The efficacy and function of purple rhododendron

For many Chinese people, traditional Chinese medicine is very trustworthy because it has a long history and few side effects. Purple azalea is a common Chinese medicinal material. It has many benefits for human health. So how can we eat purple azalea? Let’s learn about it below.

[Other names] Wild peony flower, Lingnan azalea (Guangxi Medicinal Plant List).

[Source] The flowers, leaves , young branches or root bark of Rhododendron guangdongensis, a plant of the Ericaceae family.

[Original form] Evergreen shrub, 1 to 3 meters high. The branches are dense, and the twigs are densely covered with flat reddish-brown hairs. The leaves are dimorphic and clustered at the top of branches; spring leaves are elliptic-lanceolate, 3-8.2 cm long, 1.8-3.2 cm wide, pointed at both ends, and slightly pubescent on the underside; summer leaves are elliptic to obovate, 1.2-3.2 cm long, 5-15 mm wide, obtuse or rounded at the apex, with a short tip; petioles are 4-8 mm long and densely covered with rough pubescent hairs. The umbel is terminal, with 7 to 12 flowers; the pedicel is 6 to 9 mm long, densely covered with reddish-brown hairs; the calyx is extremely small, densely covered with yellowish-brown fine hairs; the corolla is funnel-shaped, lilac-purple, and the corolla tube is about 1 cm long; there are 5 stamens, exposed, and the filaments are glabrous; the ovary is densely covered with fine hairs. The capsule is cylindrical, 0.8 to 1.2 cm long, densely covered with reddish-brown flat hairs.

[Habitat distribution] It grows in mountains and sparse forests, and is distributed in Guangdong, Jiangxi, Hunan and other places.

[Chemical composition] The leaves contain flavonoids, phenols, organic acids, triterpenes, a large amount of tannins and volatile oils (0.01%, dry weight). Five flavonoid crystals were isolated from leaves and young branches, one of which was quercetin, and the other four were erucicin A, B, C, and D. The volatile oil contains more than 6 terpenoid components.

【Pharmacological action】 ① Antitussive and expectorant effect

[Toxicity] The median lethal dose of flavonoids injected intraperitoneally into mice is 1.97 g/kg (equivalent to 739 g/kg of the crude drug). They were all in a suppressed state before death. The heartbeat can still be felt shortly after breathing stops. When cats were given 0.5 g/kg of flavonoids by oral gavage, no other abnormalities were observed within 48 hours except that they became quieter and had less activity. Dogs were given 0.12 or 0.06 g/kg by oral gavage every day for 20 consecutive days. Their activities decreased, they became more docile, and their weight generally decreased. No abnormalities were found in liver, kidney function, or blood count.

【Functions and indications】 Antitussive and expectorant. Treat chronic tracheitis.

[Usage and Dosage] For oral use: decocted in water, 0.5-1 liang (2 liang for fresh).

【Clinical application】 Treatment of chronic tracheitis

【Excerpt】 《*Dictionary》

[Source] From "Selected Materials on Overcoming Senile Chronic Bronchitis in Guangdong Province"

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