The efficacy and function of duckweed [picture]

Recently, major TV channels have launched various health programs, and food programs have also introduced special health-preserving dietary therapy methods. All aspects show that the concept of health preservation is gradually deepening in people's understanding. Now we will introduce a health-preserving medicinal material - duckweed [picture].

[Other names] Dazhe (Compendium of Materia Medica), Zhumulian (Record of Medicinal Herbs in Lingnan), Water Duckweed (Nanning Pharmacopoeia), Dapu Algae (Lingnan Medicinal Herbs), Duckweed (Guangxi Medicinal Plant List).

[Source] It is the whole herb of the water lettuce of the Araceae family. Harvest in summer, remove the fibrous roots and dry in the sun.

[Original form] A floating stemless herb with long, hanging roots in bundles. The leaves are clustered, obovate-cuneate, 2.5 to 10 cm long, truncated and rounded at the tip, thick at the base, without distinction between petiole and leaf blade, hairy on both sides, with raised, fan-shaped veins underneath. The spathe is white, tubular at the bottom and open at the top, 1.2 cm long, with a short petiole and soft hairs, growing in the center of the leaf cluster; the flowers are unisexual and on the same plant; the spadix is ​​fused to the back of the spathe tube and separated at the top; the male inflorescence is born at the top of the inflorescence axis and consists of several sessile, fused stamens; the female inflorescence is born at the bottom and is a solitary, conical-ovate, 1-chambered ovary with many ovules. berry. Flowering period is from June to July.

【Habitat distribution】 Lives in fresh water. Distributed in South China and East China. Produced in Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian and other places.

[Properties] The whole plant is dried, with clustered leaves, mostly wrinkled, and the whole plant is in a ball shape. The leaf blade is 3 to 4 cm in diameter, light yellow to light green, and has long and dense hairs at the base, or remnants of fibrous roots. The texture is soft and fragile. It has a slight smell and tastes salty. It is better to choose dry ones without roots.

【Nature and flavor】Pungent, cold.

【Functions and indications】Cooling blood, promoting blood circulation, promoting diuresis and removing dampness. Treat urticaria, erysipelas, dropsy, eczema, bruises, and unknown swellings.

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoct in water, 3 to 5 qian. For external use: mash and apply or decoct in water for fumigation and washing.

【Note】 ① "Nanning Drug Directory": "Pregnant women and those who are not suffering from excess heat or excess pathogens are prohibited to use this medicine."

[Additional prescription] ① Treating itching due to blood heat: 0.5 jin of large duckweed, 0.5 jin of honeysuckle, 4 liang of ground mulberry, 0.5 jin of pond snake, 4 liang of earthwormwood, 0.5 jin of earthwormwood, 3 liang of camphor wood leaves (all used fresh). Wash with decoction. (Luchuan Materia Medica)

[Remarks] This product is used as duckweed in Guangdong, Guangxi and Fujian.

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

[Source] From "Essentials of the Nature of Raw Herbs"

Everyone should know the effects and functions of duckweed [picture]. Duckweed [picture] has high medicinal value and is a very common Chinese medicinal material. It is very good for our body.