The efficacy and function of goldenrod root

As we all know, broom root is a very common medicinal material with many years of history. It can also treat many diseases. Let us learn about the medicinal value of broom root.

[Other names] White carpel (Illustrated Catalogue of Plant Names and Realities), Yangquehua root, Panax notoginseng (Herbal Prescriptions). Wild Astragalus and Radix Astragali (Zhejiang Handbook of Traditional Chinese Medicine).

[Source] It is the root or root bark of the leguminous plant Caragana . It can be harvested throughout the year (in Sichuan, it is mostly dug in late summer and early autumn). After digging, wash off the mud and sand, remove the fibrous roots and dark-brown cork, and use it fresh or dried. Or you can remove the wood core, cut the peel into sections and dry them in the sun.

[Habitat distribution] The roots are produced in Zhejiang and Jiangsu; the root bark is produced in Sichuan.

[Properties] The roots are cylindrical, brown when the cork is not removed, with longitudinal wrinkles and sparse, irregular protruding transverse lines. Those with the cork removed are mostly light yellow, with occasional transverse cracks. The root bark is a single roll of round strips or blocks, 12 to 20 cm long, 1 to 2.5 cm in diameter, and 3 to 7 mm thick. There is a longitudinal crack on one side of the roll, and the inner surface is light brown. The texture is tough, the cross section is white, slightly yellow, fleshy, and contains many fibers. Tastes bitter. The best roots are those with thick inner bark, slightly yellowish color, complete and without any breakage.

【Chemical composition】 The roots contain alkaloids, glycosides, saponins and starch.

[Pharmacological action] Intraperitoneal injection of 90 g of the raw drug/kg of the alcohol extract can cause a lasting drop in blood pressure in anesthetized cats. Preliminary analysis shows that the mechanism of blood pressure reduction is related to the nerve center. The median lethal dose for mice injected intraperitoneally is 309.7 g/kg. Ether extract also has a blood pressure lowering effect.

【Nature and flavor】 Bitter and pungent, neutral.

【Meridian】 "Sichuan Chinese Medicine Annals": "enters the lung and spleen meridians."

【Functions and indications】 Clears the lungs and benefits the spleen, promotes blood circulation and unclogs the meridians. It is used to treat fatigue, fever, cough, hypertension, leucorrhea, metrorrhagia in women, gout in joints, and injuries from falls.

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoct in water, 0.5 to 1 liang. For external use: mash and apply.

[Additional prescription] ① Treat leucorrhea due to spleen and kidney deficiency, wind caused by tuberculosis and blood deficiency, and itching due to damp heat: stew chicken with the root bark of broom. (Chongqing Herbs)

[Clinical Application] Treatment of hypertension: Take the root of Caragana, remove the skin, slice it and dry it in the sun. Take 0.7 to 1 liang per day, decoct it in water to extract the juice, add appropriate amount of sugar, and take it in 2 to 3 times. 100 cases were observed (blood pressure above 160/100 mmHg), and the antihypertensive effects were as follows: 19 cases of stage II hypertension showed significant effect (according to the standards set by the National Cardiovascular Disease Conference in 1964, the same below), 41 cases were effective, and 18 cases were ineffective; 2 cases of stage III showed significant effect, 7 cases were effective, and 8 cases were ineffective; 1 case of renal hypertension showed significant effect, and 1 case was effective; 2 cases of postpartum hypertension were effective, and 1 case was ineffective. The overall effective rate is 73%. The time it takes for blood pressure to start decreasing (defined as a drop of 10 mmHg or more in diastolic blood pressure) is within a week in about 75% of cases, and in a few cases it starts decreasing after 3-4 weeks. Preliminary observations show that this product has a blood pressure lowering effect on various types of hypertension, especially on patients with stage II hypertension; sometimes it can even play a role that general Western blood pressure lowering drugs cannot. In a few cases, although blood pressure did not drop after taking the medicine, the symptoms were significantly alleviated. The antihypertensive effect of Caragana root is related to the dosage and duration of medication. If taking 7 qian a day does not work, increasing the dose to 1 liang will cause blood pressure to drop. In some cases, where taking the medicine for one week does not work, blood pressure will begin to drop after 2 to 4 weeks of continued medication. This indicates that increasing the dosage or extending the duration of medication can increase the antihypertensive effect. For patients with hypertension and myocardial damage, not only did the blood pressure drop after taking the medicine, but the damaged myocardium also returned to normal after electrocardiogram examination. Follow-up observation after treatment showed that 5% of the cases had no increase in blood pressure six months after stopping the medication, indicating that the antihypertensive effect was relatively solid. In practice, it has also been observed that this product, when used in combination with ginkgo leaf extract, has a synergistic antihypertensive effect. The ratio of cholesterol to phospholipids was also improved; when used in combination with reserpine, the effect was more significant than using Caragana root or reserpine alone. The therapeutic effect is also improved when it is used in combination with Cassia tora and Aucklandia lappa. According to the observation of 64 cases, the total effective rate reached 90%. In 60% of the cases, the blood pressure began to drop after 4 to 5 days of medication. This drug has very few side effects. Only 3 cases developed skin itching, urticaria and allergic dermatitis after taking the drug; 2 cases developed cough after taking the drug.

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

Through the detailed introduction of goldenrod root, I believe everyone has a certain understanding and can better improve our common sense in life.