The efficacy and function of Dashan Scrophularia

Only when we understand the main ingredients of any medicinal material can we better exert its efficacy and function. Here I recommend a very popular Chinese medicinal material, Scrophularia dashanensis.

【English name】 root of Kakuda Figwort

[Other names] Sichuan Scrophularia, Soil Ginseng, Yuan Shen

[Source] Medicinal material source: It is the root of Scrophularia dandongense, a plant of the Scrophulariaceae family.

[Original form] Dandong Scrophularia is a perennial herb, over 1m tall. There is a straight underground stem with fibrous roots; the branch roots are spindle-shaped and swollen. The stem is quadrangular, shallowly grooved, with white pith, unbranched or branched at the top, and sparsely covered with white soft hairs. The leaves are petiolate, with the petioles at the bottom being longer, up to 74 cm long; the leaf blades are ovate to narrowly ovate, 5-12 cm long, with a nearly rounded, truncated to slightly cordate base, serrated edges, glabrous or with short hairs on the veins on the back. The panicle is about 4.5mm long, with lobes ovate-elliptical to broadly ovate, with acute apex; the corolla is green on the outside and purple-brown on the inside, the corolla tube is spherical and tubular, the upper lip is longer than the lower lip, the lobes are nearly round, the edges overlap each other, and the lobes of the lower lip are shorter; the stamens are the same length as the lower lip; the filaments are flat and rough, and the reduced stamens are fan-shaped and round; the ovary is 2-2.5mm long, and the style is slightly longer than the ovary. Capsule broadly ovate, 7-9mm long. The flowering period is July-August, and the fruiting period is September-October.

[Habitat distribution] Ecological environment: Grown in hillside shrubs.

【Nature and flavor】 Sweet and bitter; salty; cool in nature

【Functions and indications】 Nourishes yin and reduces fire; clears away heat and relieves restlessness; detoxifies. It is used to treat fever, thirst, bone steaming, hot flashes, constipation due to loss of body fluid, sore throat, carbuncle, scrofula, etc.

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoction, 6-12g.

[Discussions by various scholars] "Xinhua Compendium of Materia Medica": Root: tastes bitter and salty, and is cool in nature. It has the functions of nourishing yin, reducing fire, relieving restlessness and detoxifying. It is used for fever, thirst, rashes, bone steaming, tuberculosis, restless sleep, sore throat, carbuncle, scrofula, and constipation due to loss of body fluid.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

Through the detailed introduction to the effects of Scrophularia dashanensis in this article, we can learn about the major effects of Scrophularia dashanensis. These effects are indeed a good way to regulate the body for people with poor physical constitution and low resistance. Everyone can try it.