The efficacy and function of Guan Gongxu

Chinese medicine has different effects on our body and can regulate our body. Today we will introduce a Chinese medicine: Guan Gong Xu. What are its specific effects and functions? Let’s take a look.

[Other names] Red under the leaves, small blood-activating herb, red flower grass, Guanyuxu, red under the roots, red on the ground, earth-activating herb, red on the ground

[Source] Medicinal material source: the whole herb with roots of the Lamiaceae plant Guan Gongxu.

[Original form] Guanfenxu, an annual erect herb, up to 60cm tall. Stem obtusely quadrangular, grooved, pubescent. Most leaves are basal, with petioles 3-10cm long; there are about 2 pairs of stem leaves, with petioles about 1cm long to nearly sessile, covered with short soft hairs or fine hairs; the leaf blades are all oblong-ovate, lanceolate or ovate, 4-13.5cm long, 2-5.5cm wide, with acute tips, nearly cordate or cordate bases, green and glabrous above, purple below, finely pubescent along the veins, and shallowly blunt-serrated edges. The cymes have 2-6 flowers, forming terminal or axillary racemes; bracts are lanceolate, longer or shorter than the calyx; bracteoles are lanceolate, shorter or nearly equal to the pedicel; the pedicel and inflorescence are densely pubescent; the calyx is tubular-bell-shaped, purple on the outside, the calyx margin is two-lipped, the lower lip is slightly longer than the upper lip, and half-cleft into 2 teeth; the corolla is purple, covered with short soft hairs on the outside, with a sparse soft hair ring on the inside, the margin is two-lipped, slightly concave at the apex, the lower lip is 3-lobed, and the middle lobe is the largest; there are 2 fertile stamens, extending outward; the style is extending outward, with 2 unequal shallow lobes at the apex, and the anterior lobe is longer; the front of the disk is slightly swollen. Flowering period is May.

[Habitat distribution] Ecological environment: grows under forests, in valleys or on roadsides.

【Nature and flavor】 Bitter; pungent; cool

【Functions and indications】 Cooling blood and stopping bleeding; activating blood circulation and relieving swelling; clearing away heat and detoxifying. Mainly used for vomiting blood, nosebleed, blood in stool, metrorrhagia, irregular menstruation, traumatic injury, low back pain, mastitis, carbuncle, swelling and poison, and snake bite

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decocted in water, 9-15g. For external use: take appropriate amount and mash it for application.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

Now you know the function of Guan Gong's beard. I didn’t know before that Guan Gong’s beard was such a valuable thing, which shows that our knowledge is not broad enough. Therefore, in the future life, learning more about it can be a good way to maintain health. In fact, if you want to maintain your health, there is knowledge everywhere in life.