Author: Zhan Huiyu, Chief Chinese Pharmacist at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University

During the Dragon Boat Festival, there are customs such as eating rice dumplings, racing dragon boats, drinking realgar wine, hanging mugwort and calamus, and wearing sachets. . There is a saying among the people that "wearing a herb bag will protect you from pests" because sachets are usually filled with some fragrant and rejuvenating Chinese herbal medicines, which have the functions of refreshing fragrance, repelling insects, avoiding plague, and preventing diseases. Peilan is one of the traditional Chinese medicines in the sachet. As early as in the cultural relics unearthed from the Mawangdui Han Tomb, there is a sachet containing Perrin. At that time, people had realized that Peilan had the effects of relieving summer heat, repelling turbidity, reducing dampness, and fragrant to prevent filth.

Also known as orchid grass, stephanotis grass, wake grass, etc., it is the dry above-ground part of the perennial herbaceous plant of the Asteraceae family. The nature and flavor are pungent and flat. Returns to the spleen, stomach, and lung meridians, has aromatic effect of reducing dampness, refreshing the spleen and appetizing, and relieving summer heat.

It is used for damp and turbid obstruction, epigastrium, vomiting, sweetness in the mouth, bad breath, excessive salivation, summer-damp syndrome, initial onset of dampness and temperature, fever, fatigue, chest tightness and discomfort.

Because Peilan has a fragrant smell, its dampness-removing and neutralizing effect is similar to that of Patchouli. When combined with Atractylodes, Magnolia officinalis, Kouren, etc., it can enhance the aromatic dampness-reducing effect.

If it is the beginning of humidity and temperature, it can be used with talc, coix seed, and patchouli.

If it is a symptom of internal resistance of dampness and heat, sweet and greasy mouth with excessive salivation, and rancid breath, it can be combined with some heat-clearing and damp-removing products, such as skullcap, Acorus, etc.

When used as medicine, it is usually taken as a decoction or diluted in water, usually up to 5-10 grams. If fresh Peilan is used, 10-20 grams can be used. If it is mostly used as tea, porridge, etc., it is recommended to use a maximum of 3-6 grams each time. It is contraindicated for those with yin deficiency, qi deficiency, and stomach qi deficiency. People with allergies should use it with caution. Female patients should check their menstrual status when taking the medicine.

1. Patchouli and Peilan porridge

Ingredients: 15 grams of Patchouli, 15 grams of Peilan, and 100 grams of japonica rice.

Method: Wash the Huoxiang and Peilan, add appropriate amount of water to the pot and simmer until the juice is ready. Cook the washed japonica rice into porridge. When the porridge is almost cooked, pour the Patchouli Peilan juice into the porridge and boil for 1-2 minutes. Stir evenly and serve.

Efficacy: Relieves summer heat and removes dampness, appetizer and relieves vomiting. It is suitable for symptoms such as summer heat, chills and fever, dizziness and pain in the head, chest and epigastrium tightness, vomiting and diarrhea, lack of energy, and loss of appetite.

2. Pandan herbal tea

Ingredients: 9 grams each of Patchouli and Peilan, 6 grams of green tea.

Method: Wash the Peilan and Patchouli, put them into the pot together with the green tea, add an appropriate amount of boiling water, cover and simmer for 5-8 minutes before drinking.

Efficacy: Appetite and relieve vomiting, clear away heat and quench thirst, relieve heat and reduce dampness.

3. Qingxuan Tea

Ingredients: 3 grams of Peilan leaves, 8 grams each of Alisma and Atractylodes, 5 grams of chrysanthemum, and appropriate amount of lotus leaf.

Method: Put the washed Perrin leaves, Alisma, chrysanthemums, lotus leaves, etc. together with Atractylodes in a casserole, add appropriate amount of water to boil, and drink the juice like tea.

Efficacy: It can treat dizziness, dispel dampness and remove phlegm.

Reviewer: Wang Ruolun from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University

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