The efficacy and function of lettuce

Lettuce is one of the common traditional Chinese medicines in our country. The medicinal history of lettuce is very long. There are records of lettuce in many ancient medical books. Lettuce has good edible value and medicinal value. Let’s take a look.

[Other names] Iron hemp, Jiangwei grass, mountain blood circulation

[Source] Medicinal material source: the root and whole herb of the Asteraceae plant Lettuce.

[Original form] Lettuce is a perennial herb, 150cm tall. The stem is glabrous, with spreading or narrow conical branches at the top. Leaves are alternate; lower leaves fall early, petioles are winged, pinnately divided or deeply divided, top lobes are triangular-halberd-shaped or broadly ovate, and lateral lobes are usually in 2 pairs; leaves in the middle and upper parts of the stem are undivided, petioles are wider, leaf blades are triangular-halberd-shaped, ovate or oblong; all leaf bases are enlarged into ear-shaped, heart-shaped or seasonal shapes to embrace the stem, with short awn-like teeth on the edges, glabrous on both sides, green above and light green below. Inflorescences numerous, containing 8-12 florets, arranged in spreading or narrow panicles at stem top; ligulate flowers purple-blue. Achenes oblong, black, almost not flattened, without margins, with 14 proportional ribs, nearly beakless, but gradually narrowing at the top, with short, white pappus, all the same shape. Flowering and fruiting period is April to August.

[Habitat distribution] Ecological environment: grows under forests or in grass on hillsides.

【Nature and flavor】 Bitter; cold

【Functions and indications】 Clears away heat and detoxifies; stops bleeding. Mainly used for sores, boils, swellings and poisons; pit viper bites; traumatic bleeding

【Usage and Dosage】 For external use: appropriate amount, crush the fresh product and apply it.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

Above we introduced the characteristics of pile lettuce and it’s effects. We can see that pile lettuce has very good effects and functions, and it has therapeutic and auxiliary therapeutic effects on many diseases. I hope this will be helpful to everyone’s health.