The efficacy and function of heart-leaf wild crabapple

Although Western medicine and Western drugs are more common nowadays, people still often believe that diseases can only be cured by taking Chinese medicine, because Chinese medicine can cure the root cause. Heart-leafed wild crabapple is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine. Let’s take a look at some common knowledge about heart-leafed wild crabapple.

[Other names] Chicken coop red hemp, sky gourd, red water hemp leaf, mountain red hemp, can grass

[Source] Medicinal material source: the whole plant with roots of Malus cordifolia of the Melastomataceae family.

[Original form] Subshrub, up to 20cm tall. Stem cylindrical, obtusely quadrangular when young, branchlets pubescent. Leaves are opposite; petiole is 1-3cm long; leaf blade is hard and papery, ovate or oblong-ovate, gradually pointed at apex, cordate at base, 3-6cm long, 1.7-3.5cm wide, with very sparse rough hairs on the upper side and finely soft hairs on the lower side, which are more and more obvious on the veins, with fine serrations on the margins; 7 basal veins. The inflorescence is terminal, the flowers are small, and the petals are about 6mm long; there are 4 long stamens and 4 short stamens, the longer one is about 11mm long, the anthers are linear-lanceolate, slightly curved, the connective is decurrent or petiolate, and the shorter one is about 7mm long, the anthers are lanceolate, with tubercles at the base, and the connective is decurrent into a short spur; the ovary is semi-inferior, ovate, with a membranous crown at the apex, the crown margin has eroded fine teeth, and has glandular dots. The flowering period is from June to August, and the fruiting period is from September to October.

[Habitat distribution] Ecological environment: Grown in moist places under forests on hillsides at an altitude of about 600m or in grass at the edge of forests.

【Nature and flavor】 Spicy; slightly bitter; cool

【Functions and indications】Resolves phlegm and relieves cough; promotes blood circulation and stops bleeding. Mainly used for cough, numbness of hands and feet, bloody diarrhea, epistaxis, gastric bleeding, irregular menstruation, metrorrhagia, leucorrhea, and bleeding due to trauma

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoction, 15-30g; or soak in wine. For external use: take appropriate amount, pound or grind into powder for application.

【Note】Avoid spicy food.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

Everyone should know about the medicinal value of the heart-leafed wild crabapple. We should pay more attention to information in this area so that we can be prepared when encountering problems and avoid panic.