This grass that grows in every rural household can actually strengthen bones and muscles and nourish the liver and kidneys

I went back to my hometown not long ago and saw that the weeds in front of and behind the house were still thriving, including many medicinal herbs that my grandfather had planted himself. Whenever I see this scene, I think of the wonderful time of my childhood. At that time, I listened to my grandfather telling us stories about plants and he also gave us some knowledge about Chinese herbal medicine. Each Chinese medicinal material has its own unique story. However, there is a traditional Chinese medicine called Achyranthes bidentata. Because it has the function of nourishing the liver and kidneys and strengthening the tendons and bones, my grandfather would use it to make wine and drink it. It can treat rheumatic pain, joint discomfort and other symptoms.

Achyranthes bidentata is a perennial herb of the genus Achyranthes bidentata in the Amaranthaceae family. Because its stem has nodes and resembles the knee of a cow, it is called Achyranthes bidentata. It also has aliases such as Baibei, Niujing, Niukexi, Jiegudan, and Niugaixitou. The Chinese medicinal herb Achyranthes bidentata mostly grows beside houses, at the edge of forests, and in the grass on hillsides. It is usually harvested in autumn. First, cut the above-ground stems and leaves, then dig out the roots, cut off the reed heads, remove the soil and impurities, tie them into bundles, and dry them before using as medicine.

The medicinal properties of Achyranthes bidentata were recorded as early as in the "Shennong Bencao Jing", which believed that Achyranthes bidentata "treats cold and dampness, paralysis and numbness, cramps in the limbs, knee pain and inability to bend, expel blood and qi, heat and fire injuries, and abortion"; and in the "Compendium of Materia Medica", the medicinal properties of Achyranthes bidentata were further supplemented, believing that Achyranthes bidentata can "treat chronic malaria, cold and fever, five types of stranguria, hematuria, pain in the penis, dysentery, throat paralysis, mouth ulcers, toothache, carbuncles, malignant ulcers, and fractures".

Generally speaking, Achyranthes bidentata tastes bitter, sweet, and sour, and is neutral in nature; it enters the liver and kidney meridians; it has the effects of removing blood stasis and dredging menstruation, tonifying the liver and kidneys, strengthening the tendons and bones, promoting diuresis and relieving stranguria, and guiding blood downward; it is suitable for amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, soreness of the waist and knees, weakness of the tendons and bones, stranguria, edema, headache, dizziness, toothache, mouth ulcers, vomiting blood, epistaxis, etc.; the general dosage is 4.5 to 9g.

The clinical application of Achyranthes bidentata is generally divided into raw use and wine preparation, and the two have different medicinal properties. As stated in "The Chemical Meaning of Medicines", Achyranthes bidentata "when used raw has the effect of promoting blood circulation, and is mainly used to treat symptoms such as urinary retention, leukorrhea, penis pain, blood stasis, mass congestion, amenorrhea in women, and postpartum nausea", mainly because of its function of activating blood circulation and descending; the effect of Achyranthes bidentata after being processed with wine is different from that when used raw, "when processed with wine, it has the effect of tonic, and is mainly used to treat symptoms such as cramps in the limbs, pain in the waist, knees, and legs, pain in the bones and tendons, malaria and thirst, damp-heat paralysis, and indurance in the elderly", mainly because of its function of nourishing blood and yin".

Achyranthes bidentata has a wide range of uses. It has its own merits when used raw or prepared with wine, but it also has its contraindications in clinical practice. For example, Depei Materia Medica believes that people with "lack of vital energy and spontaneous urination" should not use Achyranthes bidentata; Yaoyao Huayi believes that "if you have diarrhea, spleen deficiency, and sore legs and knees, you should not use Achyranthes bidentata"; Bencao Tongxuan believes that people with "nocturnal emission and spermatorrhea" should not use Achyranthes bidentata; Bencao Zheng believes that people with "cold internal organs, slippery stools, and weak lower body" should not use Achyranthes bidentata; in addition, people with heavy menstruation, short-term amenorrhea, continuous hemorrhage, and pregnant women are not suitable for using Achyranthes bidentata.