Effects and functions of holly leaves[picture]

Holly leaf [picture] is a famous traditional Chinese medicinal material with a long history of application. Today we will learn about holly leaves [picture].

【English name】 FOLIUM ILICIS CORNUTAE

[Other names] Mahadevilla, sheep horn thorn, mouse thorn, cat thorn, hexagonal tea, hexagonal thorn, star anise thorn, bird does not stay, goose palm, Kuding tea

[Source] This product is the dried leaves of Ilex cornuta Lindl. ex Paxt., a plant of the Ilex family. Harvest in autumn, remove impurities and dry in the sun.

[Properties] This product is rectangular or oblong, occasionally oblong, 3 to 8 cm long and 1.5 to 4 cm wide. There are three larger hard thorns at the tip, the top one is often recurved, the base is flat or broadly wedge-shaped, and sometimes there are 1 to 3 thorns on each side, with slightly curled edges; long oval leaves often have no thorns. The upper surface is yellow-green or green-brown and shiny, while the lower surface is gray-yellow or gray-green. The leaf veins are pinnate and the petioles are short. Leathery, hard and thick. Odorless, slightly bitter taste.

[Identification] Cross section of the leaf near the base of this product: the upper epidermal cells are square-like, thick-walled, covered with a thick cuticle, and have single-cell non-glandular hairs on the main veins; the lower epidermal cells are slightly smaller, and stomata are visible. The palisade tissue consists of 2 to 4 rows of cells, and the spongy tissue is loose; there are 1 to several rows of thick-cornered cells in the upper and lower epidermis of the main vein. The vascular bundle of the main vein is externally tough, with groups of lignified fibers above and below it. The epidermis of the leaf margin is often composed of semi-rings of thick-horned cells and stone cells, followed by a group of lignified fibers; there are only a few rows of thick-horned cells near the petiole of the leaf margin, and the thick-horned tissue gradually disappears above the base. Stone cells are occasionally found in the thick cornified tissue of the epidermis below the leaf margin and the main vein, and are also occasionally seen outside the fiber groups below the phloem. The parenchyma and lower epidermal cells often contain clusters of calcium oxalate crystals.

【Nature and flavor】 Bitter, cool.

[return through] return the liver and kidney meridians.

【Functions and indications】 Clears away heat, nourishes yin, soothes the liver, and benefits the kidneys. Used for pulmonary tuberculosis with hemoptysis, bone steaming, hot flashes, dizziness and hypertension.

【Usage and Dosage】 9-15g.

【Storage】 Store in a dry place.

[Remarks] (1) Kuding tea : The young leaves of holly are picked around the Qingming Festival, soaked in water and then dried. They can be brewed into tea to treat headaches and relieve fever. The bitter gourd tea sold in Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas is of this type, which is different from that in Sichuan and Guangxi.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Pharmacopoeia

【Source】 "Supplement to Materia Medica"

Although holly leaves [picture] have many magical effects, they cannot be eaten casually. We need to use the medicine according to the user's own situation. I hope everyone will not take it indiscriminately to avoid unnecessary consequences.