The efficacy and function of water boxwood

The Chinese medicinal boxwood is a very good Chinese medicinal material. It has a very good effect in regulating the body and is also widely used in medicine. Let’s take a look together.

[Alias] Wubangzi (Catalogue of Guizhou Medicinal Plants).

[Source] It is the root of Polygala caudatum of the Polygalaceae family. Available all year round.

[Original form] Shrub, about 1 meter high. Leaves are alternate with short petioles; leaf blades are elliptic-lanceolate, 5 to 9.5 cm long, 1.5 to 3 cm wide, with a caudate-long pointed tip, a cuneate base, entire margins, and yellow-green underneath. The raceme is constant and in bundles; there are 5 sepals, the outer 3 are oval with purple-red edges, and the inner 2 are larger, petal-shaped, and yellow; there are 3 petals, the middle one is keel-shaped with a tassel at the top; there are 8 stamens, and the filaments are fused at the bottom; the ovary is 2-chambered. Capsule; 2 seeds.

[Habitat distribution] Grown in shady and wet places in ravines and streams. Distributed in southwest and south China.

[Chemical composition] The rhizome (including the bark) contains flavonoids, saponins, phenolic substances (tannic acid and other phenolic compounds), coumarone, and resins. Among them, flavonoids may be the main antibacterial and antiasthmatic components, while saponins and tannins have expectorant and antitussive effects.

【Nature and flavor】 "Guizhou Herbal Medicine": "sweet, neutral."

【Functions and indications】 ① "Guizhou Herbal Medicine": "clears away heat and dampness, relieves stranguria. Treats jaundice, hepatitis, and hematuria."

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoct in water, 0.5 to 1 liang.

[Clinical application] Treatment of chronic bronchitis: Use Arnebia chinensis, Sargentodoxae and Epimedium, make the three into tablets separately and take them at the same time. Wubangzi tablets are made from water extract and alcohol extract respectively, referred to as water-boiled tablets and alcohol-extracted tablets. Each water-boiled tablet weighs 0.1 gram, which is equivalent to 0.33 liang of crude drug; each alcohol-extracted tablet weighs 0.2 gram, which is equivalent to 0.4 liang of crude drug. Both Sargentodoxae and Epimedium tablets are made of extracts, each tablet is 0.5 grams, which is equivalent to 0.13 liang of the raw medicine Sargentodoxae and 0.06 liang of Epimedium. According to different dosage forms, it is divided into 2 groups: Group 1 is Wubangzi boiled tablets. 6 to 9 or 15 tablets per day, including 9 tablets of Sargentodoxae and 9 tablets of Epimedium; the second group consists of 9 tablets each of Aralia dahurica alcohol extract tablets, Sargentodoxae and Epimedium tablets. A course of treatment is 10 days, or it can be taken continuously for 20 to 30 days. According to the efficacy observation of two courses of treatment, among the 67 cases in Group 1, 19 were controlled in the short term and 12 were significantly effective; among the 49 cases in Group 2, 9 were controlled in the short term and 10 were significantly effective. Clinically, it was found that the efficacy of the Wubangzi water-boiled tablets was better than that of the alcohol-extracted tablets. The above-mentioned Wubangzi compound has good antitussive, expectorant and certain anti-inflammatory effects, but poor antiasthmatic effect. A small number of patients experienced stomach discomfort, nausea, abdominal pain, fullness, numbness and astringency in the mouth, itchy skin, etc. after taking the above concentrated decoction (1:1), and occasionally dizziness and palpitations, which disappeared quickly after stopping the medication. Tablets, especially boiled tablets, have fewer side effects.

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

[Source] From "Guizhou Herbs".

Based on the above summary, boxwood still has certain pharmacological effects. What needs to be noted is that boxwood should be consumed according to one's actual situation and not in excess.