The efficacy and function of Prunella vulgaris

Recently, major TV channels have launched various health programs, and food programs have also introduced special health-preserving dietary therapy methods. All aspects show that the concept of health preservation is gradually deepening in people's understanding. Next, we will introduce a health-preserving medicinal herb, Prunella vulgaris.

[Alias] White sweet honey (Handbook of Commonly Used Chinese Herbal Medicines in Qinghai).

[Source] It is the whole herb of Cymbidium heterophyllum of the Lamiaceae family. When the flowers bloom in June and July, collect the whole plant, wash off the dirt, remove the dead leaves and branches, flatten the stems with a wooden stick, and dry them.

[Original form] Heterophyllum heterophyllum, also known as: white flower branch flower. Perennial herb, 5 to 40 cm tall. Taproot system. The stem is quadrangular, erect or inclined, mostly branched from the base and growing obliquely upward, lavender or green, with short inverted hairs. The leaves are opposite, with long petioles, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 1-3 cm long, 0.8-1.5 cm wide, obtuse at the apex, often truncated, cordate or cuneate at the base, with serrated edges. The flowers are clustered in spikes at the top of the stem, and each whorl usually consists of 4 to 6 flowers; the bracts are elliptic-lanceolate, with teeth on the edges and awn-like spines at the tips of the teeth; the calyx is tubular, about 1 cm long or longer, glabrous, 2-lipped, 5-toothed, and the lower lip is shorter than the upper lip; the corolla is nearly funnel-shaped, tubular below the middle, about 2 cm long, 2-lipped, the lower lip is shorter and 3-lobed, the middle lobe is engraved, white or light green, and the upper lip is slightly pink; there are 4 stamens, slightly outside the corolla. There are 4 small nuts, which are black, triangular, slightly flat, 2.5 mm long, truncated at the top and slightly sharp at the bottom. Flowering period is from June to July.

[Habitat distribution] It grows on roadsides beside fields, on slopes, in grasslands or under cypress forests. Distributed in Qinghai, Gansu, Tibet and other places.

[Pharmacological action] Oral administration of 1.6 g/kg of the acid-alcohol extract to mice has antitussive (ammonia spray to induce cough method) and expectorant (phenol red method) effects, but has no antiasthmatic effect (guinea pig histamine spray method). It has the same antibacterial effect as whole-leaf blue orchid.

【Properties and flavors】 ① "Handbook of Commonly Used Chinese Herbal Medicines in Qinghai": "bitter, pungent, cold."

【Functions and indications】Calming the liver and clearing away heat. Treats hypertension, lymphadenitis, and lung heat cough.

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decocted in water, 2 to 4 qian; or made into powder.

[Additional prescription] ① For the treatment of lymph node tuberculosis and lymphadenitis: 4 qian of white flowered Prunella Vulgaris, 3 qian of Radix Rehmanniae, 5 qian of oyster and 3 qian of Fritillaria thunbergii. Decoction in water.

[Clinical application] To treat chronic bronchitis, take the decoction of Orchidaceae in water, twice a day, 3 coins each time. A total of 788 cases were clinically observed, with a marked efficacy of 74.61% and an effective rate of 93.66%.

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

Everyone should know the effects and functions of white flower selfheal. White flower selfheal has high medicinal value and is a very common Chinese medicinal material. It is very good for our body.