The efficacy and function of large leaves

With the development of society and the close international exchanges, most people who study medicine have been seriously influenced by Western medicine, and fewer and fewer people are studying Chinese medicine, which has resulted in less and less understanding of Chinese medicine. Let’s talk about the efficacy and functions of this traditional Chinese medicine, big leaves.

【English name】 Common Astilboides

[Alias] Mountain lotus leaf, Buddha umbrella.

[Source] Medicinal material source: the rhizome and whole herb of the large-leaf plant of the Saxifragaceae family.

[Original form] Large-leaf perennial herb, 1-1.5m tall. The rhizome is thick, dark brown, up to 35cm long, with adventitious roots growing on the nodes. The stem is unbranched, with short, hard glandular hairs at the bottom. The basal leaves are single and peltate; the petiole is 30-60cm long, expanded into a sheath at the base, clasping the stem, and covered with spiny glandular hairs; the leaf blade is nearly circular or ovate, 18-60 (-100) cm in diameter, palmately lobed, broadly ovate, with an acute or short acuminate apex, often lobed again, with irregularly serrated margins, and covered with short stiff hairs on both sides; the stem leaves are smaller, palmately 3-5 lobed, and cuneate or truncate at the base. The panicle is terminal, 15-20cm long; the flowers are small, white or slightly purple; the sepals are 4-5, ovate, obtuse or slightly concave at the apex, sparsely covered with nearly sessile glandular hairs on the back, and the 5 veins are confluent with the apex; the petals are 4-5; the stamens are 8; the carpels are 2, fused at the bottom, and the ovary is semi-inferior. Capsule. Seeds narrowly ovate, winged. The flowering period is June-July, and the fruiting period is August-September.

[Habitat distribution] Ecological environment: Grown in mountains, forests, hillsides, under forests, and on the edges of valleys and ditches.

【Properties】 Identification of properties: The rhizome is in irregular clump shape with a diameter of 2-3cm. The surface is dark brown, with many root scars or remaining fine roots and buds on the nodes; the upper stem base is sparsely covered with short hard glandular hairs. It is brittle, easy to break, and has a reddish-brown, powdery cross section. Slight odor, light taste.

【Chemical composition】 The whole plant contains leucodephninidin, leucocyanidin, quercetin and ellagic acid.

【Nature and flavor】 Bitter; Astringent; Neutral

【Meridian】 Large Intestine Meridian

【Functions and indications】Astringent to the intestines and stop diarrhea. Main diarrhea

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoction 1.5-3g.

[Discussions by various scholars] "Xinhua Compendium of Materia Medica": The root and the whole herb have the functions of astringency, intestinal strengthening and antidiarrheal. Used for diarrhea.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

Above we introduced what big leaves are, the effects and functions of big leaves. We know that big leaves can not only improve immunity, but also play an indispensable role in certain diseases.