The effects and functions of starfish

As a traditional Chinese medicine, starfish has great medicinal value and can treat many diseases. Let’s take a closer look at it below.

【English name】 Starfish

【Alias】 Pentagram

[Source] Medicinal material source: The whole of the rimmed sea star and other species of sea stars in the family Asteridae.

[Original form] The rimmed starfish has a five-pointed star-shaped body, with 5 narrow arms that gradually become thinner and can be more than 5 cm long. The aboral surface is densely covered with small cylinders, each of which has 1-20 hemispherical granules on the top and 7-20 radially arranged small spines around the edge, with the spines connected by membranes. There are usually about 30 upper edge plates, which are slightly rectangular, large and thick, and arranged neatly like a border. The lower edge plates are opposite to the upper edge plates in the vertical direction and are equal in number. The surface of the upper and lower edge plates is covered with glassy fine particles, and the edges of each plate have small spines and are also connected by membranes. The lateral step band plates are small and diamond-shaped, with a row of 5-6 larger spines on the edge of the groove; there are smaller spines on the other three sides, and there is a larger thumb-shaped spine inside. There are some ventral plates of varying sizes and irregular arrangements on each radial part between the oral surfaces.

[Habitat distribution] Ecological environment: When alive, the edges of the marginal plates are purple-brown, the small cylinders on the anti-oral surface are yellow-brown, and the oral surface is light yellow-white. They mostly live on muddy or sandy seabeds at a depth of 17-176m. There are a lot of them. In my country, it is distributed along the coasts of Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong and the Nansha Islands.

[Properties] Identification of properties: The rimmed sea star is in the shape of a five-pointed star, with five long and narrow arms that gradually become thinner and blunt at the ends. The upper edge plate of the arms is large and thick, slightly rectangular, and arranged neatly. There are many small particles on the surface of the lower edge plate, and each edge plate has small spines on the edge.

【Chemical composition】 Contains starfish saponins A and B.

[Pharmacological action] Starfish saponin can make sperm lose vitality and induce ovulation and ejaculation.

【Nature and flavor】 Salty; neutral

【Meridian】 Heart; stomach; large intestine

【Functions and indications】Detoxifies and resolves stagnation; soothes the stomach and relieves pain. Mainly used for goiter, scrofula, stomachache, heartburn, diarrhea, and otitis media

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoct in water, 20-30g; grind into powder, 3g each time.

[Discussions by various scholars] "Chinese Medicinal Animals": It has the functions of soothing the stomach and relieving pain, antacidity, antidiarrhea and sedation. It is mainly used to treat excessive gastric acid, gastric ulcer, diarrhea, epilepsy and other diseases.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

Through the above, we have learned about the efficacy and functions of the traditional Chinese medicine starfish. I hope everyone can take the right medicine and eat starfish correctly in life.