Psyllium chinensis is a relatively common traditional Chinese medicine. In fact, we do not use psyllium chinensis in our lives. The main reason is that psyllium chinensis is a relatively common traditional Chinese medicine. It is used clinically. Psyllium chinensis is still used more often, because it has a good diuretic and drenching effect, so it is used more frequently. So, what are the specific functions of psyllium in general?

1. Small-grained Plantago

Source: It is the dried and mature seeds of the perennial herbaceous plant Plantago.

Plant form: The main root is obvious and often unbranched. The leaves are all basal, and the stalk length is 1/3 of the blade or shorter. The leaves are ovate-lanceolate, 4 to 11 cm long, with a pointed apex and a narrow stalk at the base. The edges are sparsely serrated and wavy. The surface is green and has 5 to 7 nearly parallel arc-shaped main fat. The flowers have several branches in diameter and are 10-30 cm high; the spikes are long and have 1/2 or 1/3 of the flower stem; the flowers are light green and the capsule cover is split. There are usually 5 seeds, black and purple.

Origin: All over the country, mainly in Heilongjiang, Liaoning, Hebei and other places. It grows wild in mountains, roadsides, field ridges and riversides.

Character identification: The seeds are oval or irregular oblong fine grains, 1 to 1.5 mm long, less than 1 mm wide, with one side slightly raised and one side slightly flat. The surface is tan or black purple. Observed under a magnifying glass, fine mesh patterns can be seen, and small white dots can be seen in the slightly convex middle (commonly known as open eyes). The texture is hard, the smell is slight, the taste is light, and it has mucus when chewed. The ones with plump grains, purple-black color and no impurities are the best.

2. Large-grain Plantago Seed

Also known as: Jiangche, Guanche.

Source: It is the dried and mature seeds of the perennial herbaceous plant Plantago.

Plant form: basically similar to the previous species. The main difference is that the main root is not obvious and both are fibrous roots. Up to 50 cm tall, the leaves are broadly oval, with long stalks, which are equal to or longer than the leaves, and the base is slightly enlarged. There are several flower stems, 12~50 cm high. The capsule contains 4 to 8 seeds, and the rest are the same as Plantago.

Origin: Mainly produced in Jiangxi, Liaoning, Henan, Sichuan and other places, and distributed throughout the country.

Character identification: The shape is similar to that of small-grained Plantago seed. Only the particles are larger, 2 mm long and 1 mm wide. The best ones are those with large, black seeds and obvious white pits.

Main ingredients: Contains psyllic acid, phylloside succinic acid, mucilage. And contains a lot of mucus.

Effects and functions:

1. Diuretic. It can increase the excretion of water, and at the same time, the excretion of urea, sodium chloride and uric acid also increases. However, some experiments failed to confirm this effect.

2. Nourishing. It has a slightly tonic nature and can be beneficial or replenishing. It is the so-called "facilitating urination but not qi". It can benefit yin and improve eyesight, which may be related to the role of vitamin A substances contained in it.

Processed: used raw or stir-fried in salt water.

Nature and flavor: sweet, cold.

Meridians entered: liver, kidney, small intestine, lung meridian.

Function: Diuretic and dampness, clearing away heat and improving eyesight, reducing phlegm and relieving cough.

Indications: gonorrhea, anuria, summer-dampness diarrhea, red eyes and dizziness, phlegm-heat cough.

Clinical application: 1. It is used to treat hot stranguria (acute urethritis, cystitis), depending on its diuretic and heat-clearing effects, and is often used in combination with cypress, Shiwei, etc. Both Bazheng Powder and Shiwei Powder use Plantagine Seed.

2. Used to treat nephritis edema. Those who have difficulty urinating and have symptoms of kidney deficiency must take Achyranthes bidentata, Rehmannia glutinosa, dogwood meat, cinnamon, etc. before taking Jisheng Shenqi Pills.

3. Used for eye diseases. Taking nourishing medicine can replenish deficiency, and taking exterior-relieving and heat-clearing medicine can relieve excess. For example, when combined with angelica root, rehmannia glutinosa, wolfberry, dodder, etc., it can replenish qi and blood and treat eye nebula and cataracts (senile cataracts), such as Jiajia Zhujing Wan. Blended with skullcap, gentian, nostrils, chrysanthemum, etc., it can clear away the accumulated heat in the liver meridian and treat nebula, blood-filled pupils, and blindness in the eyes (equivalent to vesicular keratitis). Prescriptions include Psyllium Seed Powder.

Dosage: 3~15g should be wrapped in cloth and fried as a decoction. It is also suitable for stir-frying to benefit water. It should be made with wine to replenish deficiency.

Examples of prescriptions:

1. Jisheng Shenqi Pills (Jisheng Prescription): patent medicine, 9~12g per serving, 1~2 times a day, with warm water , it would be better if it can be taken with a decoction of astragalus and dangshen. To make a decoction, use the following ingredients: 9g Achyranthes bidentata, 12g Plantain Seed (decoction), 12g Chinese yam, 12g Yunling, 24g Rehmannia glutinosa, 9g cornus, 6g paeonol, 9g Alisma, 9g aconite, cinnamon 3g (_), decoction in water.

2. Plantain Seed Powder ("Inspection of Yao Han"): Plantain Seed, Buddleia japonica, Qianghuo, White Tribulus, Scutellaria baicalensis, Chrysanthemum, Gentian, Cassia, Licorice, etc. Divide into powder, take 6g each, and give it with rice and soup after eating.

Note: Two sizes of Plantago seeds are equally medicinal, only the sales habits are different. The former is sold in East China, Central South, and Southwest China and exported, while the latter is mainly sold in North China, Northeast China, and Northwest China, and is common to both Beijing and Tianjin.

Remarks:

It is used for symptoms such as damp-heat injection and painful urination. It is often used in combination with Akebia, talc, etc. It also has significant effects on edema, dysuria and other diseases, and is commonly used in clinical practice. It is mainly used for real diseases; such as kidney deficiency and edema, it can be used with rehmannia root, cinnamon, aconite, achyranthes root, etc. To treat damp-heat diarrhea, if the condition is mild, it can be used alone. For more severe cases, it can be used with Poria cocos, Polyporus polyporus, Alisma, Yiren, etc. For red and swollen eyes or blurry eyes, such as red and swollen eyes caused by liver-fire inflammation, it can be used with chrysanthemum, cassia seed, and green box. For eyes that are dim and tearful due to liver and kidney deficiency, it can be used with Rehmannia glutinosa. , Cuscuta can be used equally. It is suitable for cough due to lung heat and can be used together with phlegm-reducing and cough-relieving medicines such as almond, platycodon, and perilla.