The efficacy and function of Zaohe tree

Zaoheshu is a very common Chinese medicine and is also a frequently used medicine. It has unique effects and functions in treating many diseases. Here we will tell you in detail about the effects of the traditional Chinese medicine Zaoheshu.

【English name】 root of Sweet Viburnum

[Other names] Leipian wood, duck shit wood, Litong wood, Lidongfeng, sesame oil fragrance, wild boar meat, sugar grass

[Source] Medicinal material source: leaves, bark and roots of the coral tree of the Caprifoliaceae family.

[Original form] Coral tree is an evergreen shrub or small tree, up to 10m tall. The bark is gray or gray-brown; the branches have small tubercle-like raised lenticels. Leaves opposite; petiole 1-2 (-3) cm long; leaf blade leathery, elliptic to oblong or oblong-obovate to obovate, sometimes almost rounded, 7-20 cm long, 4-9 cm wide, apex acute or obtuse, base broadly cuneate to nearly rounded, margin sparsely serrated from more than 1/3 of the base, sometimes nearly entire, dark green and shiny above, light green below, glabrous on both sides, sometimes with tufts of hairs in the axils of the veins below; lateral veins 5-7 pairs, arched upward, knotted at the margin, and raised below together with the midrib. The panicle is usually spire-shaped, 5-11cm long and 2.5-8.5cm wide; the flowers are fragrant, sessile or with short stalks; the calyx tube is about 1.5mm long, and the calyx margin has 5 shallow blunt teeth; the corolla is white, radial, about 7mm in diameter, the corolla tube is about 1mm long, with 5 lobes, 2-3 times longer than the corolla tube; there are 5 stamens, inserted near the throat of the corolla tube. The drupe is ovate-oval, about 1cm long and 6mm in diameter, first red and then black; the core is ovate, flat, about 8mm long and 5mm in diameter, with a deep ventral groove. The flowering period is April-May, and the fruiting period is July-September.

[Habitat distribution] Ecological environment: Growing in dense forests in valleys or hillside thickets at an altitude of 600-1900m.

[Chemical composition] The whole plant contains chlorogenic acid, suc-cinic acid, quercetin, and rutin [1].

[Pharmacological action] The biologically active substances viburnum A, B, C, D, E and F are isolated and extracted from the leaves of coral tree. Among them, viburnum A is a new fish-killing ingredient with an average 24-hour tolerance limit of 0.18 μg/kg for bluefin mullet (Oryzias latipes). Viburnum B is a new plant growth inhibitor with an IC50 of 57 μg/kg for root growth of rice seedlings[1].

【Nature and flavor】 Spicy; warm

【Functions and indications】 Dispel wind and dampness; promote blood circulation and activate collaterals. Mainly used for colds; rheumatic pain; swelling and pain from falls; fractures

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoction, root 9-15g; bark 30-60g. For external use: take appropriate amount of leaves and mash them for application.

[Discussions by various scholars] "Xinhua Compendium of Materia Medica": Leaves, bark, and roots: spicy in taste, warm in nature. It has the functions of removing dampness, promoting blood circulation, removing toxins and promoting tissue regeneration. Used for rheumatism, swelling and pain from falls, and fractures.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

Above we introduced what the Zaohe tree is. We know that the Zaohe tree can not only be used to treat diseases but also has good health benefits, so we must be good at using the Zaohe tree to protect our health.