A little knowledge about traditional Chinese medicine every day: liver.

Location: Most of the human liver is located in the right rib and upper abdomen, and a small part is located in the left rib area. The upper limit is at the level of the right midclavicular line and the fifth rib. The upper part is close to the diaphragm and connected with the right lung. It is adjacent to the heart; below it is adjacent to the stomach, duodenum, and right flexure of the colon; behind it is in contact with the right kidney, adrenal gland, and esophageal cardia.

Shape: It is the largest gland in the human body, reddish brown, soft and brittle, wedge-shaped, with a rounded right end and a thin left end. It can be divided into upper and lower sides, front and back edges, and left and right lobes. It generally weighs about 1200~1600g, accounting for about 1/50 of an adult's weight. Men's livers are slightly heavier than women's. Adult livers weigh 1.4-1.8 kilograms in men and 1.2-1.4 kilograms in women. The liver of fetuses and newborns is relatively large, up to 1/20 of the body weight.

Function: 1. Body metabolism: ① Vitamin metabolism ② Hormone metabolism ③ Participate in water metabolism through the action of nerves and body fluids ④ Adjust acid-base balance and mineral metabolism

2. Secretion And the function of excreting bile: The liver produces about one liter of bile in 24 hours, which is transported to bile through the bile duct. The bile functions to concentrate and discharge bile to promote the digestion and absorption of fat in the small intestine.

3. Detoxification function: Toxic substances from outside or produced by metabolism in the body must be detoxified in the liver into non-toxic or highly soluble substances, and are excreted with bile or urine.

4. Blood functions: Almost all coagulation factors are produced by the liver. The liver plays an important regulatory role in the dynamic balance of the human body's coagulation and anticoagulation systems.