The efficacy and function of thorn needle

The medical value of spiny needles is beyond our imagination. They are very effective in treating some diseases. Thorn needles contain many substances that are beneficial to the human body. Let’s take a look.

[Other names] White thorn (Ben Jing), thorn, jujube needle (Bie Lu), red dragon claw (Pu Ji Fang).

[Source] It is the thorn of the jujube of the Rhamnaceae family.

【Nature and flavor】 ①《Ben Jing》: "Tastes spicy, cold."

【Functions and indications】Reduce swelling, relieve pus and relieve pain. Treat carbuncle with pus, heart and stomach pain, hematuria, and throat congestion.

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoct in water, 1 to 2 qian; or make into pills or powder. For external use: decoction and apply or grind into powder and sniff the nose.

[Additional prescription] ① To treat various malignant swellings with pus caused by improper treatment: burn the thorn needles and make them into ashes, drink it with water, the pus will come out after a night. (Qianjin Fang)

【Discussions by various scholars】 "Ben Cao Shu": "In the "Zun Sheng" book, there is a deer antler pill for treating hematuria, which uses thorns among the tonics, and also contains cinnamon and aconite. So the "Bie Lu" saying that it can treat male weakness is not without basis. However, the treatment in the "Ben Jing" seems to be to relieve pus, stop pain, and resolve knots first. Could it be that this flavor is tonic and has the effect of leading the way? In other words, there may not be such a combination of moving and tonic among all the medicinal flavors. However, if the main treatments of white thorn and thorn needles in the "Bie Lu" are slightly different, it should be explained by Kou's."

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

[Source] 1. "Tang Materia Medica": There are two kinds of thorns, red and white, just like the colors of various dates are different. It is not surprising that the latter has flowers. As there are no thorns in the south of the Yangtze River, Li Yun uses jujube needles. Now when using thorns, white needles are better. The flower is the thorn flower, there is definitely nothing else. However, there are two types of acupuncture, hook type and straight type. The straight type is suitable for tonifying, while the hook type is suitable for treating swelling.

The effects and functions of thorn needles are varied, and we should choose the appropriate method of consumption according to different physical symptoms. In life, we can learn more about this when we have free time.