What are the medicinal properties of Patchouli?

Patchouli is one of the Chinese medicinal materials with better calcium supplement effect, and it also contains many nutrients, such as vitamins, iron, carotene, etc. It has a good regulating effect on some discomforts in the gastrointestinal function of the human body. The following editor will introduce the main medicinal value of Patchouli among Chinese herbal medicines, and how it should be used in daily life to achieve better results.

Patchouli is a high-calcium and high-carotene food. Every 100g of young leaves contains 72g of water, 8.6g of protein, 1.7g of fat, 10g of carbohydrates, 6.38mg of carotene, 0.1mg of vitamin B1, 0.38mg of vitamin B2, 1.2mg of niacin, 23mg of vitamin C, 580mg of calcium, 104mg of phosphorus, 28.5mg of iron, and the whole plant contains 0.5% aromatic volatile oil, the oil mainly contains methyl chavicol (about 80%), limonene, α-pinene and β-pinene, cymene, linalool, I-caryophyllene, etc. It has a certain inhibitory effect on many pathogenic fungi. Aromatic volatile oil is the raw material for making many Chinese patent medicines.

The 2010 edition of the Pharmacopoeia, Part 1, stipulates that only the dried aerial parts of Pogostemoncablin (Blanco) Benth. can be used as medicine. Harvest when the branches and leaves are lush, and dry them in the sun and at night, repeating this process until they are dry.

Processing: Remove residual roots and impurities, shake off the leaves first, sieve them and put them separately; wash the stems, soak them thoroughly, cut them into sections, dry them, and then mix them with the leaves.

Nature and flavor: pungent, slightly warm. It enters the spleen, stomach and lung meridians.

[Functions and indications] Aromatic and clearing turbidity, harmonizing the stomach and stopping vomiting, releasing the exterior and relieving heat. It is used for dampness and turbidity blocking the middle part of the body, abdominal distension and vomiting, external symptoms of summer-dampness, the initial onset of damp-heat, fever and fatigue, chest tightness and discomfort, cold and dampness retaining summer heat, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea, and sinusitis and headache.

Patchouli has bactericidal function. Holding a leaf in the mouth can eliminate bad breath, prevent infectious diseases, and can be used as a preservative. In summer, using Patchouli to cook porridge or make tea to drink is effective for severe summer-heat and dampness, dampness in the spleen and stomach, abdominal distension, heaviness and fatigue in limbs, nausea and vomiting.

For friends who often feel bad breath, most of the time it is caused by disharmony between the spleen and stomach. At this time, eating some patchouli appropriately can effectively remove bad breath and regulate the spleen and stomach. And for diarrhea, vomiting, etc. caused by certain reasons, you can also combine Patchouli with some other Chinese herbal medicines for decoction.