The efficacy and function of shepherd's purse

For many Chinese people, traditional Chinese medicine is very trustworthy because it has a long history and few side effects. Shepherd's purse is a common Chinese medicinal material, which has many benefits for human health. So how can we eat shepherd's purse? Let's learn about it below.

【English Name】 Largeserrate Mosla, Herb of Largeserrate Mosla

[Other names] Stinky Su, Green and White Su

[Source] Medicinal material source: the stems and leaves of Capsella purse, a plant of the Lamiaceae family.

[Original morphology] Shepherd's purse, annual herb, 20-50cm tall. The stem is erect, quadrangular, and covered with inverted short soft hairs. Leaves are opposite, with petioles 5-15mm long; leaf blades are ovate or ovate-rhombus, 1-3cm long, 1-2.5cm wide, with sharp tips, cuneate bases, and coarsely serrated edges. The cyme has 2 flowers, forming a terminal pseudoraceme on the main stem and side branches, 3-7cm long, with flowers arranged loosely, with white inflorescence on the axial node of the inflorescence, 3-7cm long, with florets arranged loosely, with short white hairs on the axial node of the inflorescence, and 2-3mm long pedicels; bracts lanceolate, longer than pedicels; calyx bell-shaped, about 3mm long, with short soft hairs on the outside and glandular dots, upper lip 3-toothed, middle teeth shorter; corolla lip-shaped, about 4mm long, white, upper lip short, apex slightly missing, lower lip 3-lobed; stamens 4, posterior pair fertile, anther 2-chambered, sterile stamens with obvious chambers; ovary 4-lobed, style basal, stigma 2-lobed. The nutlets are nearly spherical with sparse reticulate patterns. The flowering period is from July to August, and the fruiting period is from August to November.

[Habitat distribution] Ecological environment: grows in riverside grasslands, roadsides or bushes.

[Properties] Identification of properties: the stem is square columnar, 20-50cm long, nearly hairless and brittle. The leaves are curled and wrinkled, and when flattened they are ovate, broadly ovate or diamond-shaped ovate, 1-3 cm long, 1-2.5 cm wide, with a pointed tip, a cuneate base, and coarsely serrated edges. The flowers in the spike inflorescence of the singing genus are mostly wrinkled into a ball, and the corolla is yellow-white. Nutlets oval. The air has a unique and refreshing fragrance. Spicy and cool.

[Chemical composition] The oil content of stems and leaves is 0.3%, mainly thymol, carvacrol, phellandrene and thymoquinone. The oil content of the whole plant is 0.11%, and its main components are bisabolene, α-caryophyllene and methyleugenol.

【Nature and flavor】 Spicy; warm

【Meridian】 Stomach; Large Intestine

【Functions and indications】Diuretic and detumescent; soothing the stomach and reducing acid. Mainly used for ascites edema; diarrhea; excessive gastric acid; abdominal pain caused by worms; swollen and painful hemorrhoids

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decocted in water, 9-15g. For external use: take appropriate amount and mash it for application.

[Discussions by various scholars] 1. "Supplement to Compendium of Materia Medica": To treat ant fistula, crush the medicine and apply it on the affected area. It also treats diarrhea caused by cold; it can be eaten as raw vegetable to remove acid in the stomach.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

The above content is an introduction to the Chinese medicine Shepherd's Purse. I hope it can be of some help to everyone. There are many medicinal herbs similar to shepherd's purse in our daily life. When we consume Chinese medicines such as shepherd's purse, we need to follow the doctor's instructions and not consume them blindly.