The efficacy and function of safflower seeds

Everyone is familiar with safflower seeds, of course some people are relatively unfamiliar with them. In fact, safflower seeds are a relatively common Chinese medicinal material. So what exactly does safflower seed do?

[Other names] Honglanzi (Guangli Fang), Baipingzi (Compilation of Medicinal Materials).

[Source] It is the fruit of the safflower plant of the Asteraceae family.

[Habitat distribution] Produced in Jiangsu and other places.

[Properties] Achenes are 7-8 mm long, 6-7 mm wide, 4-5 mm thick, obovate in shape, white and smooth on the outside, with 4 ribs, truncated at the front end, bulging at the four corners, slightly convex in the center, blunt and narrow base, and a concave spot on the side. The shell is hard and brittle, and the inside is dark brown and shiny. The seeds are pale yellowish white and filled with endosperm; the cut surface is white, horny, has little odor, and feels slightly oily when chewed.

[Chemical composition] The seeds contain 30.2% oil, and the kernel contains 45-49% oil. The seed oil contains 73.6-78.0% linoleic acid, 12.0-15.2% oleic acid, as well as myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid and palmitoleic acid; the de-oiled kernel contains 61.5-63.4% protein.

【Functions and indications】Promote blood circulation and detoxify. It is used to treat acne that is not coming out quickly and abdominal pain caused by blood stasis in women.

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoct in water or make into pills or powder.

[Additional prescription] ① To treat acne that is not coming out quickly: one cup of safflower seeds. Crush it, add half a liter of water, boil it for 100 times, remove the residue, and take it in small portions. (Safflower Soup from Treatise on Febrile Diseases)

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

Above we introduced what safflower seeds are, and we also learned about the effects and functions of the traditional Chinese medicine safflower seeds. We know that the effects of safflower seeds are very powerful, and everyone can eat some safflower seeds for health preservation.