Honglian's efficacy and effects

Many people are not very clear about the effects and functions of the traditional Chinese medicine Honglian. Let’s take a look below.

[Other names] Tibetan Coptis chinensis, rabbit ear grass

[Source] Medicinal material source: the roots and whole herbs of Scrophulariaceae plants such as Large-calyx Rabbit Ear Grass, Integrity Rabbit Ear Grass or Short-tube Rabbit Ear Grass.

[Original form] Perennial herb, 15-20cm high. The rhizome is thick, mostly horizontal, with a diameter of 7-12mm. The roots are numerous, linear, and clustered, with no remaining old stalks outside the root neck. There are 1-2 stems, which are thick, winding and ascending, and growing beyond the leaves. There are many basal leaves in a rosette shape. The petiole is 47 cm long, with wings on the edge and expanded into a sheath shape at the base. The leaf blade is ovate-oblong, 4-9 cm long, with acuminate or obtuse apex, cuneate base and irregular serrations on the edge. There are many stem leaves, sessile, similar to the basal leaves but smaller. The spike inflorescence is 8-10cm long, thin and soft, curved outward, with sparse flowers in the lower part and dense flowers in the upper part; the bracts are ovate, gradually pointed at the apex, entire or toothed; the calyx is spathe-shaped, broad, membranous, shallowly lobed at the back, the lobes are ovate-triangular to nearly circular, with short tricholoma; the corolla is blue-purple, enclosed in the calyx, the corolla tube is slightly arched, and is nearly the same length as the lip, the upper lip is obovate, the lower lip is 3-lobed, and the lobes are anti-acicular; the filaments are short, attached to the edge of the base of the upper lip: the style extends out of the corolla tube, and the stigma is 2-lobed. Flowering period is August-September.

[Habitat distribution] Ecological environment: Growing in alpine shrub gaps and alpine grasslands at an altitude of 4600-5300m.

【Properties】 Identification of properties (1) The whole plant of Macrocalyx serrata is 10-20cm long. The rhizome and leaves are cylindrical, slightly curved, with dense internodes, shaped like a silkworm body, 2-10 cm long, 3-6 mm in diameter, dark brown or purple-brown on the surface; brittle and easy to break, with gray-yellow or brown cross-section, and 3-7 white dot-like vascular bundles arranged in a ring. The roots are attached to the rhizome, 3-9cm long, about 0.2cm in diameter, and dark brown in color. The upper cauline leaves and stems are withered, the stem diameter is 0.1-0.2cm, and brown; the basal leaves have long petioles, and the leaves are mostly curled and broken. The intact ones are ovate-elliptical when flattened, 3-5cm long, 2-3cm wide, with an acute tip, a broad cuneate base, sparsely serrated edges, gray-green or yellow-green; the back of the leaf veins is slightly lavender. The spike inflorescence is terminal, 2-8cm long; the bracts are leaf-like, the flowers are small, lavender or dark purple; the calyx is spathe-shaped, with 2 shallow teeth; the corolla tube is curved, and the upper part is two-lipped. It has a faint smell and a slightly bitter taste.

[Pharmacological action] 1. Anti-ulcer effect: 4 g/kg of the aqueous extract (Ⅰ) of this product was administered by oral gavage to anesthetized rats on the first day after chemical gastric ulcer was induced by glacial acetic acid. The drug was used continuously for 7 days. The animals were killed on the 8th day. The ulcer area and ulcer volume were used as indicators. The results showed that Ⅰ could significantly promote the healing of chronic gastric ulcers in rats and had an anti-ulcer effect.

【Toxicity】 10 rats were given Ⅰ25g/kg by gavage and observed for 1 week, and no death was found. The median lethal dose of Ⅰ injected intraperitoneally in mice is 38.2g/kg.

【Identification】 1. Take 5g of the powder (20 mesh) of this product, add 50ml of ethanol, extract in a water bath for 30 minutes, pass the extract through a 10g alumina column, and then elute with 20ml of ethanol. Concentrate the eluate to 10ml under reduced pressure, add 10ml of water, shake with 50ml of petroleum ether for 5 minutes, separate the water layer, add an equal amount of n-butanol to extract 3 times, and concentrate the n-butanol and water extracts to 2ml each.

【Nature and flavor】 Bitter; sweet; cold

【Functions and indications】 Clears away heat and detoxifies; lowers blood pressure; regulates menstruation. Mainly used for acute and chronic hepatitis; nephritis; lung abscess; hypertension; irregular menstruation; breast cancer

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoct in water, 5-10g; or grind into powder; or soak in wine.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

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