The efficacy and function of Sichuan lotus

Previously, we introduced to you the value and functions of many different Chinese medicinal materials. So some friends who like Chinese medicine pharmacology come to ask the editor what Chuanlian is. In fact, in our lives, Sichuan lotus is a relatively common food ingredient that can be used as both medicine and food. If we eat it regularly, it will have certain benefits. Let’s take a look at the effects and functions of Chuanlian.

"Chuanlian" is a species of the genus Coptis in the family Ranunculaceae, scientific name Coptis chinensis

Franch. Perennial evergreen herb. The rhizome is connected into beads and is yellow in color, hence the name Coptis chinensis. Also known as Weilian, Chuanlian, and Jizhaolian. The rhizome is used as medicine and is a specialty of China. It is mainly produced in the mountainous areas in eastern Sichuan Province, western Hubei Province, northern Yunnan Province and south of Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi Province.

The main function of Chuanlian is to clear away heat and reduce fire, such as the stomach, that is, stomach heat. For the fire caused by improper diet such as addiction to alcohol, addiction to spicy food, excessive consumption of rich and greasy food, it is usually caused by damp heat and food stagnation. Chuanlian can be used to reduce fire!

It can dry up dampness, purge fire and detoxify. It is used for damp-heat fullness, vomiting and acid regurgitation, diarrhea, jaundice, high fever and coma, hyperactivity of heart fire, restlessness and insomnia, vomiting and bleeding due to blood heat, red eyes, toothache, thirst, carbuncles and furuncles; it can also be used externally to treat eczema, wet sores, and pus in the ear canal. Coptis chinensis with wine is good at clearing away heat in the upper part of the body. Used for red eyes, mouth ulcers, turmeric and coptis root to clear the stomach and stop vomiting. It is used for the combination of cold and heat, damp-heat blocking the middle body, fullness and vomiting, and Cornus officinalis and Coptis chinensis to soothe the liver and stomach and stop vomiting. Used for liver-stomach disharmony, vomiting and acid reflux.

Nourishes and replenishes the body, stops nocturnal emission and astringes semen: The cottonseed sugar contained in Sichuan lotus is a tonic suitable for all ages. It is a common nutritional product for those who are chronically ill, postpartum or elderly with physical weakness. Chuanlian alkali has the effect of calming sexual desire. For young people who have frequent dreams, frequent nocturnal emissions or spermatorrhea, taking lotus seeds has a good effect in stopping nocturnal emissions and astringing spermatorrhea.

Cancer prevention and treatment: Chuanlian is good at replenishing the deficiencies of the five internal organs, promoting the flow of qi and blood in the twelve meridians, making qi and blood flow smoothly without rotting. The oxidized yellow heart tree alkaloids contained in Chuanlian have an inhibitory effect on nasopharyngeal carcinoma. All of these constitute the nutritional and health-care function of lotus seeds in cancer prevention and treatment.

It can clear the heart and remove heat. It is mainly used to treat high fever, irritability, coma and delirium caused by febrile diseases. It can be taken in combination with Scrophularia ningpoensis, Ophiopogon japonicus, Bamboo Leaf Corydalis, etc.

It has a significant blood pressure-lowering effect, and the effect of reducing diastolic blood pressure is significantly greater than that of reducing systolic blood pressure, which may be related to its direct dilation of vascular smooth muscle;

It can stop bleeding and is mainly used to treat bleeding caused by blood heat, such as epistaxis, hematemesis and metrorrhagia in women. It is often taken with raw rehmannia, imperata root, rhinoceros horn, etc.

Strengthen the heart and calm the mind: The bioalkaloids contained in Sichuan lotus core have significant cardiotonic effects, while lotus core alkaloids have strong anti-calcium and anti-arrhythmic effects.

It can significantly inhibit platelet aggregation, reduce thrombus formation, and has the effects of resisting lipid peroxidation and scavenging free radicals. It is no wonder that Sichuan lotus has strong activity on the cardiovascular system, and is good at clearing the heart and purging fire, eliminating restlessness and relieving heat. It is especially suitable for patients with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases to eat in summer.

It can astringe semen and treat symptoms such as loose stools and spermatorrhea caused by kidney deficiency. It is taken together with Ophiopogon japonicus, Astragalus membranaceus, and Cherry Blossom Seed.

When the rhizome is used as a traditional Chinese medicine, it has the effects of purging fire and detoxifying, clearing away heat and drying dampness. It can treat epidemic heat toxins, high fever and irritability, diarrhea, dysentery, mouth sores, carbuncles, furuncles and other symptoms. Pharmacological experiments have shown that it has antibacterial, antiviral and antiprotozoal effects, and can lower blood pressure and dilate coronary arteries. Coptis chinensis contains a variety of biological alkaloids such as berberine and coptisine, as well as ingredients such as phellodendron ketone and phellodendron lactone.

In the same genus, there is also triangular-leaf Coptis chinensis, also known as Yalian and Emeilian, which is mainly produced in Sichuan; Yunnan Coptis chinensis is also known as Yunlian, which is mainly produced in Yunnan. Its rhizomes are also used for medicinal purposes.