Spica Prunellae

Common Selfheal Fruit-spike

Also known as "Sticky Stigma Grass" and "Lantern Head Grass".

The source is the flowering ear of Prunella vulgaris L., a labiatae plant.

Plants are perennial herbs with a height of13 ~ 40 cm. The stems are erect, often with lavender and fine hairs. Leaves opposite, ovate or elliptic-lanceolate, length1.5 ~ 5 cm, width1~ 2.5 cm, entire or sparsely serrate. The cymes are integrated into spikes, 2 ~ 6 cm long; Bracts kidney-shaped, apex acute or caudate, outer and edge hairy; Calyx 2-lipped; The corolla is purple, the top of the upper lip is slightly concave, and the edge of the middle lobe of the lower lip is slit. Nutlets are brown. The flowering period is from May to June, and the fruiting period is from July to August.

Born in wasteland and roadside grass. It is distributed almost all over the country.

Harvesting when the summer ear is brownish red, removing impurities and drying in the sun.

The ear is rod-shaped, slightly flat, with a length of1.5 ~ 8 cm and a diameter of 0.8 ~1.5 cm, and light brown to brownish red. The whole panicle consists of several to 10 rounds of persistent calyx seven bracts, and each round has two opposite bracts, which are fan-shaped, with sharp tail at the apex, obvious veins and white hairs on the outer surface; There are 3 flowers in each bract, and most of the corollas have fallen off. The persistent calyx is 2-lipped, and there are 4 nutlets in it, which are oval and brown, with white protrusions at the tip. Rest lightly, with slight breath and light taste.

The chemical constituents are anthocyanins containing prunellin, ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, rutin, hyperin, a- anisone, delphinidin and cyanidin.

Cold in nature, bitter and pungent in taste.

Functions: clearing away fire, improving eyesight, dispersing stagnation and reducing swelling. Can be used for treating conjunctival congestion, nocturia, headache, dizziness, scrofula, mammary abscess, goiter, and hypertension.

Side effects: Drinking for a long time has certain influence on gastrointestinal tract.