Herba lophatheri not bamboo leaves

The 2018-11-09 health

In heat purging fire in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has two herbs easily confusing, this is the bamboo leaves and herba lophatheri. Since two taste traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is that clearly tell you, lophatherum gracile certainly not leaves. But why the two confusing? This is due to the history, source and efficacy of the application. Here we explore the root of confusion.

The application history

Before the Ming dynasty bamboo or herba lophatheri, used in traditional Chinese medicine prescription is similar to our national treasure panda eating bamboo leaves, were huge trees or shrubs of bamboo leaves, there are only different varieties. Pandas love to eat arrow bamboos leaves, medicinal that light bamboo or bitter bamboo leaves. Because it's name is thin bamboo, bamboo leaves were natural people call it "thin bamboo".

In the Ming dynasty, li shizhen in the compendium of materia medica is discussed: "herba lophatheri, everywhere in the wild. Chunsheng seedlings several inches high, thin stems green leaves, like bamboo meters to the ground by the stem leaf of the fine bamboo, its root a nest dozens, must be on the knot, and radix ophiopogonis, but hard. The patterns at any time. September stems, and small ear. People adopt its seedling, dao could juice and meters, very aromatic." Li shizhen description of herba lophatheri, therefore, is no longer tall bamboo, it is a herbaceous plants. Since then, the bamboo leaves and herba lophatheri, respectively, in clinical use.

Source character

Bamboo flicker of gramineae perennial often bamboo tree or shrub plant light dry leaves of bamboo. Its early unexpanded leaves, said "bamboo roll heart", advocate in the Yangtze river basin in China. Weak bamboo leaves for long lanceolate, light green, leaf have short shank, relevant section connected to the leaf sheath, leaf blade easily falls off since the joints, the surface is smooth, the surface is rough, veins prominent. Very brittle and elastic, micro gas, light.

Herba lophatheri for gramineous perennial herbs herba lophatheri dry leaf, agriculture in zhejiang, jiangsu, hunan and other places. Herba lophatheri often cut into flake, stem and leaf mixed. Hollow stems cylindrical, courteous, cut surface. Leaf plate shaped, shrivel more curly, pale green, veins parallel, transverse small arteries and veins, rectangular reticular formation, particularly under the surface. Body is light, flexible, micro gas, light.

Application effect

Bamboo leaves and herba lophatheri has clear heat purging fire, except vexed, diuretic effect, the function is similar with are different. Bamboo leaves to call on the stomach heat, and a fluid effect, whereas lophatherum gracile than heat diuretic.

Bamboo leaves no records in the pharmacopoeia, now the clinical application is not much, also is "bamboo roll heart" as the tea, useful in the south. Herba lophatheri is clinically often supplies, also records in the pharmacopoeia.