The efficacy and function of arrowhead

Chinese medicine has different effects on our body and can regulate our body. Today we will introduce a Chinese medicine: Sagittaria sagittifolia. What are its specific effects and functions? Let’s take a look.

[Other names] Water chestnut (Materia Medica Treatise), white chestnut (Compendium of Materia Medica), water chestnut (Southern Yunnan Materia Medica).

[Source] It is the bulb of Sagittaria sagittifolia, a plant of the Alismataceae family.

[Original form] Sagittaria, also known as: Jiegu, Shuiping (Bielu), Chaya (Tang Materia Medica), Swallowtail Grass (Rihuazi Materia Medica), Hefuci, Scissors Grass (Bencao Tujing), Water Sagittaria, Jianda Grass (Jiuhuang Materia Medica).

【Habitat distribution】Grows in swamps. Distributed everywhere.

【Chemical composition】 Contains vitamin B and trypsin inhibitor.

【Nature and flavor】 "Compendium of Materia Medica": "bitter and sweet, slightly cold, non-toxic."

【Meridian】 ① "Ben Cao Zai Xin": "enters the heart, liver, and lung meridians."

【Functions and indications】 Promotes blood circulation and relieves stranguria. It is used to treat postpartum blood stasis, retained placenta, gonorrhea, and cough with blood in sputum.

[Usage and Dosage] For internal use: decoct in water or mash into juice. For external use: mash and apply.

[Additional prescription] ① Treat stranguria: 6 liang of Sagittaria root, add appropriate amount of water and boil it for oral administration. (Fujian Folk Herbs)

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

[Source] From Compendium of Materia Medica: Sagittaria grows in shallow water and can be planted in shallow water. The seedlings sprout in March, and the leaves are pinched off after frost. The roots begin to form. In winter and early spring, they are dug up and used as fruits. They must be cooked in ash water, and the skin is removed and eaten. They will not be numb or astringent when swallowed. The tender stems are also edible. Black taro and Sagittaria are originally two different plants. Sagittaria has leaves and its roots are scattered, while black taro has stems but no leaves, and its roots grow underneath. They have different smells and main indications, but "Bielu" mistakenly took Sagittaria for black taro, saying its leaves are like taro. Because the pronunciations of Fuci and Cizhang are similar, Tao and Su mixed them up, and other scholars were confused because of this. Now we correct their mistake.

Now you know the function of water chestnut. I didn’t know that water chestnut is such a valuable thing before, which shows that our knowledge is not broad enough. So in the future life, learning more about it can be a good way to maintain health. In fact, if you want to maintain health, there is knowledge everywhere in life.