The benefits and effects of chia seeds

There are many strange medicines in life that we have no way of understanding, but after seeing them, we naturally want to know about their effects, growth environment, distribution areas, etc. Only by careful understanding can we know more relevant knowledge, and we can also understand Chinese herbal medicine more thoroughly. Where do sage seeds come from and what are their effects and functions?

【Pinyin name】Shǔ Wěi Cǎo

[Other names] Kengsu, Zihuadan

【source】

Medicinal material source: the whole herb of Sage, a plant of the Lamiaceae family.

Latin plant, animal and mineral name: Salvia japonica Thunb.

Harvest and storage: Harvest in summer, wash and dry.

[Original form] Sage, annual herb, 40-60cm tall. The stem is erect and quadrangular. The leaves at the bottom of the stem are bipinnate; the petiole is 7-9cm long; the leaf blade is 6-10cm long and 5-9cm wide. The upper part of the stem is a pinnate compound leaf with a short petiole; the terminal leaflet is lanceolate or rhombic, up to 10 cm long and 3.5 cm wide, with acuminate or caudal apex, long cuneate base, and obtuse serrations on the margins; the lateral leaflets are ovate-lanceolate and nearly sessile.

Inflorescence is in whorls, with 2-6 flowers in each whorl, forming an elongated raceme or racemose panicle; bracts and bracteoles are lanceolate; pedicels are short and pubescent; calyx is tubular and two-lipped; corolla is light red, light purple, light blue to light white, with a tubular crown tube and two-lipped crown brim, the upper lip is elliptic, the lower lip is 3-lobed, the middle lobe is larger and obcordate, with rounded edges; there are 2 developed stamens, the outer stamens are 3, and the filaments are short; the style is protruding, and the tip is unequally fissured. The nutlets are oval, brown and smooth. Flowering period is from June to September.

【Habitat distribution】

Ecological environment: Grown on mountain slopes, roadsides, grasses, watersides and under the shade of trees.

Resource distribution: Distributed in Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei, Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong, Guangxi and other places.

【Chemical composition】The whole plant contains β-sitosterol, β-sitosterol glucoside, ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, 2α-hydroxyursolic acid, tormentic acid, caffeic acid, maslinic acid, and ethyl β-D-galactopyranoside.

【Nature and flavor】Bitter; pungent; neutral

【Functions and indications】 Clears away heat and dampness; promotes blood circulation and regulates menstruation; detoxifies and reduces swelling. It is used for jaundice, red and white diarrhea, damp-heat diarrhea, irregular menstruation, dysmenorrhea, sores, furunculosis, and traumatic injuries.

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoction, 15-30g.

[Excerpt] "Chinese Materia Medica"