What are the effects and functions of bitter grass

When it comes to the Chinese medicinal material bitter grass, many people may not be very familiar with it. In fact, it is a kind of aquatic plant, so as the name suggests, it grows in water, and can only grow in low altitudes. Moreover, this plant must be mature before it can be used as a Chinese medicinal material, otherwise it has no medicinal value. It is mainly decocted into medicine for consumption. Most of this medicinal material is used to treat abnormal leucorrhea in female friends.

[Original morphology] Annual erect herb, about 1 meter high, bifurcated branches, bald or sparsely hairy. Leaves are opposite, petiolate; leaf blades are ovate-lanceolate to elliptic-ovate, 7 to 13 cm long, 3 to 6 cm wide, short-pointed at the apex, decurrent at the base, with small teeth on the margin, and 3 main veins. The capitula is sessile or nearly sessile, axillary or terminal, cylindrical, about 1 cm long; there are several involucres, the outermost layer is leaf-like, and the inner layer is membranous and scaly; the marginal flowers are female, tongue-shaped, and yellow; the middle bisexual flowers are tubular and 4-toothed. The achenes of female flowers are flat and have two tear-like wings; the achenes of bisexual flowers are cylindrical, with small warts and hard thorns on the top of the corners. Flowering period: spring.

[Habitat distribution] Grown in open fields and ditches. Distributed in southern my country.

【Function and indications】

① "Selected Wuzhou Herbal Medicines and Prescriptions for Common and Frequently-Occurring Diseases": Clears away heat and relieves summer heat, cools blood and dispels toxins. It can be used to treat severe fever caused by eczema and cold; it can be used as an external application to treat sores, ulcers and carbuncles.

② "Guangxi Medicinal Plant Records": Treats sores and scabies.

[Usage and Dosage] For internal use: decoct in water, 3 to 5 qian. For external use: mash and apply or wash with the decoction.

1. Chemical composition: Vallisneria contains spinachsterol, β-sitosterol and eicosanol.

2. Nature and flavor: bitter, warm, non-toxic.

3. Functions and indications: Clearing away heat and detoxifying, relieving cough and removing phlegm, nourishing tendons and regulating blood. Used for acute and chronic bronchitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, joint pain; external treatment of traumatic bleeding.

4. Dosage and Administration: For oral administration, decocted in water, 5-15 grams.

Moreover, the medicinal material of bitter grass is mainly used for internal use and is non-toxic. However, you cannot take it casually just because it is non-toxic, otherwise it will cause many adverse reactions. In fact, this medicinal material has the effect of clearing away heat and detoxifying, and it has a very good effect on the symptoms of cold and fever, and can be treated very well.