Author: He Zi Ning, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangdong Pharmaceutical Association

In Guangdong, when babies have symptoms such as poor appetite, watery eyes, dry stool, and less frequent defecation, many neighborhoods like to give their babies seven star tea, and even many grandparents of the older generation think that seven star tea is a universal health care product for their babies, and they will give seven star tea to their babies every once in a while, thinking that this can "set fire".

But is this really right? What's the role of children's seven star tea? Can diseases be prevented? Can you take it regularly and for a long time? Are there any side effects?

It is composed of seven herbs: Coicis Semen, rice bud, hawthorn, Lophatherum gracile, Uncaria rhynchophylla, cicada slough and licorice, so it is named "seven star tea".

in the formula, coix seed can strengthen the spleen and stop diarrhea, and rice buds and hawthorn can be digested; Bamboo leaves clear heart and diuresis, cicada slough and Uncaria will calm the nerves; Finally, licorice is added to strengthen the spleen and reconcile various drugs. Together, it has the effects of appetizing, eliminating stagnation, clearing away heat and relieving convulsion. It can be used for children with heat accumulation, dyspepsia, anorexia, irritability, restlessness at night, poor stool and short and red urine.

From the above, we know that there are hawthorn and rice buds in seven star tea, Bambusa gracilis, and Uncaria rhynchophylla, which are cold and clear of heat, so they are mainly suitable for those cases where food accumulation turns into heat. For example, children with indigestion, after not thinking about diet, appear red tongue and lips, abdominal distension and burning, dry mouth and upset, dry or sour stool, restless sleep at night and so on.

seven star tea for children contains cold medicines such as Lophatherum Bambusae, Periostracum Cicadae, Uncaria rhynchophylla, etc. Long-term drinking can easily damage the qi of zhongyang, damage the spleen and stomach of children, lead to weakness of the spleen and stomach, and lead to repeated loss of appetite and indigestion.

Therefore, seven star tea for children should not be taken for a long time.

Before 198s, there were three kinds of "seven star tea":

1. One was a tea block of seven star tea, a fixed prescription, which was also the predecessor of seven star tea, and had the effect of calming convulsion and eliminating stagnation;

2. The second kind is also a tea, called seven star tea, but it is not the same as seven star tea. It is composed of medicated leaven, malt (stir-fried), Uncaria rhynchophylla, cicada slough, lophatherum gracile, Juncus, Bombyx Batryticatus (processed with ginger juice), Saposhnikovia divaricata and Pelargonium Gigeriae Galli. It has the effects of expelling wind, promoting digestion and calming convulsion, and is used for children to catch cold, cough and accumulate food. This kind of seven star tea governs children's cold and food accumulation, and night terrors;

3. The third kind of Chinese medicine prescription is based on the baby's condition in Chinese medicine shops or hospitals, with the addition and subtraction of medicinal materials and the dosage allocation on the basis of seven star tea or seven star tea, which is suitable for people, so the effect is reliable.

The three kinds of "seven star tea" complement each other, and the effect is remarkable according to different situations. Therefore, word of mouth has spread far and wide, giving "seven star tea" the illusion that it can help digestion, treat colds and even prevent diseases.

However, although seven star tea, a child on the market now, can clear away heat, promote digestion and relieve convulsion, it has been made into a Chinese patent medicine dosage form, which is a fixed prescription, with its fixed efficacy and application scope. It can't be added or subtracted according to the syndrome, and its use needs dialectical symptomatic use. Not all cases of "excessive internal heat" and indigestion are suitable, nor can it be a "panacea" for all diseases, let alone be used as a health care product for disease prevention and health care.

To sum up, if there are no related symptoms, it is not recommended to give children, especially infants, seven star tea for children. Even if there are symptoms, they should be taken after syndrome differentiation, and they can stop when the symptoms disappear. If the symptoms do not improve for more than three days, they should go to the hospital in time. Don't take it for a long time, let alone take it as a health care product. In addition, seven star tea for children is always a Chinese patent medicine, so it is best to consult a doctor or pharmacist before taking it.

Reviewer: Cao Lihui, Department of Pharmacy, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangdong Pharmaceutical Association

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