The efficacy and function of cauliflower

Do you know cauliflower? It is a common Chinese medicinal material and is very helpful for some diseases. Let me show you today.

[Other names] Sheep's horn herb (Compendium of Materia Medica), Herba Lysimachiae (Essentials of the Nature of Raw Medicinal Herbs).

[Source] It is the whole herb of the Brassica rapa plant of the Brassica family. Harvested in summer.

[Original form] Annual herb with a foul odor. The stems are much branched, up to 1 m tall, and densely covered with sticky glandular hairs. Palmate compound leaves, alternate; petiole 3-7 cm long; leaflets 5, obovate or rhombus-obovate, 2.5-5 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, sharp or obtuse at apex, cuneate at base, entire or with fine teeth, glabrous above, slightly hairy on veins below. The raceme is terminal; the flowers are pedunculate, with 3 leaf-like bracts at the base; there are 4 sepals, ovate, with pointed tips; there are 4 petals, obovate, about 1 cm long, about 5 mm wide, with long claws, white or purple; there are 6 stamens, and the lower part of the filaments is attached to the ovary stalk of the pistil; the pistil ovary has a long stalk, protruding above the petals, 1 chamber, short style, and flat stigma. The capsule is horn-shaped, 5 to 10 cm long, with a persistent stigma at the tip. The seeds are kidney-shaped, about 1 mm wide, dark brown, slightly sunken in the middle, and have a raised, wrinkled membrane on the surface. Flowering period is from May to August. Fruiting period is from June to September.

[Habitat distribution] Growing in wasteland or cultivated in gardens. Distributed in Hebei, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, Guangxi, Taiwan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangdong and other places.

[Chemical composition] Contains pungent volatile oil, similar to garlic oil and mustard oil.

【Pharmacological action】 The leaves have anti-irritant effects.

[Toxicity] Eating large amounts of cauliflower at one time, or eating small amounts multiple times, can easily cause poisoning. There were 6 cases in which people experienced dizziness, nausea, vomiting, sweating, blurred vision, numbness of the limbs, etc. about 12 hours after eating cauliflower. Among them, three cases were in serious condition, with dilated pupils and slow reaction to light; slightly bulging abdomen and weakened bowel sounds. After routine treatment, the patient recovered after 3 days.

【Nature and flavor】Sweet, spicy, warm.

【Functions and indications】 Treat rheumatism, traumatic injuries, malaria, dysentery, leucorrhea, and hemorrhoids.

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoct in water, 3 to 5 qian. For external use: decoct in water for washing or mash for application.

【Note】 Wang Ying's "Food Materia Medica": "Eating too much can stir up wind and qi, stagnate the internal organs, make the stomach feel stuffy, and damage the spleen."

[Additional prescription] ① Treating male lower abdominal distension and female leucorrhea: Wash and chop half a liang of young white cauliflower leaves, and stew them with pig small intestine or rock sugar and appropriate amount of water. ("Folk Herbs in Southern Fujian")

[Remarks] The seeds (white cauliflower seeds) and roots (white cauliflower roots) of this plant are also used for medicinal purposes, please refer to the separate articles for details.

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

[Source] Wang Ying's "Food Materia Medica".

From the above explanation, we have some understanding of the effects and functions of cauliflower. If there are any symptoms of discomfort in the body, you can use Chinese medicine to regulate it. Chinese medicine has a long history of treating diseases, so you can eat it with confidence.