle, easy to break, with pith on section. The leaves are alternate, usually fallen off or broken. Infructescences are terminal. Fruits are obovate, compressed, 13–16 mm in diameter, grayish-green or grayish-yellow, slightly uplifted in the middle, winged on the edge, with one longitudinal line on each side, concave top, and two chambers in the middle. The seeds are with 5–7 grains per chamber, which are obovate, about 0.2 cm in diameter, brownblack, with concentrically striate on both sides. It is slightly odored and taste. The products yellow and green products, with full grains are better in quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and pungent in taste, neutral in property, and belongs the meridians of liver and kidney. Functions: Improving eyesight, increasing the essence, preventing miscarriage, it is often used in treatment of dizziness, tinnitus, lumbar debility, spermatorrhea, frequent urinary, threatened abortion, fetal restlessness. Use and Dosage: 6–12 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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6.13  Family: Violaceae 6.13.1  Viola betonicifolia Chinese Name(s): ji ye jin cai, ni bo er jin cai, jian ye jin cai. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Viola betonicifolia (Viola betonicifolia J. E. Smith). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, acaulescent. The leaves are numerous, basal, rosulate. The leaf blades are narrowly lanceolate, triangular-ovate or triangular-­ovate, 2–7.5 cm long, 0.5–3 cm wide, apically acute, sometimes obtuse, basally truncate or slightly shallowly cordate, sometimes broadly cuneate, margins being sparsely shallowly undulate. The petioles are long, 1.5–13 cm, narrowly and conspicuously winged in upper part. The stipules are brown, ca. 3/4 adnate to petiole, free parts being linear lanceolate or subulate, apically acuminate. The flowers are white or lilac, deep-colored striate, 1.4–1.7 cm long. The pedicels are slender, equal to or exceed leaves, 2-bracteolate near middle. The sepals are ovate-­lanceolate, 5–6  mm long, apically acuminate, basal auricles being shorter, 0.5–1  mm long, terminally rounded, sometimes sparsely obtuse, narrowly membranous at margins, 3-veined. The upper petals are obovate, 1–1.2 cm long. The lateral ones are oblong obovate, 1–1.2  cm long. The lower ones are usually shorter, 1.3–1.5  cm (spur included). The spurs are tubular, slightly short and stout, 2–6 mm long, 2–3.5 mm thick, end rounded. The anthers and appendages are at the top of the septum, all about 2 mm long, and the lower two stamens are 1–3 mm apart. The ovaries are ovoid, ca. 2 mm, glabrous. The capsules are ellipsoid to oblong, 6–9 mm long, glabrous. The fruiting period is from April to September. Habitat: It grows in fields, on roadsides, hillside grasslands or in forests. Distribution: It is distributed in south of the Yangtze river and in provinces of Shaanxi and Gansu, as well as in Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Australia. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested all year round and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and pungent in taste, neutral in property, and belongs the meridians of liver and kidney. Functions: Clearing heat and dampness, eliminating toxin and reducing swelling, it is often used in treatment of ulcers and swelling, bruises and injuries, traumatic bleeding eye swelling and pain, jaundice, intestinal carbuncle, sore throat. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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6.14  Family: Violaceae 6.14.1  Viola diffusa Chinese Name(s): man jing jin cai, pu fu jin cai. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Viola betonicifolia (Viola betonicifolia J. E. Smith). Morphology: The herbs are annual, stiffly hairy or white puberulous throughout. The stolons are with rosulate leaves at top, usually producing adventitious roots. The basal leaves are numerous, fasciculate and rosulate, or alternate on stolon. The leaf blades are ovate or ovate-oblong, 1.5–3.5 cm long, 1–2 cm wide, apically obtuse or acuminate, basally broadly cuneate or truncate, thin shallowly cordate, distinctly lower than petioles, margins being remotely denticulate or fimbriate-dentate, young leaves being densely pubescent on both sides, later glabrescent. The petioles are 2–4.5  cm long, conspicuously winged. The flowers are small, lilac or yellowish, long pedicellate, growing in basal leaf axils and leaf axils of stolon. The pedicels are slender, 1.5–8.5 cm long, glabrous or sparsely puberulous, 2-bracteolate at middle, bracteoles being linear. The sepals are lanceolate, 4–5.5 mm long, apically acute, basal auricles being short, margins being sparsely ciliate, apex being rounded or remotely denticulate. The lateral petals are obovate or oblong obovate, 6–8  mm long, glabrous or shortly bearded. The anterior petals are ca. 6 mm (spur included), conspicuously shorter than other petals. The spurs are very short, only 1.5 mm long, slightly exserted out of basal auricles of sepals. The spurs of 2 anterior stamens are triangular, short, broad. The ovaries are glabrous. The styles are clavate, slightly geniculate, gradually thickened in upper part. The stigmas are thickly marginsed on lateral sides and abaxially, slightly raised in central part, shortly beaked in front. Habitat: It grows on the side of mountain gully, under the sparse forest or near the village in a humid, fertile place. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces and regions on south of the Yangtze river basin, as well as in India, Nepal, Philippines, Malaysia, and Japan.

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Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and pungent in taste, cold in property. Functions: Reducing swelling, and discharging of pus, clearing heat and dampness, promoting granulation, and promoting fracture healing, it is often used in treatment of hepatitis, whooping cough, congestion, and swollen of eyes, as well as in external application of acute mastitis, whitlow boil, carbuncle, herpes zoster, venomous snake bite, bruises, and injuries. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: (1) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: acute mastitis: proper amounts of fresh Viola diffusa is mashed and applied to the affected part. Change the dressing once a day. (2) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: proper amounts of fresh Viola diffusa is mashed and blended with sugar for application to the affected part. Meanwhile, Viola diffusa 30 g decocted for oral use. (3) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Aplastic anemia: whole plant steamed for oral use.

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6.15  Family: Violaceae 6.15.1  Viola grypoceras Chinese Name(s): zi hua jin cai, di huang gua, hua gua xiang, shen qi cao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Viola grypoceras (Viola grypoceras A. Gray). Morphology: The herb is perennial. Its rhizomes are erect, brown, short, robust, densely noded. The stems are several, erect, obliquely ascending, or nearly procument or creeping, 5–20 cm tall at anthesis, up to 30 cm tall at fruiting, glabrous or puberulous. The blades of basal leaves are cordate or broadly cordate, 1–4 × 1–3.5 cm. Both surfaces are glabrous or subglabrous, rarely puberulous abaxially, with dense brown glandular dots, base being narrowly sinuate, margins being obtusely serrate, apex being obtuse or ± acute. The blades of cauline leaves are triangular-­cordate or narrowly ovate-cordate, 1–6 cm, base being shallowly sinuate or broadly triangular. The petioles of basal leaves are up to 8 cm in length. Those of cauline leaves are shorter. The stipules are brown, narrowly lanceolate, 1–1.5 cm long, 1–2 mm wide. The flowers are lavender, not fragrant. The pedicels are drawn from the axils of stem base or cauline leaves, 6–11 cm long, much exceeding the leaves, with 2 linear bracteoles above the middle. The sepals are lanceolate with brown glandular dots, apically acute, base being with auricles of ca. 2 mm, apex being truncate, shallowly dentate. The petals are obovate-oblong, with brown

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glandular spots, lower lobe is (spur included) 1.5–2 cm. Spurs are 6–7 mm long, about 2 mm thick, usually curved downward, rarely straight. Lower 2 stamens are with long suberect spur. The ovaries are glabrous, with a broad stigma hole at tip of beak. Capsule are ellipsoid, ca. 1 cm long, with dense brown glandular dots, apex acuminate. The flowering period is from April to May. The fruiting period is from June to August. Habitat: It grows in the shade and wet place of the valley forest at altitudes of 600–1000 m. Distribution: It is distributed in regions of south China, southwest China, central China, east China, and north China, as well as in Japan, and Korea. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is slightly bitter in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing heat and dampness, stopping bleeding, and diminishing blood stasis and swelling, it is often used in treatment of chronic laryngopharyngitis, nameless rash, knife wound, bruise, and injury. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: chronic laryngitis: appropriate amount of fresh Viola grypoceras mashed and blended with honey water, hold in mouth.

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6.16  Family: Violaceae 6.16.1  Viola inconspicua Chinese Name(s): mao jin cai, li tou cao, zi hua di ding Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Viola inconspicua (Viola inconspicua Blume [V. confusa Champ. ex Benth.]). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, acaulescent. The leaves are basal, rosulate. The leaf blades are triangular, triangular-ovate or hastate, 1.5–7  cm long, 1–3.5 cm wide, broadest at base, middle part being acuminate or acute, base being broadly cordate, glabrous on both surfaces. The petioles are glabrous, 2–7 cm long. The stipules are 3/4 adnate with petiole, free part being lanceolate, 3–5 mm, margins being sparsely shortly fimbriate-dentate, rarely entire, usually brown rusty dotted. The flowers are lilac with darker striations. The peduncles are slender, usually subequaling or slightly exceeding leaves, glabrous or puberulous in upper part, 2-bracteolate slightly above middle. The sepals are ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, 4–7  mm long, apically acuminate, appendage being elongated, 2–3  mm long,

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shallowly incised. The margins are narrowly membranous. The petals are obovate, 7–9  mm long, lateral ones being bearded or rarely glabrous, anterior ones being 1–1.2 cm (spur included). The spurs are tubular, 1.8–3 (−4) mm, straight, obtuse. Lower stamens are dorsally angulate, ca. 2.5 mm long, apically acute, basally broad. The ovaries are globose, glabrous. The styles are clavate, ca. 2 mm long. The capsules are oblong, 8–10 mm long, glabrous. The flowering and fruiting periods are from March to November. Habitat: It grows on hilly slopes, plains, fields, or river sides. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces south of the Yangtze river, Shaanxi and Gansu, as well as in Myanmar, Philippines, and Malaysia. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and pungent in taste, cold in property. Functions: Reducing inflammation, detoxicating, cooling blood and diminishing swelling, it is often used in treatment of acute conjunctivitis, laryngitis, mastitis, acute jaundice hepatitis, carbuncle and furunculosis, pyogenic osteomyelitis, snake bite. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, or 30–60 g per dose for fresh herbs, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: (1) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: carbuncle, furuncle: patients on the early stage of inflammation with the symptoms of red, swelling, heat, and pain are treated with fresh herbs which are mashed, and applied to the affected part, or made into powder and paste for external use. Patients with systemic symptoms are treated with decoctum, 30 g per dose. Or it is better in efficacy to mash the fresh grass for juice (about 1 glass) and take orally. (2) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: pyogenic osteomyelitis: fresh Viola inconspicua, slender Evodia (fresh) in equal amount, mashed for application. (3) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: snakebite: Viola inconspicua, Clematis tenuifolia, wild Chrysanthemum leaves 60 g each, washed and mashed for external application, or extracted with juice for oral use. At the same time, apply to the wounds with medicinal juice for 10 min after the surgical treatment. Patients should not drink warm water and eat hot food after drinking medicine juice. General course of treatment is 4–6 days.

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6.17  Family: Violaceae 6.17.1  Viola moupinensis Chinese Name(s): xuan, huang jin, bai san bai bang, jin gu qi, ji xin qi. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Viola moupinensis (Viola moupinensis Franch.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, acaulescent, sometimes with ascending stolons of 30  cm, clustered with several leaves on the top of stolon. Its rhizomes are 6–10 mm thick, up to 15 cm long, vertical or sometimes obliquely, densely noded, usually with brown remains of stipules and dense rootlets. The leaves are basal. The leaves blades are cordate or reniform cordate, 2.5–5 cm long, 3–4.5 cm wide, enlarged after anthesis, 9 cm long, 10 cm wide. The petioles are winged, 4–10 cm long, 25 cm elongated after anthesis. The stipules are free, ovate, 1–1.8 cm long, pale brown or light on upper half, apically acuminate, sparsely serrulate or entire at margins. The flowers are large, lilac or white, with purple streaks. The pedicels are shorter than leaves, with 2 linear bracteoles at middle. The sepals are lanceolate or narrowly ovate, apically slightly acute, basal auricles being short, terminally truncate, remotely and shallowly dentate, margins being narrowly membranous. The petals are obovateobovate, lateral ones being bearded, anterior one being ca. 1.5 cm (spur included). The spurs are saccate, conspicuously longer than basal auricles of sepals, stout. The spurs of 2 anterior stamens are ca. 1 mm, ca. 1.1 mm in diam, apically obtuse. The ovaries are glabrous. The capsules are ellipsoid, ca. 1.5 cm, glabrous, brown glandular. The flowering period is from April to June. The fruiting period is from May to July. Habitat: It grows under the broad-leaved forest at an altitude of 300–1000 m. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces in south China, east China, central China, southwest China, and northwest China. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested all year round, and used freshly.

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Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and pungent in taste, cold in property. Functions: Reducing inflammation and relieving pa is often used in treatment of mastitis, knife wounds, open fractures, and boils. Use and Dosage: The herbs are mashed freshly and applied to the affected areas.

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6.18  Family: Violaceae 6.18.1  Viola philippica Chinese Name(s): zi hua di ding, hua tou cao, di ding, bao jian cao, di huang gua, di qie zi, jian tou cao, li tou cao Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Viola philippica (Viola philippica Cav.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, acaulescent, 4–16 cm tall. The leaves are numerous, basal, rosulate. The lower leaves are smaller, triangular-ovate or narrowly ovate. The upper ones are longer, oblong, narrowly ovate-lanceolate or oblong-ovate, 1.5–4 cm long, 0.5–1 cm wide, apically obtuse, basally truncate or cuneate, sparsely cordate, margins being fimbriate-denticulate, both surfaces being glabrous or hirsute. The petioles are usually 1–2  ×  exceeding blades at anthesis, very narrowly winged on upper part, up to 10 cm at fruiting, broadly winged on upper part. The stipules are membranous, pale or greenish, 1.5–2.5 cm long. The flowers are medium in size, violet or lilac, occasionally white, light colored and purple-striate at throat. The pedicels are usually numerous, slender, equaling or exceeding leaves, glabrous or puberulous, 2-bracteolate near middle. The sepals are ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, 5–7  mm long. The petals are obovate or oblong obovate, lateral ones being long, 1–1.2  cm, lower ones (spur included) being 1.3–2 cm, with purple veins inside. The spurs are tubular, 4–8 mm long, terminally rounded. The anthers are about 2  mm long. The spurs of 2 anterior stamens are tubular, 4–6 mm long, apically slender. The ovaries are ovate, glabrous. The styles are clavate. The capsules are oblong, 5–12 mm long, glabrous. The flowering period and fruiting periods are from April to September. Habitat: It grows in fields, valleys, streams, under forests, on wasteland, or by roadsides. Distribution: It is distributed all over China, as well as in Korea, Japan, and Russia. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cold in property. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxication, cooling blood and reducing swelling, it is often used in treatment of boils, erysipelas, cellulitis, mastitis, conjunctivities, pharyngitis, jaundice hepatitis, urinary tract infection, enteritis, and venomous snake bite. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: (1) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: a.suppurative infection: a. Viola philippica, dandelion, Chinese lobelia, each 15 g, decocted in water for oral use. The dreg is used for external application. b. fresh purple FLos indicum and fresh wild chrysanthemum 60 g each, pounded for juice and taken in two times. The dreg is used for external application. C. fresh Viola philippica and fresh hibiscus

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flower in equal amount, added with a little salt, mashed and applied to the affected part. At the same time, 60–90 g of fresh Viola philippica is decocted for oral use. (2) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: conjunctivitis, pharyngitis: fresh Viola philippica 30–60 g, decocted in water for oral use. (3) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: acute hemorrhagic necrotizing small enteritis: Viola philippica, phoenix-tail fern, Artemisia anomala s., Sargentg loryvine, Sanguisorba officinalis, each 15 g, hairyvein agrimony 30 g, decocted in water for oral use. For patients with complicated abdominal pain, add corydalis tuber and the root of three-nerved spicebush, 9g each. For abdominal distension and fructus, Aurantia 6 g, Magnolia obavata and rhubarb, 9g each. For body deficiency, add goat’s milk 15 g, red dates 7, decocted in water for oral use.

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6.19  Family: Violaceae 6.19.1  Viola stewardiana Chinese Name(s): lu shan jin cai, ni man di cao Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Viola stewardiana (Viola stewardiana W. Beck.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial. Underground parts of stems are procumbent, very hard, often producing new plants. The stems are usually several fasciculate, obliquely ascending, 10–15 cm tall, longitudinally angled, glabrous. The basal leaves are rosette. The leaf blades are triangular-ovate, 1.5–3 cm long, 1.5–2.5 cm wide, apically mucronate, basally broadly cuneate or truncate, decurrent to petioles, margins being crenate, glandular at apices of teeth, apex being mucronate, with minute brown glandular dots on both sides. The petioles are 5.5 cm long. The cauline leaf blades are oblong, rhomboid or triangular-ovate, 4.5 cm long, 2–3 cm wide, upper ones being shorter than leaf blade, narrowly winged. The stipules are brown, lanceolate or linear lanceolate, basal ones being 1–1.2 cm, upper ones being only ca. 0.5 cm, margins being long fimbriate, apex being long acuminate. The flowers are lilac, inserted in upper leaf axils, long pedicellate. The pedicels are subequal or slightly exceed leaves, with 2 linear bracteoles slightly above middle. The sepals are narrowly ovate or oblong-lanceolate, 3–3.5 mm, apex being mucronate, basal auricles being short, glabrous. The petals are apically emarginate, upper petals being spatulate, ca. 8  mm long, lateral petals being oblong, inner base being glabrous, lower petals being obovate. The connectives are ca. 1.4  cm. The spurs are about 6 mm long, curved downward, apex being obtuse. The lower 2 stamens are without spurs, ovary ovoid. The capsules are subglobose, sparsely brown glandular, ca. 6 mm long. The flowering period is from April to July. The fruiting period is from May to September. Habitat: It grows in the moist rock crevices along the river bank or in the forest at an altitude of 400–1000 m. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Fujian, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangsu, Sichuan, Guizhou, Gansu, and Shaanxi. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in spring and summer and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is slight bitter in taste, cold in property. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxication, relieving pain and detumescence. It is often used in treatment of injuries, nameless rashes. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of fresh herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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6.20  Family: Violaceae 6.20.1  Viola verecunda Chinese Name(s): jin cai, guan zui cai, xiao li tou cao Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Viola verecunda (Viola verecunda A. Gray [V. alata Burgsd.]). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, 5–20  cm high. The stems are several fasciculate, obliquely ascending, erect or obliquely ascending, glabrous. The basal leaf blades are broadly cordate, ovate-cordate or reniform, 1.5–3  cm long, 1.5–3.5  cm wide, apically rounded or apiculate, broadly cordate at base, lateral lobes spreading, margins being crenate, both surfaces being subglabrous. The cauline leaves are few, similar to basal leaves. The petioles are 1.5–7 cm long, basal petiole being longer and winged, stem petioles being shorter. The stipules of basal leaves are brownish, lower part being connate with petioles, 5–10 mm long, apically

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acuminate, margins being sparsely serrulate. The stipules of cauline leaves are free, green, ovate-­lanceolate or spatulate, 6–12 mm long, usually entire, sparsely serrulate. The flowers are small, white or lilac, in axil of cauline leaves, with slender pedicels. The pedicels are much longer than leaf blades, with 2 linear bracteoles subopposite above the middle. The sepals are ovate-lanceolate, 4–5 mm long, upper ones being obovate, about 9 mm long, 2 mm wide, lateral ones being obovate, about 1  cm long, 2.5  mm wide, lower ones being about 1  cm including spurs, slightly concave on the top, and with deep purple stripes at the bottom. The spurs are shallow saclike and 1.5–2 mm long. The anthers of stamens are ca. 1.7 mm long, lower back of stamens being with short spur. The ovaries are glabrous. The capsules are oblong or elliptic, ca. 8 mm. The flowering and fruiting periods are from May to October. Habitat: It grows on wet meadows, grassy slopes, fields, and near villages. Distribution: It is distributed in northeast China, north China and south of the Yangtze river, as well as in Korea, Japan, Mongolia, and Russia. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is slightly bitter in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxicating, relieving cough and stopping bleeding, it is often used in treatment of hemoptysis due to lung heat, tonsillitis, conjunctivitis, diarrhea, as well as external treatment of boils, traumatic bleeding, and venomous snake bite. Use and Dosage: 30–60 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of fresh herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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6.21  Family: Polygalaceae 6.21.1  Polygala caudata Chinese Name(s): wei ye yuan zhi, shui huang yang mu, wu bang zi Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Polygala caudata (Polygala caudata Rehd. et Wils.). Morphology: The plant is shrubs, 1–3 m high. Young branchlets are longitudinally angular and sulcate. The leaves are simple. The leaf blades are subleathery, oblong or oblanceolate, 3–12  cm long, 6–10  cm mostly, 1–3  cm wide, apically caudate acuminate or apiculate, basally attenuate to cuneate, entire on margins. The midvein is raised abaxially. The lateral veins are in 7–12 pairs, obscure adaxially. The petioles are 5–10  mm long, sulcate. The racemes are terminal or axillary at apices of branchlets, several together in corymbose or paniculate, 2.5–5 cm long. The flowers are small, 5–8 mm long, with 5 sepals, which are caducous during fruiting season. There are 3 outer sepals, which are ca. 2 × 1.5 mm, ovate, pubescent

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outside, apically rounded, and 2 inner sepals, which are petaloid, obovate to obliquely obovate, large, 4.5(−6) × ca. 3 mm, 3-veined, attenuated at base, apically retuse-rounded. There are 3 petals, which are white, yellow or purple, connate in lower 3/4, fossil fragments being longer than lateral petals, ca. 5 mm, with peltate appendages on apex. There are 8 stamens, filaments being ca. 4 mm, united in lower 3/4, forming an open staminal sheath. The anthers are ovate. The ovaries are obovate. The capsules are oblong obovate, 8 mm long, ca. 4 mm in diameter, slightly concave at apex, attenuated at base, with annular disk, narrowly winged on margins. The flowering period is from November to May of the following year. The fruiting period is from May to December. Habitat: It grows in valleys and open forests at altitudes of 150–500 m. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan, Hubei, and Sichuan. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested all year round, cleaned and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Relieving cough and asthma, clearing heat and dampness, it is often used in treatment of cough, bronchitis, and jaundice hepatitis. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Examples: Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: chronic bronchitis: a. roots of Polygala caudata 30–60  g, Polygonum cuspidatum 15  g, Houttuynia cordata 60  g, roots of Mahonia bealei 30 g, loquat leaves 5, decocted and devided into 2–3 doses for oral use. b. roots of Polygala caudata, Sargentg loryvine, 30 g each, Polygonum cuspidatum 15 g, decocted and divided into 2–3 doses for oral use. C. roots of Polygala caudata 30 g, of Scutellaria baicalensis, honeysuckle and epimedium, 1.5 g each, decocted in water for oral use. Take one dose daily for 10 days.

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6.22  Family: Polygalaceae 6.22.1  Polygala fallax Chinese Name(s): huang hua dao shui lian, dao diao huang hua Source: This medicine is made of the roots of Polygala fallax (Polygala fallax Hemsl. [P. aureocauda Dunn]). Morphology: The plant is shrubs or small trees, 1–3 m tall. The leaves are alternate, membranous, lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, 8–17 cm long, 4–6.5 cm wide, apically acuminate, basally cuneate to obtuse, entire, dark green on surface, abaxially pale green, both surfaces being pubescent. The midvein is impressed adaxially. The lateral veins are in 8–9 pairs. The petioles are 9–14 mm long, sulcate adaxially,

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pubescent. The racemes are terminal or axillary, 10–15 cm long, erect. The flowers are 30 cm long, pendulous, pubescent. The bracteoles are caducous, basal, linearoblong. There are 5 sepals, which are caducous after anthesis, ciliate. There are 3 outer sepals, which are small, unequal, upper one being helmet-shaped, 6–7 mm. The other 2 sepals are ovate to elliptic, ca. 3  mm, petaloid, obliquely obovate, 1.5 cm long, 7–8 mm wide, apically rounded, basally attenuate. The petals are positive yellow with 3 petals, lateral ones being oblong, ca. 10  mm long, connate in lower 2/3 with fossil fragments, apically subtruncate, basally upward galeated. The fossil fragments are hooded, ca. 1.2 cm, apically with fimbriate appendages, fringed, stalks being ca. 3 mm, coronal appendage sessile, fringed, ca. 3 mm long. There are 8 stamens. The ovaries are rounded. The capsules are broadly obcordate to round, greenish-yellow, 10–14  mm in diameter. The flowering period is from May to August. The fruiting period is from August to October. Habitat: It grows in valleys, streams, or among moist shrubs. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, etc. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested all year round. The roots are sliced and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and slightly bitter in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Reinforcing Qi and blood, invigorating spleen and clearing dampness, activating blood circulation and regulating menstruation, it is often used in treatment of body deficiency, pain on waist and knee, injuries, jaundice hepatitis, nephritis edema, uterine prolapse, leucorrhea, irregular menstruation. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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6.23  Family Polygalaceae 6.23.1  Polygala glomerata Chinese Name(s): jin bu huan, da jin bu huan, zi bei jin niu Source: This medicine is made of the roots of Polygala glomerata (Polygala glomerata Lour. [P. chinensis Linn.]). Morphology: The herbs are annual, erect, 10–60 cm tall. The leaves are alternate, papery, obovate, elliptic or lanceolate, 2.6–10  cm long, 1–1.5  cm wide, apically obtuse, mucronate, or acuminate, basally cuneate, entire, slightly recurved, green, sparsely pubescent. The midvein is concave above, abaxially elevated, the lateral veins being few, abaxially inconspicuous. The petioles are ca. 1 mm, pubescent. The racemes are axillary, sparsely axillary, only 1 cm long. The flowers are few and dense. The pedicels are ca. 1.5 mm, with 2 lanceolate bracts at base, caducous. The flowers are large, ca. 4.5 mm long. There are 5 sepals, which are green, ciliate, persistent, the outter 3 being ovate-lanceolate, ca. 2 mm, apically acuminate, the inner 2 petals being falcate, ca. 4.5 mm, apically acuminate, clawed at base, 4–5 veined. There are 3 petals, which are yellowish or white-tinged reddish, connate at base, lateral lobe being shorter than fossil fragments, base being with 1 tuft of white pilose. The fossil fragments are about 4 mm long, with 2 bundles of cleft coronal appendages at apex. There are 8 stamens, filaments being about 3 mm long, connate into sheaths below middle. The anthers are rod-ovate, apical pore being dehiscence. The ovaries are rounded, laterally oblate, ca. 1 mm in diameter, ciliate. The capsules are round, ca. 2 mm in diameter, narrowly winged and ciliate, apically slightly concave. The flowering period is from April to October. The fruiting period is from May to November. Habitat: It grows on slopes, roadsides, ridges, and other grasslands. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Hainan, Guangdong, Fujian, Guangxi, Yunnan, etc. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in spring and summer and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and bland in taste, neutral in property, and belongs to the meridian of lung.

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Functions: clearing heat detoxicating, dispelling phlegm relieving cough, activating blood circulation and scattering stasis, it is often used in treatment of chest pain, pharyngitis, bronchitis, tuberculosis, pertussis, hepatitis, poliomyelitis sequelae, dysentery, as well as in external treatment for cancer, furuncles, injury, and snake bite. Use and Dosage: 9–18 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of fresh herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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6.24  Family: Polygalaceae 6.24.1  Polygala japonica Chinese Name(s): luan ye yuan zhi, gua zi jin, jin yao shi Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Polygala japonica (Polygala japonica Houtt]). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, 15–20 cm tall. The stems and branches are erect or decumbent, brown-green or green, longitudinally angular, curly pubescent. The leaves are alternate, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, rarely linear lanceolate, 1–2.6 cm long, 5–9 mm wide, apically obtuse, mucronate, basally broadly cuneate to rounded, entire, adaxially green, abaxially pale green. The lateral veins are 3–5 in pairs, raised on both sides, pubescent. The petioles are ca. 1 mm, pubescent. The racemes are opposite to leaves, or extra-axillary, uppermost raceme being lower than apices of stems. The pedicels are thin, ca. 7 mm, pubescent. The bracteoles are caducous, basal, lanceolate. There are 5 sepals, which are persistent, the 3 ones outside being lanceolate, 4 mm long, pubescent outside, the 2 inside being petaloid, ovate to oblong, ca. 6.5  mm long, ca. 3  mm wide, apically rounded, mucronate, basally unguiculate. There are 3 petals, which are white to purple, connate at base, lateral lobes being oblong, ca. 6 mm long, inside pubescent at base, fossil fragments being with cymbiform, appendages being fimbriate apically. There are 8 stamens. The ovaries are obovate, ca. 2 mm in diam., winged, styles being ca. 5 mm, curved, with 2 stigmas, which are separate. The capsules are round, ca. 6 mm in diam, apically retuse, with rostrum, and transverse veined wings. The flowering period is from April to May. The fruiting period is from May to August. Habitat: It grows on the hillside, roadside, open grassland at altitudes of 600–800 m. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Shandong, Shaanxi, Anhui, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Jiangxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, as well as in Taiwan. Korea, Japan, Russia far east, Vietnam, Philippines, and Papua New Guinea.

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Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Medicinal Properties: The products are cylindrical, slightly curved, up to 4 mm in diameter, yellowish brown on surface, longitudinally wrinkled, hard, yellow and white on section. The stems are sparsely branched, 10–30  cm long, pale brown, pubescent. The leaves are alternate, ovate or ovate-lanceolate after spreading, 1–3 cm long, 5–10 mm wide, the lateral veins being conspicuous, apically shortly acute, basally cuneate to rounded, entire, gray-green, short petiolate, pubescent. The racemes are axillary, flowers being butterfly-shaped. The capsules are round and oblate, ca. 5 mm in diam, margins being membranous, broadly winged, glabrous. The sepals are persistent. The seeds are oblate, brown, densely pubescent. It is slightly odored, pungent and bitter in taste. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, slightly warm in property, and belongs to the meridian of lung. Functions: Activating blood flow, removing blood stasis, dispelling phlegm, relieving cough, detoxifying and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of pharyngitis, tonsillitis, stomatitis, cough, infantile pneumonia, infantile malnutrition, urinary stones, mastitis, osteomyelitis, as well as external treatment of venomous snake bite, bruises, and boils. Use and Dosage: 6–15 g per dose, 30–60 g per dose for fresh herbs, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Examples: (1) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: venomous snake bite: (1) for external use: whole plant of Polygala japonica 30 g, added with a little water and mashed, or dried medicinal powder made into powder then paste, for external application. (2) oral administration: equal amounts of dried powder of polygala japonica, Chinese lobelia and Viola japonica in equal amount, added with water to make pills. Take 15 g each time, 3 times a day. Or fresh Polygala japonica is decocted and taken orally. (2) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: infantile malnutrition: polygala japonica 30 g, pig liver 60 g, added with water to steam cook. Eat the liver and drink the soup for 3 continuous doses. (3) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: urinary stones: fresh Polygala japonica 60–90  g, fresh Schizocapsa plantaginea hance (Tacca plantaginea Drenth) 30–45  g, decocted in water for oral use. In severe cases, fresh crape myrtle 15–30 g is added to the prescription. (4) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: osteomyelitis, bone tuberculosis: Polygala japonica 150 g, soaked with 2 kg of liquor, steamed in a container. Drink the medicinal liquor 15–30 g each time, 2 times a day. Reduce the dosage for children. (5) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: stomatitis: polygala japonica 90%, borneol, borax 5% each, ground into powder and sprinkled to the affected areas twice a day. (6) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: insomnia: polygala japonica (whole plant), decocted on slow, added with proper amounts of seasoning and preservatives to make a decoctum which contains fresh Polygala japonica 150 g or dry products 45 g in every 50 ml. Take 50 ml before going to bed at night.

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6.25  Family: Polygalaceae 6.25.1  Polygala koi Chinese Name(s): qu jiang yuan zhi. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Polygala koi (Polygala koi Merr.). Morphology: The plant is subshrubs, 5–10 cm tall. The stems are woody, terete. The leaves are alternate. The leaf blades are abaxially green and purple, adaxially green, elliptic, 1.5–4  ×  0.6–1.5 (−2) cm, ± fleshy, abaxially glabrous, adaxially glabrous or white setose along margins. The midvein is slightly raised abaxially, impressed adaxially. The lateral veins are in 3 pairs, obscure. The petioles are 5–10  mm long, glabrous. The racemes are terminal, 2.5–3  cm long, the rachises being pubescent. The flowers are numerous and dense, ca. 10 mm, with pedicels of ca. 2 mm, glabrous, and 1 bract at base, which is oblong-ovate, ca. 2 mm, apically acuminate, ciliate, not falling off at anthesis. There are 5 sepals, which are caducous. There are 3 outer sepals, which are elliptic, ca. 3  mm, glabrous, apically obtuse. There are 2 inner sepals, which are elliptic-ovate, ca. 7 × 3.5 cm, 5-veined, apically rounded. There are 3 petals, which are purplish red, ca. 9 mm, lateral petals being subequal fossil fragments, connate in lower 1/2, apically rounded. The fossil fragment apexes are with deeply 2-lobed lamellate appendages. There are 8 stamens, filaments being about 7 mm long, lower 5/7 united, forming an open staminal sheath. The separated parts being filiform, anthers being ovoid. The ovaries are globose. The capsules are orbicular, ca. 3 mm in diam, pale green, margins being purplish, winged. The flowering period is from April to September. The fruiting period is from June to October. Habitat: It grows in mountain forests. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hunan.

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Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and bitter in taste, neutral in property, and belongs the meridian of lung. Functions: Relieving cough, resolving phlegm, promoting blood circulation, and regulating menstruation, it is often used in treatment of cough with phlegm, sore throat, injury, irregular menstruation, infantile malnutrition, etc. Use and Dosage: 6–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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6.26  Family: Polygalaceae 6.26.1  Polygala tenuifolia Chinese Name(s): yuan zhi, yao rao, jin yuan, ku yuan zhi Source: This medicine is made of the velamen of Polygala tenuifolia (Polygala tenuifolia Willd.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, 8–30 cm tall. The roots are cylindrical. The stems are caespitose, adaxially green. The leaves are alternate, linear or narrowly linear, 1–3 cm long, 0.5–2 mm wide, apically acuminate, basally attenuate, entire, midrib being conspicuous, glabrous or slightly pubescent, sessile or subsessile. The racemes are lateral, flowers being pale blue. There are 5 sepals, 3 smaller ones being linear lanceolate, the other two sepals being petaloid, oblong and obovate, slightly recurved. There are 3 petals, which are connate in lower 1/3, purple, lateral ones being obliquely oblong, central ones being larger. The fossil fragments are longer than lateral petals, with fimbriate appendages at apex. There are 8 stamens, filaments being united, forming an open sheath. There is only 1 pistil. The ovaries are obovate, flat, 2-loculate, styles being curved. The stigmas are 2-lobed. The capsules are flattened, orbicular obcordate, 4–5  mm long and wide, green, smooth, margins being narrowly winged, base being with persistent calyx. The seeds are ovate, slightly flattened, dark brown, densely white pubescent. The flowering period is from July to August. The fruiting period is from August to September. Habitat: It grows in sun-facing gravel or sandy dry slopes, grasslands, underbrush. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of northeast, north and northwest China, and Shandong, Anhui, Jiangxi, Jiangsu. Acquisition and Processing: The roots are harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Medicinal Properties: The products are cylindrical, slightly curved, up to 4 mm in diameter, yellowish brown on surface, longitudinally wrinkled, hard, yellow and white on cross-section. The stems are sparsely branched, 10–30  cm long, pale brown, pubescent. The leaves are alternate, ovate or ovate-lanceolate after spreading, 1–3  cm long, 5–10  mm wide, the lateral veins being conspicuous, apically shortly acute, basally cuneate to rounded, entire, gray-green, short petiolate, pubescent. The racemes are axillary, flowers papilionaceous. The capsules are round and oblate, ca. 5 mm in diam, margins being membranous, broadly winged, glabrous. The sepals are persistent. The seeds are oblate, brown, densely pubescent. It is slightly odored, pungent and bitter in taste. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and pungent in taste, warm in property, and belongs to the meridian of heart, lung, and kidney. Functions: Tranquilizing the mind, promoting intelligence, resolving phlegm, and relieving swelling, it is often used in treatment of insomnia and palpitation due to imbalance between heart-yang and kidney-yin absentminded, cough with sticky phlegm, sores and boils, breast carbuncle. Use and Dosage: 3–10 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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Prescription Examples: (1) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: palpitations, insomnia, forgetfulness: Polygala tenuifolia 10 g, Acorus calamus and Schisandra each 6 g, decocted in water for oral use. (2) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: cough with sticky phlegm: Polygala tenuifolia 10 g, aster, almonds each 10 g, Platycodon grandiflorum, licorice each 6 g, decocted in water for oral use. (3) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: neurasthenia: Polygala tenuifolia, schisandrae chinensis in equal amount, take 5 g every night before going to bed. (4) Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: breast carbuncle: polygala tenuifolia grand into powder and blended with liquor, take 10 g each time, or used for external application.

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6.27  Family: Polygalaceae 6.27.1  Salomonia cantoniensis Chinese Name(s): sha luo mang, chi guo cao, yi wan pao Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Salomonia cantoniensis (Salomonia cantoniensis Lour.). Morphology: The plant is annual, erect, 5–25 cm tall. The roots are slender and fragrant. The stems are thin, multibranched, glabrous, narrowly winged. The leaves are simple, alternate, membranous, ovate-cordate or cordate, 5–16  mm long, 5–12 mm wide, apically obtuse, mucronate, basally cordate, entire or undulate on margins, green, glabrous, 3 veined. The petioles are 1.5–2 mm in length. The spikes are terminal, many flowered, 1–6 cm long, elongated after anthesis. The flowers are minute, ca. 2–3 mm long, sessile, bracteoles being minute, caducous. There are 5 sepals, which are minute, linear-subulate, connate at base, persistent. There are 3 petals, which are reddish, lateral petals being ca. 2.5 mm, fossil fragments being navicular, ca. 3  mm, without cockscomb appendages. There are 4 stamens, filaments being about 2 mm long, united into an open sheath, adherent to the base of petals, arachnoid inside. The anthers are connate into a mass. The ovaries are reniform, laterally oblate, ca. 1 mm in diam, margins being triangular-dentate, with 2 locules, and 1 ovule per loculus. The styles are ca. 2.5 mm, smooth, stigmas being slightly lobed. The capsules are nephroid, ca. 1 mm long, ca. 2 mm wide, both lateral margins being pointedly triangular-denticulate, with protruding reticulations on

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surface. There are 2 seeds, ovate, ca. 1  mm in diameter, bright black, glabrous, without caruncles. The flowering period is from July to August. The fruiting period is from August to October. Habitat: It grows on hillsides, open lands, roadsides at altitude of 200–700 m. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, Fujian, as well as in India, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Australia. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is slightly pungent in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Detoxifying, reducing swelling, dispersing blood stasis and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of venomous snake bite, bruises, swelling pain, carbuncle, and boils. Use and Dosage: 3–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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Chapter 7

Medicinal Angiosperms of Crassulaceae, Saxifragaceae, and Caryophyllaceae Huagu Ye, Chuyuan Li, Wencai Ye, Feiyan Zeng, Fangfang Liu, Faguo Wang, Yushi Ye, Lin Fu, and Jianrong Li

Contents 7.1  Family: Crassulaceae 7.1.1  Bryophyllum pinnatum 7.2  Family: Crassulaceae 7.2.1  Hylotelephium erythrostictum 7.3  Family: Crassulaceae 7.3.1  Kalanchoe laciniata 7.4  Family: Crassulaceae 7.4.1  Orostachys fimbriata 7.5  Family: Crassulaceae 7.5.1  Sedum amplibracteatum 7.6  Family: Crassulaceae 7.6.1  Sedum bulbiferum 7.7  Family: Crassulaceae 7.7.1  Sedum emarginatum 7.8  Family: Crassulaceae 7.8.1  Sedum lineare

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H. Ye (*) · F. Zeng · F. Wang · Y. Ye · L. Fu · J. Li South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China e-mail: [email protected] C. Li Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited, Guangzhou, China W. Ye Jinan University, Guangzhou, China F. Liu Huizhou Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Huizhou, China

© Chemical Industry Press 2021 H. Ye et al. (eds.), Common Chinese Materia Medica, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-2066-9_7

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366 7.9  Family: Crassulaceae 7.9.1  Sedum sarmentosum 7.10  Family: Saxifragaceae 7.10.1  Parnassia wightiana 7.11  Family: Saxifragaceae 7.11.1  Penthorum chinense 7.12  Family: Saxifragaceae 7.12.1  Saxifraga stolonifera 7.13  Family: Saxifragaceae 7.13.1  Tiarella polyphylla 7.14  Family: Caryophyllaceae 7.14.1  Cerastium fontanum subsp. triviale 7.15  Family: Caryophyllaceae 7.15.1  Dianthus superbus, Dianthus chinensis 7.16  Family: Caryophyllaceae 7.16.1  Drymaria diandra 7.17  Family: Caryophyllaceae 7.17.1  Myosoton aquaticum 7.18  Family: Caryophyllaceae 7.18.1  Polycarpaea corymbosa 7.19  Family: Caryophyllaceae 7.19.1  Silene aprica 7.20  Family: Caryophyllaceae 7.20.1  Stellaria alsine 7.21  Family: Caryophyllaceae 7.21.1  Stellaria saxatilis 7.22  Family: Caryophyllaceae 7.22.1  Vaccaria segetalis

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This chapter introduces 22 species of medicinal plants in 3 families, mainly including Bryophyllum pinnatum, Hylotelephium erythrostictum, Kalanchoe laciniata, Orostachys fimbriatus and Sedum lineare of Crassulaceae, Parnassia wightiana, Penthorum chinense, Saxifraga stolonifera of Saxifragaceae, Dianthus superbus, Dianthus chinensis, Drymaria diandra and Vaccaria segetalis of Caryophyllaceae. This chapter introduces the scientific names, herbal medicine names, morphology, habitats, distributions, acquisition and processing methods, medicinal properties, tastes, functions, uses, and dosages of these medicinal plants, with clear original plant photos and part photos of herbal medicines of each plant.

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7.1  Family: Crassulaceae 7.1.1  Bryophyllum pinnatum Chinese Name(s): luo di sheng gen, da bu si, ye sheng gen. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Bryophyllum pinnatum (Bryophyllum pinnatum (Linn. f.) Oken [Kalanchoe pinnata Pers.]). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, 40–150  cm tall. The stems are usally branched. The leaf blades are pinnately compound, 10–30 cm long, lobules being oblong to elliptic, 6–8 cm long, 3–5 cm wide, apically blunt, crenate at margins. The buds germinate from bottom of teeth, which grow and fall to the ground developing into saplings. The petioles are 2–4 cm in length. The panicles are terminal, 10–40 cm long. The flowers are pendulous, calyx being cylindrical, 2–4 cm long. The corollas are saucer-shaped, 5 cm long, base slightly enlarged, tubular upward. There are 4 lobes, which are ovate-lanceolate, reddish or purplish red, and 8 stamens, which insert at base of corolla, with long filaments. The scales are suboblong. There are 4 carpels. The follicles are included in calyx and corolla tube. The seeds are small, striate. The flowering period is from January to March. Habitat: It grows wildly or is cultivated in gullies, roadside grasses, forests, or stone cracks. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Yunnan, Guangxi, Fujian, Taiwan, etc., and is native to Africa. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bland, a little sour and astringent in taste, cool in property. Functions: Detoxicating, reducing swelling, dispersing blood stasis, relieving pain, and generating muscles, it is often used in treatment of sore carbuncle, mastitis, erysipelas, gangrene, injury, traumatic bleeding, fracture, burns, scalds, and otitis media. Use and Dosage: Proper amounts of fresh herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas, or its juice is dropped into ear canal.

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7.2  Family: Crassulaceae 7.2.1  Hylotelephium erythrostictum Chinese Name(s): ba bao, jing tian, huo xue san qi, dui ye jing tian. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Hylotelephium erythrostictum (Hylotelephium erythrostictum (Miq.) H. Ohba). Morphology: The herbs are perennial. The roots are carrot-shaped. The stems are erect, 30–70 cm tall, unbranched. The leaves are opposite, rarely alternate or 3-verticillate, oblong to ovate-oblong, 4.5–7  cm long, 2–3.5  cm wide, apically acute, obtuse, basally attenuate, margins being sparsely serrate, sessile. The corymbs are terminal, densely flowered, ca. 1 cm in diam. The pedicels are slightly shorter than or equal to flowers. There are 5 sepals, which are ovate, 1.5 mm long, and 5 petals, which are white or pink, broadly lanceolate, 5–6 mm long, acuminate. There are 10 stamens, which are slightly shorter than or equal to petals, anthers being purple. There are 5 scales, which are oblong-cuneate, 1 mm long, apically emarginate. There are 5 carpels, which are erect, base almostly detached. The flowering period is from August to October. Habitat: It is cultivated. Distribution: It is widely cultivated all over the country, as well as in Korea, Japan, and Russia. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and sour in taste, cold in property. Functions: Detoxicatin, reducing swelling, and, stopping bleeding, it is often used in treatment of bone infection, carbuncle and furuncle, conjunctivitis, dysphoria, rubella, lacquer sore, burn, scald, snake insect bite, hematemesis, hemoptysis, menorrhagia, and traumatic bleeding. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use, or proper amount of fresh herbs mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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7.3  Family: Crassulaceae 7.3.1  Kalanchoe laciniata Chinese Name(s): qie lan cai, ji zhua san qi, wu zhua san qi. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Kalanchoe laciniata (Kalanchoe laciniata (Linn.) DC.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, 20–100 cm tall. The leaves are opposite, leaves at middle of stem being pinnately divided, 8–15 cm long, leaflets being linear or linear-lanceolate, margins being shallowly serrate or lobed. The petioles are 2.5–4 cm long. The inflorescences are paniculiform cymose, 10–30 cm long. The bracts are linear. There are 4 sepals, lanceolate, 4–10 mm long, apically acute. The corollas are yellow, tall saucer-shaped, basally dilated, 1.5 cm long, 4 lobed, ovate, 5–6 mm long. There are 8 stamens, 4 scales, which are linear, 3 mm long, and 4 carpels, which are lanceolate, 5–6 mm long. The styles are 2–4 mm long. The flowering period is in March. Habitat: It is generally cultivated, but also grows wildly on the rocky mountain wall. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hong Kong, Hainan, Fujian, Taiwan, as well as in Tropical Africa, India, and Malaysia. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun.

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Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and slightly bitter in taste, slightly cold in property. Functions: Detoxicating, reducing swelling, scattering blood stasis, it is often used in treatment of bruising, traumatic bleeding, venomous snake bite, furuncles and abscess, burn, scald, and eczema. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use or added with alcohol and mashed. Take the juice orally and apply the dregs to the affected areas. Or proper amount of fresh herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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7.4  Family: Crassulaceae 7.4.1  Orostachys fimbriata Chinese Name(s): wa song, diao diao cao, wa song hua, xiang tian cao, suan ta. Source: This medicine is made of the overground part of Orostachys fimbriata (Orostachys fimbriatus (Turcz.) Berger). Morphology: The herbs are biennial, fleshy. The leaves of 1st year arrange in rosette. The flowering stems are solitary, arising from center of rosette in 2nd year. The leaf blades are broadly linear to oblanceolate, with a thin semilune cartilaginous spine on apex, and a long narrow spur in the center, margins being fringed, often with dull purple dots after drying. The inflorescences are racemose and conical, terminal, many branched, with 1 to 3 flowers per stem. There are 5 sepals,

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which are oblong, apically acuminate to spiny, and 5 petals, which are pink, lanceolate to oblong, apically cuspidate, and 10 stamens, anthers being purple, and 5 carpels, which are separated. The fruit follicles are ellipsoid. The seeds are numerous. The flowering period is from August to October. The fruiting period is from September to November. Habitat: It grows on dry hillside rocks or in old cracks. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Hubei, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Qinghai, Ningxia, Gansu, Shaanxi, Henan, Shandong, Shanxi, Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Liaoning, Heilongjiang as well as in Korea, Japan, Mongolia, and Russia. Medicinal Properties: The stem of this product is slender and cylindrical, 5–25 cm long and 2–6 mm in diameter, grayish brown on surfaces, with many protuberant residual leaf bases and obvious longitudinal ridges. The leaves, deciduous, are often broken or curled and grayish green colored. The panicles are spicate, and the florets are white or pink. The pedicels are about 5 mm long. It is light in weight, brittle and fragile in texture, slightly odored and sour in taste. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sour in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Stopping bleeding, promoting wound healing, clearing heat and detoxification, stopping dysentery, it is often used in treatment of dysentery, hematochezia, hematuria, menorrhagia, traumatic bleeding and wound not healing for a long time. Use and Dosage: 3–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amount of product is made into powder or fresh herb mashed for application to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: hemorrhoid bleeding: Orostachys fimbriata 6 g, Flos sophorae, Sanguisorba officinalis each 9 g, decocted in water for oral use. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: hemorrhoids not healing for a long time: Orostachys fimbriata in proper amount, dried on fire, grind in to powder and applied externally. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: urolithiasis: Orostachys fimbriata decocted and used to wash the lower abdomen.

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7.5  Family: Crassulaceae 7.5.1  Sedum amplibracteatum Chinese Name(s): da bao jing tian. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Sedum amplibracteatum (Sedum amplibracteatum K. T. Fu). Morphology: The herbs are annual. The stems are 15–50  cm. The leaves are alternate, upper 3 being verticillate, lower leaves being deciduous often. The leaves blades are rhombic elliptic, 3–6 cm long, 1–2 cm wide, tapered toward both ends, blunt, usually aggregate below inflorescences. The petioles are up to 1 cm long. The bracts are round, slightly longer than or subequal to flowers. The cymes are corymbiform, often 3-branched, with 1–4 flowers per branch. There are 5 sepals, which are wide triangle, 0.5–0.7 mm long, apically obtuse. There are 5 petals, which are yellow, oblong, 5–6  mm long, 1–1.5  mm wide, subacute. The midvein is inconspicuous. There are 10 or 5 stamens, which are slightly shorter than petals, and 5

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scales, which are suboblong to oblong spatulate, 0.7–0.8 mm long. The carpels are divergent, ca. 5 mm, basally connate, styles being long. The follicles are 1–2 seeded. The seeds are large, fusiform, 2–3 mm long, minutely mammillate. The flowering is from June to September and fruiting is from August to November. Habitat: It grows in the shade of the hillside forest at an altitude of 1100 m. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Hunan, Gansu, Shaanxi, Henan, as well as Myanmar. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and bland in taste, cold in property. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxifying, scattering blood stasis, relieving pain and constipation, it is often used in treatment of postpartum abdominal pain, carbuncle and furuncles, stomachache, constipation, and scald. Use and Dosage: 6–12 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of herbs are mashed for application to the affected areas.

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7.6  Family: Crassulaceae 7.6.1  Sedum bulbiferum Chinese Name(s): zhu ya jing tian, ma shi hua, xiao jian cao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Sedum bulbiferum (Sedum bulbiferum Makino). Morphology: The herbs are perennial. The roots are fibrous. The stems are 7–22  cm, lower part being procumbent. The bulbils insert in leaf axils, globose, fleshy, viviparous. The distal leaves are often opposite. The upper leaves are alternate. The lower leaves are ovate-spatulate. The upper leaves are spatulate-­ oblanceolate, 10–15 mm long, 2–4 mm wide, apically obtuse, basally attenuate. The cymes are 3-branched. The branches are 2-forked. There are 5 sepals, which are lanceolate to oblanceolate, 3–4  mm long, 1  mm wide, shortly spurred, apically obtuse, and 5 petals, which are yellow, lanceolate, 4–5 mm long, 1.25 mm wide, apically mucronate. There are 10 stamens, 3  mm long, and 5 carpels, which are slightly forked, connate for 1 mm at base, 4 mm long, including 1 mm of stigma. The flowering is from April to May. Habitat: It grows on low mountains, plains, or rocks below 1000 m. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, etc. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and astringent in taste, warm in property. Functions: Scattering cold, regulating Qi, relieving pain, and preventing attack of malaria, it is often used in treatment of abdominal pain due to food accumulation, rheumatic paralysis, and malaria. Use and Dosage: 12–24 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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7.7  Family: Crassulaceae 7.7.1  Sedum emarginatum Chinese Name(s): ao ye jing tian, ma chi ban zhi. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Sedum emarginatum (Sedum emarginatum Migo). Morphology: The herbs are perennial. The stems are slender, 10–15 cm tall. The leaves are opposite, spatulate obovate to broadly ovate, 1–2  cm long, 5–10  mm wide, apically obtuse, emarginate, basally attenuate, petiolate. The cyme are usually terminal, 3-branched, 3–6 mm wide, many flowered. The flowers are sessile with 5 sepals, which are lanceolate to narrowly oblong, 2–5  mm long, 0.7–2  mm wide, apically obtuse, and short spurred at base. There are 5 petals, which are yellow, linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, 6–8 mm long, 1.5–2 mm wide. There are 5 scales, which are oblong, 0.6 mm long, obtuse, and 5 carpels, which are oblong, 4–5 mm long, connate at base. The follicles slightly divaricate with a shallow saclike protrusion on abdomen. The seeds are small, brown. The flowering period is from May to June. The fruiting is in June. Habitat: It grows on damp hillsides. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Yunnan, Sichuan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Gansu, and Shaanxi. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and sour in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing heat, detoxicating, inducing urination, and preventing attack of malaria, it is often used in treatment of all boils, urination discomfort, edema, and malaria. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, fresh herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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7.8  Family: Crassulaceae 7.8.1  Sedum lineare Chinese Name(s): fo jia cao, shu ya ban zhi, wu shi hua, da bu si. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Sedum lineare (Sedum lineare Thunb.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, glabrous throughout. The stems are 10–20 cm tall. The leaves are 3(or 4) verticillate, sessile, linear, 2–2.5 × ca. 0.2 cm, apex being subacute. The cymes are terminal, sparsely flowered, 4–8 cm in diam, 2-or 3-branched, branches being 2-forked. The flowers are sessile, but dichasial central flowers being shortly pedicellate. There are 5 sepals, linear-lanceolate, 1.5–7  mm long, unequal, base being spurless or sometimes spurred, apex being obtuse. There are 5 petals, which are yellow, lanceolate, 4–6  mm long, apically acute, basally narrow, 10 stamens, which are shorter than petals, and 5 scales, which are broadly cuneate to subsquare, 0.5  mm long, 0.5–0.6  mm wide. The follicles slightly divaricate, 4–5 mm long, styles being short. The seeds are small. The flowering period is from April to May. The fruiting period is from June to July. Habitat: It grows wildly or is cultivated on in low mountain shade or stone crevices. Distribution: It is distributed from the south Jiangsu in the east, to Guangxi and Guangdong in the south, Sichuan and Yunnan in the west, and to the southeast of Gansu in the northwest, as well as in Japan. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, washed, immersed in boiling water and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and bland in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing heat, detoxifying, diminishing swelling, and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of pharyngitis, hepatitis, pancreatitis, as well as in external use for burns, scalds, traumatic bleeding, herpes zoster, ulcers, and venomous snake bites. Use and Dosage: 30–60 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of fresh herbs are mashed for application to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: chronic hepatitis: Sedum lineare 30 g, angelica 9 g, red dates 10 pieces, decocted in water. Take 1 dose daily. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: pancreatic cancer: fresh Sedum lineare 60–120 g, fresh shepherd’s purse 90–180 g (half for the dried herbs). decocted in water. Take 1 dose every morning and evening. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: traumatic bleeding: fresh Sedum lineare in proper amount, mashed and applied on the expanded wounds, change the dressing every 4 hours or dried products decocted for 15 minutes, mashed the dregs with decoctum and applied to the affected areas. The decoctum can also be taken orally.

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7.9  Family: Crassulaceae 7.9.1  Sedum sarmentosum Chinese Name(s): chui pen cao, pu jing fo jia cao, tu san qi. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Sedum sarmentosum (Sedum sarmentosum Bunge). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, smooth glabrous throughout. The sterile branches and stems are slender, prostrate, rooting on nodes until below inflorescence, 10–25 cm long. The leaves are trifoliate verticillate, oblanceolate to oblong, 15–28 mm long, 3–7 mm wide, apically subacute, basally acute, short petiolate. The cymes are cymose, 3–5 branched, sparsely flowered, 5–6 cm wide, sessile. There are 5 sepals, lanceolate to oblong, 3.5–5 mm long, apically obtuse, basally spurless. There are 5 petals, which are yellow, lanceolate to oblong, 5–8 mm long, apically with slightly longer short tips. There are 10 stamens, which are shorter than petals. There are 10 scales, which are cuneate quadrate, 0.5  mm long, apically slightly absent, and 5 carpels, which are oblong, 5–6 mm long, divergent, with long styles. The seeds are ovate, 0.5 mm long. The flowering is from May to July. The fruiting is from August. Habitat: It grows on low mountain dank stones. Distribution: It is distributed in the provinces of Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Henan, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Hubei, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, etc., as well as in Korea and Japan. Medicinal Properties: The stem of this product is thin cylindrical, up to 20 cm long, with adventitious roots on some of the nodes. The leaves are in whorls of 3, and the leaf blades are oblanceolate to oblong, green and succulent, 1.5–2.8  cm long, 3–7 mm wide, apically acute and basally narrowed. It is slightly odored and bitter in taste. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, with impurities removed, immersed in boiling water, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and slight sour in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing heat, detoxifying, diminishing swelling, and discharging pus, it is often used in treatment of sore throat, mouth ulcer, hepatitis, dysentery as well as external treatment of burns, scald, carbuncle, herpes zoster, and venomous snake bite. Use and Dosage: 30–120  g per dose, mashed for juice and taken orally or 15–30 g of dried products decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of fresh herbs are mashed for application to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: honeycomb tissue inflammation, mastitis, appendicitis, lung abscess, carbuncle and furuncles, snake, insect bites: fresh Sedum sarmentosum 60–120 g, washed and mashed with a little flour to make

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paste (or dried herbs grand with vaseline to make ointment), applied to the affected areas daily or every other day (in case of abscess ruptured, leave a hole in the middle for apocenosis). At the same time, Sedum sarmentosum 30–60 g mashed is taken with water (in case of lung abscess, wax gourd seed, Semen coicis, and Cordate houttuynia are added to the formula, decocted for oral dose. In case of appendicitis, Houttuynia cordata is subtracted from the former formula and Sargent gloryvine, dandelion as well as Chinese violet are added. The plants are dococted from oral use. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: sore throat, mouth ulcer: fresh Sedum sarmentosum mashed for juice, gargle with the juice, hold in mouth for 5 to 10 minutes, 3 to 4 times a day. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: hepatitis: Sedum sarmentosum 30 g, angelica 9 g, red dates 10 pieces, decocted in water. Take 1 dose daily or use compound Sedum sarmentosum syrup, take 50 ml every time, 2 times a day, 15 days for a course of treatment.

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7.10  Family: Saxifragaceae 7.10.1  Parnassia wightiana Chinese Name(s): ji yan mei hua cao, ji zhun cao, jin xian qi, shui lei gong. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Parnassia wightiana (Parnassia wightiana Wall. ex Wight. et Arn.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, 18–30  cm tall. There are 2–4 basal leaves, long petiolate. The leaf blades are broadly cordate, 2.5–5  cm long, 3.8–5.5 cm wide, apically rounded or apiculate, basally recurved, cordate, margins being thin, entire, recurved outward, abaxially greenish, adaxially green, 7–9 veined. The petioles are 3–10 cm in length. The stipules are membranous, caducous. There are 2–6 stems, with single cauline leaves on the middle or upper part, which are sessile, semiamplexicaul, similar to the basal leaves, margins being thin and forming a membranous whorl, base being with several rusty brown appendages of 1 mm long, sometimes united into small lamellar film. The flowers are solitary on stem apexes, 2–3.5  cm in diameter. The sepals are ovate-lanceolate or ovate, 5–9 mm long, 3–5.5 mm wide, apically obtuse, margins being entire, main veins being conspicuous, densely dotted with purple-brown dots, often with 2–3 ferruginous appendages at base. The petals are white, oblong, obovate, or subpandurate, 8–11 mm long, 4–9 mm wide, apically acute, basally cuneate, upper part being undulate or dentate at margins, thinly and deeply incised, lower part being with long tasseled hairs up to 5 mm long. There are 5 stamens, filaments being 5–7 mm long, flat, widened at base, apically cuspidate, anthers being 1.5 mm long, oblong, slightly lateral. There are 5 staminodes. The capsules are obovoid, brown. The flowering period is from July to August. The fruiting period is from September to October. Habitat: It grows in gully forests under moist ground or near streams.

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Distribution: It is distributed in the provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Fujian, and southeast Tibet. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bland in taste, and neutral in property. Functions: Clearing lung, relieving cough, disinhibiting urine and diminishing dampness, it is often used in treatment of chronic hemoptysis, malaria, kidney stones, cholelithiasis, leucorrhea, injury, as well as in external treatment for furuncle and carbuncle due to heat and dampness. Use and Dosage: 15–60 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of fresh herbs are mashed for application to the affected areas.

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7.11  Family: Saxifragaceae 7.11.1  Penthorum chinense Chinese Name(s): che gen cai, gan huang cao, shan huang shan, shui yang liu, shui ze lan. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Penthorum chinense (Penthorum chinense Pursh.).

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Morphology: The herbs are perennial, 40–65(–90) cm tall. Its rhizomes are branched. The stems are usually simple, rarely branched at base, with many leaves, proximally glabrous, distally sparsely brown glandular hairy. The leaves are alternate, sessile, or subsessile, lanceolate to narrowly lanceolate, 4–10  cm long, 0.4–1.2 cm wide, apically acuminate, margins being serrulate, glabrous. The cymes are many flowered, 1.5–4 cm long. The branches are brown glandular hairy. The bracts are small, ovate to narrowly ovate. The pedicels are 1–2.2  mm long. The flowers are small, yellowish-white. There are 5 sepals, which are leathery, triangular, ca. 1.5 mm long, ca. 1.1 mm wide, glabrous, single veined, petals being absent, and 10 stamens, ca. 2.5  mm long. The pistils are about 3.1  mm long. There are 5(−6) carpels, which are proximally connate. There are 5(−6) ovaries, ovules being numerous, and 5(−6) styles which are coarser. The capsules are red purple, 4–5 mm in diameter. The seeds are numerous, ovate-oblong, tuberculate. The flowering and fruiting periods are from July to October. Habitat: It grows on wetlands beside streams and gullies. Distribution: It is distributed in the provinces from the northeast, south China to the southwest in China, as well as in Russia far east area, Japan, and Korea. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bland in taste, and warm in property. Functions: Disinhibiting urine and diminishing dampness, scattering blood stasis, and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of jaundice, edema, injury, and pain. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of fresh herbs are mashed for application to the affected areas.

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7.12  Family: Saxifragaceae 7.12.1  Saxifraga stolonifera Chinese Name(s): hu er cao, shi zi er, er long cao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Saxifraga stolonifera (Saxifraga stolonifera Meerb). Morphology: The herbs are perennial. Its rhizomes are short. The stolons are filiform, crisped glandular villous, with scaly leaves. The stems are 10–30 cm tall, erect. The leaves are basal, fleshy, rounded or reniform, 4–9 cm in diam, pilose, base being cordate or truncate, margins being lobed and irregularly dentate, green and white-spotted adaxially, purplish red abaxially. The petioles are 3–15 cm in length. The panicles are loose, covered with glandular and villous hairy. The bracts are lanceolate, 3–5 mm long, pubescent. The sepals are narrowly ovate, 3–4 mm long, apically acute, spreading outward, abaxially and marginally glandular hairy. There are 5 petals, white or pink, 3 ones on above being ovate, ca. 3 mm long, acuminate, with maculae at base, 2 ones below are lanceolate elliptic, 1–1.5 cm long, 2–3 mm wide, apically acute, pinnately veined. There are 10 stamens, filaments being clavate, 6–8 mm long. The ovaries are ovoid, styles being slender. The capsules are ovoid, 4–5  mm long, apically 2-lobed. The seeds are ovate, tuberculate. The flowering period is from May to August. The fruiting period is from July to November. Habitat: It grows in valleys, forests, and between dank stones. Distribution: It is distributed from east and south China to southwest provinces, Shaanxi and Henan, as well as in Japan, Korea, and the Philippines. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and pungent in taste, cold in property, a little toxic.

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Functions: Clearing heat and detoxicating, it is often used in treatment of infantile fever, cough, and asthma and in external treatment of otitis media, auricle ulceration, aphtha, furuncle, and eczema. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of fresh herbs are mashed for application to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: otitis media: fresh Saxifraga stolonifera in proper amount, cleaned, mashed for juice (or added with a little borneol powder) and dropped into the ear canal, 1–2 times a day. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: auricle ulceration: fresh Saxifraga stolonifera in proper amount, mashed and blended with tea oil to spread on the affected part or added with borneol 0.3 g, alum 1.5 g, mashed and applied to the wounds. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: lung carbuncle with putrid purulent: Saxifraga stolonifera 12 g, honeysuckle leaves 30 g, decocted and divided into two portions for oral dose. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: tuberculosis: Saxifraga stolonifera, Cordate houttuynia, Solidago decurrens each 30 g, Bletilla striata, the tuber of stemona, cogongrass root each 15 g, decocted in water for oral use. 5. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: hematemesis: Saxifraga stolonifera 9 g, lean pork 120 g, mixed, minced, and steamed to eat. 6. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: tympanitis: Saxifraga stolonifera 60 g, fresh justicia, rock sugar, each 30 g, decocted in water for oral use. 7. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: toothache due to wind and fire: Saxifraga stolonifera 50 g, added with an egg, cooked to eat. 8. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: urticaria: Saxifraga stolonifera 15 g, poria cocos 24 g, honeysuckle 30 g, wild chrysanthemum15g, decocted in water for oral use. 9. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: hemorrhoid: Saxifraga stolonifera 30  g, decocted and poured into the pot, added with a little salt for fumigation to the anal. Use 2 times a day. 10. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: metrorrhagia: fresh Saxifraga stolonifera 30–60 g, added with yellow wine and water each half, decocted in water for oral use. 11. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: chronic bronchitis: Saxifraga stolonifera oxalin 125 g, chlorphenamine 2 g. The two drugs were made into 1000 tablets, 0.15 g per tablet. The function of compound Saxifraga stolonifera oxalin tablet is antitussive and expectorant. Take 1 tablet orally for 3 times daily.

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7.13  Family: Saxifragaceae 7.13.1  Tiarella polyphylla Chinese Name(s): huang shui zhi, bo luo, shui qian hu, fang feng qi. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Tiarella polyphylla (Tiarella polyphylla D. Don.). Morphology: The herbs are annual. 20–45 cm high. Its rhizomes are creeping, dark brown, 3–6 mm in diameter. The stems are simple, densely glandular hairy. The basal leaves are sessile, leaf blades being cordate, 2–8  cm long, 2.5–10  cm wide, apically acute, basally cordate, both surfaces being densely glandular hairy. The petioles are 2–12  cm long, densely glandular hairy. There are 2–3 cauline leaves, which are similar to basal leaves, petioles being shorter. The racemes are 8–25 cm long, densely glandular hairy. The pedicels are 1 cm long, glandular hairy. The sepals are erect, ovate, ca. 1.5  mm long, ca. 0.8  mm wide, apically slightly acuminate, adaxially glabrous, abaxially and margins being with short glandular hairs, 3 to many veined. Petals are absent. The stamens are ca. 2.5 mm, filaments being subulate. There are 2 carpels, proximally connate. The ovaries are shallowly subepigynous with 2 styles. The capsules are 7–12 mm in length. The seeds are dark brown, ellipsoidal, ca. 1  mm long. The flowering and fruiting are from April to November. Habitat: It grows under forests, thickets, and in damp places at altitudes of 980–3800 m. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, Jiangxi, Taiwan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Chongqing, Guizhou, Yunnan and Tibet, as well as in Japan, indo-china peninsula, northern Myanmar, Bhutan, India, and Nepal. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun.

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Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cold in property, not toxic. Functions: Clearing heat, detoxicating, activating blood circulation, scattering blood stasis, diminishing swelling, relieving pain, dispelling cold and inducing sweating, it is often used in treatment of boils, nameless swelling and pain, deafness, cough, asthma, hepatitis, bruises, and injuries. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of fresh herbs are mashed for application to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: cough and asthma: Tiarella polyphylla 30 g, cilantro 15 g, decocted in water and added with brown sugar. Take one dose every morning and evening before meals. Patients should not take spicy and sour foods, and radish vegetables during the treatment.

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7.14  Family: Caryophyllaceae 7.14.1  Cerastium fontanum subsp. triviale Chinese Name(s): cu sheng juan er. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Cerastium fontanum subsp. triviale (Cerastium fontanum Baumg subsp. triviale (Link) Jalas.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial or biennial, 15–30 cm tall. The stems are simple or caespitose, suberect, glandular pubescent. The basal leaf blades are subspatulate or obovate-lanceolate, base being attenuate stipitate, both surfaces being pubescent. The cauline leaves are subsessile, leaf blades being ovate, narrowly ovate-oblong or lanceolate, 1–3 cm long, 3-l0mm wide, apically acute or obtuse, both surfaces being pubescent, margins being ciliate. The cymes are terminal. The bracts are herbaceous. The pedicels are slender, 5–25 mm long, densely glandular hairy, recurved after anthesis. There are 5 sepals, which are oblong-lanceolate, 5.5–6.5  mm long, densely glandular hairy outside, margins being membranous above middle. There are 5 petals, which are white, obovate-oblong, equaling or slightly shorter than sepals, apically 2-lobed, base being attenuate, glabrous. The

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stamens are shorter than petals, filaments being flat linear, glabrous. There are 5 styles, which are short linear. The capsules are cylindrical, 8–10 mm long, 2 times longer than persistent calyx, apically 10 dentate clefted. The seeds are brown, tuberculate. The flowering period is May-June. The fruiting period is from June to July. Habitat: It grows under mountain forests. Distribution: It is distributed almost all over the country, as well as in east to south Asia. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and bitter in taste, slightly cold in property. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxification, diminishing swelling, and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of cold, breast carbuncle at the beginning, furuncle, and gangrene. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of fresh herbs are mashed for application to the affected areas.

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7.15  Family: Caryophyllaceae 7.15.1  Dianthus superbus, Dianthus chinensis Chinese Name(s): qu mai, shi yang jing hua, luo yang hua. Source: This medicine is made of the overground part of Dianthus superbus (Dianthus superbus Linn.) and Dianthus chinensis (Dianthus chinensis Linn.). Morphology: A: Dianthus superbus: the herbs are perennial, up to 1 m tall. The stems are caespitose, erect, glabrous, distally branched, large jointed. The leaves are opposite, linear or linear-lanceolate, 1.5–9  cm long, 1–4  mm wide, apically

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acuminate, basally shortly sheathed, entire, glabrous on both sides. The flowers blossom in summer and autumn, solitary or several integrated in sparse dichotomous panicles. The pedicels are ca. 4  cm. with 4–6 bracteoles, arranged in 2–3 whorls. The calyxes are cylindrical, 4 cm long, apically 5-lobed, lobes being lanceolate, margins being membranous, villous. There are 5 petals, reddish, lilac red or white, apically divided into filaments, base being bearded. There are 10 stamens. The ovaries are with 1 locule, and 2 slender styles. The capsules are oblong. The seeds are oblong, broadly winged at margins. The flowering period is from June to September. The fruiting period is from August to October. Habitat: It grows in wild grasses or crevices in rocks. Distribution: It is distributed almost all over the country, as well as in temperate regions of Europe and Asia. Morphology: B: Dianthus chinensis: The herbs are perennial, 30–50 cm in height, glabrous. The stems are laxly caespitose, erect, nodose, much branched. The leaves are opposite, striate or linear-lanceolate. The flowers are solitary or several clusters in cymes terminally. The flowers are large, 2–3 cm in diameter, calyx being cylindric, pink, purple, white, red, variegated, with 5 single pedals or double, serrate at top, slightly aromatic, spotted at throat, sparsely bearded. The stamens exsert outside larynx, anthers being blue. The ovaries are suboblong, styles being linear. The capsules are oblong, surrounded by calyx. The seeds are compressed globose, dark brown. The flowering period is from May to June. The fruiting period is from July to September. Habitat: It is cultivated. Distribution: It is distributed in northeast, north, northwest, southwest China and in provinces at south of the Yangtze river valley, and is native to China. Acquisition and Processing: The overground part of the herb is harvested in summer and autumn during flowering and fruiting seasons, and dried in the after removing impurities. Medicinal Properties: The product of Dianthus superbus and Dianthus chinensis are much alike. This product is 30–70 cm in length. The stems are cylindrical, distally branched, pale green or yellowish green, glabrous, nodes being conspicuous, slightly dilated. It is light and brittle, easy to break, hollow in section. The leaves are much shriveled, linear to linear-lanceolate after flattening, amplexicaul at base. The flowers and fruits are terminal. The calyxes are cylindric, 2.7–3.7 cm long, with 4–6 bracts below, which are broadly ovate, about 1/4 the length of calyx tube. The petals are brownish purple or dark brown, curled, linearly lobed on top. The capsules are cylindric, as long as persistent calyx. The seeds are small, numerous. It is odorless, bland in taste. The products which are-green in color and with calyx tube have better quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cold in property, and belongs to the meridians of heart, kidney, large intestine, and bladder. Functions: Clearing heat and inducing urination, removing blood stasis, and restoring menstrual flow, it is often used in treatment of urinary tract infection and stones, dysuria, hematuria, amenorrhea, and skin eczema. Use and Dosage: 10–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: urinary tract infection: Dianthus superbus, Polygonum aviculare, each 12 g, dandelion 30 g, golden cypress 9 g, bulrush 3 g, decocted in water for oral use. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: esophageal cancer, rectal cancer: a. fresh Dianthus superbus 30–60 g (dry roots 24–30 g), washed with swill, decocted and taken in 2 times. B. Dianthus superbus root, dried in the sun, milled, scattered on the wound surface of rectal cancer.

Dianthus superbus

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7.16  Family: Caryophyllaceae 7.16.1  Drymaria diandra Chinese Name(s): he lian dou, chuan qian cao, shui lan cao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Drymaria diandra (Drymaria diandra Blume [D. cordata auct non (Linn.) Willd.].). Morphology: The herbs are annual, procumbent. The stems are 60–90 cm long. The roots are slender. The stems are creeping, caespitose, slender, glabrous, basally branched, often with adventitious roots on nodes. The leaf blades are ovate-cordate, 1–1.5 cm long, 1–1.5 cm wide, apically convex, with 3–5 basal veins. The petioles are short. The stipules are several, small, white, hirsute. The cymes are terminal. The bracts are needle-lanceolate, margins being membranous. The pedicels are

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slender, shorter than calyx, glandular hairy. The sepals are lanceolate ovate, 2–3.5 mm long, herbaceous, margins being membranous, 3 veined, glandular hairy. The petals are white, obovate-cuneate, ca. 2.5 mm long, slightly shorter than sepals, apically deeply 2-cleft. The stamens are slightly shorter than sepals. The filaments are gradually wider at base. The anthers are yellow, rounded, 2-locular. The ovaries are ovoid. There are 3 styles, which are connate at base. The capsules are ovate, 2.5  mm long, 1.3  mm wide, 3-valved. The seeds are suborbicular, 1.5  mm long, 1.3  mm wide, surface being tuberculate. The flowering period is from April to October. The fruiting period is from June to December. Habitat: It grows in the valley, on the stream side, the moist wasteland, the field ditch side, and so on. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Fujian, Taiwan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hunan, etc. Acquisition and Processing: The plants are harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bland and a little sour in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing heat, detoxifying, inducing urination and catharsis, promoting blood circulation, diminishing swelling, and improving. It is often used in treatment of acute hepatitis, chronic nephritis, stomachache, malaria, pterygium, ascites, constipation as well as in external treatment for fractures, carbuncles, and snake bites. Use and Dosage: 6–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of fresh herbs are mashed for application to the affected areas.

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7.17  Family: Caryophyllaceae 7.17.1  Myosoton aquaticum Chinese Name(s): niu fan lu,e chang cao, e er chang, chou jin cao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Myosoton aquaticum (Myosoton aquaticum (Linn.) Moench [Stellaria aquatca (Linn.) Fries]). Morphology: The herbs are biennial or perennial, with fibrous roots. The stems are ascending, many-branched, 50–80 cm long, apically glandular hairy. The leaves are ovate or broadly ovate, 2.5–5.5 cm long, 1–3 cm wide, apically acute, base being slightly cordate, sometimes hairy at margins. The petioles are 5–15 mm long, upper leaves being often sessile or shortly sessile, sparsely pubescent. The dichasia are terminal. The bracts are leaflike, margins being glandular hairy. The pedicels are slender, 1–2 cm long, elongate and recurve after anthesis, densely glandular hairy. The sepals are ovate-lanceolate or obovate, 4–5 mm long, 7 mm long in fruiting, apically obtuse, margins being narrowly membranous, abaxially glandular pubescent, veins being indistinct. The petals are white, 2 deeply divided to base. The lobes are linear or lanceolate, 3–3.5 mm long, ca. 1 mm wide. There are 10 stamens, which are slightly shorter than petals. The ovaries are oblong, styles being short, linear. The capsules are ovoid, slightly longer than persistent calyx. The seeds are subequal, ca. 1 mm in diam, slightly flattened, brown, mammillate. The flowering period is from May to August. The fruiting period is from June to September. Habitat: It grows on valley, farmlands, field margins, ditches, or roadsides. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of north and south parts of China. Acquisition and Processing: The plants are harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and sour in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Diminishing swelling and relieving pain, clearing heat and cooling blood, eliminating accumulation of lactation, it is often used in treatment of infantile malnutrition, toothache, dysentery, hemorrhoids, mastitis, milk impaction, as well as in external treatment for boils. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use or fresh herbs mashed for juice and taken orally. For external use, proper amounts of fresh herbs are mashed for application to the affected areas or decocted for washing.

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7.18  Family: Caryophyllaceae 7.18.1  Polycarpaea corymbosa Chinese Name(s): bai gu ding, xing se cao, bai tou weng. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Polycarpaea corymbosa (Polycarpaea corymbosa (Lam.) Lam.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, 15–35 cm tall, somewhat white puberulent. The stems are erect, solitary, mostly branching above middle, pubescent. The leaves are apparently verticillate. The leaf blades are narrowly linear to acicular, 1.5–2 cm long, 1 mm wide, apically acute, subglabrous, midrib being conspicuous. The stipules are ovate-lanceolate, apically acute, 2–4  mm long, dry membranous, white, transparent. The flowers are densely cymose, numerous. The bracts are lanceolate, transparent, membranous, longer than pedicels. The pedicels are slender, white tomentose. The sepals are lanceolate, 2–3 mm long, 0.5–1 mm wide, apically acuminate, basally slightly rounded, white, transparent, membranous. The petals are broadly ovate, apically obtuse, ca. 1/2 as long as sepals. The stamens are shorter than petals. The ovaries are ovate, styles being short, apically undivided. The capsules are ovate, brown, less than 1/2 of persistent calyx. The seeds are reniform, flat, 0.5 mm long, 0.25–0.3 mm wide, brown. The flowering is from July to August. The fruiting is from September to October. Habitat: It grows on open sandy beaches and grasslands. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hong Kong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, Jiangxi, Fujian, as well as in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Oceania, Africa, and the Americas. Acquisition and Processing: The plants are harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bland in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing heat, detoxifying, inducing urine and diminishing dampness, it is often used in treatment of dysentery due to heat and dampness, gastroenteritis. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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7.19  Family: Caryophyllaceae 7.19.1  Silene aprica Chinese Name(s): nu lou cai,wang bu liu xing, tao se nu lou cai. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Silene aprica (Silene aprica Turcz. ex Fisch. et Mey.). Morphology: The herbs are annual or biennial, 30–70  cm tall. The principal roots are robust, slightly lignified. The stems are simple or numerous, erect, branched, or unbranched. The basal leaf blades are oblanceolate or narrowly spatulate, 4–7 cm long, 4–8 mm wide, base attenuate into long petiole, apex being acute, midrib being conspicuous. The cauline leaf blades are oblanceolate, lanceolate, or linear-lanceolate, slightly smaller than basal leaves. The panicles are larger. The pedicels are 5–20(–40) mm, erect. The bracts are lanceolate, herbaceous, acuminate. The calyxes are ovate-campanulate, 6–8 mm long, subherbaceous, to 12 mm long in

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fruiting. Longitudinal veins are green, cohering at apex. The calyx teeth are triangular-lanceolate, margins being membranous. The androgynophores are very short or obsolete, pubescent. The petal claws are ciliate below, oblanceolate, 7–9 mm long, subequaling or slightly longer than calyx, bifid. The corolla scales are ligulate. The stamens and styles are included, filaments being ciliate at base. The capsules are ovate, 8–9 mm long, subequal or slightly longer than persistent calyx. The seeds are round-reniform, grayish brown, 0.6–0.7 mm long, thickened, minutely tuberculate. The flowering is from June to July. The fruiting is from August to September. Habitat: It grows on plain, hill, mountain, hillside grassland, and wilderness roadside grass. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Inner Mongolia and most provinces in China, as well as in Korea, Russia far east and Siberia, Mongolia, and Japan. Acquisition and Processing: The plants and roots are harvested in summer and autumn, cleaned and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and bitter in taste, neutral in property, and belongs to the medians of liver and spleen. Functions: Activating blood circulation, regulating menstruation, invigorating spleen, inducing urine, nourishing milk and detoxifying, it is often used in treatment of lack of milk, asthenia, endema, irregular menstruation, infantile malnutrition, osteomyelitis, boil and carbuncle, and venomous snake bite, etc. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of fresh herbs are mashed for application to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: lack of maternal milk: Silene aprica, astragalus each 15 g, angelica 9 g, decocted in water for oral use. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms and edema: asthenia: Silene aprica, bighead atractylodes rhizome, Chinese Atractylodes, Poria cocos skin 15 g, decocted in water for oral use. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: carbuncle: Silene aprica, Eleocharis yokoscensis in proper amount, mashed for application to the affected areas.

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7.20  Family: Caryophyllaceae 7.20.1  Stellaria alsine Chinese Name(s): que she cao, bin fan lu, shi hui cao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Stellaria alsine (Stellaria alsine Grimm.). Morphology: The herbs are biennial, 15–25(–35) cm tall, glabrous. The stems are tufted, slightly diffuse, ascending, much branched. The leaves are opposite, sessile. The leaf blades are lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 5–20 mm long, 2–4 mm wide, apically acuminate, basally cuneate, semiclasping, margins being cartilaginous, slightly undulate, base being sparsely ciliate, both surfaces being slightly pinkish green. The flowers are 3–5 in cymes or solitary, terminal or axillary. The pedicels are slender, 5–20 mm long, glabrous, slightly declinate in fruiting, sometimes with 2 lanceolate bracts at base. There are 5 sepals, lanceolate, 2–4 mm long,

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1  mm wide, apically acuminate, margins being membranous, midrib being conspicuous, glabrous. There are 5 petals, white, shorter than or subequaling sepals, 2-cleft nearly to base. The lobes are linear, obtuse. There are 5(−10) stamens, sometimes 6–7, slightly shorter than petals. The ovaries are ovate. There are 2–3 styles, shortly linear. The capsules are ovoid, as long or slightly longer than persistent calyx, 6-valved. The seeds are reniform, numerous, slightly compressed, brown, rugulose. The flowering period is from May to June. The fruiting period is from July to August. Habitat: It grows in fields, along rivers and streams, or on wetlands. Distribution: It is distributed almost all over the country, as well as in temperate subtropical regions of northern Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Acquisition and Processing: The plants are harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and cold, promoting reunion of fractured bones, activating blood flow, stopping pain, and detoxifying, it is often used in treatment of cold, rheumatism bone pain, sore and carbuncle, injury, fracture, and snake bite. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of fresh herbs are mashed for application to the affected area.

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7.21  Family: Caryophyllaceae 7.21.1  Stellaria saxatilis Chinese Name(s): shi sheng fan lu, jing gu cao, jie jin cao, jin gu cao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Stellaria saxatilis (Stellaria saxatilis Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, 30–60 cm tall, stellate hairy throughout. The stems are sparsely tufted, spreading or prostrate, branched at lower part, densely stellate hairy on above. The leaves are ovate or elliptic, 1–3.5 cm long, 8–20 mm wide, apically acute, rarely acuminate, basally rounded, rarely acute narrowed into short pedicels, entire, both surfaces being stellate hairy, lower midrib being conspicuous. The cymes are diffuse, with long peduncle, densely stellate hairy. The bracts are herbaceous, ovate-lanceolate, margins being membranous. The pedicels are fine, unequal in length, 10–30  mm long, densely stellate hairy. There are 5 sepals, which are lanceolate, 4–6 mm long, apically acute, margins being membranous, stellate pilose outside, grayish green, 3 veined. There are 5 petals, which are 2-lobed near base, shorter than or subequaling sepals. The lobes are linear. There are 10 stamens, which are shorter than or subequaling petals. There are 3 style, sparsely 4. The capsules are ovoid calyx, 4–5 mm long, 6 dentate-cleft. The seeds are numerous, reniform, slender, ca. 1.5 mm, with warty ridges. The flowering period is from April to June. The fruiting period is from June to August. Habitat: It grows in valley, gully edge tide ground. Distribution: It is distributed in all provinces and regions south of the Yellow River basin. Acquisition and Processing: The plants are harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, cool in property. Functions: Smoothing liver, relaxing muscles, promoting blood circulation, diminishing dampness, and detoxifying, it is often used in treatment of apoplexy, numbness of limbs, rheumatism pain, injury, jaundice hepatitis, leucorrhea, and boils.

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Use and Dosage: 6–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of fresh herbs are mashed for application to the affected areas.

7.22  Family: Caryophyllaceae 7.22.1  Vaccaria segetalis Chinese Name(s): wang bu liu xing, bu liu xing, liu xing zi, mai lan zi. Source: This medicine is made of the seeds of Vaccaria segetalis (Vaccaria segetalis (Neck.) Garcke). Morphology: The herbs are annual or biennial. The stems are erect, 30–70 cm tall, cylindrical, slightly dilated at nodes, apically branched. The leaves are opposite, sessile, ovate-lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 4–9 cm long, 1.2–2.7 cm wide, apically acuminate, base being rounded or subcordate, entire. The inflorescences are sparsely apical. The peduncles are slender, with 2 scaly bracteoles below. The calyx tubes are 5-toothed, and 5-winged at angles, lobes being short triangular. The middle lower part of calyx

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tube inflated into a ribbed shape. There are 5 petals, detached, reddish, obovate, apically irregular dentate, teeth exserting outward from calyx tube mouth, lower part attenuated into claw. There are 10 stamens, which are unequal, 1 pistil, which is ovary elliptic, 1 loculus, and 2 styles, which are slender. The capsules are broadly ovate, enclosed within calyx tubes. The flowering period is from April to May. The fruiting is in June. Habitat: It grows on hilly land near farmland, especially in wheat fields. Distribution: It is widely distributed in all areas of the country except for south China, as well as in Europe and Asia. Acquisition and Processing: The fruits are harvested in summer when they are ripe but the pericarp has not cracked. They are dried in the sun, with the seeds collected and impurities removed, and then dried again. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, neutral in property, and belongs to the meridians of stomach and liver. Functions: Promoting blood flow to induce menstruation, promoting lactation, and diminishing edema, it is often used in treatment of blood stasis, dysmenorrhea, breast carbuncle. Use and Dosage: 4.5–6 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: postpartum lactation: Vaccaria segetalis 10 g, angelica 12 g, astragalus 30 g, decocted in water for oral use. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: early stage of breast carbuncle: Vaccaria segetalis, Fructus aurantii 10 g, Prunella vulgaris 15 g, honeysuckle and dandelion, each 30 g, decocted in water for oral use. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: blood stasis and amenorrhea: Vaccaria segetalis, Angelica sinensis, Achyranthes bidentate in proper amount, decocted in water for oral use.

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Chapter 8

Medicinal Angiosperms of Molluginaceae, Portulacaceae, and Polygonaceae Huagu Ye, Chuyuan Li, Wencai Ye, Feiyan Zeng, Fangfang Liu, Faguo Wang, Yushi Ye, Lin Fu, and Jianrong Li

Contents 8.1

Family: Molluginaceae 8.1.1  Glinus oppositifolius 8.2 Family: Molluginaceae 8.2.1  Mollugo stricta 8.3 Family: Portulacaceae 8.3.1  Portulaca oleracea 8.4 Family: Portulacaceae 8.4.1  Portulaca pilosa 8.5 Family: Portulacaceae 8.5.1  Talinum paniculatum 8.6 Family: Polygonaceae 8.6.1  Antenoron filiforme 8.7 Family: Polygonaceae 8.7.1  Fagopyrum dibotrys 8.8 Family: Polygonaceae 8.8.1  Fagopyrum esculentum 8.9 Family: Polygonaceae 8.9.1  Fallopia multiflora 8.10 Family: Polygonaceae 8.10.1  Polygonum aviculare

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H. Ye (*) · F. Zeng · F. Wang · Y. Ye · L. Fu · J. Li South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China e-mail: [email protected] C. Li Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited, Guangzhou, China W. Ye Jinan University, Guangzhou, China F. Liu Huizhou Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Huizhou, China

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420 8.11 Family: Polygonaceae 8.11.1  Polygonum barbatum 8.12 Family: Polygonaceae 8.12.1  Polygonum bistorta 8.13 Family: Polygonaceae 8.13.1  Polygonum capitatum 8.14 Family: Polygonaceae 8.14.1  Polygonum chinense 8.15 Family: Polygonaceae 8.15.1  Polygonum criopolitanum 8.16 Family: Polygonaceae 8.16.1  Polygonum cuspidatum 8.17 Family: Polygonaceae 8.17.1  Polygonum hydropiper 8.18 Family: Polygonaceae 8.18.1  Polygonum orientale 8.19 Family: Polygonaceae 8.19.1  Polygonum palmatum 8.20 Family: Polygonaceae 8.20.1  Polygonum perfoliatum 8.21 Family: Polygonaceae 8.21.1  Polygonum plebeium 8.22 Family: Polygonaceae 8.22.1  Polygonum senticosum 8.23 Family: Polygonaceae 8.23.1  Polygonum tinctorium 8.24 Family: Polygonaceae 8.24.1  Rheum palmatum, Rheum officinale, Rheum tanguticum 8.25 Family: Polygonaceae 8.25.1  Rumex acetosa

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This chapter introduces 27 species of medicinal plants in 3 families, mainly including Mollugo stricta of Molluginaceae, Portulaca oleracea of Portulacaceae, Antenoron filiforme, Polygonum cuspidatum, Polygonum perfoliatum, Polygonum senticosum, Fallopia multiflora, Polygonum tinctorium, Rheum palmatum, Rheum officinale, and Rheum taguticum of Polygonaceae. This chapter introduces the scientific names, herbal medicine names, morphology, habitats, distributions, acquisition and processing methods, medicinal properties, tastes, functions, uses, and dosages of these medicinal plants, with clear original plant photos and part photos of herbal medicines of each plant.

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8.1  Family: Molluginaceae 8.1.1  Glinus oppositifolius Chinese Name(s): cu hua su mi cao, yuan gen cao. Source: This medicine is made of the seeds of Glinus oppositifolius (Glinus oppositifolius (Linn.) DC.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, 10–40 cm tall, many-branched, pilose, or subglabrous. The leaves are in pseudo-verticillate of 3–6 or opposite. The leaf blades are spatulate, oblanceolate, or elliptic, 1–2.5 cm long, 3–6 mm wide, apically obtuse or acute, basally attenuate, margins being with sparse teeth above the middle. The flowers are usually 2–7 in a cyme, green white. The tepals are light yellow or milky white. The pedicels are slender, 5–14 mm long. There are 5 perianths, which are oblong, 3–4  mm long, 3 veined, membranous at margins. There are 3–5 stamens, whose filaments are linear, and 3 styles. The capsules are ellipsoid, slightly shorter than persistent perianth. The seeds are chestnut brown, subreniform, granulose. The arils are ca. 1/5 as long as seeds, slightly inflated around seed stalk and claviform. The caruncles are linear, white. The flowering and fruiting are almost all year round. Habitat: It grows in open country or coastal sandy areas. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan, as well as in Tropical Africa, Asia, and Oceania. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bland in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxifying, it is often used in treatment of acute appendicitis. Use and Dosage: 15–20 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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8.2  Family: Molluginaceae 8.2.1  Mollugo stricta Chinese Name(s): su mi cao, si yue fei, gua zi cao, gua chuang cao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Mollugo stricta (Mollugo stricta Linn. [M. pentaphylla Linn.]). Morphology: The herbs are annual, diffuse, 10–30 cm high. The stems are slender, much branched, angular, glabrous, often reddish brown when old. The leaves are in pseudo-verticillate of 3–5 or opposite. The leaf blades are lanceolate or linear lanceolate, 1.5–4 cm long, 2–7 mm wide, apically acute or long acuminate, base being tapering, entire, midrib being conspicuous. The petioles are short or subsessile. The flowers are minute, arranging in lax cymes. The peduncles are slender, terminal or opposite to leaves. The pedicels are 1.5–6 mm long. There are 5 tepals, pale green, elliptic or suborbicular, 1.5–2 mm long, veins reaching 2/3 its length, margins being membranous. There are often 3 stamens, filaments being slightly wider at base. The ovaries are broadly elliptic or suborbicular, 3-locular. There are 3 styles, short and linear. The capsules are subglobose, as long as persistent tepals, 3-valved. The seeds are numerous, reniform, chestnut-colored, tuberculate. The flowering is from June to August. The fruiting period is from August to October. Habitat: It grows in open country or coastal sandy areas. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces from southeast to southwest of China, as well as in Southeast Asia, and Africa. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun.

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Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bland and pungent in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Being anticeptic, diminishing inflammation, clearing heat, and stopping diarrhea, it is often used in treatment of abdominal pain and diarrhea, cold and cough, skin rubella, as well as in external use for eye conjunctivitis, sore, and boil. Use and Dosage: 9–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of fresh herbs are mashed for application to the affected areas.

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8.3  Family: Portulacaceae 8.3.1  Portulaca oleracea Chinese Name(s): ma chi xian, gua zi cai, suan wei cai. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Portulaca oleracea (Portulaca oleracea Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, glabrous throughout. The stems are prostrate or decumbent, many-branched, cylindrical, 10 to 20  cm long, pale green or reddish. The leaves are alternate, occasionally subopposite, flat, compressed, thick, obovate, horse tooth shaped, 1–3 cm long, 0.6–1.5 cm wide, apically obtuse or truncate, sometimes slightly concave, basally cuneate, entire, dark green adaxially, light green or reddish abaxially. The midrib is slightly elevated. The petioles are thick and short. The flowers are sessile, 4–5  mm in diameter, often 3–5 clustered in branches, and in full bloom at noon. There are 2–6 bracts, which are leaf-like, membranous, subverticillate, 2 sepals, which are opposite, green, helmeted, lateral compressed, ca. 4 mm long, apically acute, fossil fragmented, connate at base. There are 5 petals, which are sparsely 4, yellow, obovate, 3–5 mm long, apically slightly concave, connate at base, and usually 8 stamens, or more, which are ca. 12 mm, with yellow anthers. The ovaries are glabrous. The styles are slightly longer than stamens. The stigmas are 4–6-lobed, linear. The capsules are ovoid, ca. 5 mm, lacunate. The seeds are minute, numerous, obliquely spherical, dark brown, lustrous, less than 1 mm in diameter, tuberculate. The flowering is from May to August. The fruiting period is from June to September. Habitat: It grows on gardens, roadsides, or open fields. Distribution: It is widely distributed almost all over China, as well as in temperate and tropical regions of the world. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sour in taste, cold in property.

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Functions: Clearing heat and dampness, detoxifying, diminishing swelling, prohibiting inflammation, relieving thirst, and being a uretic, it is often used in treatment of bacillary dysentery, acute gastroenteritis, acute appendicitis, mastitis, hemorrhoid bleeding, leucorrhea as well as in external treatment of furuncle, eczema, and herpes zoster. Use and Dosage: 9–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of fresh herbs are mashed for application to the affected areas.

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8.4  Family: Portulacaceae 8.4.1  Portulaca pilosa Chinese Name(s): duo mao ma chi xian, mao ma chi xian. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Portulaca pilosa (Portulaca pilosa Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual or perennial, 5 to 20 cm tall. The stems are densely caespitose, diffuse, much branched. The leaves are alternate. The leaf blades are terete-linear or subulate-lanceolate, 1–2  cm long, 1–4  mm wide, axils being sparsely pilose, stems being densely pilose distally. The flowers are ca. 2  cm in diameter, sessile, surrounded by involucre of 6–9 bracts, densely pilose. The sepals are oblong, acuminate, or acute. There are 5 petals, which are membranous, reddish purple, broadly obovate, apically obtuse or slightly concave, basally connate, and 20–30 stamens, whose filaments are magenta, free at base. The styles are short, stigma being 3–6 lobed. The capsules are ovoid, waxy yellow, lustrous, and cleft. The seeds are small, dark brown, tuberculate. The flowering and fruiting periods are from May to August. Habitat: It grows on the sand shores, and is tolerant to drought and sunshine. Distribution: It is widely distributed in Guangdong, Hong Kong, Hainan, Guangxi, Fujian, Taiwan, as well as in tropical regions of the world. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sour in taste, and cold in property. Functions: Stopping bleeding and prohibiting inflammation, it is often used in treatment of bleeding due to knife wounds, dog bites, burns, and scalds. Use and Dosage: For external use, proper amounts of fresh herbs are mashed for application to the affected areas.

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8.5  Family: Portulacaceae 8.5.1  Talinum paniculatum Chinese Name(s): tu ren shen, lu lan. Source: This medicine is made of the roots and leaves of Talinum paniculatum (Talinum paniculatum (Jacq.) Gaertn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual or perennial, glabrous throughout, 30–100 cm tall. The taproots are stout, conical. The stems are erect, fleshy, semiwoody, much branched, cylindrical, sometimes sulcate. The leaves are alternate or subopposite, slightly fleshy, obovate or obovate-oblong, 5–10 cm long, 2.5–5 cm wide, apically acute, sometimes slightly concave, mucronate, basally narrowly cuneate, entire, sessile, or subsessile. The panicles are terminal or axillary, larger, often dichotomous, long peduncled. The flowers are small, ca. 6 mm in diameter. The involucres are green or nearly red, rounded, apically obtuse, 3–4 mm long. There are 2 bracts, which are membranous, lanceolate, apically acute, ca. 1 mm long. The pedicels are 5–10 mm long. The sepals are ovate, purplish red, caducous. The petals are pink or lilac red, oblong, obovate or elliptic, 6–12 mm long, apically obtuse, thinly concave. There are 15–20 stamens, which are shorter than petals. The styles are linear, ca. 2 mm, basally joint. The stigmas are 3-lobed, slightly spreading. The ovaries are ovoid, ca. 2 mm long. The capsules are subglobose, ca. 4 mm in diameter, 3-lobed, hard papery. The seeds are numerous, oblate, ca. 1  mm in diam, dark brown or black, lustrous. The flowering period is from June to August. The fruiting period is from September to November. Habitat: It is cultivated or grows in wild on the edge of the village, roadside, garden. Distribution: It is widely distributed in South of the Yangtze river in China, and native to tropical America. Acquisition and Processing: The roots and leaves are harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet in taste, and neutral in property. Functions: Invigorating spleen and stomach, invigorating qi, moistening lung, and promoting fluid production, it is often used in treatment of Qi deficiency, asthenia, body deficiency and spontaneous perspiration, diarrhea due to spleen deficiency, cough due to dryness of lung and hypogalactia. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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8.6  Family: Polygonaceae 8.6.1  Antenoron filiforme Chinese Name(s): jin xian cao, jiu long pan. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Antenoron filiforme (Antenoron filiforme (Thunb.) Rob. et Vant. [Polygonum virginianum L.]). Morphology: The herbs are perennial. Their rhizomes are stout. The stems are erect, 50–80 cm tall, appressed hispid, longitudinally furrowed, swollen at nodes. The leaves are elliptic or long elliptic, 6–15 cm long, 4–8 cm wide, apically shortly acuminate or acute, basally cuneate, entire, appressed hispid on both sides. The petioles are 1–1.5 cm long, appressed hispid. The stipules are cylindric, membranous, brown, 5–10 mm long, shortly ciliate. The racemes are spicate, terminal or axillary, several, laxly flowered, the rachises being elongated. The pedicels are 3–4 mm long. The bracts are funnelform, green, membranous at margins, ciliate. The perianths are 4-lobed, red. The tepals are ovate, accrescent. There are 5 stamens and 2 styles, which are persistent, enlarged, and indurate at maturity, 3.5–4 mm long, deflexed and hooked at apex, long exserting from perianths. The achenes are ovate, doubly convex lenticular, brown, lustrous, ca. 3 mm, included in persistent perianth. The flowering is from July to August. The fruiting is from September to October. Habitat: It grows on the edge of mountain forest, gully and other humid places. Distribution: It is widely distributed in Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Fujian, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Shandong, Henan, as well as in Vietnam and north Korea. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is slightly bitter, pungent in taste, cool in property. Functions: Cooling blood, stopping bleeding, dispelling stasis, and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of hematemesis, tuberculosis, hemoptysis, uterine bleeding, lymph node tuberculosis, stomachache, dysentery, bruising, fracture, rheumatism arthralgia, and lumbago. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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8.7  Family: Polygonaceae 8.7.1  Fagopyrum dibotrys Chinese Name(s): jin qiao mai, ku qiao mai, suan qiao mai, qiao mai qi, ye qiao mai. Source: This medicine is made of the rhizomes of Fagopyrum dibotrys (Fagopyrum dibotrys (D. Don) Hara [Polygonum cymosum Meissn.]). Morphology: The herbs are perennial. Its rhizomes are woody, dark brown. The stems are erect, 50–100 cm tall, branched, longitudinally angled, glabrous, sometimes pilose along edges. The leaves are triangular, 4–12 cm long, 3–11 cm wide, apically acuminate, basally subhastate, margins being entire, papillate or pilose on both surfaces. The petioles are 10 cm long. The stipules are cylindric, membranous,

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brown, 5–10 mm long, oblique, apically truncate, not ciliate. The inflorescences are terminal or axillary, corymbose. The bracts are ovate-lanceolate, apically acute, margins being membranous, ca. 3 mm long, with 2–4 flowers inside each bract. The pedicels equal bracts, articulate at middle. The perianths are 5 deeply lobed, white, perianth flakes being long elliptic, ca. 2.5 mm long. There are 8 stamens, which are shorter than perianth, and 3 styles, whose stigmas are capitate. The achenes are broadly ovate, 3-sharply ribbed, 6–8 mm long, dark brown, dull, 2–3 times longer than persistent perianth. The flowering is from July to September. The fruiting period is from August to October. Habitat: It grows by the water and fields. Distribution: It is widely distributed in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Fujian, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, etc. Acquisition and Processing: The rhizomes are dug up in summer and autumn, cleaned and dried in the, with the fibrous roots removed. Medicinal Properties: This product is irregular lump or cylindrical, often with tumorous branches and some stem residues at the top, 3–15 cm long, 1–4 cm in diameter. The surface is brown, with horizontal links and longitudinal wrinkles, densely punctate skin holes, concave circular root scars and residual fibrous roots. It is hard, not easy to break, light yellow-white or pale brown-red on cross-section, with radial texture, central medulla being darker. It is slightly odored, slightly astringent in taste. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is astringent and pungent in taste, cool in property, and belongs to the meridians of lung. Functions: Clearing heat, detoxifying, invigorating blood flow, scattering stasis, strengthening spleen and diminishing dampness, it is often used in treatment of sore throat, lung abscess, empyema, pneumonia, stomach pain, hepatitis, dysentery, indigestion, night sweating, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, leucorrhea, as well as in external treatment of lymph node tuberculosis, carbuncle, furuncle, and injury. Use and Dosage: 15–60 g per dose, decocted in water or simmered with yellow rice wine for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of fresh herbs are mashed for application to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: furunculosis, trauma infection, acute mastitis, cellulitis, deep abscess: fresh Fagopyrum dibotrys leaves are mashed for application to the affected areas or dry leaves grind to powder and added with water for application. In severe cases, 30–60 g fresh leaves are decocted in water, or 9–15 g medicinal powder taken with water. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: amenorrhea: fresh Fagopyrum dibotrys leaves 90  g (30  g), mashed, blended with 4 eggs, fried with tea oil, added with rice wine, and cooked for eating.

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8.8  Family: Polygonaceae 8.8.1  Fagopyrum esculentum Chinese Name(s): qiao mai, san jiao dan, ye hua mai. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants and seeds of Fagopyrum esculentum (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench. [Polygonum fagopyrum Linn.]). Morphology: The herbs are annual. The stems are erect, 30–90 cm tall, upper branches being green or red, longitudinally angled, glabrous or papilliform along one side of longitudinally ridges. The leaves are triangular or ovate-triangular, 2.5–7  cm long, 2–5  cm wide, apically acuminate, basally cordate, both surfaces being papillary along veins. The lower leaves are sessile, upper part being smaller, subsessile. The stipules are membranous, short tubular, ca. 5  mm long, apically oblique, not ciliate, brittle, and caducous. The inflorescences are axillary or terminal, racemose or corymbose. The peduncles are papillate along one side. The bracts

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are ovate, ca. 2.5 mm long, green, margins being membranous, each 3–5 flowered. The pedicels are longer than bracts, not articulate. The perianths are 5-lobed, white or reddish, elliptic-achene-ovate, 3-ribbed, apically acuminate, 5–6 mm long, dark brown, dull, longer than persistent perianths. There are 5 to 9 tepals, which are round, 3–4 mm long, 8 stamens, which are shorter than perianth, anthers being reddish, and 3 styles, stigmas being capitate. The flowering period is from May to September. The fruiting period is from June to October. Habitat: It is cultivated. Distribution: It is widely distributed all over the country as well as in Europe and Asia. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Stem and leaf function in lowering blood pressure and stopping bleeding. Seed function in invigorating stomach, astringency. The stem and leaf are often used in treatment of hypertension, fragile capillary bleeding, stroke, retinal hemorrhage, pulmonary hemorrhage. Seeds are often used in treatment of stop sweating. It is also used as antiperspirant and antiphlogistic externally. Use and Dosage: 15–60 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: chronic diarrhea, leukorrhagia: Fagopyrum esculentum stirred and grind to powder, added with water to make pills. Take 6 g per dose, 2 times a day. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: hypertension, fundus hemorrhage, fragile capillary bleeding, purpura: fresh Fagopyrum esculentum 30–60 g, lotus root node 3–4, decocted in water for oral use. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: sore, boil, erysipelas, anonymous swelling and poison: fried Fagopyrum esculentum powder stirred yellow, mixed with rice vinegar to make paste and applied to affected parts. Change the dressing every morning and evening. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: yellow sweating: Fagopyrum esculentum 500 g, grind and sieve off the shells, add brown sugar to make pancake or cooked directly for eating. 5. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: bias headache: Fagopyrum esculentum, Fructus vitex in equal amount, ground to powder, blended with alcohol and applied to the affected areas.

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8.9  Family: Polygonaceae 8.9.1  Fallopia multiflora Chinese Name(s): shou wu, ye jiao teng, ma gan shi, chi ge. Source: This medicine is made of the rhizomes of Fallopia multiflora (Fallopia multiflora (Thunb.) Harald. [Polygonum multiflorum Thunb.]). Morphology: The plants are perennial winding vines. The stems are hollow, many-branched, glabrous and twining on the top, ligneous at base, smooth, striate. Its rhizomes are tuberous, lateral, subsucculent, brown, black-brown. The leaves are alternate, stipitate, ovate-cordate, 5–9 cm long, 3–5 cm wide, apically acuminate, basally cordate or subcordate, margins being entire, both surfaces being glabrous. The stipules are sheathed, membranous. The inflorescences are terminal or axillary, paniculate, spreading. The bracts are ovate-lanceolate, margins being entire. The flowers are small, numerous, white. The pedicels are slender, hairy. The tepals are 5-lobed, unequal in size, outer 3 being larger, accrescent and winged on abaxial surface in fruit. There are 8 stamens, which are shorter than calyx, and 3 styles. The achenes are elliptic, 3-ribbed, smooth, black. The flowering period is from July to November. Habitat: It grows in deserts, on the edge of fields, or by water. Distribution: It is distributed south of the Yangtze river and Gansu, as well as in Japan, and the Indo-China Peninsula. Acquisition and Processing: The rhizomes are dug up in spring and autumn, sliced and dried in the sun. Medicinal Properties: The products are lumpy or irregular spindles, usually 6–20 cm long and 4–12 cm in diameter. The outer surface is reddish brown, wrinkled and uneven. The upper and lower ends are planar, yellow, or reddish brown. Besides vascular bundle tissues, the skin is often scattered with cloud-brocade patterns. Fallopia multiflora pieces are irregular, 5–7 mm thick, with yellow-white veins on the sections. It is slightly odored, slightly bitter, sweet, and astringent in taste. The Fallopia multiflora lumps which are heavy, solid, with no cracks in the cut have better quality. The fallopia multiflora pieces which are yellow-brown, with gelatinous luster are preferred. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet, bitter and astringent in taste, warm in property, and belongs to the meridians of liver, heart, and kidney. Functions: Tonifying the liver and kidney, nourishing blood and essence, tranquilizing heart and calming the mind, the raw herbs function in relaxing bowel, detoxifying and dissolving the knot. It is often used in treatment of neurasthenia, anemia, premature graying hair, dizziness, insomnia, night sweating, high blood cholesterol, pain of waist and knee, spermatorrhea, leucorrhea. Prepared fallopia multiflora functions in treatment of constipation due to deficiency of Yin and blood, lymph node tuberculosis, and carbuncle. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: white hairs due to blood deficiency: Radix polygoni multiflori and Radix rehmanniae 15 g each, decocted in water for oral use.

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2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: pain of lumbar and knee, spermatorrhea: Polygonum multiflorum 15 g, Achyranthes bidentata, cuscuta, Psoralea corylifolia, Lycium barbarum 9 g each, decocted in water for oral use. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: hypercholesterolemia: Radix polygoni multiflori tablets (containing 70% extract of radix polygoni multiflori and 30% powder of radix polygoni multiflora, 0.5 g per tablet). Take three times a day, 5 tablets per dose. Fix dietary habits during the period of treatment, checked cholesterol values before taking the medicine and 1–2  weeks after treatment, 2–6 weeks as a treatment course. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Angina pectoris: (Xintong Decoctum) Polygonum multiflorum, Rhizoma polygonate each 12 g, Semen platycladi 9 g, Acorus calamus, tulip, each 6 g, corydalis tuber 3 g, decocted in water for oral use, one dose per day. 5. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: myocardial infarction: Radix polygoni multiflori, Adenophora stricta each 15  g, dwarf winter wheat, Radix polygonati officinalis, Schisandra chinensis, each 15 g, decocted in water. (Applicable to Yin deficiency type). 6. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: neurasthenia (Kidney Yin Deficiency): Radix polygoni multiflori, Semen ziziphi, oxalis, each 15 g, poria cocos 12 g, anemarrhenae 9  g, Ligusticum wallichii, licorice, each 6  g, jujubes 6, decocted in water. Use with Anshen Buxin Pill or Yangxue Anshen Tablet. 7. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: blood deficiency, palpitation, and insomnia: prepared Radix polygoni multiflori, Adenophora stricta, fossil fragments, Paeonia lactiflora, 9 g each, decocted in water for oral use. 8. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Long-lasting malaria: Polygoni multiflori 30 g, Radix Bupleuri 9 g, black beans 15 g, decocted in water for oral use. 9. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Polygoni multiflori 15 g, decocted in water, and taken in two times. 10. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: constipation due to deficiency of blood and body fluid: Polygoni multiflori 20 g, decocted in water for oral use. 11. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: carbuncle and furuncle: fresh Radix polygoni multiflori leaves crushed and applied to the affected areas. Additional notes: Polygoni multiflori may cause liver function damage to some people if taken for long. Please pay attention not to use it for a long time. The vine stem of Polygonum multiflorum can also be used as medicine, which is sweet in taste, neutral in property, and functions in nourishing heart and mind, dispelling pathogenic wind wet, often used in treatment of neurasthenia, insomnia, dreaminess, body ache, as well as in external treatment of psoriasis and pruritus.

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8.10  Family: Polygonaceae 8.10.1  Polygonum aviculare Chinese Name(s): bian xu, wang ji cai, wu liao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Polygonum aviculare (Polygonum aviculare Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual. The stems are prostrate, ascending or erect, 10–40 cm tall, much branched from base, longitudinally ribbed. The leaves are elliptic, narrowly elliptic or lanceolate, 1–4 cm long, 3–12 mm wide, apically obtuse or acute, basally cuneate, margins being entire, both surfaces being glabrous, lower lateral veins being conspicuous. The petioles are short or subsessile, base being articulate. The stipules are membranous, brown at lower part, white on upper, lacerate veins being conspicuous. The flowers are solitary or several clustered in leaf axils, arranged throughout the plant. The bracts are thin, with several inconspicuous veinlets. The flowers are small, 1–5 clustered in leaf axils, pedicels being slender, articulate. The perianths are green, 5-lobed, lobes being elliptic, 2–2.5 mm long, green, white or reddish at margins. There are 8 stamens, filaments dilated at base. There are 3 styles, stigmas being capitate. The achenes are ovate, 3-ribbed, 2.5–3 mm long, dark brown, densely pinstriped with dots, dull, included or slightly exceeding persistent perianth. The flowering period is from May to July. The fruiting period is from June to August. Habitat: It grows on fields, wastelands, and waterside marshes. Distribution: It is distributed all over China. It is also found in temperate and subtropical regions of Europe, Asia, and America. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in spring and autumn and dried in the sun.

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Medicinal Properties: The products are 15–50  cm in length. The stems are cylindrical and slightly flat, 1.5–3 mm in diameter, branched, gray-green or brown-­ red, with fine longitudinal lines, slightly enlarged at nodes, with light brown membranous stipule sheath. It is hard in quality, easy to break, with white medulla on section. The leaves are alternate, subsessile or with short stalks. The leaves are deciduous, or shriveled and broken, lanceolate when flattened, entire on margins, glabrous, brownish green or grayish green on both sides. It is odorless, slightly bitter in taste. Those with tender texture, many leaves and gray green in color are better in quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, neutral in property, and belongs to the meridian of bladder. Functions: Clearing heat, inducing urination, detoxifying and expelling worms, it is often used in treatment of urinary tract infection, calculus, nephritis, jaundice, bacterial dysentery, ascariasis, pinworm disease, scabies, and itch. Use and Dosage: 6–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: urinary tract infection, frequency and urgency of urination: Polygonum aviculare, Dianthus superbus 15 g each, talc 30 g, rhubarb 12 g, seed of asiatic plantain, akebia, Gardenia jasminoides, licorice root tip each 9  g, rushes 3  g, decocted in water for oral use. Pregnant women should not use it. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Ureteral calculi with hydronephrosis: Polygonum aviculare, rehmannia root, rhizoma dioscoreae hypoglaucae 15  g each, teasel root, Psoralea corylifolia, Eucommia ulmoides, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Alisma orientalis, Lygodium japonicum 9 g each, talc 50 g, decocted in water for oral use. In case of infection, Polygonum cuspidatum and honeysuckle 15 g each could be added to the formula. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: bacterial dysentery: syrup of Polygonum aviculare (100%), 50 ml per dose, 2–3 times daily. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: scabies, itching due to dampness, women vulva itching: appropriate amount of Polygonum aviculare, decocted and used to wash the affected areas.

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8.11  Family: Polygonaceae 8.11.1  Polygonum barbatum Chinese Name(s): mao liao, shui la liao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Polygonum barbatum (Polygonum barbatum Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, rhizomatous. The stems are erect, stout, 40–90 cm tall, pubescent, unbranched, or distally branched. The leaves are lanceolate or elliptic lanceolate, 7–15 cm long, 1.5–4 cm wide, apically acuminate, basally cuneate, margins being ciliate, sparsely pubescent on both surfaces. The petioles are 5–8  mm long, densely hispidulous. The stipules are cylindric, 1.5–2  cm long, densely hispidulous, apically truncate, tricholoma being stout, 1.5–2 cm long. The inflorescences are terminal, spicate, erect, 4–8 cm, several spikes aggregating and panicle-like, rarely solitary. The bracts are funnelform, glabrous, margins being ciliate, each 3–5-flowered. The pedicels are short 5-lobed, white or greenish, perianth segments being elliptic, 1.5–2 mm long. There are 5–8 stamens and 3 styles, stigmas being capitate. The achenes are ovate, 3-ribbed, black, lustrous, 1.5–2  mm long, included in persistent perianth. The flowering period is from August to September. The fruiting period is from September to October. Habitat: It grows on waterside, roadside wetlands, and undergrowth. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Fujian, Taiwan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Guizhou and Yunnan, as well as in India, Myanmar, and Philippines. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in spring and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property, and toxic. Functions: Reducing swelling and detoxifying, it is often used in treatment of gangrene fistula, scrofula, abscess, beriberi, stomach pain, enteritis, dysentery, rheumatic arthralgia, injury, tinea pedis, skin pruritus, or other skin disease. Use and Dosage: 2–3 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, the decoctum is used to wash the affected areas.

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8.12  Family: Polygonaceae 8.12.1  Polygonum bistorta Chinese Name(s): quan shen, zi shen, dao jian yao, di xia. Source: This medicine is made of the rhizome of Polygonum bistorta (Polygonum bistorta Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial. Its rhizomes are large, 1–3 cm in diameter, 50–90 cm in height. The basal leaves are broadly lanceolate or narrowly ovate, 4–18 cm long, 2–5 cm wide, apically acuminate, basally truncate, decurrent along petioles forming narrow wings. The cauline leaves are lanceolate. The ocreae are cylindric, lower part being green, upper part being brown. The inflorescences are terminal, spicate, 4–9 cm long, 0.8–1.2 cm in diameter. The bracts are ovate, apically acuminate, pale brown, each 3-or 4-flowered. The perianths are 5-parted, white or reddish, perianth segments being elliptic, 2–3 mm long. There are 8 stamens and 3 styles, stigmas being capitate. The achenes are elliptic, acuminate at both ends, brown, lustrous, ca. 3.5 mm long, slightly longer than persistent perianths. The flowering period is from June to July. The fruiting period is from August to September. Habitat: It grows on hill slope grassland and hilltop meadow at altitudes of 800–3000 m. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces in northeast, north China and in Shaanxi, Ningxia, Gansu, Shandong, Henan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Anhui, etc., as well as in Japan, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Russia Siberia, the far east and Europe. Medicinal Properties: The product is oblate or oblate columnar, curved, acute on both ends or attenuate to one end, 6–13 cm long and 1–2.5 cm in diameter, purplish brown or purplish black on surfaces, rough, protuberant on one side, flat or slightly grooved on the other side, with dense ring pattern throughout and residual marks of fibrous roots or root. It is hard in quality, light brownish red or brownish red in the sections. The vascular bundles are yellowish white pitted and arranged in circles. It is slightly odored, bitter, and astringent in taste. Acquisition and Processing: It is dug up in early spring before germination or autumn when stems and leaves wither, and dried in the after removing the fibrous roots and silts. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and astringent in taste, slightly cold in property, a little toxic. Functions: Clearing heat, detoxifying, diminishing swelling, and stopping bleeding, it is often used in treatment of dysentery, heat diarrhea, cough due to lung heat, scrofula, tongue sore, hematemesis, epistaxis, hemorrhoid bleeding, venomous snake bite, etc. Use and Dosage: 15–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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8.13  Family: Polygonaceae 8.13.1  Polygonum capitatum Chinese Name(s): tou hua liao, hong suan gan, shi tou hua. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Polygonum capitatum (Polygonum capitatum Buch.-Ham. et D. Don). Morphology: The herbs are perennial. The stems are creeping, tufted, ligneous at base, rooting from nodes, internodes being shorter than leaf blades, much branched, sparsely glandular hairy, or subglabrous. The annual branches are suberect, longitudinally ribbed, sparsely glandular hairy. The leaves are ovate or elliptic, 1.5–3 cm long, 1–2.5 cm wide, apically acute, basally cuneate, margins being entire and glandular hairy, both surfaces being sparsely glandular hairy. There are sometimes black-brown crescent-shaped spots on leaf surface. The petioles are 2–3 mm long, sometimes auriculate at base. The ocreae are cylindric, membranous, 5–8 mm long, loose, glandular hairy, apically truncate, ciliate. The inflorescences are terminal, capitate, solitary, or geminate, 6–10 mm in diam. The peduncles are glandular hairy. The bracts are oblong, membranous. The pedicels are very short. The perianths are 5-lobed, reddish, perianth segments being elliptic, 2–3 mm long. There are 8 stamens, which are shorter than perianth, and 3 styles which united at lower middle, and are subequal to perianth. The stigmas are capitate. The achenes are long ovate, 3-ribbed, 1.5–2  mm long, dark brown, densely dotted, slightly lustrous, included in persistent perianth. The flowering is from June to September. The fruiting period is from August to October. Habitat: It grows in wet places near fields or streams. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan, Tibet, as well as in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun.

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Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sour in taste, and cold in property. Functions: Clearing heat, cooling blood, and inducing urination, it is often used in treatment of urinary system infection, dysentery, diarrhea, hematuria, urine rash, and yellow water sores. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external treatment, the decoctum is used to wash the affected areas.

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8.14  Family: Polygonaceae 8.14.1  Polygonum chinense Chinese Name(s): huo tan mu, chi di li, huo tan xing. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Polygonum chinense (Polygonum chinense Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial and creeping. Its rhizomes are stout. The stems are up to 3 m long, often glabrous, longitudinally ribbed, multiple-branched, oblique. The leaf blades are ovate or obovate, 4–10 cm long, 2–4 cm wide, apically shortly acuminate, basally truncate or broadly cordate, margins being entire, both surfaces being glabrous, sometimes sparsely pubescent along veins. The lower leaves are petiolate, petioles being 1–2 cm long, often with auricles at base. The upper leaves are subsessile or amplexicaul. The ocreae are membranous, glabrous, 1.5–2.5 cm long, much veined, apically oblique, not ciliate. The inflorescences are capitate, usually several capitula aggregated and are panicle-like, terminal or axillary. The pedicels are glandular-hairy. The bracts are broadly ovate, with 1–3 flowers inside each bract. The perianth are 5-parted, white or reddish, lobes being ovate, enlarged at fruiting, fleshy, blue-black. There are 8 stamens, which are included, and 3 styles, which are connate at lower middle. The achenes are broadly ovate, 3-ribbed, 3–4 mm long, black, opaque, enveloped by persistent perianths. The flowering is from July to September. The fruiting period is from August to October. Habitat: It grows on wetlands near valleys. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces from southeast to southwest, as well as in Japan, India, and Malaysia. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Medicinal Properties: The products are 30–100 cm long. The stems are oblate cylindrical, branched, slightly inflated at nodes. The lower nodes are with brown fibrous roots, pale green or purple brown. The young branches are purplish red,

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glabrous, with fine ribbed lines. It is brittle, easy to break, yellow at sections, loose, often hollow. The leaves are widely curled or broken, ovate-oblong, 5–10 cm long after flattened, base being truncate or slightly rounded, entire, dark green on above, with lilac-colored patches, sallow at below, both surfaces being subglabrous. The ocreae are cylindric, membranous, amplexicaul. It is odorless, sour, and slight astringent in taste. The products which are more leaves, yellow and green have quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is slightly sour, astringent and sweet in taste, cold in property, belonging to the meridians of liver and spleen. Functions: Clearing heat, detoxicating, dispelling dampness and stagnation, cooling blood, relieving itching, improving eyesight, it is often used in treatment of dysentery, enteritis, hepatitis, dyspepsia, cold, tonsillitis, pertussis, laryngitis, diphtheria, corneal opacity, mycotic vaginitis, leucorrhea, mastitis, furunculosis, infantile impetigo, eczema, and snake bite. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external treatment, proper amounts of herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Acute gastroenteritis: Polygonum chinense, Salvia officinalis 9 g, Lygodium japonicum 6 g and Poria cocos 6 g, decocted in water for oral dose. Take 1 to 2 doses a day. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: diphtheria: fresh Polygonum chinense leaves 150 g, honey 5 ml. Mash the fresh leaves and extract 30 ml of juice, add with honey, as one day dosage, take it in 5 to 6 times. For severe patients feed a few in many times. The course of treatment is usually 2 to 4 days. Do not take fried food during medication. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: pediatric bronchitis: Polygonum chinense 60 g, Arachis pintoi, hairyvein agrimony, Callicarpa macrophylla Vahl and houttuynia15–30 g each, loquat leaf, thorny elaeagnus fruit 9 g, licorice 3 g decocted for 2 times. Take the decoctum in 3 to 4 times. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Heatstroke prevention: 2 portions of Polygonum chinense, 1 portions of Lygodium japonicum, and 1 portion of elephantopus scaber, appropriate amount of licorice. A total amount of 30 g herbs each time for adults is decocted and drank like tea. 5. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Corneal clouds and leukoplakia: Polygonum chinense 50 g, mahonia 50 g, added with 2000 ml water, decocted for 4–5 hours, filtered and concentrated to 150 ml, then filtered again. The pH value of the solution ranges from 5.5 to 6. Drop in eye every 2 hours for 1 to 2 months. The solution should be changed every 3 to 5 days. 6. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Mycotic vaginitis: Polygonum chinense 30 g, decocted for bath. Polygonum chinense powder, sprayed to the vagina. Both treatments are used alternately, 3–5 times are a course of treatment. 7. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: cervical cancer: Polygonum chinense 120 g, Rubus parvifolius 60 g, Ulmus parvifolia 30 g, Fructus cnidii 12 g, decocted in water for oral use. Take cycad leaf 120 g, and red jujube 12 pieces before taking this decoctum.

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8.15  Family: Polygonaceae 8.15.1  Polygonum criopolitanum Chinese Name(s): liao zi cao, xi ye yi zhi liao, xiao lian peng, zhu liao zi cao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Polygonum criopolitanum (Polygonum criopolitanum Hance). Morphology: The herbs are annual. The stems are branched from base, prostrate, tufted, rooting at nodes, 10–15  cm high, long strigose, sparsely glandular hairy. The leaves are narrowly lanceolate or lanceolate, 1–3 cm long, 3–8 mm wide, apically acute, basally narrow cuneate, both surfaces being strigose, margins being ciliate and glandular hairy. The petioles are very short or subabsent. The ocreae are membranous, densely strigose, apically truncate, long ciliate. The inflorescences are terminal, capitate. The peduncles are densely glandular hairy. The bracts are ovate, 2–2.5 mm long, densely strigose, margins being long ciliate, each 1 flowered. The pedicels are longer than bracts, densely glandular hairy, articulate at apex. The perianths are 5 parted, lilac red, perianth segments being ovate, 3–4 mm long. There are 5 stamens, anthers being purple, and 2 styles, which are connate at middle. The achenes are elliptic, biconvex, ellipsoid, ca. 2.5 mm long, lustrous, included in persistent perianth. The flowering period is from July to November. The fruiting period is from September to December. Habitat: It grows on the wetlands of fields, watersides, or valleys. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces in northeast, north China and in Henan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hubei, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, etc. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property. Functions: Clearing heat and dampness, dispelling blood stasis, relieving pain, reducing swelling and detoxifying, it is often used in treatment of dysentery,

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gastroenteritis, diarrhea, rheumatoid arthritis, bruising, functional uterine bleeding as well as in external treatment for venomous snake bite, and skin eczema. Use and Dosage: 15–20 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external treatment, proper amounts of herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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8.16  Family: Polygonaceae 8.16.1  Polygonum cuspidatum Chinese Name(s): hu zhang, hua ban zhang, da ye she zong guan. Source: This medicine is made of the rhizomes of Polygonum cuspidatum (Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. et Zucc.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial. Its rhizomes are stout, creeping, yellow. The stems are erect, 1–2 m high, stout, hollow, distinctly longitudinal ribbed, with small projections, glabrous, scattering with red or purplish red spots. The leaf blades are broadly ovate or ovate-elliptic, 5–12 cm long, 4–9 cm wide, subleathery, apically acuminate, broadly cuneate, truncate or suborbicular at base, margins being entire, sparsely with small projections, glabrous on both sides, with small projections along veins. The petioles are 1–2 cm long, with small projections. The ocreae are membranous, oblique, 3–5 mm long, brown, longitudinally veined, glabrous, apically truncate, glabrous, often ruptured, caducous. The flowers are unisexual, dioecious. The inflorescences are axillary, conical, 3–8 cm long. The bracts are funnelform, 1.5–2 mm long, apically acuminate, glabrous, each 2–4 flowered. The pedicels are 2–4 mm, articulate on middle and lower part. The perianths are 5-lobed, pale green, male perianth segments being with green midrib, wingless. There are 8 stamens, longer than perianths. The outside 3 piece of female flower perianths are winged, enlarging in fruiting, decurrent. There are 3 styles, stigmas being fimbriate. The achenes are ovate, 3-ribbed, 4–5 mm long, dark brown, lustrous, including in persistent perianth. The flowering period is from August to September. The fruiting period is from September to October. Habitat: It grows in valleys and beside stream. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, East China, Central China, South China, Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, as well as in Korea and Japan. Acquisition and Processing: The rhizomes are harvested in summer and autumn, sliced and dried in the sun. Medicinal Properties: This product is cylindrical short segments or irregular pieces, 1–7  cm in length, 0.5–3  cm in diameter, brown or red-brown on surface, with longitudinal wrinkles and fibrous root marks. The skin of the sections is thin, and the xylem is broad, brown-yellow, with radial texture, easy to be separated with the skin. The pith of the rhizome is septal, arranged in layers, sometimes the septum disappears, leaving a cavity. It is hard and difficult to break. It is slight in odor, bitter, and astringent in taste. The products much rooted, stout, solid, with yellow sections are better in quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and sour in taste, cool in property, and belongs to the meridians of liver, gallbladder, and lung. Functions: Clearing heat and dampness, relieving constipation and detoxifying, dispelling blood stasis and invigorating blood circulation, reducing swelling and detoxifying, it is often used in treatment of hepatitis, enteritis, dysentery, tonsillitis, laryngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, rheumatoid arthritis, acute nephritis, urinary tract infection, amenorrhea, constipation, as well as in external treatment for burns, scalds, bruises, carbuncles, and venomous bites.

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Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external treatment, proper amounts of herbs are ground into powder and applied to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: acute hepatitis: Polygonum cuspidatum 30 g, Kummerowia striata 60  g, decocted for two times. Take one dose daily for 2–15 days. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: arthritis: Polygonum cuspidatum 150  g, chopped, added with 0.75 kg of alcohol, immersed for half a month. Take 15 g per dose, 2 times a day. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: burns: (1) for severe cases, the root juice of Polygonum cuspidatum is applied to the wound. (2) for mild cases, Polygonum cuspidatum root powder is blended with oil for application. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: acute and chronic bronchitis: Polygonum cuspidatum, Mahonia and Loquat Leaf 50 g each, decocted and taken in three times, one dose a day, 10 days as a course of treatment. 5. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Neonatal jaundice: 6–9 g Polygonum cuspidatum, decocted in two bowls of water until 3 spoons of juice left (added with a little sugar), taken in two times. 6. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Lobar pneumonia: Polygonum cuspidatum (dry root) 500 g, sliced, added with 5 kg water, decocted until 1 kg left. Take 50–100 ml first, and then take 2–3 times a day, 50–100 ml each time. Reduce the dosage when fever subsides. Stop taking when pulmonary inflammation disappears. 7. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Candida vaginitis: root of Polygonum cuspidatum 60 g, 500 ml water, decocted into 300 ml. Rinse the vagina warmly, put the Centipeda minima dried powder into capsules (0.3 g per capsule), and place into vagina, once a day, 7 days as a course of treatment. 8. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: acute nephritis: Polygonum cuspidatum, Asiatic plantain and Polygonum aviculare each 30 g, decocted into 100 ml as daily dose, taken in 2 times.

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8.17  Family: Polygonaceae 8.17.1  Polygonum hydropiper Chinese Name(s): la liao, la liao cao, liao zi cao, shui liao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Polygonum hydropiper (Polygonum hydropiper Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, 40–70 cm high. The stems are erect, manybranched, glabrous, dilated at nodes. The leaves are lanceolate or elliptic lanceolate, 4–8 cm long, 0.5–2.5 cm wide, apically acuminate, basally cuneate, margins being entire, ciliate, glabrous on both sides, brownish punctate, sometimes appressed hispidulous along midrib, pungent, cleistogamous flowers present in many leaf axils. The petioles are 4–8 mm in length. The ocreae are cylindric, membranous, brown, 1–1.5  cm long, sparsely appressed hispidulous, apically truncate, shortly ciliate, usually with clusters of flowers in the stipules. The inflorescences are terminal or axillary, spicate, pendulous, interrupted below, usually lax, 3–8  cm, slender. The bracts are funnelform, 2–3 mm long, green, margins being membranous, sparsely shortly ciliate, each 3–5-flowered. The pedicels are longer than bracts. The perianth are 5(or 4)-parted, greenish, white or pink above, brownish pellucid glandular punctate, perianth segments being elliptic, 3–3.5 mm long. There are 6 stamens, sparsely 8, which are shorter than perianth, and 2–3 styles, stigmas being capitate. The achenes are ovate, 2–3 mm long, biconvex or trigonous, densely small pitted, dark brown, opaque, included in persistent perianths. The flowering period is from May to September. The fruiting period is from June to October. Habitat: It grows on the edge of fields, roadside, river banks, in dithches, and other humid places. Distribution: It is distributed in northeast, north China and in provinces of Henan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hunan, Hubei, Fujian, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan, as well as in temperate and tropical regions of the world.

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Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and sour in taste, cool in property, and belongs to the meridians of liver, gallbladder, and lung. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and dampness, scattering stasis and relieving pain, reducing swelling, detoxifying, destroying parasites and alleviating itching, it is often used in treatment of dysentery, gastroenteritis, diarrhea, rheumatic joint pain, bruising pain, functional uterine bleeding as well as in external treatment for venomous snake bite, and skin eczema. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external treatment, proper amounts of herbs are ground into powder and applied to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: acute enteritis: a. Polygonum hydropiper powder is added into capsules, 0.5–0.75 g per dose, 4 times a day. Children should use reduced dose. B. Dried Polygonum hydropiper root 60 g, decocted twice, concentrated to 100 ml. Take the decoctum in 3 times. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Amoeba dysentery: Polygonum hydropiper (whole herb) 9 g, Hedyotis diffusa, and hairyvein agrimony 15 g each decocted in water. Take 1 dose a day. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Tinea pedis: fresh Polygonum hydropiper 60 g, chopped, added with 150 ml of water, decocted for 30–40 minutes, filtered, added with appropriate amounts of benzoic acid as preservative stored in bottle for preservation. Apply the medicine to the affected areas every day.

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8.18  Family: Polygonaceae 8.18.1  Polygonum orientale Chinese Name(s): shui hong hua zi, hong liao, dong fang liao, hong cao, gou wei ba liao, guo jie feng. Source: This medicine is made of the seeds of Polygonum orientale (Polygonum orientale Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual. The stems are erect, stout, 1–2 m tall, manybranched above, densely spreading pilose. The leaves are broadly ovate, broadly elliptic or ovate-lanceolate, 10 to 20 cm long, 5 to 12 cm wide, apically acuminate, basally rounded or subcordate, slightly decurrent, margins being entire, densely ciliate, both surfaces being densely pubescent, densely pilose along veins. The petioles are 2–10 cm long, with spreading pilose. The ocreae are tubular, membranous, 1–2  cm long, villous, long ciliate, usually with green leaf-like wings. The

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inflorescences are terminal or axillary, spicate, slightly pendulous, several spikes aggregated and panicle-like. The bracts are broadly funnelform, 3–5 mm long, herbaceous, green, pubescent, margins being long ciliate, each 3–5 flowered. The pedicels are longer than bracts. The perianths are 5-parted, reddish or white. The perianth segments are elliptic, 3–4  mm long. There are 7 stamens, which are longer than perianths, disk being conspicuous. There are 2 styles, which are connate to below middle, exserted on separate plant. The stigmas are capitate. The achenes are suborbicular, biconcave, 3–3.5 mm in diam., dark brown, lustrous, included in persistent perianth. The flowering period is from June to September. The fruiting period is from August to October. Habitat: It grows in villages, on roadsides, and waterside wetlands. Distribution: It is distributed all over the country, as well as in North Korea, Japan, Russia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, India, Europe, and Oceania. Acquisition and Processing: The fruit clusters are cut and dried in autumn when the fruits are ripe. The fruits are separated and impurities removed. Medicinal Properties: The products are oblate, 2–3.5 mm in diameter, 1–1.5 mm in thickness, dark brown or sometimes reddish brown, shiny, concave on both sides, apex being with short process, base being with light brown slightly protruding pedicels, sometimes with remaining membranous perianth. It is hard in quality, slightly odored, bland in taste. The full, lubricious, brown black ones with big grains are better in quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is salty in taste, cool in property, and belongs to the meridians of liver and stomach. Functions: Clearing heat, softening hard mass, invigorating blood flow, scattering stagnation, relieving pain, inducing urination, it is often used in treatment of stomachache, abdominal distension, splenomegaly, cirrhotic ascites, cervical tuberculosis, abdominal mass, cervical tuberculosis, and diabetes. Use and Dosage: 3–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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8.19  Family: Polygonaceae 8.19.1  Polygonum palmatum Chinese Name(s): zhang ye liao, qu cao, zhu cao, da la liao, jiu long tian zi. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Polygonum palmatum (Polygonum palmatum Dunn). Morphology: The herbs are perennial. The stems are erect, stout, up to 1 m high, longitudinally ribbed, strigose and shortly stellate hairy, much branched upward. The leaf blades are palmatipartite, orbicular or broadly ovate, 7–15  cm long, 8–16  cm wide, green adaxially, light greenish on abaxial surface, both surfaces being shortly stellate hairy, sparsely strigose, margins being sparsely ciliate, sometimes decurrent along petioles forming narrow wings. There are 5–7 lobes, ovate, apically acuminate, base being constricted. The petioles are 5–12 cm long, strigose, and shortly stellate hairy. The ocreae are lax, tubular, 1.5–2.5  cm, membranous, shortly stellate hairy, strigose, oblique, margins being sparsely ciliate. The inflorescences are terminal or axillary, capitate, ca. 1 cm in diam, several capitula aggregating and panicle-like. The bracts are lanceolate, stellate hairy, and sparsely strigose, each 2-or 3-flowered. The pedicels are glabrous, shorter than bracts. The perianths are 5-parted, reddish, perianth segments being elliptic, 2.5–3 mm long. There are 8–10 stamens, and 3 styles, which are connate below middle part. The achenes are ovate, trigonous, 3–3.5  mm long, brown, minutely punctate, opaque, included in persistent perianths. The flowering period is from July to August. The fruiting period is from September to October. Habitat: It grows on the grass by the roadside. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Yunnan, Hunan, Jiangxi, Anhui. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and sour in taste, cool in property, Functions: Clearing heat, stopping bleeding, it is often used in treatment of hematemesis, epistaxis, hemorrhage, avulsion, dysentery, and traumatic hemorrhage. Use and Dosage: 10–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, fresh herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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8.20  Family: Polygonaceae 8.20.1  Polygonum perfoliatum Chinese Name(s): gang ban gui, she dao tui, li tou ci. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Polygonum perfoliatum. (Polygonum perfoliatum Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, spreading, or climbing. The stems are 1–2  m long, sinuous, angulate retrorse prickles along angles. The leaves are thin papery or submembranous, triangular, 2–10 cm long, obtuse or subacute, margins and lower veins being often prickly, glabrous. The petioles are as long as leaf blades, slender, scutellate inserted, retrorsely prickly. The ocreae are tubular, with green herbaceous orbicular wing at apex, 1.5–3 cm in diam. The flowers are white or lilac, forming short racemes. The pedicels are hooked, axillary. The bracts are membranous, glabrous. The perianths are 5-parted, lobes being oblong, slightly accrescent in fruit. There are 8 stamens, slightly shorter than perianth, and 3 styles, distally separated. The achenes are subglobose, 2–3 mm in diameter, black at maturity, shiny completely included in persistent perianths. The flowering period is between summer and autumn. Habitat: It grows in valley thickets, barren meadows, village-side fences, or ditches. Distribution: It is distributed in South China, southwest to southeast, north to northeast China, as well as in India, Japan, Malaysia, and Philippines. Collection Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, cut into sections and dried. Medicinal Properties: The stems of this product are slightly square column, angular, up to 1 m, purple or purple brown, retrorsely prickly on the angles, slightly enlarged on nodes. The root section is yellowish white with pith or hollow. The leaves are alternate, petioles being peltate. Leaves are mostly ruffled, nearly equilateral triangle when flattened, grayish green to reddish brown, retrorsely prickly on

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veins and petioles below. The racemes are terminal or axillary. The flowers are small, very curly or deciduous. It is slightly odored, slightly sour in taste. The products with more leaves are better in quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sour in flavor, cool in property, belonging to the meridians of lung, spleen, and liver. Functions: Clearing heat, detoxifying, inducing urination and reducing swelling, it is often used in treatments of nephritis edema, upper respiratory tract infection, bronchitis, pertussis, acute tonsillitis, enteritis, dysentery, nephritis edema, as well as in external treatment of herpes zoster, eczema, carbuncle and furuncle, and snake bite. Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, fresh herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas, or the decoctum is used to wash the affected areas. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: upper respiratory tract infection: Polygonum perfoliatum, Solidago decurrens, Cirsium japonicum, Polygonum chinense each 30 g, Platycodon grandiflorum 18 g, added with 200 ml water, decocted on mild fire to 100 ml. Take the decoctum every morning and evening. Reduce the dosage for children. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: whooping cough: Polygonum perfoliatum 30  g, stir-fried and added with proper amount of sugar, decocted and taken instead of tea, one dose per day. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: herpes zoster, eczema: Polygonum perfoliatum to the right amount, added with a little salt, pounded for external application or twisted for juice to apply to the affected areas. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: chronic bronchitis: Polygonum perfoliatum 15 g, plantago seed, orange peel each 9 g, Peppermint 1.5 g (added later), fresh ficus microcarpa leaves 30  g, decocted in water, and concentrated to 100  ml. Take the decoctum in 3 times, 10 days as a treatment course. 5. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: snake bites: Fresh Polygonum perfoliatum leaves 60 g, washed and pounded for juice. Take the juice with a little bit of rice liqueur. For external use, fresh leaves are pounded, added with brown sugar, mashed evenly to be applied to the affected areas. 6. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: edema: Polygonum perfoliatum 150  g, decocted in water, sweating by fuming and washing with the decoctum. In ­addition, winter melon seeds, plantain seeds, cogon rhizome, bottle gourd shell, winter gourd skin, Lygodium japonicum, each 15  g, decocted in water for oral use. 7. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: prevention of rice-field dermatitis: Polygonum perfoliatum 45  g, Acorus calamus 30  g, decocted and used to wash hands and feet. 8. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: aphthous ulcer: Polygonum perfoliatum 60 g, decocted in water for oral use, and mashed to be applied to the affected areas.

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8.21  Family: Polygonaceae 8.21.1  Polygonum plebeium Chinese Name(s): ye hua liao, xiao bian xu, jian xi liao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Polygonum plebeium. (Polygonum plebeium R. Brown). Morphology: The herbs are annual. Its stems are prostrate, many-branched from base, 10–40 cm long, longitudinally angled, slightly convex along ribs, internodes usually being shorter than leaves. The leave blades are narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate, 0.5–1.5 cm long, 2–4 mm wide, apically obtuse or acute, basally narrow cuneate, both surfaces being glabrous. The lateral veins are inconspicuous. The petioles are very short or subsessile. The ocreae are membranous, white, transparent, 2.5–3 mm long, apically lacerate. There are 3–6 flowers, which are in axillary fascicles, throughout the plant. The bracts are membranous. The pedicels are articulate at middle, shorter than bracts. The perianths are 5-parted. The tepals are long elliptic, green, abaxially with prominent veins, margins being white or reddish, 1–1.5  mm long. There are 5 stamens, filaments being slightly dilated at base, included in perianth. There are 3 styles, sparsely 2, very short, stigmas being capitate. The achenes are broadly ovate, trigonous or biconvex, 1.5–2 mm long, dark brown, smooth, shiny, included in persistent perianths. The flowering period is from May to August. The fruiting period is from June to September. Habitat: It often grows on cultivated or deserted land. Distribution: It is distributed from southwest to south China, southeast, north to northeast China, as well as in tropical and subtropical regions on the eastern hemisphere. Collection Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in flavor, neutral in property. Functions: Clearing heat and expelling parasite, detoxifying and inducing urination, it is often used in treatments of urinary tract infection, calculus, nephritis, jaundice hepatitis, bacterial dysentery, ascariasis, scabies, and eczema. Dosage: 10–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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8.22  Family: Polygonaceae 8.22.1  Polygonum senticosum Chinese Name(s): lang yin, ji jie suo, she bu zuan, she dao tui, guan tou jian. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Polygonum senticosum. (Polygonum senticosum (Meissn.) Franch. et Savat.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial. The stems are trailing or ascending, 1–1.5 m long, many-branched, pubescent, 4-angulate, with retrorse prickles along angles. The leaf blades are triangular or long triangular, 4–8 cm long, 2–7 cm wide, apically acute or acuminate, basally hastate, both surfaces being pubescent, abaxially with sparse retrorse prickles along veins, margins being ciliate. The petioles are stout, 2–7 cm long, with inverted prickles. The ocreae are cylindric, margins being with green herbaceous reniform-orbicular wings, grassy, green, shortly ciliate. The inflorescences are terminal or axillary, capitate, peduncle being branched, shortly

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glandular hairy. The bracts are long ovate, pale green, margins being membranous, short ciliate hairy. The flowers are 2–3 per bract. The pedicels are stout, shorter than bracts. The perianths are 5-parted, reddish, perianth segments being elliptic, 3–4 mm long. There are 8 stamens in 2-whorls, which are shorter than perianth, and 3 styles, which are connate at lower middle. The stigmas are capitate. The achenes are subglobose, slightly 3-ribbed, dark brown, dull, 2.5–3 mm long, enveloped in persistent perianths. The flowering period is from June to July. The fruiting period is from July to September. Habitat: It often grows in gullies, and valley thickets and on roadsides. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Liaoning, Hebei, Shandong, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou, Guangdong, Guangxi, as well as in Hong Kong, Korea, and Japan. Collection Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sour and slightly pungent in flavor, neutral in property. Functions: Detoxifying, diminishing swelling, clearing dampness relieving itching, invigorating blood flow and scattering stasis, it is often used in treatments of eczema, impetigo, snake’s head sore, intractable carbuncle, skin infections of newborn infants, snake bite, bruise, external hemorrhoids, and internal hemorrhoids. Dosage: 10–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, the herbs are ground to powder or mashed to be applied to the affected areas. Prescription Example: Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: snake bite: fresh Polygonum senticosum, fresh Potentilla kleiniana, fresh Herba Lysimachia, 90–120 g each, mashed together and applied around the wound.

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8.23  Family: Polygonaceae 8.23.1  Polygonum tinctorium Chinese Name(s): liao lan, dao diao lian. Source: This medicine is made of the fruits and leaves of Polygonum tinctorium. (Polygonum tinctorium Ait.). Morphology: The herb is annual. Its stems, petioles, and veins are often red. The stems are erect, usually branched, 50–80 cm tall. The leaves are ovate or broadly elliptic, 3–8  cm long, 2–4  cm wide, dark blue-green when dry, apically obtuse, basally broadly cuneate, margins being entire, shortly ciliate, leaf surface being glabrous, abaxially sometimes appressed-pubescent along veins. The petioles are 5–10 mm in lengths. The ocreae are membranous, slightly loose, 1–1.5 cm long, appressed pubescent, apically truncate, long ciliate. The inflorescences are terminal or axillary, spicate, dense, 2–5 cm. The bracts are funnelform, green, ciliate, each 3–5-flowered. The pedicels are slender, subequal to bracts. The perianths are 5-parted, pinkish, perianth segments being ovate, 2.5–3  mm long. There are 6–8 stamens, which are shorter than perianths. There are 3 styles, which are connate at lower part. The achenes are broadly ovate, trigonous, 2–2.5 mm long, brown, lustrous, included in persistent perianths. The flowering period is from August to September. The fruiting period is from September to October. Habitat: It grows in wet or waterside valleys. Distribution: It is distributed all over China. Collection Processing: The fruits and leaves are harvested and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and bitter in flavor, cold in property. Functions: Clearing heat and dampness, cooling blood, and relieving swelling, it is often used in treatments of fever, epistaxis, macula, sore throat, furuncles, nodular swelling, chancroid ulcer, and bee stings. Dosage: 3–10 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, the herbs are ground to powder and applied to the affected areas.

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8.24  Family: Polygonaceae 8.24.1  R  heum palmatum, Rheum officinale, Rheum tanguticum Chinese Name(s): da huang, xi da huang, jiang jun, jin jun. Source: This medicine is made of the rhizomes of Rheum palmatum (Rheum palmatum Linn.), Rheum officinale (Rheum officinale Baill.), and Rheum tanguticum (Rheum tanguticum Maxim. ex Balf.) Morphology: A: Rheum palmatum: the herbs are perennial, 1–2 m tall. Its rhizomes are stout. The stems are erect, glabrous. The petioles of basal leaves are terete, nearly as long as blade, glabrous or pubescent. The leaf blades are broadly ovate or suborbicular, ca. as long as wide, 35 cm, palmatipartite, which are usually 3–5, sparsely papilliferous above, pilose below. The cauline leaves are smaller, shortly petiolate. The ocreae are cylindric, densely pubescent. The inflorescences are large, conical, terminal. The pedicels are slender, jointed below middle. The flowers are pale yellow, with 6 perianths, which are about 1.5 mm long, arranged in 2 wheels, and 9 stamens. The ovaries are epigynous, triangular. There are 3 styles. The achenes are 3-ribbed, winged on ridges, slightly concave on apex, subcordate at base, dark brown. Habitat: It grows on mountain forest margins or grassy slope, wild or cultivated. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, and Sichuan. Morphology: B: Rheum officinale: the herbs are tall, 1.5–2 m high. The roots and rhizomes are stout, yellow inside. The stems are stout, 2–4 cm in diameter at base, hollow, finely sulcate, covered with short white hairs, especially above and at nodes. The basal leaves are large. The leaf blades are suborbicular, thinly broadly ovoid, 30–50 cm in diameter, or longer than wide, apically subacute, basally subcordate, palmatilobate, lobes being broadly dentate triangular. There are 5–7 basal veins. The leaves are abaxially pubescent, adaxially glabrous, rarely pubescent adaxially along veins, abaxially light brown pubescent. The petioles are stout terete. The cauline leaves gradually become smaller upward, with inflorescence branches on upper leaf axils. The ocreae are broad, up to 15 cm long, initially amplexicaul, later dehiscent, outside densely hairy. The panicles are large, branched. The flowers are 4-or 10-fascicled, green to yellowish white. The pedicels are slender, 3–3.5 mm long, jointed below the middle. There are 6 perianth segments, inner and outer whorls being subequal, elliptic or narrowly elliptic, 2–2.5 mm long, 1.2–1.5 mm wide. There are 9 stamens, which are shorter than perianth. The disks are thin, valvate. The ovaries are ovate or ovoid. The styles are deflexed. The stigmas are rounded. The fruits are oblong elliptic, 8–10  mm long, 7–9  mm wide, apically round, central concave, basally shallowly cordate, wings being about 3 mm wide. The seeds are broadly ovate. The flowering period is from May to June, fruiting period is from August to September.

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Habitat: It grows in mountain gullies or under forests at altitudes of 1200–4000 m and is cultivated. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Shaanxi, Sichuan, Hubei, Guizhou, Yunnan and the junction of southwest Henan and Hubei. Morphology: C: Rheum tanguticum: the herbs are tall, 1.5–2 m high. The roots and rhizomes are stout, yellow. The stems are stout, hollow, finely sulcate, glabrous or coarsely hirsute at upper nodes. The cauline leaves are large. The leaf blades are suborbicular or wide ovate, 30–60 cm long, apical narrowly acute, base being a little cordate, usually palmately 5-lobed. The most basic pair of lobes is simple. The middle 3 lobes are pinnatisect. The lobules are narrow long lanceolate. There are 5 basal veins, adaxially papilliferous or muricate, abaxially densely hairy. The petioles are subterete, subequal to leaf blade, coarsely pubescent. The cauline leaves are smaller, petioles being shorter also, lobes being much narrower. The ocreae are large, often ruptured later, outside coarsely pubescent. The inflorescences are large, branches being densely clustered, flowers being small, purple-red, sparsely reddish. The pedicels are filamentous, 2–3  mm long, jointed below middle. The perianth segments are subelliptic, inner whorl being larger, ca. 1.5  mm long. There are mostly 9 stamens, included in perianths. The disks are thin, joined with filaments base to form very shallow disk. The ovaries are broadly ovate. The styles are shorter, flat. The stigmas are capitate. The fruits are oblong to oblong, apically rounded or truncate, basally slightly cordate, 8–9.5 mm long, 7–7.5 mm wide, 2–2.5 mm wide, with longitudinal veins near margins. The seeds are ovate, dark brown. The flowering period is in June. The fruiting period is from July to August. Habitat: It grows in high mountains and valleys at altitudes of 1600–3000 m. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Gansu, Qinghai and the area between Qinghai and Tibet. Collection Processing: It is dug up in early spring before germination or in late autumn when stems and leaves wither. After removing the fibrous roots, it is peeled, cut into segments and dried in the sun. Medicinal Properties: The products are round, conical, or drum-shaped, of 4–17 cm in length and 4–10 cm in diameter. The peeled ones are yellow or yellowish brown with white reticular texture and stellate dots. Unpeeled ones are brown on surface, crisscross wrinkled. The cutting surface is convex and concave, pale orange-red, granular. There are asteroid points on medulla, cambium, and radial rays near the surrounding area. It is solid in quality, especially fragrant in odor, slightly bitter and astringent in taste, with gravel sound when chewing, saliva dyed yellow. The products which are brown, with apparent grains on section, solid, fragrant, bitter and slightly astringent, sticky when chewed have quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in flavor, cold in property, and belongs to the meridians of spleen, stomach, large intestine, liver, and pericardium. Functions: Purging fire, scattering stagnation, diminishing stasis, and detoxicating, it is often used in treatment of constipation caused by heat, abdominal pain, damp-­heat jaundice, intestinal obstruction, amenorrhoea due to blood stasis, and appendicitis. Dosage: 3–12 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: constipation: (a) Rheum palmatum 6 g, hemp seed 15 g, decocted in water and taken orally for general constipation. (b) prepared Rheum palmatum 45 g, peach kernel 18 g, banksia rose, Fructus Aurantii, radix bupleuri, each 15 g, licorice 12 g, grind to fine powder, added with honey and made into pills. Take 6g every morning and evening for chronic constipation. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: constipation due to excess heat and stagnation of food accumulation: rhubarb and Magnolia officinalis 9 g, Fructus aurantii 6 g, decocted in water, added with mirabilite 6 g and taken orally. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Acute appendicitis: rhubarb 12 g, peony bark, Yuanming powder 9 g (added in two times), winter melon seeds, peach seeds 15 g each, one dose per day, decocted in water for oral dose. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Acute mechanical, adhesiveness and ascaris intestinal obstruction with obvious Qi distention: rhubarb (added later), red peony 15 g each, Semen raphani, magnolia 30 g each, Fructus aurantii, peach seed 9 g each, mirabilite (flushing) 9–15 g, decocted with water for oral use. 5. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: infantile malnutrition: rhubarb, mirabilite, gardenia, almonds 6 g each, grind into powder, added with a proper amount of flour and 1 egg, mashed into paste, applied to the umbilical cord, removed in 24 hours until purple-blue on partial skin. 6. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Neurodermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, allergic dermatitis: rhubarb, gardenia, Angelica dahurica each 1000 g, Coptis chinensis, talcum, atractylodes, Indigo naturalis, gypsum each 500 g, liquorice 1750 g, turmeric 1250 g, Rhizoma drynariae 750 g. The medicines are grind into powder and mixed with Indigo naturalis for reserve. Take proper amount of powder, blend with sesame oil, lay on the gauze and apply to the affected areas, 2 to 3 times a day. 7. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Pumps: rhubarb, Coptis chinensis 9  g, Phellodendron amurense 3 g, calcined gypsum 6 g, ground into powder, blended with sesame oil, and applied to the affected areas. 8. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: toothache: raw rhubarb 60 g, soaked in 75% alcohol or alcohol for one month, filtered and reserved. Immerse a cotton ball in to the medicinal liquor and place on the tooth, keep it for 5  minutes before removing, use twice a day. 9. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: burns: rhubarb 2500 g, lime 3500 g. stir-fry the lime in prior to rhubarb until the lime turning pink and the rhubarb turning black and gray, sift off the lime, cool the rhubarb, grind it into powder and sprinkle it on the wounded surface. In cases of only red and swollen wounds, blend rhubarb powder with sesame oil for application. Keep warm in cold weather. Annotations: 1. The medicine should be added later and decocted for less than 5 minutes. 2. Women’s in menstruation, pregnancy, prenatal, and postpartum should not use it or use with caution.

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Rheum palmatum

Rheum palmatum

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8.25  Family: Polygonaceae 8.25.1  Rumex acetosa Chinese Name(s): suan mo, xian cao, shan bo cai, suan liu liu. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Rumex acetosa (Rumex acetosa Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial. The roots are fibrous. The stems are erect, 40–100 cm tall, deeply grooved, usually simple. The basal and lower stem leaves are sagittate, 3–12 cm long, 2–4 cm wide, apically acute or obtuse, basal lobes being acute, entire or undulated. The petioles are 2–10  cm in lengths. The upper stem leaves are smaller, shortly petiolate or sessile. The ocreae are membranous, liable to rupture. The inflorescences are narrowly conical, terminal, branched sparsely. The

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flowers are unisexual, dioecious. The pedicels are slender, articulate at middle. The perianths are in 6 pieces, arranged in 2 whorls, male perianths being elliptic, about 3 mm long, outer perianths being smaller with 6 stamens. The perianth segments of female flowers enlarge in fruiting, suborbicular, 3.5–4  mm in diameter, entire, basally cordate, reticulate veins being conspicuous, base being verrucose. The outer perianth segments are elliptic, reflexed. The achenes are elliptic, 3 sharply ridged, acute at both ends, ca. 2 mm long, dark brown, lustrous. The flowering period is from May to July. The fruiting period is from June to August. Habitat: It grows in moist and fertile mountainous areas. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Fujian, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Jiangsu, Qinghai, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Jilin, Xinjiang. As well as in Russia, and north Korea. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sour and bitter in taste, cold in property. Functions: Cooling blood and detoxicating, purging and killing worms, it is often used in treatment of internal bleeding, dysentery, constipation, internal hemorrhoid bleeding, as well as in external treatment of scabies, boils, neurodermatitis, and eczema. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of herbs are mashed for juice to be applied to the affected areas, or dry roots added with vinegar and ground for juice. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: internal hemorrhage: Rumex acetosa for, intramuscular injected, 1–2 ml each time, twice a day. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: constipation: internal hemorrhoids and bleeding: Rumex acetosa 30–60  g, mashed and taken for juice, mixed white sugar 30–60 g for oral administration. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Scabies and sores: Rumex acetosa (whole herb) 9 g, mirabilite 12 g, Radix stemonae 12 g, Radix rehmanniae 15 g, decocted in water, fumigate and wash the affected areas with the decoctum, or fresh Rumex acetosa as a whole in appropriate amount, mashed for juice to apply to the affected areas.

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Chapter 9

Medicinal Angiosperms of Phytolaccaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Amaranthaceae, and Linaceae Huagu Ye, Chuyuan Li, Wencai Ye, Feiyan Zeng, Fangfang Liu, Faguo Wang, Yushi Ye, Lin Fu, and Jianrong Li

Contents 9.1  Family: Phytolaccaceae 9.1.1  Phytolacca acinosa 9.2  Phytolaccaceae 9.2.1  Phytolacca americana 9.3  Family: Chenopodiaceae 9.3.1  Chenopodium ambrosioides 9.4  Family: Chenopodiaceae 9.4.1  Chenopodium ficifolium 9.5  Family: Chenopodiaceae 9.5.1  Kochia scoparia 9.6  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.6.1  Achyranthes aspera 9.7  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.7.1  Achyranthes bidentata 9.8  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.8.1  Achyranthes longifolia 9.9  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.9.1  Alternanthera philoxeroides

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H. Ye (*) · F. Zeng · F. Wang · Y. Ye · L. Fu · J. Li South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China e-mail: [email protected] C. Li Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited, Guangzhou, China W. Ye Jinan University, Guangzhou, China F. Liu Huizhou Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Huizhou, China

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488 9.10  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.10.1  Alternanthera sessilis 9.11  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.11.1  Amaranthus spinosus 9.12  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.12.1  Amaranthus tricolor 9.13  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.13.1  Amaranthus viridis 9.14  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.14.1  Celosia argentea 9.15  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.15.1  Celosia cristata 9.16  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.16.1  Cyathula officinalis 9.17  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.17.1  Cyathula prostrata 9.18  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.18.1  Gomphrena globosa 9.19  Family: Linaceae 9.19.1  Linum usitatissimum

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This chapter introduces 19 species of medicinal plants in 4 families, mainly including Phytolacca acinosa of Phytolaccaceae, Chenopodium ambrosioides and Kochia scoparia of Chenopodiaceae, Achyranthes aspera, Achyranthes bidentata, Alternanthera sessilis, Amaranthus spinosus, Celosia argentea, Cyathula officinalis and Gomphrena globosa of Amaranthaceae, Linum usitatissimum of Linaceae. This chapter introduces the scientific names, herbal medicine names, morphology, habitats, distributions, acquisition and processing methods, medicinal properties, tastes, functions, use and dosages of these medicinal plants, with clear original plant photos and part photos of herbal medicines of each plant.

9.1  Family: Phytolaccaceae 9.1.1  Phytolacca acinosa Chinese Name(s): shang lu, shan luo bo, jian zhong xiao. Source: This medicine is made of the succulent roots of Phytolacca acinosa (Phytolacca acinosa Roxb.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, 0.5–1.5 m tall, glabrous throughout. The roots are stout, fleshy, subconical. The stems are erect, cylindrical, longitudinally grooved, fleshy, green or reddish purple, much branched. The leaves are papery, elliptic, long elliptic or lanceolate elliptic, 10–30 cm long, 4.5–15 cm wide, apically

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acute or acuminate, basally cuneate, attenuate, with minute white spots on both sides. The petioles are 1.5–3 cm in lengths. The racemes are terminal or opposite to leaves, terete, erect, usually shorter than leaves, densely flowered. The peduncles are 1–4 cm long. The bracts are linear at base of pedicels, ca. 1.5 mm long, upper 2 bracteoles being linear-lanceolate, membranous. The pedicels are fine, 6–10  mm long, inflated at base. The flowers are bisexual, ca. 8 mm in diameter. There are 5 perianth segments, white, yellow-green, elliptic, ovate or oblong, apically obtuse, 3–4 mm long, 2 mm wide, and 8–10 stamens, subequal to perianth, filaments being white, subulate, flaky at base, persistent, anthers being elliptic, pink. There are usually 8 carpels, sometimes as few as 5 or as many as 10, separated. The styles are short, erect, apically recurved, stigmas being inconspicuous. The infructescence are erect. The berries are oblate, ca. 7 mm in diameter, black at maturity. The seeds are reniform, black, ca. 3 mm, 3-angulate. The flowering period is from May to August. The fruiting period is from June to October. Habitat: It grows in the shade of forests, villages, and on roadsides. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces all over China except for Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, and the northeast. It is also distributed in Korea, Japan, and India. Acquisition and Processing: The rhizomes are harvested from autumn to spring in the next year, sliced, and dried in the sun after removing the fibrous roots and silts. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cold in property, and toxic. Functions: Inducing urination and diminishing swelling, it is often used in treatment of edema, ascites, dysuria, cervical erosion, leukorrhagia, as well as in external treatment for carbuncle and sore. Use and Dosage: 3–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use, or stewed with chicken or pork to eat. For external use, proper amounts of herbs are mashed to be applied to the affected areas. It is improper for people weak in spleen and stomach or pregnant women to use it. Prescription examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Ascites: Phytolacca acinosa 6 g, winter melon peel 30 g, red adzuki bean each 30 g, Alisma 12 g, Poria cocos peel 24 g, decocted in water for oral dose. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: carbuncle and sore: Phytolacca acinosa 15 g, dandelion 60 g, decocted and used to wash the affected areas. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Cervical erosion, leucorrhea, functional uterine bleeding: fresh Phytolacca 120 g (halved for dry products), cook with the hen or lean meat until extremely tender, added with a little salt. Take 2–3 times per day.

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9.2  Phytolaccaceae 9.2.1  Phytolacca americana Chinese Name(s): mei zhou shang lu, shang lu, shan luo bo, jian zhong xiao. Source: This medicine is made of the rhizomes of Phytolacca americana (Phytolacca americana Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, 1–2 m high. The roots are stout, thick, obconic. The stems are erect, cylindrical, sometimes purplish red. The leaf blades are elliptic ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 9–18 cm long, 5–10 cm wide, apically acute, basally cuneate. The petioles are 1–4 cm in lengths. The racemes are terminal or lateral, 5–20 cm long. The pedicels are 6–8 mm long. The flowers are white, slightly red, about 6 mm in diameter. There are 5 Perianth segments, usually 10 stamens, carpels, and styles, carpels being connate. Infructescence are pendent. The berries are oblate, purple black when ripe. The seeds are reniform-auricular, ca. 3 mm in diameter. The flowering period is from June to August. The fruiting period is from August to October. Habitat: It grows in the shade of forests, villages, and on roadsides. Distribution: Native to North America, it is introduced to provinces of Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, Fujian etc. or grow in the wild. Acquisition and Processing: The rhizomes are harvested from autumn to spring in the next year, removed of the fibrous roots and silt, sliced, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, cold in property, and toxic. Functions: Inducing urination and diminishing swelling, it is often used in treatment of edema, ascites, dysuria, cervical erosion, leukorrhagia, as well as in external treatment for carbuncle and sore.

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Use and Dosage: 3–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use, or stewed with chicken or pork to eat. For external use, proper amounts of herbs are mashed to be applied to the affected areas. It is improper for people weak in spleen and stomach or pregnant women to use it. Prescription examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: ascites: Phytolacca americana 6  g, winter melon peel 30 g, red adzuki bean each 30 g, Alisma 12 g, Poria cocos peel 24 g, decocted in water for oral dose. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: carbuncle and sore: Phytolacca americana 15 g, dandelion 60 g, decocted and used to wash the affected areas. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Cervical erosion, leucorrhea, functional uterine bleeding: fresh Phytolacca 120 g (halved for dry products), cook with hen or lean meat until extremely tender, added with a little salt. Take 2–3 times per day.

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9.3  Family: Chenopodiaceae 9.3.1  Chenopodium ambrosioides Chinese Name(s): tu jing jie, chou li huo, chou cao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Chenopodium ambrosioides (Chenopodium ambrosioides Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual or perennial, 50–80 cm high, strongly aromatic. The stems are erect, multiple-branched, with reddish purple striate, ribbed. The branches are usually slender, pubescent or nodular pilose, sometimes glabrous. The leaf blades are oblong-lanceolate to lanceolate, apically acute or acuminate, margins being sparsely irregularly serrate, base being narrowly saccate and shortly petiolate, adaxially glabrous, abaxial surface dotted with scattering oil-producing points and sparsely pubescent along veins. The lower leaves are 15 cm long, 5 cm wide. The upper leaves attenuate and are subentire. The flowers are bisexual and female, usually 3–5 clustering in upper leaf axils. There are 5 perianth lobes, sparse 3, green, usually closed when fruiting. There are 5 stamens, anthers being 0.5 mm long. The styles are inconspicuous, with 3 stigmas, or rarely 4, filiform, longer than perianths. The utricles are oblate, completely included in perianths. The seeds are transverse or oblique, black or dark red, smooth, lustrous, margins being obtuse, ca. 0.7 mm in diam. The flowering and fruiting occur throughout the year. Habitat: It grows in the open countryside on the edge of a village, villages, on road, river and stream sides etc. Distribution: It is introduced to provinces of Taiwan, Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan. It is native to tropical America, now widely distributed throughout the world, from tropical to temperate zones. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, spread out in ventilated place or tied in bundles and hung in shade to dry.

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Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, slightly warm in property, a little toxic. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and dampness, killing insect, and relieving itching, it is often used in treatment of ascariasis, hookworm disease, pinworm disease, as well as in external treatment of eczema, itching, and maggots. Use and Dosage: 3–9 g per dose, ground into powder, made into pills, or made into ambrosioides oil. For external use, the decoctum is used to wash the affected part. Pregnant women should not use it. Prescription examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: hookworm disease: fresh Chenopodium ambrosioides 5000 g, cut, added with water 1500 g, steam distillated. Collect the upper golden layer of the distillate, which is, Chenopodium ambrosioides oil. 0.8–1.2 ml per dose adults and 0.05 ml for children, and take magnesium sulfate 20 g the next morning. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: ascariasis: Chenopodium ambrosioides ground into fine powder. Take 0.6–2 g with empty stomach in the morning for 2 days.

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9.4  Family: Chenopodiaceae 9.4.1  Chenopodium ficifolium Chinese Name(s): xiao li. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Chenopodium ficifolium (Chenopodium ficifolium Smith [C. serotinum Linn.]). Morphology: The herbs are annual, 20–50 cm tall. The stems are erect, green striate, ribbed. The leaf blades are ovate-oblong, 2.5–5  cm long, 1–3.5  cm wide, usually trilobed. The central lobe is almost parallel on margins, apically obtuse or subacute, mucronatum margins being deeply sinuate-dentate. The lateral lobes are found in proximal 1/3 or near base of leaf blades, usually with 2 lobe teeth each. The flowers are bisexual, several per glomerule, arranged in spreading terminal panicles on upper branches. The perianths are subglobose, 5-parted, lobes being broadly ovate, remaining closed at anthesis, abaxially longitudinally keeled, densely farinose. There are 5 stamens, exserted at flowering, and 2 stigmas, which are filiform. The utricles are included in perianths. The pericarps are adnate to seed. The seeds are horizontal, black, sublustrous, ca. 1 mm in diam, obtuse on margins, distinctly hexagonally pitted. The embryos are annular. The flowering period is from April to June. Habitat: It grows in the open countryside or fields at low altitudes. Distribution: It is distributed all over China, as well as in Asia and Europe. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and bitter in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and dampness, clearing heat and detoxicating, it is often used in treatment of wind-heat cold, dysentery, urticaria, sores and sores, scabies, wet sores, vitiligo, and insect bites. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, fresh herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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9.5  Family: Chenopodiaceae 9.5.1  Kochia scoparia Chinese Name(s): di fu zi, sao zhou cai, sao zhou miao, di fu, di mai, tie sao ba zi. Source: This medicine is made of the seeds of Kochia scoparia (Kochia scoparia (Linn.) Schrad.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, 50–100  cm high. The roots are fusiform. The stems are erect, terete, pale green or purplish red, ribbed, slightly pubescent or glabrous below. The branches are sparse, oblique. The leaves are complanate, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 2–5 cm long, 3–7 mm wide, glabrous or slightly hairy, apically shortly acuminate, basally attenuating into petiole, with 3 distinct main veins, margins being sparsely ferruginous ciliate. The upper leaves of stems are smaller, sessile, 1-veined. The flowers are bisexual or female, usually 1–3 per glomerule in axils of upper leaves, forming sparse, spikelike panicles. The rachises beneath flowers are sometimes ferruginous pilose. The perianths are subglobose, pale green, perianth lobes being subtriangular, glabrous or slightly hairy on apex. The wing like appendages are triangular to obovate, sometimes subflabellate, membranous, obscurely veined, margins being repand or incised. The filaments are filiform. The anthers are light yellow. There are 2 stigmas, which are filiform, purple-brown, styles being very short. The utricles are oblate. The pericarps are membranous, free from seed. The seeds are ovate, dark brown, 1.5–2  mm long, sublustrous. The embryos are annular. The endosperms are coherent. The period is from July to September. The fruiting period is from August to October. Habitat: It grows in the wild wasteland, in fields and on roadsides. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, Gansu, etc., as well as in Europe and Asia. Medicinal Properties: The product is an oblate pentagonal star 1–3  mm in diameter, surrounded by persistent perianths which are grayish green or light brown, with 5 membranous wings, punctate peduncle marks and 3–10 radial veins in the adaxial center. After peeling off the perianth, the pericarp of fruits is membranous, translucent, and the seeds are oblate ovate, ca.1 mm long, black. It is slighltly odored and a bit bitter in taste. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in autumn when the fruits are ripe. After impurities removed, the fruits are dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and bitter in taste, cold in property. Functions: Clearing heat and dampness, dispelling pathogenic wind, and relieving itching, it is often used in treatment of pain of urination, vaginal itching, rubella, eczema, and itching skin. Use and Dosage: 6–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, the decoctum is used to wash the affected part. Prescription examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: frequent and painful urination due to damp-­ heat: Kochia scoparia 15  g, Dianthus superbus and Polyporus umbellatus 12g

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each, Phellodendron and Tetrapanax papyriferus each 9 g, decocted in water for oral use. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Eczema: Kochia scoparia 30 g, Cortex dictamni 15 g, alum 9 g, decocted and used for fumigation and washing.

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9.6  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.6.1  Achyranthes aspera Chinese Name(s): tu niu xi, dao ye cao, dao ci cao, dao gou cao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Achyranthes aspera (Achyranthes aspera Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, 20–120 cm high. The stems are quadrangular, pubescent, nodes being slightly inflated. The branches are opposite. The leaf blades are broadly obovate or elliptic-oblong, 1.5–7 cm long, 0.4–4 cm wide, apically obtuse, basally cuneate or rounded, margins being entire or undulate, both surfaces being densely pilose, or subglabrous. The petioles are 5–15  mm long, densely pilose or subglabrous. The spikes are terminal, erect, 10–30  cm long, reflexed after anthesis. The rachises are angular, stout, rigid, densely white appressed or spreading pilose. The flowers are 3–4 mm long, sparse. The bracts are lanceolate, 3–4 mm long, apically acuminate, bracteoles being spinous, 2.5–4.5 mm long, rigid, shiny, often purplish, with 1 membranous wing on each side of base, which are 1.5–2 mm long, entire, all attached to spurs, but easily to be separated. The perianth segments are lanceolate, 3.5–5 mm long, acuminate, stiffened and acute after anthesis, 1 veined. The stamen lengths are 2.5–3.5 mm. The staminodes are truncate or crenate at apex, fimbriate and ciliate. The utricles are ovate, 2.5–3 mm long. The seeds are ovate, not compressed, ca. 2 mm, brown. The flowering period is from June to August. The fruiting period is in October. Habitat: It grows on hillsides, in open forests, along villages, in gardens and in open meadows. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, Sichuan, Taiwan, as well as in India and Sri Lanka. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is slightly bitter in taste, cold in property. Functions: Restoring menstrual flow, inducing urination, clearing heat and detoxicating, it is often used in treatment of cold and fever, tonsillitis, diphtheria, mumps, malaria, rheumatoid arthritis, urinary stones, nephritis, and edema. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: cold and fever, children’s high fever: Achyranthes aspera (whole grass), Dicliptera chinensis, Bidens spinosa 30  g each, decocted in water for oral use, 1 dose per day. (reduce for children). 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms and symptoms: pertussis: Achyranthes aspera root, Centipeda minima, Kalimeris indica, each 30  g, cooked with rice wine juice (fermented glutinous rice). Take one dose daily for three times, add some sugar if neccesary. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: epidemic mumps: appropriate amount of Achyranthes aspera, mashed and applied to the affected areas or decocted in water for oral use.

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4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms and symptoms: diphtheria: Achyranthes aspera 60  g, Radix Isatidis, Folium Isatidis (or Monochasma savatieri) each 30  g, add appropriate amount of water, decocted into, 200 ml per day for adults, 150 ml for children aged 7–8, 100 ml for children aged 4–5, and about 50 ml for infants.

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9.7  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.7.1  Achyranthes bidentata Chinese Name(s): niu xi, huai niu xi, niu ke xi. Source: This medicine is made of the roots of Achyranthes bidentata (Achyranthes bidentata Bl.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, 70–120 cm tall. The roots are cylindrical, 5–10 mm in diameter, earthy yellow. The stems are angulate or quadrangular, green or purplish, white appressed or spreading pubescent, or subglabrous. The branches are opposite. The leaf blades are elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate, rarely oblanceolate, 4.5–12 cm long, 2–7.5 cm wide, apically caudate, 5–10 mm long, basally cuneate or broadly cuneate, appressed or spreading pubescent on both surfaces. The petioles are 5–30 mm long, hairy. The spikes are terminal and axillary, 3–5 cm long, reflexed after anthesis. The rachises are 1–2 cm long, white hairy. The flowers are numerous, dense, 5 mm long. The bracts are broadly ovate, 2–3 mm long, apically long acuminate. The bracteoles are spiny, 2.5–3 mm long, apically curved, with 1 ovate membranous lobule on each side of base, ca. 1  mm long. The perianth segments are lanceolate, 3–5 mm long, shiny, apically acute, with 1 midrib. The stamen lengths are 2–2.5 mm. The staminodes are apically rounded, slightly notched serrulate. The utricles are oblong, 2–2.5 mm long, brown, smooth. The seeds are oblong, 1 mm long, brown. The flowering period is from July to September. The fruiting period is from September to October. Habitat: It grows on rich, moist, shaded soil near mountains or streams. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces south of the Yellow River, as well as in Korea, Japan, Vietnam, India, Philippines, Malaysia, Russia, and Africa. Medicinal Properties: The product is thin cylindrical, 15–70  cm long and 4–10  mm in diameter, grayish yellow or light brown on surfaces, with slightly twisted longitudinal wrinkles, sparse lateral root marks and transverse lenticel like protrusions. It is hard and brittle, easy to break, softened when damp, flat on section, light brown colored, slightly horny and oily. The xylem of the central vascular bundle is large, yellowish white, and with many pitted yellowish white vascular bundles scattered around and arranged in 2–4 whorls intermittently. It is slightly odored, slightly sweet, bitter and astringent in taste. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is slightly bitter and sour in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Fresh herbs function in scattering blood stasis, and eliminating carbuncles. Alcohol- processed herbs function in tonifying liver and kidney, strengthening tendons and muscles. Fresh roots are often used in treatment of sore throat, hypertension, amenorrhea, retention of placenta, carbuncle, bruise, and injury.

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Alcohol- processed roots are often used to treat deficiency of liver and kidney, pain of waist and knee, stiff of limbs, and rheumatism. Use and Dosage: 4.5–9  g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Pregnant women should not use it. The preparation of this herb should not be given intravenously to prevent hemolysis. Prescription Examples: Clinical diagnosis and symptoms and symptoms: leg pain: Achyranthes bidentata 12 g, Radix dipsaci, papaya, each 9 g, decocted in water for oral use, or made into heavy honey pills of 6 g. Take 1 pill per dose, twice a day.

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9.8  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.8.1  Achyranthes longifolia Chinese Name(s): liu ye niu xi, chang ye niu xi, du niu xi, bai niu xi, dui jie cao, jian dao niu xi. Source: This medicine is made of the roots of Achyranthes longifolia (Achyranthes longifolia (Makino) Makino). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, 70–120 cm in height. The roots are cylindrical, 5–10 mm in diameter, earthy yellow. The stems are angular or quadrangular, green or purplish, white appressed or spreading pubescent, or subglabrous, branches being opposite. The leaf blades are lanceolate or broadly lanceolate, 10–20 cm long, 2–5 cm wide, apically caudate, basally cuneate, appressed or spreading pubescent on both surfaces. The petioles are 5–30 mm long, hairy. The spikes are terminal and axillary, 3–5 cm long, reflexed after anthesis. The rachises are 1–2 cm long, white hairy. The flowers are numerous, dense, 5 mm long. The bracts are broadly ovate, 2–3 mm long, apically long acuminate. The bracteoles are acerose, 3.5 mm long, with 2 auriform flakes at base, only ciliate. The perianth segments are lanceolate, 3–5 mm long, shiny, apically acute, with 1 midrib. The stamen lengths are 2–2.5 mm. The staminodes are square indistinctly dentate at apex. The utricles are oblong, 2–2.5 mm long, brown, smooth. The seeds are oblong, 1 mm long, brown. The flowering and period is from September to November. Habitat: It grows near villages and in valleys. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces in south, east, central and southwest China, as well as in Japan. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun.

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Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Fresh roots function in promoting blood flow and scattering blood stasis, which are often used in treatment of amenorrhea, hematuria, gonorrhea, carbuncle, dystocia. Processed roots function in tonifying liver and kidney, strengthening waist and knee, which are often used in treatment of liver and kidney deficiency, lumbar, and knee pain. Use and Dosage: 10–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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9.9  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.9.1  Alternanthera philoxeroides Chinese Name(s): kong xin lian zi cao, kong xin cai, xi han lian zi cao, shui hua sheng. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Alternanthera philoxeroides (Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial. The stems are prostrate at bases, ascending on upper part, tubular, inconspicuous 4-ribbed, 55–120 cm long, branched. The young stems and leaf axils are white hairy. The old stems are subglabrous, and pubescent only in bilateral longitudinal sulcus. The leaves blades are oblong, oblong-obovate or obovate-lanceolate, 2.5–5  cm long, 7–20  mm wide, apically acute or obtuse, mucronate, basally attenuate, entire, glabrous on both surfaces with appressed hairs and ciliate hairs, and granular projections dorsally. The petioles are 3–10  mm long, glabrous or slightly pilose. The flowers are dense, capitate with peduncles, solitary in leaf axils, globose, 8–15 mm in diameter. The bracts and bracteoles are white, apically acuminate, 1 veined. The bracts are ovate, 2–2.5 mm long, bracteoles lanceolate, 2  mm long. The perianth flakes are oblong, 5–6  mm long, white, shiny, glabrous, apically acute, dorsally lateral flat. The stamen filaments are 2.5–3 mm long, connate into a cup at base. The staminodes are rectangular, orbicular, ca. as long as stamens, apically divided into narrow strips. The ovaries are obovate, shortly stipitate, abaxially lateral oblate, apically rounded. The flowering period is from May to October. Habitat: It grows beside ponds, gutters or marshes. Distribution: Native to Brazil, it is distributed in provinces of Hebei, Jiangsu, Guangdong etc. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is slightly bitter and sweet in taste, cold in property. Functions: Clearing heat, inducing urination, cooling blood and detoxicating, it is often used in treatment of B encephalitis, initial stage influenza, tuberculosis hemoptysis, as well as in external treatment of eczema, herpes zoster, whitlow, viper bite, epidemic hemorrhagic conjunctivitis. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose. Fresh whole herbs are mashed for juice to apply to the affected areas, or mixed with honey for external application. To treat eye diseases, the medicinal juice is dropped to the eye 3–4 times a day. Prescription examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: influenza and fever: fresh Alternanthera philoxeroides 30–60 g, decocted in water for oral use. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: pulmonary tuberculosis hemoptysis: fresh Alternanthera philoxeroides 60–120  g, decocted and added with sugar for oral dose.

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3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: venomous snake bite: fresh Alternanthera philoxeroides 120–240  g, mashed for juice and taken orally. The dregs are applied around the wounds.

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9.10  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.10.1  Alternanthera sessilis Chinese Name(s): xia qian cai, xiao bai hua cao, lian zi cao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Alternanthera sessilis (Alternanthera sessilis (Linn.) R. Brown ex DC.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, 10–45  cm tall. The roots are conical, thick, up to 3 mm in diameter. The stems are ascending or creeping, green or slightly purplish, striate and longitudinally grooved, pubescent within the groove, with a transverse row of hairs across nodes. The leaf blades vary in shape and size, lanceolate, oblong, obovate, ovate-oblong, 1–8 cm long, 2–20 mm wide, apically acute, rounded or obtuse, basally attenuate, margins being entire or not conspicuously serrate, glabrous or sparsely pilose on both sides. The petioles are 1–4 mm long, glabrous or pilose. The inflorescences are axillary, 1–4, capitate, sessile, initially spherical, later gradually cylindrical, 3–6  mm in diameter. The flowers are dens, rachises being densely white hairy. The bracts and bracteoles are white, apically short acuminate, glabrous. The bracts are ovate-lanceolate, ca. 1 mm long. Bracteoles are subulate, 1–1.5 mm long. The tepals are ovate, 2–3 mm long, white, apically acuminate or acute, glabrous, 1 veined. There are 3 stamens. The filaments are ca. 0.7 mm long, connate into a cup at base. The anthers are oblong. The staminodes are triangular-subulate, shorter than stamens, apically acuminate, margins being entire. The styles are very short. The stigmas are shortly parted. The utricles are obcordate, 2–2.5 mm long, laterally flattened, winged, dark brown, enclosed in persistent perianth segments. The seeds are ovoid. The flowering period is from May to July. The fruiting period is from July to September. Habitat: It grows in ditches near villages, in fields, gardens, or on the wet sand of the sea. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces and regions south of the Yangtze river, as well as in tropical and subtropical regions of the eastern hemisphere. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is slightly sweet in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing heat, cooling blood, inducing urination and diminishing swelling, it is often used in treatment of dysentery, epistaxis, hemoptysis, hematochezia, urethritis, pharyngitis, mastitis, dysuria, as well as in external treatment for boils, eczema, dermatitis, ringworm, and venomous snake bite. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Alternatively, fresh whole plants are mashed for juice and simmered for oral use. For external treatment, fresh herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas or decocted into dense liquid for washing.

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9.11  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.11.1  Amaranthus spinosus Chinese Name(s): ci xian, jin xian cai, ci xian cai. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Amaranthus spinosus (Amaranthus spinosus Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, up to 1 m in height. The stems are erect, cylindrical or obtusely angulate, multiple-branched, with longitudinal stripes, green or purplish, glabrous or slightly pubescent. The leaf blades are rhomb-ovate or ovate-­lanceolate, 3–12 cm long, 1–5.5 cm wide, apically obtuse, slightly convex at terminal, base being cuneate, margins being entire, glabrous or slightly pubescent along veins when young. The petioles are 1–8 cm long, glabrous, with 2 spines at base, which are 5–10 mm long. The inflorescences are axillary and terminal, 3–25 cm long, usually with all male flowers at or toward apex. The bracts are very sharply spiny in proximal part of spike, 5–15 mm long. Those at the upper part of terminal flower spikes are narrowly lanceolate, 1.5 mm long, apically acute, convex at tip, green on midrib. The bracteoles are narrowly lanceolate, ca. 1.5 mm long. The tepals are green, transparent at margins and with green or purple median band, apically acute, with a mucro, oblong in male flowers, 2–2.5 mm long, oblong-spatulate in female flowers, 1.5 mm long. The stamen filaments are nearly as long as or slightly shorter than perianths. There are 3 (or 2) stigmas. The utricles are oblong, ca. 1–1.2 mm, irregularly divided below middle, included in persistent perianth segments. The seeds are subglobose, ca. 1 mm in diam, black or brownish-black. The flowering period is from July to November. Habitat: It is a common weed growing beside villages, empty and barren land, roadside, and grassland. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces and regions of Shanxi, Henan and east, southern and southwestern provinces, as well as in Asia, Africa, tropical and temperate America. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bland and sweet in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing heat and dampness, detoxicating, diminishing swelling, cooling blood and stopping bleeding, it is often used in treatment of dysentery, enteritis, stomach, duodenal ulcer bleeding, hemorrhoids hematochezia, as well as external treatment of venomous snake bite, skin eczema, boils, and abscesses. Use and Dosage: 30–60 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use, or fresh herbs mashed and applied to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: dysentery and enteritis: Amaranthus spinosus, eclipta, Salvia crassifolia 30 g each, decocted in water for oral dose. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: gastric and duodenal ulcer bleeding: Amaranthus spinosus 30–60  g, decocted twice for oral use. Or fresh amaranth root 250 g, is decocted in water, concentrated to 200 ml and taken in two times.

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9.12  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.12.1  Amaranthus tricolor Chinese Name(s): xian cai, lao shao nian, lao lai shao, san se xian. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Amaranthus tricolor (Amaranthus tricolor Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, 80–150 cm tall. The stems are stout, green or red, often branched. The leaves are ovate, rhomboid, ovate or lanceolate, 4–10 cm long, 2–7 cm wide, green or often red, purple or yellow, or partly green with other colors, apically obtuse or obtuse, apically convex, basally cuneate, margins being entire or undulate, glabrous. The petioles are 2–6 cm long, green or red. The flowers are in dense clusters at leaf axils or in pendulous spike at apex. The flower clusters are spherical, 5–15 mm in diameter, male and female flowers being in same inflorescences. The bracts and bracteoles are ovate-lanceolate, 2.5–3 mm long, transparent, adaxially long pointed, abaxially with a green or red raised midrib. The perianth

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segments are oblong, 3–4 mm long, green or yellowish green, apically long pointed, abaxially with a green or purple raised midrib. The stamens are longer or shorter than perianths. The utricles are ovate-oblong, 2–2.5  mm long, circumscissile, included in persistent perianth segments. The seeds are suborbicular or obovate, ca. 1 mm in diam., black or black-brown, margins being obtuse. The flowering period is from May to August. The fruiting period is from July to September. Habitat: It generally cultivated. Distribution: It is cultivated all over China and is native to tropical America. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet in taste, slightly cold in property. Functions: Detoxicating, clearing cold and dampness, promoting defecation and urination, it is often used in treatment of red dysentery, hemorrhoids, and boils. Use and Dosage: 30–60 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use, or fresh herbs mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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9.13  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.13.1  Amaranthus viridis Chinese Name(s): ye xian, lv xian, zhou guo xian. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Amaranthus viridis (Amaranthus viridis Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, 40–80 cm high, glabrous throughout. The stems are erect, inconspicuously angulate, slightly branched, green or purplish. The leaves blades are ovate, ovate-oblong or ovate-elliptic, 3–9 cm long, 2.5–6 cm wide, apically notched or rounded, with a pointed mucro, basally broadly cuneate or subtruncate, margins being entire or slightly undulate. The petioles are 3–6 cm long, green or purplish red. The panicles are terminal, 6–12  cm long, 1.5–3  cm wide, branched, composed of spikes, cylindrical, slender, erect, terminal spikes being longer than lateral ones. The pedicels are 2–2.5 cm long. The bracts and bracteoles are lanceolate, less than 1 mm long, apically convex. The perianth flakes are oblong or broadly oblanceolate, 1.2–1.5  mm long, incurved, apically acute, with a green raised midrib on back. The stamens are shorter than perianth segments. There are 3 or 2 stigmas. The exocarps are oblate, ca. 2 mm in diam., green, indehiscent, very rugose, longer than perianths. The seeds are subglobose, ca. 1 mm in diam., black or black-brown, with thin and acute annular margins. The flowering period is from June to August. The fruiting period is from August to October. Habitat: It is a common weed often growing near villages, in open fields, gardens, on roadsides, and in other wet places. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Taiwan, etc., as well as in tropical and temperate regions of the world. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and bland in taste, slightly cold in property. Functions: Clearing heat and dampness, it is often used in treatment of bacterial dysentery, enteritis, mastitis, and hemorrhoids swelling pain. Use and Dosage: 30–60 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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9.14  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.14.1  Celosia argentea Chinese Name(s): qing xiang zi. Source: This medicine is made of the seeds of Celosia argentea (Celosia argentea Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, erect. The stems are often reddish. The leaves are alternate, thin papery, lanceolate to oblong-lanceolate, 5–11 cm long, apically acuminate or acute, basally attenuated. The flowers are bisexual, white or reddish, forming terminal, densely flowered spikes. The bracts are long ovate to lanceolate, 5 mm long, persistent. The sepals are oblong-lanceolate, 7 mm in length. There are 5 stamens, 4 anthers. The utricles are with persistent styles, dehiscent by lid at maturity. The seeds are numerous, oblate, ca. 1.5 mm in diam., black, lustrous. The flowering period is from May to August. The fruiting period is from June to October. Habitat: It grows in deserts, fields villages. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces south of the Yangtze river in China and all over the tropics. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in autumn when the fruits are ripe. The whole plant or the fruit clusters are picked. The seeds are collected and dried in the sun, with impurities removed. Medicinal Properties: This product is flat-round, sparsely round reniform, slightly thin on margins, 1–1.5  mm in diameter, black or brown-black, lustrous, slightly convex in the middle, slightly concave on the side of the umbilical cord. The seed coat is thin and crisp. It is odorless and tasteless. The products which are full grains, black and have bright quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, slightly cold in property. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind, improving eyesight, clearing liver fire, it is often used in treatment of red and swollen eyes, blurred vision, tracheal asthma, gastroenteritis, keratitis, corneal cloud, iris ciliary body inflammation, and vertigo. Use and Dosage: 3–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Patients with glaucoma should not use this medicine. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: night blindness: Celosia argentea 15 g, black jujube 30 g, stewed in boiling water and taken before meals. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: poor eyesight: Celosia argentea 6 g and bat dung 60 g, steamed with chicken liver or pig liver. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: dizziness accompanied by blindness and angular bone pain: Celosia argentea 9 g and lotus canopy 5, decocted in water for oral use. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: leucorrhea and menorrhagia: Celosia argentea 18 g and rust-colored crotalaria 15 g, stewed with lean pork for eating.

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9.15  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.15.1  Celosia cristata Chinese Name(s): ji guan hua. Source: This medicine is made of the inflorescences and seeds of Celosia cristata (Celosia cristata Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, up to 80  cm tall. Its leaves are alternate, ovate, ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, 5–12 cm long, 2–6 cm wide, apically acuminate or acute, basally cuneate, often red or yellowish green. The flowers are numerous, extremely dense, forming cristate, convolute, or feathery spikes. Some small branches are pyramidal-oblong, feathery on surface. The tepals are red, purple, yellow, orange or red and yellow, often only part of the inflorescences at base

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developed. The sepals are long lanceolate, ca. 5 mm, the remaining flowers being sterile. The sepals are small, and in same color as inflorescence. The utricles are ovate, ca. 3 mm long. The seeds are numerous, oblate, about 1.5 mm in diameter, black, shiny. The flowering and fruiting period is from July to September. Habitat: It grows in deserts, fields and villages. Distribution: It is distributed all over China, as well as in Africa, Asia, and tropical America. Medicinal Properties: This product is a spike, mostly compressed and stout, in the shape of chicken crown, 8–25 cm long, 5–20 cm wide, broad on the upper margin, with wrinkles and dense linear scales, attenuate on the lower margins, often remaining flat stems. It is red, purplish red or yellowish white on surfaces. There are many florets crowded below the middle. The bracts and perianth of each flower are membranous. The fruit is dehiscent by lid, and the seeds are oblate and reniform, black and glossy. It is light and soft, slightly odored, and bland in taste. Acquisition and Processing: The inflorescences and seeds are harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: The inflorescences are sweet in taste, cool in property. The seeds are sweet in taste, cold in property. Functions: The inflorescences function in cooling blood and stopping bleeding, curing leukorrhagia, and dysentery. The seeds function in dispelling pathogenic wind and improving eyesight, clearing liver fire. The inflorescences are often used in treatment of functional uterine bleeding and leukorrhagia. The seeds are often used in treatment of conjunctivitis, blurred vision, tracheal asthma, gastroenteritis, leukorrhea with reddish discharge. Use and Dosage: inflorescence 9-15g per dose, seeds 3-9g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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9.16  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.16.1  Cyathula officinalis Chinese Name(s): chuan niu xi, niu xi. Source: This medicine is made of the roots of Cyathula officinalis (Cyathula officinalis Kuan). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, 0.5–1 m high. The stems are erect, slightly quadrangular, multiple-branched, sparsely strigose. The leaves are opposite, elliptic or narrowly elliptic, 3–12 cm long, 1.5–5.5 cm wide, apically acuminate or caudate, basally cuneate, margins being entire, both surfaces being hairy. The petioles are 5–15 mm long, densely strigose. The flowers are pale green, small and numerous, arranged in a multiplexed dichasia, which cluster into a 1–1.5 cm diameter flower pellets, single or several arranged in terminal spikes on pedicels. The bracts are ovate, 4–5 mm long, shiny, apically pointed or hooked. The sterile flowers grow on both sides of the flower pellets, often with 4 hooked perianth pieces. The fertile flowers located in the center of the pellets. There are 5 perianth segments, lanceolate, apically acute, unequal, inner 3 being narrower. There are 5 stamens, filaments being connate into annular, densely hairy at base. The staminodes are rectangular, 0.3–0.4  mm long, dentate-lobed at apex. The ovaries are cylindrical or obovate, 1.3–1.8 mm long, styles being about 1.5 mm long. The utricles are oblong, 2–3 mm long, yellowish. The seeds are ovate. The flowering period is from June to July. The fruiting period is from August to September. Habitat: It grows in the mountains above altitude of 1500 m. Distribution: It is distributed in Sichuan, Yunnan, and Guizhou. Acquisition and processing: It is dug up in autumn and winter. With the basal part of the stem, fibrous roots and silt removed, it is, roasted or dried in sun until half-dry, then piled back to be moistened again, and then roasted or dried to 100%.

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Medicinal Properties: This product is nearly cylindrical, stout, slightly twisted, oxtail-shaped, with a few branches or no branches, 30–60  cm long, 0.5–3  cm in diameter, yellow-brown or gray-brown on surface, with longitudinal wrinkles and rootlet marks, lenticels being protuberant, transverse. It is tough, not easy to break, light yellow or brown on cross-sections, with rounds of pale yellowish holes. It is slightly odored, sweet in taste. The products stout, flexible in texture, few branched and light yellow on cross-section are better in quality. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and slightly bitter in taste, neutral in property, and belongs to the meridians of liver and kidney. Functions: Scattering stasis, restoring menstrual flow, easing joint movement, and inducing urination for treating strangurtia, it is often used in treatment of amenorrhea, placenta retention, joint pain, foot impotence, clonus, hematuria, and injury. Use and Dosage: 3–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: A: Kashin-Beck disease: a. Cyathula officinalis, Radix Aconiti Makino, Radix aconiti agrestis 250 g, Carthamus tinctorius 500  g, mixed and made into powder. Take 0.9  g per dose, three times a day, 40 days as a course of treatment. B. Cyathula officinalis 15 g, Angelica sinensis 24 g, Radix Astragali 24 g, Radix aconiti agrestis, Radix Aconiti Makino, Radix Stephaniae Tetrandrae, Cinnamomum cassia branch, frankincense, myrrh each 9  g, Radix aconiti carmichaeli 6  g, ground into powder, added with honey to make pills, each pill weighing 9  g. Take two times a day, one pill each time, 40 days as a course of treatment. The second course of treatment continues after 20–30 days of interval. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Sequelae of poliomyelitis: Cyathula officinalis 9  g, woodlouse worms 7, and Strychnos nux vomica (fried yellow) 0.9  g, ground into powder and divided to 7 portions. Take 1 portion every night before going to bed with yellow rice wine for paralysis and sequelae.

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9.17  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.17.1  Cyathula prostrata Chinese Name(s): bei xian. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Cyathula prostrata (Cyathula prostrata (Linn.) Bl.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, 30–50 cm high. The stems are ascending or erect, obtuse quadrangular, branched, gray-pilose, reddish on nodes. The leaves are rhomboidal obovate or rhomboid oblong, 1.5–6  cm long, 6–30  mm wide, rounded at the top, slightly convex, abruptly narrowed from middle, rounded at the base, green on surface, reddish when young, pale on the back, both surfaces being densely hairy and ciliate. The petioles are 1–7 mm long, pilose. The racemes are terminal and axillary, 4–20  cm long. The rachises are extended and unbranched, densely gray-pilose. The pedicels of flower clusters are about 1 mm long, initially erect, later spreading, finally reflexed. The lower flower clusters are composed of 2 or 3 hermaphroditic and some unisexual flowers, which gradually decrease upward, with only 1 perfect flower at apex. The flower clusters fall off after fruit maturation. The bracts are 1–2 mm long, apically long acuminate, reflexed after pollination. The tepals of bisexual flowers are ovate-oblong, 2–3 mm long, pale green, apically acuminate, convex, abaxially villous, adaxially glabrous, 3–5 veined. The stamen filaments are 3–4 mm long and the basal united part is only 1 mm long. The utricles are globose, ca. 0.5 mm in diam, glabrous, greenish. The flowering and fruiting period is from June to November. Habitat: It grows in the shade of a valley or mountain slope. Distribution: It is distributed in Yunnan, Guangxi, Hainan, Guangdong, Hong Kong, Taiwan, as well as in tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in autumn and winter and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and bland in taste, neutral in property.

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Functions: Promoting Qi flow, diminishing phlegm, clearing heat and dampness, resolving accumulation, it is often used in treatment of infantile malnutrition product, tuberculosis, acute epidemic fever, and snake bites. Use and Dosage: 10–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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9.18  Family: Amaranthaceae 9.18.1  Gomphrena globosa Chinese Name(s): qian ri hong, bai ri hong, qian ri bai. Source: This medicine is made of the inflorescences of Gomphrena globosa (Gomphrena globosa Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, erect, 20–60 cm high. The stems are stout, branched, branches are slightly quaternary, gray strigose, denser when young, slightly inflated at nodes. The leaves are papery, oblong or oblong-obovate, 3.5–13 cm long, 1.5–5 cm wide, apically acute or obtuse, convex, narrowing toward base, margins undulated, apex being acute or obtuse, long white hairy and ciliate. The petioles are 1–1.5 cm long, gray hairy. The flowers are numerous, dense, terminally globose or oblong capitate, simple or 2–3, 2–2.5 cm in diameter, often purplish red, sometimes lilac or white. The involucres are 2 green opposite leaflike bracts, ovate or cordate, 1–1.5 cm long, gray-pilose on both surfaces. The bracts are ovate, 3–5  mm long, white, apically purplish red. The bracteoles are triangular-­ lanceolate, 1–1.2 cm long, purplish red, concave inside, apically acuminate, dorsal ribs being serrulate. The perianth segments are lanceolate, 5–6 mm long, not spreading, apically acuminate, outside densely white lanose, invariant after anthesis. The stamen filaments are connate into a tube, 5-parted at apex, anthers borne on inner surface of lobes, slightly protruding. The styles are linear, shorter than tube of stamens. There are 2 stigmas, which are furcate. The utricles are subglobose, 2–2.5 mm in diameter. The seeds are reniform, brown, shiny. The flowering and fruiting period is from June to September.

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Habitat: It is cultivated in gardens. Distribution: It is cultivated in north and south China or grows half wildly. The plant is native to tropical America. Acquisition and Processing: The inflorescences are harvested in autumn and winter and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and bland in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Relieving cough and asthma, calming the liver, and improving eyesight, it is often used in treatment of asthma, dysentery, irregular menstruation, bruises, boils, chronic tracheitis, fever, convulsion in children, epilepsy, and conjunctivitis. Use and Dosage: 5–10 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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9.19  Family: Linaceae 9.19.1  Linum usitatissimum Chinese Name(s): ya ma, bi shi hu ma, shan xi hu ma. Source: This medicine is made of the roots and leaves of Linum usitatissimum (Linum usitatissimum Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual. The stems are erect, 30–120 cm high, upper branched, sometimes branched from stem base, but unbranched when dense planted, lignified at base, glabrous, phloem fibers being tough and elastic. The leaves are alternate. The leaf blades are linear, linear-lanceolate or lanceolate, 2–4 cm long, 1–5 mm wide, apically acute, base attenuate, sessile, involute, 3(−5) veined. The flowers are solitary on branch apex or upper leaf axils of branches, forming loose cymes. The

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flowers are 15–20 mm in diameter. The pedicels are 1–3 cm long, erect. There are 5 sepals, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, ca. 5–8 mm, apically convex or long acute, 3(−5) veined. The midveins are distinctly convex, margins being membranous, glandular, entire, sometimes serrate on upper, persistent. There are 5 petals, which are obovate, 8–12 mm long, blue or purplish blue, thin white or red, apically eroded. There are 5 stamens, filaments being basally connate, and 5 staminodes, which are subulate. The ovaries are in 5 locules. There are 5 styles, detached, stigmas being thicker than styles, slender linear or linear-clavate, longer than or subequal to stamens. The capsules are globose, brownish yellow after drying, 6–9 mm in diameter, apically apiculate, 5 septicidal. There are 10 seeds, oblong, flat, 3.5–4  mm long, brown. The flowering period is from June to August. The fruiting period is from July to October. Habitat: It is cultivated. Distribution: It is cultivated all over China and native to the Mediterranean Sea. Acquisition and Processing: The roots and leaves are harvested in autumn and winter and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and sweet in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind, calming liver, invigorating blood circulation, and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of headache due to liver wind, bruises and injuries, boils, and furuncles. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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Chapter 10

Medicinal Angiosperms of Zygophyllaceae, Geraniaceae, Oxalidaceae, Balsaminaceae, Lythraceae, and Punicaceae Huagu Ye, Chuyuan Li, Wencai Ye, Feiyan Zeng, Fangfang Liu, Faguo Wang, Yushi Ye, Lin Fu, and Jianrong Li

Contents 10.1  Family: Zygophyllaceae 10.1.1  Tribulus terrestris 10.2  Family: Geraniaceae 10.2.1  Geranium carolinianum 10.3  Family: Geraniaceae 10.3.1  Geranium nepalense 10.4  Family: Oxalidaceae 10.4.1  Averrhoa carambola 10.5  Family: Oxalidaceae 10.5.1  Biophytum sensitivum 10.6  Family: Oxalidaceae 10.6.1  Oxalis acetosella subsp. griffithii 10.7  Family: Oxalidaceae 10.7.1  Oxalis corniculata 10.8  Family: Balsaminaceae 10.8.1  Impatiens apalophylla

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H. Ye (*) · F. Zeng · F. Wang · Y. Ye · L. Fu · J. Li South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, China e-mail: [email protected] C. Li Guangzhou Pharmaceutical Holdings Limited, Guangzhou, China W. Ye Jinan University, Guangzhou, China F. Liu Huizhou Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Huizhou, China

© Chemical Industry Press 2021 H. Ye et al. (eds.), Common Chinese Materia Medica, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-2066-9_10

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538 10.9  Family: Balsaminaceae 10.9.1  Impatiens balsamina 10.10  Family: Balsaminaceae 10.10.1  Impatiens chinensis 10.11  Family: Balsaminaceae 10.11.1  Impatiens davidii 10.12  Family: Balsaminaceae 10.12.1  Impatiens noli-tangere 10.13  Family: Balsaminaceae 10.13.1  Impatiens siculifer 10.14  Family: Lythraceae 10.14.1  Ammannia arenaria 10.15  Family: Lythraceae 10.15.1  Ammannia baccifera 10.16  Family: Lythraceae 10.16.1  Lagerstroemia indica 10.17  Family: Lythraceae 10.17.1  Lythrum salicaria var. tomentosum 10.18  Family: Lythraceae 10.18.1  Rotala indica 10.19  Family: Lythraceae 10.19.1  Rotala rotundifolia 10.20  Family: Punicaceae 10.20.1  Punica granatum Further Readings

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This chapter introduces 20 species of medicinal plants in 6 families, mainly including Tribulus terrestris of Zygophyllaceae, Geranium carolinianum of Geraniaceae, Averrhoa carambola, Biophytum sensitivum, Oxalis corniculata of Oxalidaceae, Impatiens balsamina, Impatiens noli-tangere of Balsaminaceae, Ammannia arenaria, Lagerstroemia indica of Lythraceae, and unica granatum of Punicaceae. This chapter introduces the scientific names, herbal medicine names, morphology, habitats, distributions, acquisition and processing methods, medicinal properties, tastes, functions, use and dosages of these medicinal plants, with clear original plant photos and part photos of herbal medicines of each plant.

10.1  Family: Zygophyllaceae 10.1.1  Tribulus terrestris Chinese Name(s): ji li, ci ji li, bai ji li, ying ji li. Source: This medicine is made of the fruits of Tribulus terrestris (Tribulus terrestris Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual. The stems are prostrate, glabrous, pubescent, or hirsute, branches being 20–60  cm long. The leaves are opposite, even-­ pinnate, 1.5–5 cm. The leaflets are opposite, 3 to 8 in pairs, oblong or obliquely

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short rounded, 5 to 10 mm long, 2 to 5 mm wide, apically acute or obtuse, base slightly oblique, pilose, margins being entire. The flowers are axillary, yellow, pedicels being shorter than leaves. There are 5 sepals, which are persistent, and 5 petals and 10 stamens, which grow on base of disk, with scale-form appendages. The ovaries are 5-ribbed. The stigmas are 5-parted. The ovules are 3–4 per loculus. The schizocarp are 4–6  mm, hard, pubescent or glabrous, with 5 carpels, 2 hardened 4–6 mm spines at mid margins, and 2 small spines below, often have small nodules on the rest parts. The flowering period is from May to August. The fruiting period is from June to September. Habitat: It grows on the beach or on wet sandy grassland. Distribution: It is distributed all over China, particularly common north of the Yangtze river, as well as in temperate and tropical regions of the world. Medicinal Properties: The product is composed of 5 mericarps, which are 7–12 mm in diameter, arranged radially and usually split into a whole mericarp. The mericarps are axe shaped, 3–6 mm long, adaxially yellowish green and raised, with longitudinal ridges, many small thorns, and one pair each of symmetrical long thorns and short thorns. Both two surfaces are rough, reticulated, and grayish white colored. It is hard in quality, slight in odor, bitter and pungent in taste. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and pungent in taste, warm in property. Functions: Soothing liver, improving eyesight, dispelling wind, and relieving itching, it is often used in treatment of dizziness, headache, excessive tears, tracheitis, hypertension, pruritus, and rubella. Use and Dosage: 6–12 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: chronic tracheitis of the elderly: Tribulus terrestris (whole plant) syrup taken orally, twice a day, 10 ml each time, ten days as a course of treatment. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: rubella pruritus: Tribulus terrestris (fruit), Saposhnikovia divaricata, cicada slough, each 9 g, Cotex dictamni and fruit of summer cypress each 12 g, decocted in water for oral use. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: acute conjunctivitis: Tribulus terrestris (fruit) 12 g, chrysanthemum 6 g, celosia seeds, horsetail, cassia seed, each 9 g, decocted in water for oral use. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: hypertension and excessive tears: Tribulus terrestris (fruit) 15 g, chrysanthemum 12 g, cassia seed 30 g, licorice 6 g, decocted in water for oral use. 5. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: corneal ulcer (bleaching point on corneal, red conjunctive, tearful, dry pain, do not wanting to open eyes): Tribulus terrestris 9 g, decocted in water. Take a large bowl of decoctum per dose, fumigate and wash for three times a day. For the first time, fumigate while it is hot, then cool and clarify, remove the residue before the second and third times, heat it when necessary.

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10.2  Family: Geraniaceae 10.2.1  Geranium carolinianum Chinese Name(s): ye lao guan cao, lao guan cao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Geranium carolinianum (Geranium carolinianum Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, 20–60  cm high. The basal leaves wither early. The cauline leaves are alternate or opposite at the top. The stipules are lanceolate or triangular-lanceolate, 5–7 mm long, 1.5–2.5 mm wide, pubescent externally. The lower leaves of stems are long petiolate, petioles being 2–3 times longer than leaf blades, retrorse pubescent, upper petioles being gradually shorter. The leaf blades are reniform, 2–3  cm long, 4–6  cm wide, basally cordate, palmately 5–7 parted to base. The leaflets are cuneate obovate or rhomboid, cuneate at below, margins being entire, deeply pinnate on above, lobules being oblong, apically acute, adaxially pubescent, abaxially appressed pubescent along veins. The inflorescences are axillary and terminal, longer than leaves, retrorse pubescent and spreading glandular hairy. Each peduncle is 2 flowered. The cymules are in dense aggregates at apex of each branch. The peduncles are similar to pedicels. The bracts are subulate, 3–4  mm long, pubescent. The sepals are obovate or subelliptic, 5–7  mm long, 3–4 mm wide, apically acute, 1 mm long cuspidate, pubescent or strigose and glandular hairy along veins. The petals are pale purplish red, obovate, slightly longer than calyx, apically rounded, basally broadly cuneate. The stamens are slightly shorter than sepals, basal half being ciliate. The pistils are slightly longer than stamens, densely villous. The capsules are ca. 2 cm, shortly strigose. The flowering period is from April to July. The fruiting period is from May to September. Habitat: It grows in weeds on the barren slopes of plains and low mountains. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Shandong, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan, and Yunnan. It is native to America. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind, invigorating blood flow, clearing heat and detoxicating, it is often used in treatment of rheumatism, pain, cramps, carbuncle, stumbling, enteritis, and dysentery. Use and Dosage: 6–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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10.3  Family: Geraniaceae 10.3.1  Geranium nepalense Chinese Name(s): ni bo er lao guan cao, lao guan can, lao niu jin. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plant of Geranium nepalense (Geranium nepalense Sweet). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, 30–50 cm tall. The stems are numerous, slender, multiple-branched, supine, retrorse appressed nonglandular trichomes. The leaves are opposite or even alternate. The stipules are lanceolate, brownish dry membranous, 5–8 mm long, pubescent externally. The basal leaves and lower cauline leaves are long petiolate, petioles being 2 to 3 times as long as leaf blades, retrorse nonglandular trichomes. The leaf blades are pentagonal reniform, cordate on stems, palmately 5-parted, leaflets being rhomboid or rhomboid ovate, 2–4 cm long, 3–5 cm wide, apically acute or obtuse, basally cuneate, margins above central being dentate lobed or notched, surface being sparsely appressed tomentose, abaxially sparsely pilose, densely tomentose along veins. The upper leaves are shortly stipitate, leaf blades being small, usually 3-lobed. The cymes are 2–3 flowered, rarely single-flowered. The bracts are lanceolate subulate, brown dry membranous. The sepals are ovate-lanceolate or ovate-elliptic, 4–5 mm long, sparsely pubescent, apically acute, mucronate, margins being membranous. The petals are purplish red or lilac-red, obovate, equal to or slightly longer than sepals, apically truncate or rounded, basally cuneate. The lower stamens enlarged into lanceolate, ciliate, styles being indistinct, stigmas being branched, ca. 1 mm. The capsules are 15–17 mm long. The carpels are long pilose. The rostra are short pilose. The flowering period is from April to September. The fruiting period is from May to October. Habitat: It grows on wet hillsides, roadsides, in fields or bushes. Distribution: It is distributed in east China, central China, provinces from southwest to northwest, as well as in Russia far east, Korea and Japan, indo-china peninsula, Bangladesh, Sikkim, and Nepal. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and pungent in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Dispelling pathogenic wind and dampness, activating blood to promote menstruation, clearing heat and stopping diarrhea, it is often used in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, bruising injury, sciatica, acute gastroenteritis, dysentery, irregular menstruation, and herpetic keratitis. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: dysentery and enteritis: Geranium nepalense 60–90 g, decocted in water for oral use. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Rubella pruritus: rheumatoid arthritis: A. Geranium nepalense 120 g, soaked in 1000 g liquor for 5–7 days, filtered. Take a small cup (about 15  g) per dose, twice a day. Or Geranium nepalense 15–30  g, decocted in water for oral use. B.  Geranium nepalense and Garden

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Balsam Stem each 10 kg, Radix angelicae tuhuo, root of Chinese clematis 2.5 kg, radix sileris 4 kg, Rhizoma Dioscoreae Nipponicae 5 kg, Radix Aconiti Preparata 90 g (decocted first), decocted twice, filtrated and concentrated to 20 kg, added with 20 kg alcohol. Take 15–20 ml each time, three times a day. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Herpes keratitis: Geranium nepalense made into 20% eye drops. Drop in eyes every hour, and at the same time, use 1% atropine to dilate pupils.

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10.4  Family: Oxalidaceae 10.4.1  Averrhoa carambola Chinese Name(s): yang tao, wu lian zi, san lian, yang tao. Source: This medicine is made of the roots, branches, leaves, flowers and fruits of Averrhoa carambola (Averrhoa carambola Linn.). Morphology: The trees are up to 12 m in height, densely branched. The barks are dark gray, and the endothelia are yellow, which turn brown when dry. The leaves are odd pinnate compound, alternate, 10–20 cm long. There are 5–13 leaflets, which are ovate or elliptic, 3–7  cm long, 2–3.5  cm wide, apically acuminate, basally rounded, margins being entire, laterally askew, dark green on surface, pale greenish at back, sparsely pilose or glabrous, shortly petiolate. The flowers are small, slightly fragrant. The inflorescences are axillary or rameal, panicles or cymes, branches and flower buds being crimson. There are 5 sepals, which are ca. 5 mm, imbricate, base being connate to slender cups. The petals are slightly recurved abaxially, 8–10 mm long, 3–4  mm wide, abaxially purplish red, pale on margins, sometimes pink or white. There are 5–10 stamens. The ovaries are 5-loculed, with many ovules per loculus, and 5 styles. The fruits are fleshy, pendulous, 5-ribbed, rarely 6–3 ribbed, cross-sections being stellate, 5–8 cm long, pale green or waxy yellow, sometimes dark red. The seeds are dark brown. The flowering period is from April to December. The fruiting period is from July to December. Habitat: It is cultivated. Distribution: It is cultivated in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Taiwan, etc. It is native to Malaysia. Acquisition and Processing: The roots, branches, leaves, and fruits are harvested in summer and the flowers are harvested in autumn and winter, then dried in the sun.

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Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: Root: sour and astringent in taste, neutral in property. The branch and leaf: sour and astringent in taste, cool in property. Flower: sweet in taste, neutral in property. Functions: The root functions in arresting seminal emission, stopping bleeding, and relieving pain. The branch and leaf function in dispelling pathogenic wind and dampness, diminishing swelling and pain. Flower functions in clearing heat. The fruits function in helping produce saliva and quench thirst. The roots are often used in treatment of spermatorrhea, epistaxis, chronic headache, and joint pain. The branches and leaves are often used for treating cold due to wind and heat, acute gastroenteritis, dysuria, postpartum edema, bruise and injury, and carbuncles. The flowers are often used for alternating episodes of chills and fever. The fruits are often used to cure cough due to wind and heat, sore throat, and malaria. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Chronic headache: fresh roots of Averrhoa carambola 30–60 g, tofu 200 g, stewed together. Take once a day. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: alternating episodes of chills and fever: dried Averrhoa carambola flowers 15 g, decocted in water for oral use. Take the decoctum twice a day. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Malaria (splenomegaly): 5 fresh carambola fruits, washed and chopped, mashed for juice, added with warm water and taken orally. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: bruise and injury, carbuncle: fresh carambola leaves are mashed and applied to the affected areas, which function in stopping bleeding and pain, clearing heat, and detoxificating. 5. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Osteoarthritis, hot and obstruction of urination, toxicity, hemorrhoids, and hemorrhage: fresh Averrhoa carambola, cut and mashed, added with cool boiling water and taken orally. Take 2–3 times a day, 2–3 per dose. 6. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Laryngeal pain: fresh carambola fruits, 2–3 times a day, 1–2 each time.

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10.5  Family: Oxalidaceae 10.5.1  Biophytum sensitivum Chinese Name(s): gan ying cao, luo san cao, jiang luo san. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Biophytum sensitivum (Biophytum sensitivum (Linn.) DC.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, 5–20 cm tall. The stems are solitary, slender or stout, unbranched, base being woody, strigose. The leaves are numerous, 3–13 cm long, clustering at the top of the stem. The rachises are slender, moderately hispid. The leaflets are 6–14  in pairs, sessile, apically pendulous. The leaflet blades are oblong or obovate-oblong and slightly oblique, 3–15 mm long, 2–7 mm wide, apically rounded, mucronate on apex, truncate at base, shortly pubescent, margins

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being strigose. The leaflets gradually dilated from the lower part of the leaf axis. The ones near the apex are the largest and auriculate on one side, aristate on the tip. The inflorescences are on terminal of pedicel, several flowered, umbelliform, nearly as long as leaves. The pedicels are very short, subequal to bracteoles, strigose. The bracteoles are numerous, lanceolate, ca. 2  mm, strigose on margins. There are 5 sepals, which are lanceolate, 5–6 mm long, apically subulate, persistent, sparsely pubescent, 5 petals, which are yellow, longer than sepals, and 10 stamens, which are separated, alternate in length. The ovaries are subglobose, with 5 styles, persistent. The capsules are elliptic-obovate, 4–5 mm long, 5-striated, pubescent. The seeds are brown, ovate, with banded nodules. The flowering and fruiting period is from July to December. Habitat: It grows in mountain forests or in hillside thickets at altitudes of 200–400 m. Distribution: It is distributed in Hainan, Guangdong, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Taiwan, etc., as well as in tropical Asia. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and slightly bitter in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Removing food retension and relieving swelling, it is often used in treatment of edema and infantile malnutrition. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: infantile malnutrition: fresh Biophytum sensitivum 9–15 g, washed and steamed with liver tip or lean meat. Take the soup and meat together. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: edema: Biophytum sensitivum 9–15  g, decocted in water for oral use, or stewed with pig bone and taken orally.

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10.6  Family: Oxalidaceae 10.6.1  Oxalis acetosella subsp. griffithii Chinese Name(s): shan cu jiang cao, san kuai wa, mai zi qi, da suan mei cao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Oxalis acetosella subsp. griffithii (Oxalis acetosella Linn. subsp. griffithii (Edgew. et Hook. f.) Hara). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, 8–15  cm tall. The stems are short and inconspicuous, mostly covered with fleshy pale brown scalelike remains of leaf bases. The leaves are basal. The stipules are broadly ovate, pilose or glabrous, connate with petioles and stems. The petioles are 3–15 cm long, articulate near base. There are 3 leaflets, obtuse or broadly obtuse, apex being deeply emarginate, bilateral angles being obtuse, basally cuneate, both surfaces being pubescent or abaxially glabrous, or sometimes both surfaces being glabrous. The pedicels are basal, simple flowered, subequal or longer than petiole. The pedicels are 2–3  cm long, pilose. There are 2 bracts, which are opposite, ovate, ca. 3 mm long, pilose. There are 5 sepals, which are ovate-lanceolate, 3–5  mm long, 1–2  mm wide, apically mucronate, persistent. There are 5 petals, which are white or lilac to pinkish veined, obcordate, 1–2 times as long as sepals, apically concave, base narrowly cuneate, with white or purplish red veins. There are 10 stamens, which are long, short alternate, filaments being slender, connate at base. The ovaries are 5-loculate, with 5 styles, slender. The stigmas are capitate. The capsules are ellipsoid or subglobose. The seeds are ovate, brown or reddish brown, longitudinally ribbed. The flowering period is from July to August. The fruiting period is from August to September. Habitat: It grows in the middle of the mountain forest in dank areas.

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Distribution: It is distributed in Yangtze river valley and south China from Taiwan to Yunnan, etc. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sour and astringent in taste, cold in property. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxicating, relieving swelling, and stopping pain, it is often used in treatment of diarrhea, dysentery, conjunctivitis, children’s mouth sores as well as in external use for mastitis, and herpes zoster. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of fresh herbs are used for application to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Herpes zoster: appropriate amount of Oxalis acetosella (fresh whole grass), added with a little realgar and garlic, mashed, pickled in oil, and applied to the affected areas.

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10.7  Family: Oxalidaceae 10.7.1  Oxalis corniculata Chinese Name(s): cu jiang cao, suan jiang cao, suan wei cao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Oxalis corniculata (Oxalis corniculata Linn. [O. repens Thunb.]). Morphology: The herbs are perennial, sparsely pubescent throughout. The stems are prostrate or obliquely ascending, many-branched. The leaves are alternate, palmate compound, with 3 lobules, which are obcordate, sessile, entire on margins.

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The flowers are yellow. The inflorescences are axillary, umbellate, (2-)1–5(−7) flowered, 2–3 cm long. The pedicels are 1–2.5 cm long. There are 5 sepals, which are oblong, apically acute, pubescent, and 5 petals, which are obovate, longer than sepals. There are 10 stamens, 5 long, 5 short, filaments being connate into tubes at base. There are 5 ovaries, densely puberscent with 5 stigmas. The capsules are nearly cylindrical, 1–2  cm long, 5-ribbed, pubescent. The seeds are dark brown, rugose. The flowering and fruiting period is almost year-round. Habitat: It grows in open fields, gardens, or fields. Distribution: It is distributed in northern and southern provinces of China, as well as in temperate and subtropical Asia, Europe, the Mediterranean, and North America. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sour in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing heat and dampness, detoxicating and relieving swelling, it is often used in treatment of cold and fever, enteritis, hepatitis, urinary tract infection, lithiasis, neurasthenia, as well as in external treatment of bruises, snakebites, carbuncles, athlete’s foot, eczema, burns, and scalds. Use and Dosage: 15–60 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas or decocted for washing. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: insomnia due to neurasthenia: Oxalis corniculata 5 kg, pine needle (Pinus yunnanensis) 1 kg, jujube 0.5 kg. The fresh oxalis is washed, added with pine needles and water 8000 ml, decocted for 1 hour, then filtered and removed the residue. In addition, the jujube was mashed and added with 2000 ml water, decocted for 1 hour, filtered and removed residue. Mix the two liquids, add some sugar and preservatives, fill in bottles separately. Take three times a day, 12 to 20 ml per dose. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: pneumonia, tonsillitis: Oxalis powder tablets, 0.3 g each tablet, 5 tablets per dose, 3–4 times a day. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: acute hepatitis: Oxalis, Prunella vulgaris, Plantago, Capillary artemisia 15 g each, added with 1000 ml of water, decocted into 750 ml, added with 100 g of white sugar. After dissolution, take three times a day. The dosage should be reduced for children. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: children with upper respiratory tract infection, bronchitis: Oxalis, Chinese lobelia, Kyllinga brevifolia each 30  g, Lygodium japonicum 9 g, decocted and taken in three times, one dose per day.

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10.8  Family: Balsaminaceae 10.8.1  Impatiens apalophylla Chinese Name(s): da ye feng xian hua, chang shi ye feng xian hua. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Impatiens apalophylla (Impatiens apalophylla Hook. f.). Morphology: The herbs are perennial 30–60 cm tall, with a long rhizome. The stems are stout, erect, unbranched. The leaves are alternate, crowded at upper part of stem, oblong-ovate or oblong-oblanceolate, 10–22 cm long, 4–8 cm wide, apically acuminate, basally cuneate, margins being undulate crenate, bristles being interdentate. The lateral veins are in 9−10 pairs. The inflorescences are axillary, racemose, 7–15 cm long, 4–10 flowered. The pedicels are ca. 2 cm. The flowers are large, yellow. There are 4 sepals, outer 2 being oblique-ovate, inner 2 being striate lanceolate. The upper petals are elliptic, apex being rounded, mucronulate, abaxial midvein being fine. The vexillum are short, sessile, 2-lobed, basal lobes being oblong, apically acuminate, upper lobes being narrowly oblong, apically obtuse, abaxial auricle broad. The lower sepals are saccate, abruptly elongated into a slightly curved or involute spur. The anthers are obtuse. The capsules are clavate. Habitat: It grows on damp ground near valleys at altitudes of 500 to 800 m. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, and Guizhou. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter in taste, warm in property. Functions: Activating blood circulation, clearing stasis, and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of bruising injury, rib pain, abdominal pain, and postpartum blood stasis. Use and Dosage: 3–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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10.9  Family: Balsaminaceae 10.9.1  Impatiens balsamina Chinese Name(s): feng xian hua, zhi jia hua, tou gu cao, ji xing zi, deng zhan hua. Source: This medicine is made of the seeds, flowers, and whole plants of Impatiens balsamina (Impatiens balsamina Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, up to 110 cm tall. The stems are stout, fleshy, erect, lower nodes often dilated. The leaves are alternate, lowest leaves sometimes being opposite. The leaf blades are lanceolate, narrowly elliptic or oblanceolate, 4–12 cm long, 1.5–3 cm wide, apically acute or acuminate, basally cuneate, margins being sharply serrate, often with several pairs of sessile black glands toward base, both surfaces being glabrous or sparsely pubescent. The lateral veins are 4–7 in pairs. The petioles are 1–3 cm long, adaxially shallowly sulcate, both sides being with a few pairs of stipitate glands. The inflorescences are 1-flowered, or 2 or 3 flowers fascicled in leaf axils, without peduncles, white, pink or purple, single or double. The

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pedicels are 2–2.5 cm long, densely pubescent. The bracts are linear, at base of pedicels. There are 2 lateral sepals, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 2–3 mm long, lower sepals being deep navicular, 13–19 mm long, 4–8 mm wide, pubescent, abruptly narrowed into an incurved spur which is 1–2.5 cm, slender. The upper petals are orbicular, apex retuse, mucronulate. The lateral united petals are shortly clawed, 2.3–2.5 cm, 2-lobed. The basal lobes are obovate-oblong, small. The distal lobes are suborbicular, apically 2-lobed, outer margins near base being auriculate. There are 5 stamens, filaments being linear, anthers being ovoid, apically obtuse. The ovaries are narrowed at both ends, densely tomentose. The fruits are fusiform. The seeds are numerous, rounded, 1.5–3 mm in diameter, dark brown. The flowering period is from July to October. Habitat: It is cultivated. Distribution: It is cultivated in north and south China. Medicinal Properties: The product is elliptic, oblate or ovate, 2–3 mm long and 1.5–2.5 mm wide, brownish or grayish brown on surfaces, rough, sparsely punctuated with white or light yellowish dots. The hilum is at the narrow end, and slightly prominent. The testa is thin. The cotyledon is grayish white, translucent and oily. It is slightly odored, bland and slightly bitter in taste. Acquisition and Processing: The seeds, flowers, and whole plants are harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: The seeds are slightly bitter in taste, warm in property, a little toxic. The flowers are sweet in taste, warm in property, a little toxic. The whole plants are pungent and bitter in taste, warm in property. Functions: The seeds function in activating blood circulation to promote menstruation, softening hard mass, and removing food retention. The flowers function in activating blood circulation to promote menstruation, dispelling pathogenic wind and relieving pain as well as detoxicating when used externally. The whole plants function in dispelling pathogenic wind and dampness, detoxicating and relieving pain. The seeds are often used in treatment of amenorrhea, dystocia, bone in throat, mass accumulation. The flowers are often used in amenorrhoea, bruising injury, blood stasis, rheumatoid arthritis, carbuncle and furuncle, snake bite, and ringworm of the hand. The whole plants used in treatment of rheumatic joint pain. Use and Dosage: 6–9 g of seeds per dose, 3–6 g of flowers per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas. The whole plants are used to treat carbuncle and furuncle by washing the affected areas with its decoctum. Pregnant women should not use it. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: rheumatism arthralgia: Impatiens balsamina, Radix sileris, atractylodes, Phellodendron amurense, each 9 g, spatholobus stem 15 g, Achyranthes bidentate 12 g, decocted in water for oral use.

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2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: sequelae of poliomyelitis: Impatiens balsamina, Radix sileris, each 15 g, Papaya, Achyranthes bidentate, Angelica sinensis, Beehive, each 9 g, Safflower and Pangolin each 6 g, decocted and used for fumigating and washing the affected limbs. Use it 2–3 times a day. Change the decoctum every two days, and then cover for sweating.

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10.10  Family: Balsaminaceae 10.10.1  Impatiens chinensis Chinese Name(s): hua feng xian, shui feng xian, ru dong xue. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Impatiens chinensis (Impatiens chinensis Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, 30–60 cm tall. The stems are slender, glabrous, slightly inflated at nodes. The leaves are opposite, sessile or subsessile. The leave blades are hard papery, linear or linear-lanceolate, 2–10 cm long, 0.5–1 cm wide, apically acute or obtuse, basally subcordate or truncate, with stipulate basal glands, margins being remotely spiniform-serrate, green on above, strigose, grayish green at below, glabrous. The lateral veins are in 5–7 pairs, inconspicuous. The flowers are larger, solitary or 2–3 clustered in leaf axils, purplish red or white, peduncles being absent. The pedicels are slender, 2–4 cm long, often scabrous hairy on one side. The bracts are linear, at base of pedicels. There are 2 lateral sepals, which are linear, ca. 10 mm long, 1 mm wide, apically acute. The lower sepals are funnelform, ca. 15 mm long, striate, gradually narrowed into an incurved or involute, slender spur. The upper petals are orbicular, ca. 1 cm in diam, apically emarginate, mucronulate, abaxial midvein being narrowly carinate. The lateral united petals are not clawed, 1.4–1.5 cm, 2-lobed. The basal lobes are suborbicular, small. The distal lobes are broadly obovate to dolabriform (axe shaped), apically roundedobtuse. The auricles are narrow. There are 5 stamens, filaments being linear, flat, anthers being ovoid, apically obtuse. The ovaries are fusiform, erect, slightly acute. The capsules are elliptic, turgid at middle, apically beak tipped, glabrous. The seeds are numerous, spherical, about 2 mm in diameter, black, and lustrous. Habitat: It grows on fields, by ditches, and in marshes. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Hainan, as well as in Vietnam, India, and Myanmar. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is bitter and pungent in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Clearing heat, detoxicating, activating blood to scattering blood stasis, diminishing swelling and promoting drainage of pus, it is often used in treatment of tuberculosis, face and throat swelling, and dysentery. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amounts of herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas to treat malignant boils, furuncle and carbuncle. Pregnant women should use with caution.

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10.11  Family: Balsaminaceae 10.11.1  Impatiens davidii Chinese Name(s): gu ling feng xian hua, ye feng xian. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Impatiens davidii (Impatiens davidii Franch.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, to 90 cm tall. The stems are robust, succulent, nodes being swollen in lower part. The leaves are alternate. The leaf blades are membranous, ovate-oblong or ovate-lanceolate, 5–10 cm long, 3–4 cm wide, apically caudate acuminate, basally cuneate or acute, margins being coarsely crenate, tooth being mucronulate, both surfaces being glabrous, the lateral veins being 5–7 in pairs. The petioles are 4–8 cm in lengths. The peduncles are ca. 1 cm with pedicels, up to 2 cm at fruiting. The inflorescences are 1-flowered, with 2 bracts above the middle. The bracts are herbaceous, ovate-lanceolate, ca. 3 mm long, persistent. The flowers are pale yellow. The lateral 2 sepals are membranous, broadly ovate, ca. 10  mm long, 5–6  mm wide, apically apiculate, entire on margins, 9 veined. The upper petals are suborbicular, ca. 1 cm in diam, apex being emarginate, shortly rostellate, abaxial midvein green being cristate. The lateral united petals are clawed, 1.5–2 cm, 2-lobed. The basal lobes are small, oblong, apically acuminate to caudate. The distal lobes are large, dolabriform, apically obtuse. The lower sepals are yellow striate, saccate, abruptly narrowed into a hooked spur, which are 2-lobed. There are 5 stamens, filaments being linear, slightly swollen above. The anthers are ovoid, apically obtuse. The ovaries are fusiform, erect, coronoid. The capsules are linear cylindrical, 3–3.5  cm long. The seeds are numerous, suborbicular, brown, and smooth. The flowering period is from July to September. Habitat: It grows on grassland near ditches or in the shade of valleys. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, and Guangdong. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent in taste, warm in property. Functions: Diminishing food retention and relieving pain, it is often used in treatment of infantile malnutrition, and abdominal pain. Use and Dosage: 6–9 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use.

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10.12  Family: Balsaminaceae 10.12.1  Impatiens noli-tangere Chinese Name(s): shui jin feng, hui cai hua. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Impatiens noli-tangere (Impatiens noli-tangere Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, 40–70  cm high. The stem is succulent, robust, erect, lower nodes often being swollen. The leaves are alternate. The leaf blades are ovate or ovate-elliptic, 3–8  cm long, 1.5–4  cm wide, apically obtuse, sparsely acute, basally obtuse or broadly cuneate, margins being coarsely crenate, tooth being mucronulate, both surfaces being glabrous. The peduncles are slender, 2–5  cm long. The pedicels are 1–1.5  cm long, with 2–4 flowers, arranging in racemes. The pedicels are 1.5–2 mm long, with 1 bract above the middle. The bracts are herbaceous, lanceolate, 3–5 mm long, persistent. The flowers are yellow. The lateral 2 sepals are ovate or broadly ovate, 5–6 mm long, apically acute. The upper petals are orbicular or suborbicular, ca. 1 cm in diam, apex being emarginate, rostellate, abaxial midveins being green cristate. The lateral sepals are sessile, 20–25 mm long, 2-lobed, lower lobes being small, oblong, upper lobes being broadly dolabriform, sparsely orange spotted, outer margins being auriculate basally. The sepals are broadly funnelform, scattered with orange-red spots on throat, base attenuated to 10–15 mm inwardly curved spurs. There are 5 stamens, filaments being linear, slightly inflated distally, anthers being ovoid, apically acute. The ovaries are fusiform, erect, coronoid. The capsules are linear cylindrical, 1.5–2.5  cm long. The flowering period is from July to September. Habitat: It grows in waterside wetlands or hillside forest, and on forest-edge grassland at altitudes of 900–2400 m. Distribution: It is distributed in regions of central, eastern, northwestern and northeastern China, as well as in Korea, Japan, and the Russian far east. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet in taste, warm in property. Functions: Clearing heat, detoxicating, invigorating blood circulation to promote menstruation, it is often used in treatment of irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, bruising, rheumatic pain, and scrotal eczema. Use and Dosage: 12–20 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, fresh herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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10.13  Family: Balsaminaceae 10.13.1  Impatiens siculifer Chinese Name(s): huang jin hua, huang jin feng, shui zhi jia. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Impatiens siculifer (Impatiens siculifer Hook. f.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, 30–60 cm high. The stems are slender, simple or few-branched. The leaves are alternate, usually crowded at upper part of stem or branches, ovate-lanceolate or elliptic-lanceolate, 5–13 cm long, 2.5–5 cm wide, apically acute or acuminate, basally cuneate, margins being coarsely crenate, setose between teeth. The lateral veins are 5–11 in pairs. The petioles of lower leaves are1.5–3 cm long. The upper leaves are subsessile. The inflorescences are in upper leaf axils, racemose, 5–8-flowered. The pedicels are slender, bracteate at base. The flowers are yellow. There are 2 lateral sepals, narrowly oblong, apically acute. The upper petals are suborbicular or orbicular, abaxial midvein thickened, narrowly winged. The lateral united petals are sessile, 2-lobed. The basal lobes are subtriangular. The upper distal lobes are lorate. The lower sepals are narrowly funnelform, narrowed into an incurved or recurved long spur, tips being shortly rostellate. The anthers are obtuse. The capsules are clavate. Habitat: It grows on the grassland by the river or in the shade under trees. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Jiangxi, Guangdong, Hunan, Hubei, Guizhou, Sichuan, Chongqing, Yunnan, and Guangxi. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is pungent and bitter in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxicating, dispelling pathogenic wind and dampness, invigorating blood circulation and diminishing swelling, it is often used in treatment of rheumatism, numbness of limbs, bone pain, injury, burn, and scald. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, fresh herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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10.14  Family: Lythraceae 10.14.1  Ammannia arenaria Chinese Name(s): er ji shui xian, shui han lian. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Ammannia arenaria (Ammannia arenaria Kunth). Morphology: The herbs are erect, less branched, glabrous, 15–60 cm tall. The upper stems are 4-ribbed or slightly narrowly winged. The leaves are opposite, membranous, narrowly lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, 1.5–7.5 cm long, 3–15 mm wide, apically acuminate or slightly acute, base being dilated, somewhat cordate-­ auriculate, semi-amplexicaul, sessile. The cymes are axillary, 3 to 15 flowered. The peduncles are short, ca. 5 mm. The pedicels are very short, ca. 1–2 mm long. There

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are 2 bracteoles, linear. The calyx tubes are campanulate, 1.5–2 mm long, initially narrow at base, subhemispherical when fruiting, conspicuously 4–8-ribbed, 4-lobed, broadly triangular. There are 4 petals, purple or white, suborbicular, caducous, sometimes apetalous. There are 4–8 stamens, half exserting on calyx lobes. The ovaries are spherical, ca. 1 mm long. The styles are as long as or longer than ovary. The capsules are oblate globose, about 1/3 surpassing calyx at maturity, purplish red, 2–3.5 mm in diameter, irregularly perilobed. The seeds are semimelliptic. The flowering period is from August to December. Habitat: It grows on paddy fields or wetlands. Distribution: It is distributed in the southern provinces of China, as well as widely distributed throughout the tropical regions of the world. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, rinsed, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and bland in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Invigorating spleen, clearing dampness, invigorating Qi and dispersing blood stasis, it is often used in treatment of anorexia due to spleen deficiency, chest diaphragm suffocation, acute, chronic cystitis, women with excessive leucorrhea, and bruising pains. Use and Dosage: 9–15 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, fresh herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: anorexia due to spleen deficiency: fresh Ammannia arenaria 30  g each time, 3  green onions, decocted in water for oral use. 2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: chest diaphragm suffocation: Ammannia arenaria powder, 6 g each time, soaked in alcohol for oral use. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: bruises and pains: Ammannia are naria powder, 9 g each time, soaked in wine for oral use.

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10.15  Family: Lythraceae 10.15.1  Ammannia baccifera Chinese Name(s): xi ye shui xian, shui tian ji huang. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Ammannia baccifera (Ammannia baccifera Linn.). Morphology: The herbs are annual, glabrous, 10–50 cm tall. The stems are erect, much branched, lilac, slightly 4-ribbed, narrowly winged. The basal leaves are opposite. The upper ones or those on lateral branches are sometimes slightly alternate, oblong, or lanceolate. The leaves on stems are up to 7 cm long. Those on lateral branches are smaller, 6 to l5 mm long, 3 to 5 mm wide, apically shortly acute or obtuse, base attenuated, the lateral veins being inconspicuous, subsessile. The flowers are axillary, several forming cymes or flower clusters, slightly lax in fruiting period, almost without pedicels. The pedicels are 1.5  mm long. The flowers are minute, ca. 1 mm long, green or lilac. The calyx buds are campanulate, apical plane being quadrate, 4-lobed. The lobes are equilateral triangular, 2–3 times shorter than calyx tube, hemispherical in fruiting period, enveloping lower half of capsule, not ridged, appendages being folded or denticulate, usually apetalous. There are usually 4 stamens, which are adnate to middle of calyx tube, as long as or shorter than calyx lobes. The ovaries are globose, styles being very short or absent. The capsules are globose, purplish red, about 1.2–1.5 mm in diameter, irregular perilobed above middle. The seeds are minute, irregularly shaped, subtriangular, black. The flowering period is from August to October. The fruiting period is from September to December. Habitat: It grows in wetlands or rice fields. Distribution: It is distributed all over China except for the northeast and northwest, as well as in tropical Africa, Asia, and Oceania. Acquisition and Processing: It is harvested in summer and autumn, rinsed, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sweet and bland in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing heat and dampness, detoxicating, it is often used in treatment of cough, dysentery, jaundice hepatitis, urinary tract infection, as well as in external use for swelling and carbuncle. Use and Dosage: 8–12 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, fresh herbs are mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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10.16  Family: Lythraceae 10.16.1  Lagerstroemia indica Chinese Name(s): zi wei, sao yang shu, zi jing pi, zi jin biao. Source: This medicine is made of the barks, flowers and roots of Lagerstroemia indica (Lagerstroemia indica Linn.). Morphology: The plant is a deciduous bush or small tree, up to 7 m. The barks are smooth, gray or grayish brown. The branches much twisted, branchlets being slender, 4-angled or subalate. The leaves are alternate or sometimes opposite, papillary, elliptic, broadly oblong or obovate, 2.5–7 cm long, 1.5–4 cm wide, apically obtuse or obtuse, sometimes slightly concave, base being broadly cuneate or suborbicular, glabrous or glabrous along midrib. The lateral veins are 3–7 in pairs, small veins being inconspicuous, sessile or shortly petiolate. The flowers are pale red or purple and white, 3–4 cm in diameter, arranged in terminal panicles of 7–20 cm. The pedicels are 3–15 mm long, puberulous or only along midrib. The calyxes are 7–10 mm long, smooth outside without ribs; but when fresh, the calyx tubes are with microprocesses short ribs, both surfaces being glabrous, 6 lobed, triangular, erect, unattached. There are 6 petals, which are shriveled, 12–20  mm long, long clawed. There are 36–42 stamens, outside 6 inserted on calyx, which are much longer than the others. The ovaries are 3–6 loculed, glabrous. The capsules are ellipsoid globose or broadly elliptic, 1–1.3 cm long, green to yellow when young, purplish black when mature or dried, loculicidal dehiscence. The seeds are winged, ca. 8 mm. The flowering period is from June to September. The fruiting period is from September to December. Habitat: It is cultivated. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of east China, central China, south China, southwest, etc., as well as in Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Philippines, and Oceania. Acquisition and Processing: The barks, flowers, and roots are harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is slightly bitter and pungent in taste, neutral in property. Functions: Invigorating blood circulation and stopping bleeding, detoxicating and diminishing swelling, it is often used in various bleeding disorders, fractures, mastitis, eczema, hepatitis, and cirrhotic ascites. Use and Dosage: 15–60 g per dose for barks and roots, 10–15 g per dose for flowers, decocted in water for oral use. Prescription Examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Hemoptysis, hematemesis, and hematochezia: Lagerstroemia indica 30 g, added with 180 ml of water, fried to 80 ml, dregs removed, and added with preservatives. Take 30–40 ml per dose, twice a day.

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2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Fracture: Lagerstroemia and loquat root bark (peeled) 30 g each, fresh tuber of hyacinth bletilla and teasel 15 g each, calcined natural copper 9 g, mixed and ground into fine powder. Take 3 g per dose (children halved), twice a day. At the same time, appropriate amount of celastrus orbiculatus and Achyranthes bidentate are mashed and applied to the affected areas after reposition, and fixed with small splints.

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10.17  Family: Lythraceae 10.17.1  Lythrum salicaria var. tomentosum Chinese Name(s): rong mao qian qu cai, shui bin liu, tie ling jiao, mao qian qu cai. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants and rhizomes of Lythrum salicaria var. tomentosum (Lythrum salicaria Linn. var. tomentosum DC.). Morphology: The plant is perennial. Its rhizomes are subterranean, stout. The stems are erect, much branched, 30–90  cm tall, totally cyan, slightly hirsute or densely tomentose, branches being usually 4-ribbed. The leaves are opposite or 3-verticillate, lanceolate or broadly lanceolate, 4–6 cm long, 8–15 mm wide, apically obtuse or shortly acute, basally rounded or cordate, sometimes semiclasping, entire on margins, sessile. The spikes are solitary, cylindrical. The bracts are broadly lanceolate to triangular-ovate, 5–12 mm long. The flowers are in 1-to multi-­flowered

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whorl. The calyx tubes are 5–8 mm, 12 longtitudinally ribbed, slightly hirsute, 6 lobed, triangular. The accessories are acicular, erect, 1.5–2 mm long. There are 6 petals, which are reddish purple or lilac, oblanceolate long elliptic, basally cuneate, 7–8 mm long, inserted on the upper part of calyx tube, shortly clawed, slightly contracted. There are 12 stamens, 6 long, 6 short, extending beyond calyx tube. The ovaries are 2-loculate and styles varied in length. The capsules are oblate. Habitat: It grows on waterside wetlands. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces of Shandong, Anhui, Zhejiang, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Guizhou, Hunan, Guangdong and Guangxi. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plant and rhizomes are harvested in summer and autumn, and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is slightly sweet and bitter in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxicating, cooling blood, and stopping bleeding, the whole plants are often used in treatment of dysentery, hypermenorrhea, high fever. Its rhizomes are often used for treatment of cervicitis, burns, and scalds. Use and Dosage: 9–30  g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. Or proper amounts of rhizomes are decocted and used for washing.

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10.18  Family: Lythraceae 10.18.1  Rotala indica Chinese Name(s): jie jie cai, lu er cao, shui ma lan, jie jie cao. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Rotala indica (Rotala indica (Willd.) Koehne). Morphology: The herbs are annual, many branched, rooting at nodes. The stems are often slightly 4-ribbed, creeping at base, ascending, or erect, slightly lanceolate. The leaves are opposite, sessile or subsessile, obovate-elliptic or obovate-oblong, 4–17 mm long, 3–8 mm wide. The lateral leaves are only 5 mm long, apically suborbicular or obtuse with a small cusp, base being cuneate or attenuate, abaxial veins being conspicuous, margins being cartilaginous. The flowers are small, less than 3 mm long, in axillary spikes, 8–25 mm long, sparsely solitary. The bracts are leafy, oblong-obovate, 4–5 mm long, with 2 bracteoles, which are minute, linear-­lanceolate, ca. The calyx tubes are campanulate, membranous, translucent, 2–2.5 mm long, 4-angled, lanceolate triangular, apically acuminate. There are 4 petals, which are minute, obovate, 1/2 as long as sepals, reddish, persistent. There are 4 stamens. The ovaries are ellipsoidal, apically narrow, ca. 1 mm long. The styles are filiform, ca. 1/2 as long as ovary. The capsules are ellipsoid, slightly angled, ca. 1.5 mm, often 2-valved. The flowering season is from September to October. The fruiting season is from October to April of the following year. Habitat: It grows in paddy fields or on wet ground. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces in southwest, central and eastern China, as well as in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Japan. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plants are harvested in summer and autumn, and used when fresh. Natural taste and Meridian tropism: It is sour and bitter in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing heat and detoxicating, stopping diarrhea, the whole plants are often used in treatment of sore and furuncle. Use and Dosage: 10–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amount of fresh herb is mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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10.19  Family: Lythraceae 10.19.1  Rotala rotundifolia Chinese Name(s): yuan ye jie jie cai, shui xian cai, shui ma sang. Source: This medicine is made of the whole plants of Rotala rotundifolia (Rotala rotundifolia (Buch.-Ham. ex Roxb.) Koehne). Morphology: The plant is annual, completely glabrous. Its rhizomes are slender, prostrate. The stems are simple or slightly branched, erect, tufted, 5–30  cm tall, purplish red. The leaves are opposite, sessile or shortly petiolate, suborbicular, broadly obovate or broadly elliptic, 5-l0  mm long, sometimes up to 20  mm, 3.5–5 mm wide, apically rounded, basally obtuse, or subcordate. There are 4 lateral veins, slender. The flowers are solitary in bracts, arranged in terminal dense spikes, 1–4 cm long, 1–3 each plant, sometimes 5–7. The flowers are minute, ca. 2 mm, almost sessile. The bracts are leafy, ovate or ovate-oblong, ca. as long as flowers, with 2 bracteoles, which are lanceolate or subulate, ca. as long as calyx tube. The calyx tubes are broadly campanulate, membranous, translucent, 1–1.5 mm long, 4 lobed, triangular, epicalyx being absent. There are 4 petals, which are obovate, lilac red, ca. 2 times longer than calyx lobes. There are 4 stamens. The ovaries are subpyriform, ca. 2 mm long, styles being 1/2 the length of ovary, stigmas being discoid. The capsules are ellipsoid, 3–4 valved. The flowering and fruiting period are from December to the following June. Habitat: It is a common weed in paddy fields or wetlands. Distribution: It is distributed in provinces in east, south, central and southwest China, as well as in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, and Japan. Acquisition and Processing: The whole plants are harvested in summer and autumn and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sour and bitter in taste, cool in property. Functions: Clearing heat and dampness, detoxicating, it is often used in treatment of cough due to lung heat, dysentery, jaundice hepatitis, urinary tract infection, as well as external treatment for furuncle and carbuncle. Use and Dosage: 15–30 g per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amount of fresh herb is mashed and applied to the affected areas.

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10.20  Family: Punicaceae 10.20.1  Punica granatum Chinese Name(s): an shi liu, shi liu, shi liu pi. Source: This medicine is made of the roots, stalk skins, pericarp, flowers, and leaves of Punica granatum (Punica granatum Linn.). Morphology: The plants are deciduous shrubs or trees, usually 3–5 m tall, occasionally up to 10  m, often terminating as indurate spines. The branchlets are 4-angled, glabrous, becoming terete with age. The leaves are often opposite, papery, oblong-lanceolate, 2–9  cm long, apically mucronate, obtuse or slightly concave, basally mucronate to slightly obtuse, adaxially lustrous. The lateral veins are slightly dense. The petioles are short. The flowers are large, 1–5 branched on apex. The calyx tubes are 2–3  cm long, red or yellowish, lobes slightly extending, ovate-­ triangular, 8–13  mm long, with 1 yellowish green gland outside near apex, and small mastoid process on margins. The petals are usually large, red, yellow or white, 1.5–3 cm long, 1–2 cm wide, apically rounded. The filaments are glabrous, up to 13 mm. The styles are longer than stamens. The fruits are subglobose, 5–12 cm in diameter, usually yellowish brown or yellowish green, sometimes white, sparsely dark purple. Its seeds are numerous, obtuse, red to milky white, fleshy exocarp being edible. Habitat: It is cultivated. Distribution: It is cultivated all over China, but native to the Balkans, Iran and its adjacent regions, as well as temperate and tropical regions throughout the world. Acquisition and Processing: The roots and stem skins are harvested in summer and autumn, the exocarp is harvested in autumn and winter, and the flowers and leaves are harvested in summer and dried in the sun. Natural Taste and Meridian Tropism: It is sour and bitter in taste, warm in property. Functions: Controlling diarrhea and killing insects, worms, the velamen and pericarp are used in treatment for deficiency, cold and diarrhea, enteritis, dysentery, hematochezia, anal prolapse, hemorrhage, tapeworm disease and ascariasis, as well as in external application of paddy field dermatitis. The flowers are often used in treatment of hematemesis, epistaxis, as well as in external treatment of otitis media. The leaves are often used for acute enteritis. Use and Dosage: 3–9 g of velamen and pericarp as well as flowers per dose, 30–60 g of leaves per dose, decocted in water for oral use. For external use, proper amount of herbs is ground to powder and blown into the ear. Prescription examples: 1. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Bacterial dysentery: valemen and pericarp of Punica granatum 15  g, decocted with brown sugar. Take 2 times a day, for 3 to 5 days.

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2. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Anus removal: Punica granatum bark and jujube bark each 9 g, alum 3 g. Clean the perianal area and apply the medicine to the anus after each defecation. 3. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Enterobiasis: Punica granatum bark 3 g, betel nut 4.5 g, decocted in water for oral use or Punica granatum bark 9 g, decocted to 100 ml, and used for enema before bedtime. 4. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: hematemesis, epistaxis: Punica granatum flowers 3–9 g, decocted in water for oral use. 5. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Paddy field dermatitis: Punica granatum bark 120 g, decocted and used to wash the affected areas. 6. Clinical diagnosis and symptoms: Acute enteritis: Punica granatum leaves 60 g, ginger 15 g, salt 30 g, stired until they turn black, decocted and drunk instead of tea. In addition, use scallion and large granule salt in proper amount, stir-fried in a pot, cloth wrapped and applied to the abdomen.

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Further Readings 1. Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China (Part 1) [S]. The Medicine Science and Technology Press of China, 2015. 2. Ye HG, et  al. Chinese medicinal plants, Vol. 1–30 [M]. China Chemical Industry Press; 2015–2019. 3. Xie ZW, et al. Compilation of The National Chinese Herbal Medicine, Vol. 1 [M]. Beijing: People’s Medical Publishing House; 1975. 4. Xie ZW, et al. Compilation of The National Chinese Herbal Medicine, Vol. 2 [M]. Beijing: People’s Medical Publishing House; 1975. 5. Editorial Committee of Chinese Materia Medica of Guangdong. Chinese Materia Medica of Guangdong, Vol. 1 [M]. Guangzhou: Guangdong Science & Technology Press; 1994. 6. Editorial Committee of Chinese Materia Medica of Guangdong. Chinese Materia Medica of Guangdong, Vol. 2 [M]. Guangzhou: Guangdong Science & Technology Press; 1994. 7. Ye HG, Zeng FY, et al. Medicinal plants of South China [M]. Wuhan: Huazhong University of Science and Technology Press; 2013.

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8. Hunan Academy of Chinese Medicine. Hunan Chinese Materia Medica, Vol. 1 [M]. Changsha: Hunan People’s Publishing House; 1962. 9. Hunan Academy of Chinese Medicine. Hunan Chinese Materia Medica, Vol. 2 [M]. Changsha: Hunan People’s Publishing House; 1962. 10. Hunan Academy of Chinese Medicine. Hunan Chinese Materia Medica, Vol. 3 [M]. Changsha: Hunan People’s Publishing House; 1962. 11. Wu ZY, et al. List of traditional Chinese medicine resources in Yunnan [M]. Beijing: Science Press; 1993. 12. China National Traditional Chinese Medicine Corporation. Main record of Chinese medicine resources in China [M]. Beijing: Science Press; 1994. 13. Fang D, et al. List of medicinal plants in Guangxi [M]. Nanning: Guangxi People’s Publishing house; 1986. 14. National Chinese Medicine Authority “Chinese Materia Medica” Editorial Board. Chinese Materia Medica: Mongolian Medicine Volume [M]. Shanghai: Shanghai Science and Technology Press; 2005. 15. National Chinese Medicine Authority “Chinese Materia Medica” Editorial Board. Chinese Materia Medica: Uighur Medicine Volume [M]. Shanghai: Shanghai Science and Technology Press; 2005. 16. Yi SY, et al. List of medicinal plants in Chongqing [M]. Chongqing: Chongqing Press; 2009. 17. China National Traditional Chinese Medicine Corporation. The Chinese Traditional Medicine Resource [M]. Beijing: Science Press; 1995. 18. China National Traditional Chinese Medicine Corporation. The Chinese Traditional Medicine Resource Records [M]. Beijing: Science Press; 1994. 19. Liang GL, Yi SY, et al. Wild medicinal plant resources in Jinfo Mountain [M]. Beijing: China Science and Technology Press; 2013. 20. Chen SC, Tan J, Dai CY, et al. Medicinal Flora of the three Gorges of the Yangtze River [M]. Chongqing: Chongqing University Press; 2016. 21. Wan DG. Sichuan authentic Chinese herbal Materia Medica [M]. Chengdu: Sichuan Science and Technology Press; 2005. 22. Li YH, et al. Field handbook of medicinal plant in Xinjiang [M]. Urumqi: Xinjiang People’s Saitary Press; 2013. 23. Zhu YC. Medicinal plants in North China [M]. Harbin: Heilongjiang Science and Technology Publishing House; 1989. 24. Editorial Committee of Flora of Chinese Academy of Sciences. The Flora of China. Vol. 1–80 (126 Volumes.) [M]. Beijing: Science Press; 1959–2004. 25. Three dimensional illustrated book of Chinese Traditional Medicine (Volume 1–3) [M]. Guangdong Science and Technology Press; 2015–2021.