The efficacy and function of Rhododendron microphylla

As a traditional Chinese medicine, do you know the medicinal value of Rhododendron small-leaf? How does traditional Chinese medicine use Rhododendron small-leaf to treat diseases? And what should you pay attention to when using Rhododendron small-leaf to treat diseases in daily life? Don't worry, we will answer them one by one for you.

[Alias] Black fragrant bupleurum (Selected Chinese Herbal Medicines from Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and Qinghai).

[Source] It is the branches and leaves of Rhododendron capitatum of the Ericaceae family. Available all year round. Dry in the shade, cut into sections or distill to extract volatile oil.

[Original form] Shrub, 50 to 100 cm high. The stem is erect, much-branched, slightly curved, with short internodes. Old branches are dark brown, young branches are light green, and branches are densely scaly. The leaves are alternate, mostly on young branches. The umbel is terminal and capitate, with about 5 flowers; there are 5 sepals of unequal size; the corolla is bell-shaped and blue-purple. Capsule ovate, with scales.

[Habitat distribution] It grows in shrub forests or mixed woods on shady mountain slopes. Distributed in Gansu, Qinghai and other places.

[Properties and flavors] "Selected Chinese Herbal Medicines of Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and Qinghai": "spicy, warm."

【Functions and indications】 "Selected Chinese Herbal Medicines of Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and Qinghai": "It can relieve cough and asthma, and eliminate phlegm; it can treat chronic bronchitis and asthma."

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoct in water, 2 to 3 qian.

[Clinical Application] Treatment of chronic bronchitis: extract azalea oil from the leaves of Rhododendron microphylla, extract berberine bisulfate from the three-leaf needle, and extract amygdalin from bitter almonds. Put the three medicines into capsules according to the following dosage: 0.09 g (0.1 ml) of azalea oil, 0.25 g of berberine bisulfate, and 0.02 g of amygdalin. Take 1 capsule each after breakfast, lunch and dinner, 4 times a day, and 2 capsules before bedtime. The course of treatment is 10 days. A total of 350 cases were treated, ranging in age from 50 to 79 years old. Most of them had a disease course of more than 6 years, and the longest was 50 years. Efficacy: 41 cases (11.7%) were clinically cured, and 112 cases (32%) were significantly effective. The undiluted sputum of 130 patients was cultured, and all of them showed bacterial growth, such as catarrhal diplococci, pneumonia diplococci, group A streptococci, diphtheroid bacilli, Haemophilus influenzae, and Staphylococcus albus; the sputum cultures of 96 cases were compared before and after treatment, and the positive rate after treatment was significantly lower than that before treatment. This prescription has obvious antitussive, expectorant and anti-inflammatory effects, but its antiasthmatic effect is not strong enough. About 5% of cases experienced side effects such as dizziness, dry mouth, and stomach discomfort. Some cases experienced abdominal distension, diarrhea, and urticaria, which all disappeared on their own. This drug had no significant effect on electrocardiogram, liver and kidney function.

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

[Source] From "Selected Chinese Herbal Medicines from Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and Qinghai"

The above content is an introduction to the Chinese medicinal material Rhododendron small-leaf. In our daily lives, we should learn more about Rhododendron small-leaf so that we can use it more reasonably and better maximize its value.