The efficacy and function of Hulu Yang

Although Western medicine and Western drugs are more common nowadays, people still often believe that diseases can only be cured by taking Chinese medicine, because Chinese medicine can cure the root cause. Huluyang is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine. Let’s take a look at some common knowledge about Huluyang.

[Source] Medicinal material source: stems, leaves, flowers and whiskers of gourds and gourds.

[Original form] Annual climbing herb. The stems and branches are grooved and covered with long, sticky hairs, which gradually fall off with age. The petiole is slender, 16-20cm long and hairy; there are 2 glands at the top; the leaf blade is ovate-cordate or reniform-ovate, about 10-35cm long and wide, not divided into 3-5 fissures, with 5-7 palmate veins, sharp tip, irregular teeth on the edge, cordate base, curved and open, semicircular or nearly circular, covered with fine soft hairs on both sides, and the back of the leaf and the veins are relatively rough. Tendrils slender, initially pubescent, bifurcated in upper part. Monoecious, both male and female flowers are solitary; male flowers: pedicels are thin, slightly longer than petioles, pedicels, calyx and corolla are all pubescent, calyx tube is funnel-shaped, about 2cm long, lobes are lanceolate, 5mm long, corolla is white, lobes are wrinkled, 3-4cm long, 2-3cm wide, apex is slightly emarginate and top has a small tip, 5 veins; stamens are 3, filaments are 3-4mm long, anthers are 8-10mm long, oblong, and the anther chamber is folded; pedicels of female flowers are slightly shorter or nearly equal to petioles; calyx and corolla are similar to male flowers; calyx tube is 2-3mm long, ovary is constricted in the middle, densely covered with mucilaginous long soft hairs, style is thick and short, stigma is 3, expanded, and 2-lobed. The fruit is green at first, then turns white to yellow. The shape of the fruit varies greatly, depending on the variants and varieties. Some are dumbbell-shaped, tens of centimeters long, some are only 10 cm long, some are oblate, rod-shaped or ladle-shaped. When ripe, the peel becomes woody. Seeds white, obovate or triangular, truncated or 2-toothed at the leading end. Sparsely round, about 20mm long. The flowering period is July-August, and the fruiting period is August-September.

[Pharmacological action] Gourd plants can be chopped and given orally or intragastrically to West African goats, desert sheep and rhinos, which can reduce the liver's ability to synthesize protein, cause renal dysfunction and hemoconcentration. Daily intake of 1-5g/kg of fruits and leaves can cause death in goats within 1 day to 2 weeks. The seeds are less toxic.

【Nature and flavor】 Sweet; neutral

【Function and indication】Detoxification; dispersing nodules. Staple food; drug poisoning; bucktooth pain; rat fistula; dysentery.

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoct in water, 6-30g; or calcine and grind into powder.

【Note】 "Qianjin·Food Treatment": "Bian Que said that people suffering from foot ulcer and bloating should not eat this, otherwise the disease will never be cured."

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

The above is the introduction of the Chinese medicinal herb Hu Lu Yang. For medicinal herbs that we don't understand, we should learn more about them so that we can make full use of them in our lives and not be at a loss.