What is Polygonatum?

Polygonatum sibiricum is a common Chinese medicine in clinical practice, with high health value. One of its most important functions is to strengthen the spleen and promote physical health. Especially for people with poor physical constitution, eating Polygonatum sibiricum can greatly improve their physical health. For men, eating Polygonatum sibiricum can also improve sexual ability? It can be said that the health-preserving effect of Polygonatum sibiricum is very strong.

So what is Polygonatum sibiricum? What other names does Polygonatum sibiricum have in traditional Chinese medicine? What does Polygonatum sibiricum look like? In what aspects are the health-preserving effects of Polygonatum sibiricum manifested? Let us take a brief look at it today.

Other names: Chicken head polygonatum, chicken head root, yellow chicken vegetable.

Source : It is the rhizome of Polygonatum cyrtonemahua, a plant of the Liliaceae family.

Plant morphology: Perennial herb. The leaves are alternate, elliptical, up to 25 cm long, with varying length and width, obtuse at the apex, and glabrous. The flowers are axillary, drooping, with 2 to 7 flowers gathered in umbels; the perianth is tubular, 9 to 22 mm long, white or light yellow, with 6 lobes; there are 6 stamens, and the filaments are 0.5 to 1 mm long; the stigma is 1.5 to 2 times the length of the ovary. The berries are purple-black when ripe. The flowering period is May to June, and the fruiting period is June to July.

It grows under mountain forests, in thickets or in semi-shaded areas on hillsides. It is mainly produced in Hebei and Xianmeng.

Harvesting and processing: Dig up the rhizomes in spring and autumn, wash them, remove the fibrous roots, steam them until they are oily, and then take them out and dry them.

Properties: The rhizome is slender cylindrical, slightly flat, about 10 cm long, 0.5-1.2 cm in diameter, slightly swollen at one end or both sides, shaped like a chicken's head, or with short branches; the surface is yellowish white, translucent or grayish yellow, with longitudinal wrinkles, the stem scar diameter is 5-8 mm, and the internode length is 0.3-1.5 cm. The texture is hard and brittle. Slight odor, sweet taste, and sticky.

Chemical composition: The rhizome contains three kinds of polysaccharides, namely, Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharide A, B and C, and three kinds of oligosaccharides, namely, Polygonatum sibiricum oligosaccharide A, B and C, as well as eight kinds of amino acids such as lysine.

Nature and flavor: Neutral, sweet.

Functions and indications: Nourishes the spleen, moistens the lungs and produces body fluids. Used for weak spleen and stomach, lung deficiency and dry cough, internal heat and thirst.

Note: The rhizomes of plants of the same genus, P.kingianum coll.et hemsl. and P.sibiricum red., are both used as medicine.

The rhizome of Polygonatum is used as medicine. It has the functions of replenishing qi and nourishing yin, strengthening the spleen, moistening the lungs and benefiting the kidneys. It is used to treat spleen and stomach weakness, fatigue, dry mouth and poor appetite, lung deficiency and dry cough, lack of essence and blood, internal heat and thirst. It is very effective for diabetes.

The above is a brief introduction about Polygonatum odoratum. Especially now is the season when colds and fevers are prevalent, Polygonatum odoratum can be used to treat some cough problems. Moreover, Polygonatum odoratum can also treat weak spleen and stomach. Therefore, it is suitable for regular food for modern people and is a very good choice for health care.