Asarum is a less common traditional Chinese medicine, but it is still widely used in traditional Chinese medicine, especially in some phlegm-reducing and cough-relieving medicines. Asarum does have a very good effect of clearing away heat and detoxifying when used as medicine. So, what are the specific effects and functions of asarum in general, as well as the taboos for consumption?

Source: "Sichuan Traditional Chinese Medicine"

The pinyin name is BáiXìXīn

Also known as Bessie Flower ("Chinese Seed Plant Taxonomy").

The source is the whole plant of Ranunculaceae plant Cimicifuga unifolia.

It is a perennial herb in its original form, 40-60 cm tall. The rhizome is up to 10 cm long. The leaves are basal, heart-shaped or kidney-shaped, 5 to 9 cm long, 4 to 16 cm wide, with rounded or acuminate apex, circularly serrated edges, heart-shaped or round earlobe-shaped base, sometimes close to each other, hairless on both sides or occasionally on the bottom. Sparsely pubescent along the veins; petiole length up to 22 cm. The flower stem is 14-48 cm high, with dense pubescence on the upper part; the compound cymes are conical; the bracts are several, lanceolate; the flowers are white, about 1 cm in diameter, with 5 perianths, oval to narrowly oval; There are many stamens; the carpel is solitary. The fruit is rectangular, flat, up to 1.5 cm, about 3 mm wide, with a hook-like protrusion at the apex, and the surface branches are finely pubescent. The flowering period is from June to July.

Habitat distribution occurs in the shade of the forest. Distributed in Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Shaanxi and other places.

Its nature and flavor are warm, pungent and non-toxic.

The main functions are analgesia and dispersing wind and cold. Treat rheumatic muscle and bone pain, waist and leg pain, dizziness and toothache.

Usage and dosage: Oral administration: decoction, 1 to 3 qian; or soaked in wine.

The attached prescription treats toothache: white asarum, gypsum, Digupi, isatis root, and Imperata cognac root. Decoction in water. (The following properties and flavors are from "Sichuan Traditional Chinese Medicine")

Excerpt from "* Dictionary"

Specific effects

1. Relieve asthma and eliminate phlegm

Asarum can relax bronchial smooth muscles and exhibit antiasthmatic effects.

In vitro experiments have shown that Asarum volatile oil has a significant antagonistic effect on bronchospasm caused by histamine and acetylcholine, and its volatile oil component methyl eugenol also has a significant relaxing effect on the trachea of ??rats.

2. Sedation and analgesia

Asarum volatile oil has obvious central inhibitory effect.

Small doses can make animals quiet, tame and reduce spontaneous activities, while large doses can make animals sleep and have obvious anti-convulsant effects. Asarum decoction taken by gavage also has analgesic effect. Its strong analgesic effect is an important pharmacological basis for the treatment of headache, body pain, toothache, etc.

3. Cooling and antipyretic

The oral administration of Asarum volatile oil can treat domestic diseases caused by various causes such as warm acupuncture, tetrahydro-β-naphthylamine, typhoid and paratyphoid mixed vaccines. It has obvious antipyretic effect on rabbit experimental fever, and also has obvious antipyretic effect on rat fever caused by brewer's yeast. It can also lower the body temperature of normal rats.

4. Anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic

Asarum volatile oil has obvious anti-inflammatory effects when taken or injected.

For example, asarum has a significant inhibitory effect on joint swelling in rats caused by inflammatory agents such as carrageenan, yeast, egg white, formaldehyde, etc., and can resist swelling of mouse auricles caused by croton oil. , inhibit rat skin edema caused by antiserum, increase capillary permeability caused by histamine, and inhibit plastic ring and cotton ball granulation proliferation. It still has anti-inflammatory effects on rats without adrenal glands.

5. Cardiotonic

Asarum has the effects of strengthening the heart, resisting myocardial ischemia and increasing blood pressure.

In vitro experiments show that Asarum volatile oil has a significant stimulating effect on the heart of rabbits and rats, showing positive inotropic effects, positive frequency effects, and can increase coronary flow. For experimental cardiogenic shock in dogs, asarum can increase mean arterial pressure, peak left ventricular pressure and coronary sinus flow.

6. Antibacterial and antiviral

Asarone alcohol extract and volatile oil have certain in vitro inhibitory effects on Gram-positive bacteria, Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus typhi. The decoction is effective against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. and typhoid bacilli also have inhibitory effects.

Asarum volatile oil has inhibitory effects on a variety of fungi such as Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, etc. The active antibacterial ingredient is safrole. α-Asarone can inhibit the proliferation of respiratory syncytial virus.

7. Local anesthesia

50% Asarum decoction can block the impulse conduction of the toad’s sciatic nerve, and the effect is reversible. Its anesthetic effect is close to that of 1 procaine. Volatile oil has surface anesthesia and infiltration anesthesia effects. 50% Asarum tincture also has a local anesthetic effect when applied to the human tongue. Can be used clinically for local anesthesia.