The effects and functions of star fern

The medical value of star fern is beyond our imagination, and it is very effective in treating some diseases. Star ferns contain many substances that are beneficial to the human body. Let’s take a look.

【English name】 Common Microsorium

[Alias] Erlang Sword, Sharp Phoenix Tail

[Source] Medicinal material source: the whole herb of Pteris crenata, a plant of the Polypodiaceae family.

【Original morphology】Plant height 35-70cm. The rhizome is short and thick, growing horizontally, nearly smooth, grayish white, densely covered with fibrous roots, sparsely covered with dark brown, broad ovate scales with coarse sieve holes, broad and rounded base, acute apex, slightly serrated edges, attached in a shield shape, and easy to fall off. Leaves are nearly clustered; petioles are short or nearly sessile, straw-colored, and sparsely scaly at the base; leaf blades are papery, light green, broadly lanceolate, 35-55cm long, 4-8cm wide, gradually pointed at the apex, gradually narrowing towards the base to form narrow wings, or rounded wedge-shaped or nearly ear-shaped, entire or sometimes irregularly wavy, with narrow cartilaginous edges; leaf veins are reticulate, the veinlets are fibrous and tortuous, and the inner veinlets are forked. The sori are small and dense, orange-yellow in color, usually fertile only on the upper part of the back of the leaf, generally growing at the top of the internal veinlets, irregularly scattered or sometimes densely confluent; there is no sori cover.

[Habitat distribution] Ecological environment: epiphytic on old tree trunks or wall stones in the forest at an altitude of 500-1100m.

[Chemical composition] The whole plant of star fern contains triterpenoid compounds: 21-methylbacchara-12, 22 (29) -diene, 21-methyldammara-18 (28), 22 (29) -diene.

【Nature and flavor】 Bitter; Cool

【Meridian】 Bladder; Large Intestine

【Functions and indications】 Clears away heat and dampness; detoxifies. Mainly gonorrhea; dysuria; traumatic injury; dysentery

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoction, 10-30g.

[Discussions by various scholars] "Xinhua Compendium of Materia Medica": Used for urethritis, traumatic injuries, and dysentery.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

Star fern is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and can be used to treat a variety of diseases. We should eat star fern only after fully understanding its effects and functions. I hope everyone doesn’t eat carelessly.