There are many types of Chinese herbal medicine in Chinese medicine. Chinese herbal medicine is also one of the richest categories and the largest number. Chinese herbal medicine includes taller trees, shorter grasses, etc., and Xiaotongcao In fact, it is a plant that is not too tall. So, what are the effects and functions of Xiaotongcao in general and what are the contraindications for its use?

The Chinese medicinal name is xiaotongcao

Alternatively known as Xiaotonghua, Tongcao stick, Jingjie flower, Xiaotonghua, Shantongcao and Tongtiao tree.

English name StachyuriMedulla, HelwingiaeMedulla

Source: StachyurushimalaicusHook.f.etThoms., Chinese Medulla StachyuruschinensisFranch. or Dogwood plant Green pod. Leaves Heluringiaja Ponica (Thunb.) Stem pith of Dietr.

Plant form shrub or small tree. The branches are vine-shaped, up to 4 meters high, and the bark is brown and smooth. Single leaves are alternate, thick paper, obovate or elliptical, 7 to 10 cm long, 3.5 to 5.5 cm wide, with an apex that is caudate-acuminate, a base that is round or slightly heart-shaped, and an edge with fine and dense serrations, and the teeth are pointed toward the end. In front, there is a thickened round head. The spikes are axillary, 6 to 10 cm long, mostly drooping, with 2 small bracts ovate; the flowers are small, yellow; 4 sepals, long ovate; 4 petals, separated, oval; 8 stamens, slightly shorter On the petals, the anthers are yellow; the ovary is superior, the style is solitary, the stigma is lobed or capitate, the axial placenta is 4-loculed, and the ovules are numerous. The berries are dark brown, spherical, with a pointed tip, 5 to 8 mm in diameter. The flowering period is from March to April.

Origin distribution occurs on hillsides or jungles. Distributed in Jiangxi, Taiwan, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Tibet and other places.

Harvesting and processing: Harvest in summer and autumn. Cut the branches into 30-50 cm long sections. When fresh, use a thin bamboo skewer to push out the pith from the small end to the big end, straighten it, and dry it in the shade or Dry. In some areas, a knife is used to cut it longitudinally, peel off the bark and xylem, take out the pith, and dry it in the sun.

The medicinal material is cylindrical in shape, 30 to 50 cm long and 0.5 to 1 cm in diameter. The surface is white or light yellow, without texture. It is light in body, soft in texture, can be deformed when pinched, elastic, easy to break, has a flat cross-section, no hollows, and has a silvery white luster. There is a slimy feeling after being soaked in water. Odorless and tasteless.

The nature and flavor are meridian distribution, cold, sweet and light. Returns to lung meridian and stomach meridian.

Effects and effects: clear away heat, diuretic, and reduce lactation. It is a diuretic and stranguria drug classified under the category of diuretic and dampness-removing drugs.

The clinical application dosage is 2.5 to 4.5 grams. Treats difficulty in urinating, incontinence of breast milk, and urinary tract infections.

Pharmacological studies show that this product has high polysaccharide content, and low dosage can reduce the content of lipid peroxidation products (LPO) in the liver and serum of 9-month-old mice. Among them, four polysaccharides had a significant effect on reducing the LPO content in the liver at a dosage of 80 mg/kg (P0.05), but had a significant effect on the LPO content in serum at a dosage of 160 mg/kg (P0.05). It has a significant reduction effect on the content of aging metabolite LF in the myocardium and brain tissue of mice (P0.01), but has no significant effect on reducing the content of LF in the liver p0.05; both can increase the level of aging-related enzyme SOD in the whole blood of mice. Vitality, the effect was obvious (P0.05).

Chemical components: Stem pith contains ash, fat, protein, crude fiber, pentosan and uronic acid, as well as a-galactose, glucose and xylose, galacturonic acid, and various amino acids. As well as 18 kinds of trace elements such as calcium, barium, magnesium, iron, etc.

Usage contraindications: Use with caution if there is qi deficiency, dampness or heat, and pregnant women.

Compatible prescriptions

① To treat yellow and red urine: 6 grams of Tongcao, 4.5 grams of Akebia, and 9 grams of Plantago (cloth bag). Decoct and take. ("Anhui Traditional Chinese Medicine")

② To treat fever, irritability and difficulty in urination: 6 grams of Xiaotongcao, 9 grams each of gardenia, raw rehmannia, light bamboo leaves, anemarrhena, and skullcap. Decoct and take. ("Anhui Traditional Chinese Medicine")

③Treatment of acute urethritis: 6 grams of Xiaotongcao, 15 grams each of Kochia bark and Plantago seed (cloth bag). Decoct and take. ("Anhui Chinese Medicine Chronicles")

④ To treat dysuria: 15 grams of Xiaotongcao, 15 grams of Plantain, 15 grams of Acorus, 3 grams of Water rush, and 3 grams of gypsum. Decoct and take.

("Hunan Medicine Chronicle")

⑤Treatment of gonorrhea and difficulty in urination: 30 grams of talc, 6 grams of licorice, and 9 grams of Xiaotongcao. Decoction in water. ("Gansu Chinese Herbal Medicine Manual")

⑥Treatment of postpartum lactation obstruction: 6 grams of Xiaotongcao, 9 grams of Wangbuliuxing, and 12 grams of marshmallow root. Jianshui can be used as tea. If there is not much milk due to blood deficiency, add a pair of pig's trotters, stew until mashed and remove the medicinal residue, and eat the meat and drink the soup. ("Anhui Chinese Herbal Medicine")

⑦ Treatment of lactation: 30 grams of astragalus, 15 grams of angelica, and 9 grams of Xiaotongcao. Decoction. ("Gansu Chinese Herbal Medicine Handbook")

⑧Cure amenorrhea: 9 to 15 grams each of Xiaotongcao and Achyranthes achyranthes. Decoction in water. ("Zhejiang Medicinal Flora")

Be careful when drinking medicine

1. When taking traditional Chinese medicine, do not mix it with too strong tea, because the tannic acid in tea will affect our body's response to traditional Chinese medicine. Strong tea contains more tannic acid, so if we drink strong tea when taking traditional Chinese medicine, the effect of taking traditional Chinese medicine will be reduced.

2. Traditional Chinese medicine believes that radish has the effect of digestion and exhaust, so do not eat radish when taking traditional Chinese medicine. Especially if the purpose of taking traditional Chinese medicine is to nourish, eating radish will make us The nourishing effect is greatly weakened.

3. If you have digestive system diseases, such as chronic hepatitis or chronic gastrointestinal diseases, do not take them when taking traditional Chinese medicine, because the spiciness in garlic will irritate our intestines and stomach. The mucous membranes in the intestines and stomach are congested, so the traditional Chinese medicine we take cannot have a good therapeutic effect.

4. When taking Chinese medicine, you must remember not to eat chili peppers, especially if you have a heat disease in your body. Eating chili peppers when taking Chinese medicine to treat diseases will make the medicine ineffective.

5. When taking medicines made from traditional Chinese medicine, you must be careful not to eat raw, cold, or greasy foods, because these foods are very irritating to our gastrointestinal tract, and greasy foods are difficult to digest and absorb. Yes, it may also hinder the absorption of drug ingredients in our gastrointestinal tract, which will reduce the efficacy.

6. In addition, if you have skin problems, do not eat saltwater fish, shrimp, crab, beef and mutton and other foods; if your body is swollen, you must eat less salty foods; if you have liver problems, Patients with the problem must try not to eat spicy and greasy food; avoid taking fish, shrimp, and crab when taking Schizonepeta; avoid taking carp when taking Asparagus; avoid taking garlic when taking Atractylodes.