The efficacy and function of water shrimp grass

Most people are already familiar with the Chinese medicinal herb water shrimp grass. But in fact, not many people know the effects and functions of the traditional Chinese medicine water shrimp grass, so let’s talk about it below.

[Other names] Wild incense, mountain sesame, stick grass

[Source] Medicinal material source: the whole herb of Epilobium parviflorum of the Onagraceae family.

[Original form] Perennial herb, 50-100cm high. The stem is reddish brown and densely covered with soft hairs. The leaves are opposite at the bottom and alternate at the top, sessile; the leaves are oblong-lanceolate, 2.5-7cm long, 1.1-1.8cm wide, with a rounded base, sparsely serrated edges, and covered with soft hairs on both sides. The flowers are bisexual, solitary in leaf axils, light pink or purple, 5-7mm long; the calyx has 4 lobes, broadly ovate, 3-4mm long, and densely covered with curved hairs on the outside; the petals are 4, broadly obovate, concave at the apex, 3-7mm long and 2-4mm wide; the stamens are 8, 4 long and 4 short; the ovary is inferior, the stigma is 4-lobed, and the lobes are about 1.5mm long. The capsule is cylindrical, 4-6cm long, sparsely covered with short glandular hairs; the fruit stalk is 5-8mm long. The seeds are obovate-elliptical, about 1 mm long, densely covered with small papillae, and with a cluster of white seed coleus at the tip.

[Habitat distribution] Ecological environment: Grown in swamps or shady and wet places at an altitude of about 1500m.

[Chemical composition] The aerial part of this product contains palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, arachidonic acid, linoleic acid, lino-lenic acid, kaempferol, myrice-tin, quercetin glucoside, quercetin-3-rhamnogalactoside, and tannins. In addition, this product also contains sitosterol, sitosteryl-β-D-glucoside, sitosteryl-6-acyl-β-D-glucoside, sitosteryl palmitate, sitosteryl decanoate, sitosteryl caprylate, sitosteryl caprylate and sitosteryl propionate.

【Nature and flavor】 Spicy; Light; Cold

【Functions and indications】Disperses wind and relieves cough; clears heat and stops diarrhea. It is mainly used for colds, fever, cough, hot summer heat diarrhea, furuncle and swelling.

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoction, 10-30g. For external use: take appropriate amount and mash it for application.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

The above introduces some basic knowledge about water shrimp grass. I believe many people will have a better understanding of water shrimp grass after reading it. There are many other medicinal herbs that we often come into contact with in our daily lives. If you have time, you might as well learn more about them.