What are the medicinal values ​​of Strychnos nux vomica?

Most people may not know what strychnine is. It is not often seen in daily life. With the high-rise buildings occupying the city, there are not many trees and grasses, so it is difficult to see plants like strychnine. In fact, it is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine, which is rich in efficacy. So what is the medicinal value of strychnine and what are its effects?

The following introduction to the Chinese medicinal material Strychnos nux vomica is compiled by many administrators of traditional Chinese medicine websites from materials such as "Chinese Herbs", "Chinese Pharmacopoeia", and "National Compilation of Chinese Herbal Medicines". The content is for reference and learning only and should not be used as a reference for private use of Strychnos nux vomica. Please use the medicine under the guidance of a doctor.

Strychnos nux vomica

【name】:

Strychnos nux vomica

【English name】：

Nux Vomica, Dong Button

【Pinyin】:

Ma Qián Zǐ

Aliases:

Kushi, Maqian, Panmu turtle, Kushibadouer, Huoshikebadu, Maqianzi, Niuyin

【Medicinal material category】：

Fruits/seeds

【Nature and flavor】：

Bitter, cold, poisonous.

① "Compendium of Materia Medica": bitter, cold, non-toxic.

② "Compendium of Materia Medica": bitter, cold, and highly toxic.

Meridians:

It enters the liver and spleen meridians.

【Medicinal Part】：

It is the seeds of Strychnos nux vomica and Strychnos nux vomica of the Loganaceae family.

【Origin and distribution】：

1. Strychnos nux vomica: grows in tropical regions. It is cultivated in Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan and other places.

2. Long-seeded Strychnos nux vomica: It grows in hotter depressions on hillsides, wet areas in valleys, or in mixed woods and bushes below 600m above sea level. Distributed in Yunnan.

【Morphological characteristics】：

1. Tree, 10-13m tall. Bark grey, lenticel-filled, branches smooth.

Simple leaves are opposite; petiole is 5-12mm long; leaf blade is leathery, broadly ovate or nearly round, 6-15cm long, 3-9cm wide, with acute or slightly concave apex, broadly cuneate or rounded base, entire, smooth, glabrous, with 3-5 main veins, raised on the back, and veinlets forming an irregular network; there are short tendrils in the axils.

The panicle cymes are axillary, 3-5cm long, 2.5-5cm in diameter, and covered with short soft hairs; the involucral bracts and bracteoles are small, triangular, pointed at the apex, and covered with short soft hairs; the flowers are white and almost sessile; the calyx is green, 5-lobed at the apex, densely covered with short soft hairs; the corolla is tubular, 5-lobed at the apex, the lobes are ovate, and the inner surface is densely covered with short hairs; there are 5 stamens, inserted at the throat of the corolla tube, the filaments are extremely short, and the anthers are yellow and elliptical; the pistil is 9.5-12mm long, the style is cylindrical, up to 11mm long, and the stigma is capitate; the chamber is ovate.

The berries are spherical, 2-4cm in diameter, green when young, orange when ripe, and have a smooth surface. There are 1-4 seeds, which are disc-shaped, 1-3 cm in diameter, grayish yellow in color, and densely covered with silver hairs. The flowering period is spring and summer, and the fruit is bright from August to January of the following year.

In ancient times, Strychnos nux vomica was a common Chinese medicinal material. It is very effective in detoxifying gout and dispelling cold. In my country, Strychnos nux vomica is distributed in various regions of China and grows in places with moist soil. The color of Strychnos nux vomica is the same as the bark and it is triangular in shape, so it is easy to identify. Most of them grow on hillsides. Strychnos nux vomica has a good effect on spleen and stomach deficiency and cold, and nourishing the liver.