The efficacy and function of seaweed

Seaweed is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine. There are records of seaweed in ancient Chinese medical books. Seaweed can treat many diseases and its effects are very comprehensive. We should make good use of it.

[Other names] Dragon claw vegetable, water cabbage, sea flower vegetable, sea eggplant, water green vegetable, water lettuce

[Source] Medicinal material source: the whole herb of the plant Hydrangea oleracea of ​​the Hydrocharitaceae family.

[Original form] Sea lettuce, a perennial submerged herb. Stem shortened. Leaves are basal; petiole length varies depending on water depth, 200-300cm long in deep water and 4-20cm long in shallow water; leaf shape varies greatly, linear, acicular, oblong, ovate, narrow ovate to cordate, gradually obtuse at apex, cordate at base, slightly decurrent, entire or with fine serrations. The flowers are unisexual and dioecious; the spathe is wingless, with 2-6 ribs, and is thornless or has thorns. The male spathe contains 40-50 male flowers, and the female spathe contains 2-3 female flowers. The flowers bloom on the water surface and sink to the bottom of the water together with the spathe after flowering; the male flowers have 3 green sepals, 3 white petals with yellow or orange base, and 9-12 stamens; the female flowers have calyx and petals similar to those of male flowers, 3 orange-yellow styles, and a triangular ovary. The fruit is triangular-fusiform and 8 cm long. Seeds numerous, glabrous. Flowering and fruiting period is from May to October.

[Habitat distribution] Ecological environment: grown in lakes and ponds.

【Nature and flavor】 Sweet; neutral

【Functions and indications】 Clears away heat; relieves cough; promotes diuresis; reduces swelling. Mainly used for lung heat cough; stranguria; urination difficulty; edema

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoction, 20-30g.

[Discussions by various scholars] "Illustrated Records of Plant Names and Realities": "People near the water pick its stems and eat them. "Mengzi County Chronicles": The stems bloom, but have no leaves. They are more than ten feet long and as thin as hairpins. They are rolled up and sold in the market as seaweed, which can be boiled and eaten. It is probably not seen with roots planted at the bottom of the water or leaves floating on the waves. "Yunnan Sea Yuheng Records" believes that its roots are water shield, but it does not know water shield. "Tang Materia Medica" has a herb with leaves similar to Zexie but smaller, and similar in shape. The description is not detailed, and the picture is also distorted, so it is not included."

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

In the above article, we analyzed seaweed and learned that its functions and effects are very wide-ranging. As long as we learn more about the medicinal properties of traditional Chinese medicine, we will not panic when we encounter diseases.