The efficacy and function of mother-in-law's nail vegetable

We are all familiar with it when it comes to Mother's Nail Veggies. Mother's Nail Veggies is not only edible but also has very high medicinal effects. Eating Mother's Nail Veggies regularly can play a very good health-preserving and health-care role.

[Other names] Melon seed grass (Illustrated Catalogue of Plant Names and Realities), Tall Mouse Ear Grass (Zhejiang Tianmu Yam Plant Catalogue).

[Source] It is the whole herb of the Caryophyllaceae plant.

[Original morphology] Biennial herb, erect, clustered, densely covered with soft hairs; up to 26 cm tall. The lower part of the stem is purple-red and the upper part is green. Leaves are opposite; leaf blades are 1-2 cm long and 0.5-1.2 cm wide, with leaves at the base spoon-shaped and leaves at the top ovate to elliptical, entire, obtuse or slightly convex at the apex, and obtuse at the base; the main vein is obvious and protrudes from the back of the leaf. The flowers are gathered in dichotomous cymes; there are 5 sepals, green, with glandular hairs, membranous margins, and lanceolate shape; there are 5 petals, white, obovate, with 2-lobed apex; there are 10 stamens, with yellow anthers; there is 1 pistil, with a round-ovate ovary and 4 to 5 styles. Capsule, cylindrical, 10-toothed when mature. The seeds are brown, slightly triangular, and densely covered with fine protrusions. Flowering period is April.

【Habitat distribution】Grows on roadsides and grasslands. Distributed in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hunan, Henan and other places.

【Chemical composition】 Contains sugars.

【Pharmacological action】 Antihypertensive effect. The decoction has a good effect in lowering blood pressure in acute experiments on intravenous injection of anesthetized rabbits, cats and dogs, as well as in chronic experiments on rabbits and dogs such as oral gavage. The effect is particularly good in acute experiments on dogs and oral gavage on dogs. The antihypertensive effect of Herba Lysimachiae (6 g/kg) on ​​rabbits is more significant than that of 10% reserpine suspension (5 mg/kg).

[Toxicity] The median lethal dose for mice is 141.6 g/kg, which is quite different from the effective dose for dogs by oral administration (2 g/kg), so it indicates that the toxicity is relatively low. On the other hand, the results of kidney and liver function tests on rabbits also show that the damage is not serious, but there is an impact.

[Nature and flavor] "Compendium of Materia Medica": "sweet in taste."

【Functions and indications】 "Illustrated Records of Plant Names and Realities": "It can clear urine and cause heat syndrome."

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoct in water, 5 to 6 qian. For external use: mash and apply.

[Additional prescription] ① To treat the initial stage of breast abscess in women: Mash fresh mother-in-law's nail grass, add wine dregs to make a cake, heat it and apply it to the pulse gate of the wrist. Apply the left breast to the right wrist, and the right breast to the left wrist. (Zhejiang Tianmu Yam Plant Records)

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

[Source] From "Herbal Medicine for Famine Relief"

Mother's nail grass is a medicinal material that has existed for a long time. It is recorded in many Chinese medicine books, which shows that mother's nail grass does have good medicinal value.