The efficacy and function of Castanea

The world is full of wonders, and Chinese medicinal materials are also varied and varied. Here I would like to introduce to you a Chinese medicinal material, Castanopsis.

【Other names】 Castanea henryi, Castanea henryi, Lecui

[Source] Medicinal material source: The seeds of Castanopsis guilinensis of the Fagaceae family.

[Original form] Tree, up to 20m tall, with a breast diameter of 60cm. The bark is dark gray and cracked longitudinally when old. Branchlets have oval lenticels and are glabrous. Leaves are alternate; petiole is 1-2.5cm long; leaf blade is lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, 7-18cm long, 2-5cm wide, gradually pointed at apex, base often rounded or broadly cuneate, serrated above the middle, with obvious network, leaf surfaces of almost the same color, midrib has protrusions on top, glabrous, with 10-12 pairs of pinnate lateral veins. The flowers are unisexual and monoecious; the male inflorescence is paniculate or spike-shaped, the inflorescence axis is almost glabrous, the male flowers are green-white, small, arranged in upright, branched panicles or spike-shaped inflorescences, clustered at the top of the twigs; each female flower is hidden in a bract and arranged in a short spike-shaped inflorescence. The involucre is about 2.5cm in diameter, covered with dense antler-like sharp spines on the outside, cracks when mature, with 3-4 petals, the cup wall is 1-1.5mm thick, the spines are 0.7-1.4cm long, merged at the base or below the middle to form a bundle of spines, which are densely grown, the inner wall of the cup is densely covered with long brown hairs, the outer wall and spines are covered with gray fine hairs when young, the cup is almost glabrous when mature, each cup has one nut; the nut is nearly ovate, 1-1.3cm in diameter, 1.2-1.6cm high, glabrous, and the navel is almost the same size as the bottom of the fruit. The flowering period is from May to July, and the fruiting period is from September to November of the following year.

[Habitat distribution] Ecological environment: It likes warm and humid climate. It often grows in mountains or valleys at an altitude of 200-1500m, mixed with evergreen broad-leaved forests, and sometimes mixed with Masson pine to form mixed forests.

【Nature and flavor】 Sweet; neutral

【Functions and indications】Nourishes the kidney and strengthens the stomach. Mainly for kidney deficiency; impotence; emaciation and fatigue

[Usage and Dosage] For internal use: appropriate amount, stir-fry or cook with lean pork.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

Having said so much, we can see that castanea has many uses. It can also be used as medicine to treat diseases. You might as well know more about these, it will be helpful in your life.