The efficacy and function of Shen Huangdou

We know that there are many kinds of Chinese medicinal materials, and Shenhuangdou is one of them. In order for the magic soybean to play its role correctly and scientifically, it is necessary to master its consumption method, because different medicinal materials have their own unique nutrition and efficacy. Let’s study it below.

[Alias] Huihui beans (Pharmaceuticals).

[Source] It is the fruit of the leguminous plant Cassia tora . The fruits are picked when they are ripe in autumn and dried.

【Original form】 Tree. The young branches are silky. The leaves are even-pinnate compound leaves, opposite; the petioles and rachis are glandless; the leaflets are 6 to 12 pairs, thinly leathery, elliptic-rectangular, 1.5 to 3.5 cm long, 1 to 1.5 cm wide, with rounded or concave tips, bald above and hairy below. Umbel is terminal, 4 cm long; bracts are ovate-lanceolate, persistent, 8 mm long; sepals are 5, ovate, 5-8 mm long, 4-6 mm wide; petals are 5, pink, long ovate, with short petioles, 2.5-3 cm long, 1-1.5 cm wide; stamens are 10, 3 long and 7 short; pistil is 1, style is incurved, stigma is truncated. The pods are cylindrical, dark brown, with obvious nodes, and 30 to 60 cm long. Flowering period is June (Guangzhou).

【Habitat distribution】Mostly cultivated in gardens. Distributed in Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan and other places. It is mainly produced in Yunnan and also in Guangdong.

[Properties] Dried pods are oblong, up to 60 cm long and 1.5 to 2 cm in diameter. A fruit stalk can be seen at one end, which is about 1.4 cm long, dark brown in color, with obvious nodes, and contains many seeds. The endocarp of the tender ones is oily and black, the seeds are not full and cannot be segmented and peeled into individual grains. When mature, the endocarp is gray-green and the seeds are plump and can be peeled into individual grains. Each single flat cylindrical grain is shaped like a chess piece, about 6 to 7 mm thick and 12 to 18 mm in diameter. It has membranous surfaces on the upper and lower surfaces, with an arc-shaped purple spot in the center, which makes a sound when shaken. The seeds are flat oval, about 1 cm long and 8 mm wide, with a shiny reddish-brown surface and a distinct hilum. Hard texture. No smell, bitter taste. The best ones are those that are hot and full and make sounds when shaken; the second best ones are those that make no sounds.

【Chemical composition】 The seeds contain fixed oil, galactose and mannan. The flowers contain cassia bark glycoside, cassia alcohol acetate, cassia bark lactone glycoside, palmitic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, behenic acid, tetracosic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, hexacosanol, γ-sitosterol and its α-glucoside, etc.

[Preparation] Peel off the shell, take out the seeds and dry them.

【Nature and flavor】《Pharmacology》: "Warm in nature, sweet and bitter in taste."

【Functions and indications】 ① "Compendium of Materia Medica": "It can relieve acne and detoxify."

【Usage and Dosage】 Grind into powder and take orally.

[Additional prescription] ① Treat the pox that extends from the chest to below the navel, but has no pox in the middle. This is called double-headed pox. This is because Qi and blood cannot flow from top to bottom, and there may be stagnation of cold poison between the waist and navel. If not treated urgently, the pox will turn grayish-white after seven days. When spots appear, use urgently: 30 grains of raw Astragalus, Chinese angelica, red peony root, Platycodon, Saposhnikovia, Schizonepeta, Magnolia officinalis, Dipsacus asper, Angelica dahurica, Hawthorn, Akebia, and Shenhuangdou. If you take this medicine, you will be safe from smallpox. (New Book on Vaccination)

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

[Source] From "Ben Jing Feng Yuan"

Everyone should know about the medicinal value of magic soybeans. We should pay more attention to information in this area so that we can be prepared when encountering problems and avoid panic.