The efficacy and function of Hualian Asarum

As people's living standards continue to improve, health and longevity are gradually valued by us, so nowadays health-preserving diet therapy methods are very popular, the trend of traditional Chinese medicine is becoming more and more popular, and Chinese medicine has once again occupied people's vision. Today we will talk about the Chinese medicine Hualian Asarum.

[Alias] Variegated Asarum, harlequined cat, sky-turning seal (Sichuan Chinese Materia Medica), water horseshoe (Chinese Medicinal Plant Atlas), wild Asarum (Guangzhou Army's Handbook of Commonly Used Chinese Herbal Medicines), horse-hoof Asarum (Chinese Higher Plant Atlas).

[Source] It is the whole herb with roots of the Aristolochia species. Harvested in spring and summer. Wash and dry. In Guangxi, the whole plant is dug up in winter, washed and air-dried.

[Original form] Perennial herb. It has a light yellow creeping rhizome with many fleshy roots and usually two leaves at the top. The leaves are large, thick, ovate-elliptical, 16 to 20 cm long, about 8 to 10 cm wide, with a sharp tip, a cordate base, and a narrow notch; the petiole is fleshy, 14 to 20 cm long, and sparsely covered with short soft hairs. The flowers are large, solitary at the top of the stem, up to 6 cm in diameter, and purple-brown; the pedicel is 2 to 9 cm long; the perianth is short, with 3 lobes, broadly ovate, about 3 cm long and 4 cm wide, with white transverse wrinkled markings at the base; there are 12 stamens. Capsule fleshy, nearly spherical; about 2.5 cm in diameter. Seeds conical, acuminate at apex, nearly smooth on back.

[Habitat distribution] It grows in the shade and wet places under forests on hillsides and beside streams. Distributed in Guangdong, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei and Sichuan. Produced in Sichuan, Hunan, Jiangxi, Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and other places.

[Properties] The dry rhizome of the whole herb with roots is thick, straight or arc-shaped, about 5 to 10 cm long and 3 to 4 mm thick; the appearance is brown-gray or light brown, with many segments, and the top has wrinkled leaf bases or shrunken leaves, and the lower part has a few fine fibrous roots, and the wrinkles are not obvious. The cross section is white. The leaves are wrinkled, brittle, and withered green or withered brown. When soaked in water and unfolded, they are heart-shaped with spots on the surface. The petioles are slender and purple-brown. Slight fragrance. The best ones are those with yellow-green color, thick roots and pink-white texture.

【Nature and flavor】 Spicy, warm.

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

【Functions and indications】 Treat colds, headaches, coughs, asthma, rheumatism, and falls.

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoct in water, 0.5-1 qian; or grind into powder, 2-3 fen.

【Note】 "Sichuan Traditional Chinese Medicine Annals": "People with weak constitution, excessive sweating, coughing and hemoptysis, and pregnant women should not take this medicine."

[Additional prescription] ① Treat rheumatic colds, headaches and body aches: Asarum, Saposhnikovia divaricata, Atractylodes lancea, Poria cocos, Tangerine peel and Notopterygium wilfordii. Decoction in water. (Sichuan Traditional Chinese Medicine Records)

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

[Source] From "Sichuan Chinese Materia Medica".

The above are some little knowledge about Asarum odoratum. If you feel it is suitable for your physical condition, you might as well give it a try. I believe it will bring about a significant improvement to your body.