Categories
Herbs & Plants

Achyranthes bidentata

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Botanical Name :Achyranthes bidentata Blume
Family: Amaranthaceae
Genus: Achyranthes
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Caryophyllales

Chinese name : Bidentata,Niu Xi
English name : Twotooth Achyranthes Root Twotooth Achyranthes Root,Ox Knee
Latin name: Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae
Alias  : Achyranthes bidentata, the festival grass

Common Name :Apamarga, Umblokando, Bankhat

Habitat:Native to Asian countries.
Achyranthes bidentata Blume  is a species of Achyranthes that grows in India, Nepal, China, and Japan.  It grows in loose fertile soil, more than those born in the wild mountain road.  Medicine is mainly produced in Henan.

Description:
Two-toothed Chaff Flower is an erect, perennial herb, 0.7-1.2 m tall, distributed in hilly districts of India, Java, China and Japan. Stem green or tinged purple, with opposite branches. Leaf stalk 0.5-3 cm, hairy; leaf blade elliptic or elliptic-lanceolate, rarely oblanceolate, 4.5-12 × 2-7.5 cm. Flower spikes terminal or axillary, 3-5 cm; rachis 1-2 cm, white hairy. Flowers dense, 5 mm. Tepals shiny, lanceolate, 3-5 mm, with a midvein, apex acute. Stamens 2-2.5 mm; pseudostaminodes slightly serrulate, apex rounded. Utricles yellowish brown, shiny, oblong, 2-2.5 mm, smooth. Seeds light brown, oblong, 1 mm. Seed are cooked and eaten. A good substitute for cereal grains in bread-making, they have often been used for this purpose during famine. Flowering: July-September. Leaves are used as a vegetable in the same manner as spinach.

You may click to see the pic tures of Achyranthes bidentata

Collect and process  : Leaf blight in winter when the excavation, removal of fine roots and sediment, and bind them into a small, wrinkled sun to dry, will be trimming the top and dried.

Root slender cylindrical, slightly curved, long 15 ~ 50cm, up to 90cm, diameter of 0.4 ~ 1cm. Surface greyish yellow or light brown, with fine longitudinal wrinkles, long horizontal lenticels, and sparse fine root marks.  Hard and brittle, moisture is soft. 2?4?? Section flat, yellow brown, micro skin was like, yellow-white center Kibe vascular, peripheral vascular bundles are arranged in a little bit like 2 ~ 4.  Gas micro, taste slightly sweet, bitter, astringent.


Medicinal Uses:

The plant has been mentioned in manuscripts of Ayurveda and Chinese medicines. In Ayurveda, two varieties, red and white are mentioned. In Sanskrit, synonyms describe this as a rough flowered stalk. It is described in ‘Nighantas’ as purgative, pungent, digestive, a remedy for inflammation of the internal organs, piles, itch, abdominal enlargements and enlarged cervical glands. Hindus used ashes for preparing caustic alkaline preparations. The herb is diuretic and relieve edema; promote blood circulation to remove blood clots and bruising; treat menstrual disorders; ease joints and strengthen bones and muscles; relieve pain in knees and lower back.

It is a superior herb highly recommended for bladder and urinary tract problems and menstrual disorders.

Liver and kidney, strengthening the bones, pass through stasis, blood lead down. For the waist and knee pain, aching, weakness, amenorrhea Zheng Jia, liver yang vertigo.

*Liver and kidney deficiency, waist and knee pain: with Eucommia, Cistanche.
* Amenorrhea Zhengjia: with angelica, red peony root, peach kernel, Corydalis and so on.
* Lower extremity arthritis, joint pain: with papaya, Coix Seed, Campsis, Clematis.

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=zh-CN&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zyyzl.com%2Fdrugview.asp%3Fid%3D1864

http://www.asianflora.com/Amaranthaceae/Achyranthes-bidentata.htm

http://vaniindia.org.whbus12.onlyfordemo.com/herbal/plantdir.asp

http://www.dreddyclinic.com/ayurvedic/herbs/aa/apamarga.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achyranthes_bidentata

http://www.foodsnherbs.com/new_page_2.htm

Categories
Herbs & Plants

Eucommia (a Unique Rubber Tree)

Botanical Name: Eucommia Ulmoides.
Family: Eucommiaceae
Engler
Genus: Eucommia
Oliv.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Garryales
Species
: E. ulmoides

Synonymy: It is also sometimes known as “Gutta-percha tree” or “Chinese rubber tree“, but is not related to either the true Gutta-percha tree of southeastern Asia, nor to the South American rubber tree.

Habitat:Eucommia is native to China.This tree is also occasionally planted in botanical gardens and other gardens in Europe, North America and elsewhere, being of interest as the only cold-tolerant (to at least -30°C) rubber-producing tree.

Fossils of Eucommia have been found in 10–35 million year old brown coal deposits in central Europe and widely in North America (Call & Dilcher 1997), indicating that the genus had a much wider range in the past.

Description:
Eucommia grows to about 15 m tall. The leaves are deciduous, arranged alternately, simple ovate with an acuminate tip, 8–16 cm long, and with a serrated margin. If a leaf is torn across, strands of latex exuded from the leaf veins solidify into rubber and hold the two parts of the leaf together. It flowers from March to May. The flowers are inconspicuous, small and greenish; the fruit, June to November, is a winged samara with one seed, very similar to an elm samara in appearance, 2–3 cm long and 1–2 cm broad.

You may click tlo see the pictures
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Medicinal Uses:
The bark is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat lower back pain, aching knees, and to prevent miscarriage. Also used to “tonify” the Yang.

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MODERN USES OF EUCOMMIA
More than 50 years ago, eucommia was shown to have hypotensive action in laboratory studies conducted in the Soviet Union and China, and there was already some initial clinical use of the herb for this purpose. In fact, a formula with eucommia and other hypotensive Chinese herbs was developed at that time: Tianma Gouteng Yin (Gastrodia and Uncaria Combination). It was described in New Approaches to Patterns and Treatments in Complex Diseases (a text relaying research conducted during the 1950s). This formula has since become well-known as a treatment for hypertension. Additional studies were undertaken since then, mainly in China, and the primary hypotensive constituent was identified as pinoresinol diglucoside, one of 27 lignans found in eucommia .

Pinoresinol
This component, also found in the Chinese herb forsythia, is present in eucommia bark in only small concentrations. However, it has a significant dilating effect on the blood vessels. The herb and its extracts are now commonly found in Chinese patent remedies for hypertension , but this component is not alcohol soluble and is not useful in tinctures. Compound Cortex Eucommia Tablets are sold as a hypertension remedy and the package lists eucommia as the prime ingredient (others mentioned on the label are uncaria, prunella, and scute, all of which are attributed antihypertensive properties). During an evaluation of potential anti-hypertensive Chinese herbs that could be clinically tested in the U.S., ITM developed a six herb formulation with the four herbs just mentioned (eucommia, uncaria, prunella, and scute) plus loranthus and tang-kuei.

Aucubin and the other iridoids of eucommia are likely responsible for the anti-inflammatory effect, which is attained by inhibiting the arachidonic acid pathway . This may partly explain its use in treatment of arthritis. Rehmannia, which also contains iridoid glycosides (including aucubin) as major active components, is often used with eucommia in the formulas for arthralgia.

It has been found that eucommia leaves can substitute for the bark, and hence these are increasingly used in China in order to get a larger amount of the desired medicinal agents from the limited cultivated groves. Eucommia leaves have also been made into a health beverage .

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eucommia

http://www.itmonline.org/arts/eucommia.htm

http://www.trees-shrubs.org.uk/pic-trees/43-eucommia-ulmoides.html

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Categories
Herbs & Plants

Cornu Cervi

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Botanical Name :Cornu Cervi Parvum
Family: Orchidaceae
Subfamily: Epidendroideae
Genus: Phalaenopsis
Species: P. cornu-cervi
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asparagales
Pinyin Mandarin Name: Lu Rong
Synonyms : Phalaenopsis devriesiana
Common English Name:  Velvet of Young Deer Horn
Part of Plant Used: Velvet of the horn
Nature: Warm
Taste : Sweet, salty
Habitat :Cornu Cervi is native to  Burma, Borneo, Java, Moloca, Sumatra, Thailand.
Plants grow on trees trunks in the dense forest in India, Myanamar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Nicobar Islands, Malaysia, Java, Borneo, Sumatra, and the Philippines at elevations of 1000 meters and below.
Description:
The very rare red form of Phal. cornu-cervi, the form known as fma. chattaladae, awarded a Silver Medal by the Taiwan Orchid Growers’ Association ! This form of the species is distinct in its solid suffusion of red pigment over every segment of the flower, as opposed to many which are actually Phal. cornu-cervi var. rubescens, where the yellow background of the flower is actually visible on the lateral sepals. These plants can flower and re-flower on the same flattened spikes for several years, so don’t remove them until they have turned brown. A fully mature plant can carry over 6 flowering spikes of fragrant flowers at a time, each spike blooming several times during a single year. Very Highly Recommended.
click & see the pictures
Plant flowers in the spring to fall with 9 to 12 flowers. Flowers are fragrant and 3 to 5 cm wide. The chromosome number is 2n = 38.

The plant was first described by Breda as Polychilos cornu-cervi in 1827. The plants were first cultivated in England by Messrs. Low & Co. when Rev. C. S. brought several plant back in living condition in 1864
Meridians Entered: Liver, Kidneys

Medicinal Usages:
This herb is used in formulas to treat anemia after chronic disease, impotence, and weakness of back and knees with cold intolerance; also used to treat children for failure to thrive, mental retardation, learning disabilities, and skeletal deformities (TCM: deficient :Yang, deficient Blood, and deficient Kidney Yang; deficient Essence).
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Traditional Usages and Functions
Tonifies Kidneys and fortifies Yang; tonifies the Governing Channel, benefits Essence and Blood, and strengthens sinews and bones; bolsters the Penetrating and Conception Channels and strengthens the Girdle Channel; tonifies and nourishes Qi and Blood.

Processing is Required for proper use.

Cautions in Use: Do not use this herb when there is a strong Yin deficiency or heat signs caused by Yin deficiency.

Disclaimer : The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplement, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://www.acupuncture-and-chinese-medicine.com/cornu-cervi.html
http://www.phals.net/cornu-cervi/index_e.html

http://www.orchids.com/Phal-cornu-cervi-f-chattaladae-Red-Wan-Chiao-SMTOGA-x–P4208.aspx
http://orchids.wikia.com/wiki/Phalaenopsis_cornu-cervi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phalaenopsis_cornu-cervi

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