The efficacy and function of wild cotton root

Wild cotton root is very familiar to everyone. It has a long history and has good effects on regulating the body and treating diseases. It is a good choice for health preservation. Let’s take a look together.

[Source] It is the root of wild cotton , a plant of the Ranunculaceae family. It is collected in spring or autumn, the stems and leaves are removed, and then dried in the sun.

[Original morphology] The plant morphology is detailed in the entry for "wild cotton".

[Habitat distribution] It is produced in Yunnan, Sichuan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Hunan and other places.

[Properties] The dried roots are slightly cylindrical, often twisted, with a total length of about 10 to 25 cm and a diameter of 0.6 to 2 cm. Most of the products are broken, brown to purple-brown in appearance, rough in surface, with longitudinal cracks, and occasional root marks. The outer bark sometimes falls off, revealing the yellow wood in the form of flaky pieces. The root head is slightly swollen, with the remnants of the petiole base attached to the top, densely covered with white wool. It is brittle and easy to break; the bark of the cross section is light brown, the wood is yellow, the rays are darker in color, and the vascular part consists of dozens of bundles arranged radially. The central part and ray parts of the root are often fissure-like. The smell is weak and the taste is bitter.

[Properties and flavors] ① "Southern Yunnan Materia Medica": "slightly cold in nature, bitter in taste, and poisonous."

【Functions and indications】 Treat malaria, dysentery, athlete's foot, intestinal parasitic diseases, carbuncles and swellings.

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoct in water, 2 to 4 qian; or grind into powder and make into pills. For external use: mash and apply.

[Additional prescription] ① For treating malaria: 7 to 9 wild cotton roots, 8 liang of Dichroa chinensis, and 1 liter of soybean. Cook together, remove the medicine, dry the soybeans and grind them into fine powder, mix with wine to make pills, and use realgar as coating. Take ten pills before malaria.

[Remarks] This product is used as Pulsatilla in Sichuan, Shaanxi, Gansu and other places. See the entry for "White-headed Old Man".

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

Wild cotton root is often used in the treatment of some diseases. It can be made into a compound prescription or used alone as needed. However, wild cotton root should not be consumed blindly to avoid adverse effects on the body.