The efficacy and function of sticky fish whiskers

Everyone is familiar with glutinous fish whiskers. It has a long history and has good effects on regulating the body and treating diseases. It is a good choice for health preservation. Let’s take a look together.

[Other names] Dragon's beard vegetable (Compendium of Materia Medica for Famine Relief), catfish whisker grass (Wang Anqing's Records of Collecting Medicinal Herbs), Jingangxue (Simple Herbal Medicine), silver carp whiskers (Hubei Records), barbed thorns (Chinese Materia Medica Records), sticky fish whiskers Smilax glabra (Shanxi Chinese Materia Medica Records).

[Source] It is the rhizome and root of Smilax china, a plant of the Liliaceae family. It can be harvested throughout the year. Generally, the roots are dug up in spring and autumn, the stems, leaves and soil are removed, and then dried.

[Original form] Perennial climbing vine, up to 2 meters long. The rhizome is short, the roots are slender and slightly curved, the outer bark is gray-brown and tough, and there are a few sparse fine thorns on it. The stem is slightly square, green, and striped. The thorns are flat and slightly curved at the tip. There are more of them at the base of the stem and fewer at the top. Leaves are alternate; petiole base is slightly enlarged and clasps the stem; stipules and petiole base are connate, separated into tendrils at the upper end; leaf blade is thin leathery, elliptical to triangular ovate, 3-8 cm long, 2-6 cm wide, gradually pointed at apex, slightly cordate or rounded at base, entire, slightly wavy, with 5-7 main veins and obvious reticulate veins. The flowers are unisexual and dioecious; the umbels are axillary, the peduncle is about 1.5 cm long, and the pedicels are 5 to 10 mm long; the flowers are yellow-green, broadly bell-shaped, with 6 tepals, which are elliptical and flat; the male flowers have 6 stamens; the female flowers have a round ovary. The berries are spherical and black when ripe. Flowering period is from June to August. Fruiting period is from July to September.

[Habitat distribution] Growing in mountain mixed woods. Distributed in Liaoning, Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu and other places. Produced in Shaanxi, Henan, Shanxi, Gansu, Shandong and other places.

[Properties] The dried rhizome is irregularly cylindrical and curved. The appearance is dark brown, surrounded by numerous slender roots, about 50 to 80 cm long and 1 to 2 mm in diameter, which are twisted and not straight, with a few finer fibrous roots and thorns scattered around. The thorn tips are slightly curved and prickly to the touch. The root surface is gray-brown or gray-brown. The texture is tough and elastic, not easy to break. The cross section is grayish white or yellowish white, with light brown rings in the middle and small holes (ducts) outside the rings. No odor, light taste. The best ones are those with long roots, tough texture and few fine fibrous roots.

[Chemical composition] The rhizome contains saponins, tannins, resins and a large amount of starch. The stems contain tigotogenin, neotigotogenin and laxogenin.

[Preparation] Pick out impurities, soak in water until slightly soft, remove the root, cut into sections, and dry in the sun.

【Nature and flavor】 ① "Compendium of Materia Medica": "sweet in taste."

【Functions and indications】Dispel wind, promote blood circulation, reduce swelling and relieve pain. Treat rheumatic pain in muscles and bones, furuncle, and swelling.

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decocted in water, 1.5 to 3 qian; or made into pills or powder. For external use: mash and apply or grind into powder and apply.

[Remarks] This product is used as Clematis chinensis in most areas of Beijing, Tianjin, Shaanxi, Gansu, Henan, Hebei, Shandong and Shanxi. See the entry for "Clematis chinensis".

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

From the above description, we can know that the nutritional value and medicinal value of fish whiskers are very high. It can treat some diseases and can also be used as a raw material for diet therapy. It is indeed a good choice for health and wellness.