The efficacy and function of chrysanthemum

Friends who don’t know about Huanghuangchao don’t understand its effects and functions. Huanghuangchao is a traditional Chinese medicinal material. Many people only know it in terms of its appearance, so it is difficult to understand what benefits Huanghuangchao can really bring to people’s health. We need to have a deep understanding of this medicinal material.

【English name】flower of Chinese Anisopappus

[Other names] Convolvulus, golden chrysanthemum

[Source] Medicinal material source: the flower of Flos Anthemis nobilis of the Asteraceae family.

[Original form] Chrysanthemum officinale is an annual herb, 40-100cm tall. The roots are thick, 5-12mm in diameter. The stem is erect, solitary, rarely clustered, with fine stripes, and densely covered with rusty soft hairs. The middle stem leaves are ovate-lanceolate or narrowly oblong, 3-6cm long, 1-2cm wide, pubescent on both sides, denser along the veins, truncated or broadly cuneate at the base, with obtuse serrations on the edges, three-veined or three-veined away from the base, gradually getting smaller upwards. The head inflorescence is solitary or several are arranged in a terminal corymb; the peduncle is rusty and pubescent; the involucre is hemispherical; the involucre is 3-layered, lanceolate or broadly strip-shaped, densely pubescent on the outside; the pedicels are keel-shaped, membranous, and 5mm long; the female flowers are ligulate, yellow, with the ligules inverted triangular and 3-toothed at the apex; the bisexual flowers are tubular and 5-toothed at the apex. Achenes are cylindrical, sparsely pubescent, female achenes are 2mm long, bisexual achenes are slightly flattened, with 4 longitudinal ribs; pappus are dirty white, membranous, 4-5 in number, with a thin bark extending 1m at the tip. Flowering and fruiting period is from August to November.

[Habitat distribution] Ecological environment: Growing on dry hillsides, sandy land, wasteland, grassland and forest edges at an altitude of 840-2100m.

[Properties] Identification of properties: This product is easy to break apart, and the complete head inflorescence is hemispherical, with a diameter of 0.8-1.5cm. The involucral bracts are composed of 2-3 rows of linear lanceolate bracts, which are densely covered with hairs on the outside. The ligulate flowers are in a row, yellow, oblong, with 3-4 teeth at the apex. The tubular flowers are densely packed on the raised receptacle, about 4mm long, with 4-6 pappus, which are thorn-like. Each tubular flower has a herbaceous receptacle at the base, which is about the same length as the tubular flower and persists. It has a slight fragrance and a slightly bitter taste.

【Nature and flavor】 Bitter; Cool

【Functions and indications】 Clears away heat and resolves phlegm. Mainly used for cold and fever; lung heat cough; sore throat

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decoction, 5-10g.

[Discussions by various scholars] "Xinhua Compendium of Materia Medica": Flowers: bitter in taste, cool in nature. It has the functions of clearing away heat, resolving phlegm and reducing inflammation. Used for colds, headaches and tracheitis.

【Excerpt】 Chinese Materia Medica

The above describes some ways to eat chrysanthemum. 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.