What is the medicinal value of cycad flowers

Dracaena is a substance we often hear about from people, but we rarely see this plant with our own eyes, because in our impression it is very difficult for the Dracaena to bloom. It is for this reason that the Dracaena is extremely precious. However, this Dracaena is a plant that can be picked at any time. However, the Dracaena flowers usually bloom in summer, and sometimes they are light pink, but sometimes they are yellow.

[Plant morphology] Cordyceps sinensis (Nanyue Notes), also known as: iron tree (Lingnan Miscellaneous Notes), red bamboo (Nanyue Notes), iron grass (Jiabao Zhenchuan), red leaf iron tree, red iron tree. An upright, sturdy shrub, 1 to 3 meters high, with a single trunk or few branches. The leaves are clustered at the top of the stem; lanceolate-elliptic to rectangular, 30-50 cm long, 5-10 cm wide, multi-veined, gradually pointed at the apex, narrow at the base into a grooved, broad-footed, clasping petiole, green or purplish-red. The flowers are nearly sessile, alternately growing on branches to form a broad panicle, about 30 cm long, light red to bluish purple with occasional light yellow; the flowers are about 1 cm long; there are 3 involucral bracts at the base of the pedicel; the perianth is tubular, 6-lobed, with narrow, erect lobes, about the same length as the tube; there are 6 stamens; the ovary has 3 chambers, each with 4 to 6 ovules. The fruit is a berry. Flowering period is summer. Distributed in Guangdong, Guangxi and other places.

[Collection] Can be collected throughout the year.

【Chemical composition】Contains phenols, amino acids and sugars.

【Nature and flavor】Sweet, mild, and cool. ① "Compendium of Materia Medica": "light, slightly cold." ② "Luchuan Materia Medica": "bitter, cold." ③ "Guangxi Chinese Herbal Medicine": "sweet, neutral, non-toxic."

【Functions and indications】 Clears away heat, stops bleeding, and disperses blood stasis. Treat dysentery, vomiting blood, bloody stool, stomachache, hematuria, menorrhagia, and swelling and pain from falls. ① "Supplement to Compendium of Materia Medica": "It can cure all kinds of heart, stomach and qi pain." ② "Compendium of Materia Medica": "It can disperse blood stasis and stop bleeding, and activate blood in tendons and bones. It can cure bleeding and vomiting blood, and can be used for frying meat. For bruises and swelling, apply it with the original wine lees; add onions and vinegar to apply it, and it can remove all kinds of toxic wind and alcohol wind." ③ "Illustrated Records of Plant Names and Realities": "It can cure dysentery." ④ "Luchuan Materia Medica": "It can relieve heat and toxins, cool blood and stop bleeding. It can cure dysentery, intestinal bleeding and hematuria." ⑤ "Handbook of Commonly Used Chinese Herbal Medicines" of Guangzhou Army: "It can cure hemoptysis caused by tuberculosis, threatened abortion, menorrhagia, hematuria and hemorrhoidal bleeding."

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoct in water, 0.5~1 liang.

【Additional prescription】

① Treat dysentery: 1 liang of cycad leaves, 3 qian of pomegranate peel, 1 liang of purslane, and 5 qian of honeysuckle. Decoction in water. (Luchuan Materia Medica)

②Treatment of bloody stool: 1 liang of iron tree leaves and 4 liang of lean pork meat. Cook and drink it. (Records of Collecting Medicinal Herbs in Lingnan)

Usually, the cycad flowers are boiled for consumption and cannot be eaten directly, otherwise no medicinal value will be obtained. However, after taking it, it can achieve the effect of clearing away heat and detoxifying, and even has a very good effect on blood in the stool. The cycad flowers themselves can reduce inflammation and relieve pain, so they are widely used in traditional Chinese medicine.