The efficacy and function of alkali

Lithospermum officinale is a very common Chinese medicine and also a very important medicinal material. We need to pay attention to it. Alkali can be used in combination with other medicines, and we need to take them appropriately according to our physical condition. Let’s take a look at the main effects and functions of the traditional Chinese medicine stone alkali.

[Other names] Flower alkali (Shengji Zonglu), alkali (Bencao Yanyi Buyi), gray alkali (Compendium of Materia Medica), water alkali (Benjing Fengyuan), lye sand, dry cake medicine (Compendium of Leprosy).

[Source] It is a solid made by processing the alkaline juice extracted from the ashes of grasses such as Artemisia and Polygonum and flour.

[Chemical composition] Traditional alkali mainly contains inorganic substances such as potassium carbonate and sodium carbonate, as well as starch and protein.

【Nature and flavor】Salty, bitter, warm.

【Functions and indications】 Softening hard masses, eliminating accumulations, resolving paralysis, and removing cataracts. It is used to treat lumps, indigestion, nausea, eye opacities, and warts.

[Usage and Dosage] For internal use: make into pills or powders. For external use: grind into powder and sprinkle or apply on the affected area.

【Note】 "Compendium of Materia Medica" states: "It is not suitable for people with diarrhea or weak stomach."

[Additional prescription] ① To eliminate accumulation and relieve gas: 3 qian of alkaline, 3 liang of hawthorn, 5 qian of asafoetida, 1 liang of pinellia (processed with saponin water). Grind it into powder, boil it with asafoetida and vinegar to make a paste into pills for oral administration. (From "Zhai Yuan Fang")

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

【Source】 From 1. "Bencao Yanyi Buyi".

The above is an introduction to the Chinese medicinal material Lithospermum officinale. For medicinal herbs that we don't understand, we should learn more about them so that we can make full use of them in our lives and not be at a loss.