The efficacy and function of typhoid grass

Herba Typhoides is a common type of traditional Chinese medicine with many different functions. It can regulate some diseases of the human body. Let us now learn about its specific functions.

[Other names] Night glory, star-wiping grass (Records of Medicinal Herbs in Lingnan), color-control grass (Flora of Guangzhou), soul-returning incense (Guangdong Chinese Medicine II), mountain-eliminating grass (Handbook of Commonly Used Chinese Herbal Medicines for Guangzhou Troops), false salty shrimp, and fragrant grass (Handbook of Commonly Used Chinese Herbal Medicines for Guangzhou Air Force).

[Source] It is the whole herb of the night-scented osmanthus plant of the Asteraceae family. The whole herb is harvested in summer and autumn and sun-dried.

[Original form] Annual herb, 20 to 80 cm tall. Stem erect, weak, few branches, slightly hairy. Leaves are alternate; petiolate; lanceolate to ovate or obovate, 2-6 cm long, 1-3 cm wide, obtuse or mucronate at apex, with shallow teeth on margin, narrow cuneate at base, extending down to petiole, sparsely hairy on both sides; leaves near branch ends are narrower and smaller. The head inflorescence is about 7 mm long and 2.5 mm wide, arranged in sparse umbels; the bracts are in several rows, acute, and the outermost row is shorter; all flowers are tubular, bisexual, about 20, light purple-red, the corolla is twice as long as the bracts, and the apex is 5-lobed. The achenes are cylindrical, about 2 mm long, with lines and hairs, and the pappus is white and numerous. Flowering season all year round.

[Habitat distribution] Growing in open land. Distributed in southern my country. Produced in Guangdong and other places.

[Properties] The whole plant is dried, with a stem length of about 15 to 60 cm, a thickness of about 3 to 5 mm, green-brown in color, with longitudinal wrinkles, covered with light yellow hairs, and hard in texture. The leaves are mostly wrinkled or falling off, lanceolate to ovate or obovate, and brittle. The top of the stem has a head inflorescence with a yellow-brown corolla, or it has achenes that are cylindrical, gray-brown, and have numerous white pappus. The air is weak. The best ones are those with more leaves and no impurities.

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

[Pharmacological action] The seeds can be used as an anthelmintic; the leaves have a weak antibacterial effect, but are ineffective against malarial parasites.

[Properties and flavors] "Guangdong Traditional Chinese Medicine" II: "Cool in nature, light in taste, some say bitter in taste, cool in nature."

【Functions and indications】 Clears away heat, removes dampness and detoxifies. Treat exogenous fever, acute icteric hepatitis, damp-heat diarrhea, furunculosis and swelling.

[Usage and Dosage] For internal use: decocted in water, 3-5 qian (1-2 liang for fresh ones). For external use: mash and apply.

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

[Source] From "Records of Collecting Medicinal Herbs in Lingnan"

The above describes some ways to eat typhoid grass. Although many medicinal herbs can be eaten, we must remind everyone that Chinese medicines generally cannot be taken indiscriminately and should be used according to your own situation.