The efficacy and function of Astilbe

Chinese medicinal materials are very common, and there are many types of them. There are also some differences in their efficacy. Therefore, before choosing, you need to have a good understanding of them. So do you know about the medicinal material Astilbe chinensis?

[Other names] Cimicifuga heracleifolia (Supplement to Compendium of Materia Medica), Atractylodes macrocephala (Sichuan Chinese Materia Medica), Horsetail ginseng, Mountain Flower Seven, Argan Eight, Iron Fire Tongs (Guizhou Herbal Medicine). Red cohosh, horsetail ginseng, wild hemp, and tiger hemp.

[Source] The whole herb of Astilbe chinensis, etc., belonging to the Saxifragaceae family . Harvest in autumn.

[Original morphology] Perennial erect herb, 45 to 60 cm tall, with thick rhizomes. The basal leaves are 2-3 times 3-compound leaves, with leaflets ovate to oblong-ovate, 3-10.5 cm long, 2-5 cm wide, with a long sharp tip, a rounded base, asymmetrical on both sides, and sharply serrated edges. Both sides have setae, especially on the veins. The flower stem is erect, 30 to 50 cm high, with scaly hairs on the lower part and densely covered with long brown hairs on the upper part. The flowers are almost sessile and form a narrow panicle; the calyx tube is shallowly cup-shaped, 5-lobed, and yellowish; there are 5 petals, white or purple, about 4 times the length of the calyx; there are 10 stamens, the filaments are blue-purple, the anthers are blue, and turn beige when mature; there are 2 carpels, which are free and fused at the base, and the ovary is semi-superior. Fruit follicles, many-seeded. Flowering period is from June to July. Fruiting period is August.

[Habitat distribution] It mostly grows in sparse woods or grass on the sunny slopes of mountains. Distributed in Liaoning, Hebei, Shanxi, Shandong, Henan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan and other places.

【Chemical composition】 The whole plant contains hydrocyanic acid. The flowers contain quercetin. Astilbe contains 2-hydroxyphenylacetic acid.

【Properties and flavors】 ① "Sichuan Chinese Materia Medica": "Cool in nature, bitter in taste, non-toxic."

【Functions and indications】Dispel wind, clear away heat and relieve cough. Treat wind-heat cold, headache and body pain, and cough.

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decocted in water, 5 to 8 qian; or soaked in wine.

[Additional prescription] ① Treat wind-heat cold: take 50 cents of horsetail ginseng and boil it in water. (Guizhou Herbs)

[Remarks] The same genus Astilbe chinensis is very similar to this species, but the plant is larger and can reach 3 feet in height. The tip of the leaflet suddenly narrows to a long point, the inflorescence is covered with glandular hairs, and the flowers are white or light pink. It has the same effect as Astilbe chinensis. Distributed throughout the south of the Yangtze River.

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

[Source] From "Supplement to Compendium of Materia Medica" "Supplement to Materia Medica": Nowadays, people often call small Cimicifuga asparagus cochinchinensis, which has the same function as Cimicifuga, but also differs in size.

Regarding the Astilbe introduced in the article, I hope everyone can learn more about the relevant information in daily life, so that they can correctly treat the disease when facing it.