The efficacy and function of white chestnut root

White pig chestnut root is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine and is very helpful for many diseases. Below we will briefly introduce the white pig chestnut root.

[Source] Medicinal material source: the root or stem bark of Castanopsis alpiniae of the Fagaceae family.

【Original form】 Evergreen tree, 20-25m high. The bark is dark gray or gray-brown and cracked longitudinally. Young branches are glabrous, sometimes with pinkish-white scales. Leaves are alternate; petioles are 1.5-2.5cm long; leaf blades are hard leathery, ovate or obovate-elliptic, 5-13cm long, 3.5-9cm wide, obtuse or mucronate at apex, broadly cuneate or nearly rounded at base, sparsely serrated or wavy above the middle, glabrous, covered with yellow-brown scales when young, and covered with a silver-grey or off-white clinging wax layer when old, with midrib slightly raised on top, 6-9 pairs of lateral veins, and more obvious branch veins. The flowers are unisexual, the male inflorescence is often conical, with the axis densely covered with yellow-brown scales; the female flowers are solitary and grow in bracts. Infructescence 8-15cm long, with one fruit in each cupule; cupule broadly ovoid to nearly spherical, often with a short stalk, cracked at the apex, with thorns 1.5-2cm in diameter and 1.2-1.8cm high, split into two lobes when ripe, with thorns often connected at the base to form 3-5 thorn rings, 3-6mm long, rarely up to 1cm, with the cupule wall visible; nut broadly ovoid to spherical, 1-1.5m in diameter, 1-1.4m high, sparsely covered with flat hairs on the top, with the navel smaller than the bottom of the nut. The flowering period is April-May, and the fruiting period is September-November of the following year.

[Habitat distribution] Ecological environment: Growing in mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forests or miscellaneous forests at an altitude of 500-2800m.

【Nature and flavor】 Spicy; astringent; slightly bitter; neutral

【Functions and indications】Astringent and antidiarrheal. Enteritis; diarrhea

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoction, 30-60g.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

Through the introduction of this article, we can learn some relevant knowledge about white pig chestnut root. Whether from the perspective of food health or traditional Chinese medicine, the role of white pig chestnut root cannot be underestimated.