What are the effects of Chinese medicine parasitism

Parasite is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine. It often parasitizes on some shrubs such as pear, elm, birch, maple, poplar, liquidambar, etc. The medicinal properties of parasites were recorded as early as in "Shengnong Tasting Hundreds of Herbs". It contains quite rich chemical components, including flavonoids, resin alcohol, oleanolic acid and other chemical substances. In addition, parasitism can treat many diseases, such as diuresis, lowering blood pressure, and tocolysis, etc. Let's talk about it below.

1. Treatment of hypertension. It is suitable for cases of liver and kidney deficiency, yin deficiency and yang hyperactivity, headache, dizziness, tinnitus, and palpitations. It has a blood pressure lowering effect. 30-60g can be used alone, decocted in water instead of tea, but because of its limited strength, it is often used with blood-drying herbs such as raw rehmannia, red peony root, and honeysuckle vine, etc., decocted in water and taken orally. Recipes such as Sangji Antihypertensive Decoction have a certain effect on lowering blood pressure and improving symptoms.

2. Treat rheumatic arthritis. It is suitable for patients with rheumatic arthritis, rheumatic myositis, low back pain, and other symptoms of blood deficiency. It has the effects of harmonizing blood vessels, relaxing muscles and tendons, and relieving pain. It is often used with Angelica dahurica, Rehmannia glutinosa, Saposhnikovia divaricata, Codonopsis pilosula, etc., such as the Angelica dahurica Jishe Decoction (see under Angelica dahurica).

3. It is effective in treating fetal movement disorder, fetal bleeding (premature miscarriage), or back pain. It is often used with Scutellaria baicalensis, Atractylodes macrocephala, Dipsacus asper, etc., such as Sangji Antai Decoction.

4. For the treatment of polio, it is more effective when used in combination with Epimedium.

5. Treat dry skin, also known as "dry skin" in traditional Chinese medicine. It is caused by blood deficiency and blood stasis. Because the blood cannot nourish the skin, the skin becomes dry and even like fish scales. Previous generations believed that mistletoe can "lighten the skin" and therefore can treat this disease, but its mechanism of action needs further study. The usage is to take 30-60g of mistletoe each time, add an egg and appropriate amount of sugar, and decoct in water.

Parasites are bitter and flat in nature, enter the liver and kidney meridians, and have many therapeutic effects. Therefore, parasites are now also used in clinical practice. However, the types of parasites vary due to different geographical growth environments. Generally, mistletoe, also known as mulberry parasite, is mostly used in Tianjin, while Viscum album is mostly used in some areas of Beijing. There are also certain differences in the effects of the two.