Ye Xianghua, also known as Xieye Yeshanghua, Yipin Hong, and Yeshanghua, is the dried whole herb of the Euphorbiaceae plant Pedilanthus tithymaloides. It is classified as a warm-blooded hemostatic drug under the category of blood-stopping drugs. It has the effects of cooling blood, regulating menstruation, and dispersing stasis and reducing swelling. It is mainly used to treat excessive menstrual bleeding, external trauma swelling and pain, bleeding, and fractures.
【Characteristics of Ye Xianghua】
Ye Xianghua is cultivated in various parts of China and in major botanical gardens, with some wild specimens found in Guizhou. The whole herb can grow up to 80cm in length. The leaves are alternate; their shape varies, including ovate, elliptical, lanceolate, or linear. The leaves in the middle and lower parts are 4-10cm long and 2.5-5cm wide, with lobed or unlobed violin-shaped divisions. The petioles are 2-3cm long. The leaf bases or all of the leaves at the lower part of the inflorescence are purplish-red. The cup-shaped inflorescences are arranged in dense umbellate cymes at the top of the stems and branches. The involucre is campanulate, 3-4mm wide, and 5-lobed at the top. There are 1-2 glands cup-shaped glands without petal-like appendages. The capsule is nearly spherical, 5mm in diameter, and hairless. The seeds are ovoid with wart-like protuberances.
【Uses and Effects of Ye Xianghua】
Ye Xianghua has the effects of cooling blood, regulating menstruation, and dispersing stasis and reducing swelling. It is mainly used to treat excessive menstrual bleeding, external trauma swelling and pain, bleeding, and fractures.
Internal use: Decoction, 6-10g of flowers, and external use with crushed leaves.
1. For excessive menstrual bleeding and injuries: Take 2-3 qian of Ye Xianghua, decoct in water, and take twice a day.
2. For external bleeding and fractures: Take an appropriate amount of fresh leaves of Ye Xianghua, crush and apply to the affected area, change dressing every two to three days. (The properties and tastes are from "Wenshan Chinese Herbal Medicine")
Poisoning symptoms: vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and delirium.
Rescue methods: 1. Early induction of vomiting, gastric lavage, and purgative; 2. Oral administration of tannic acid protein or general detoxification drugs; 3. Intravenous infusion and symptomatic treatment.
【Pharmacological Effects of Ye Xianghua】
The hot water extracts of the flowers and leaves of Ye Xianghua have inhibitory effects on Mycobacterium tuberculosis (H37) in vitro, while the stems and roots are ineffective. The juice of the leaves or the plant is toxic and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and delirium when consumed. The toxic component may be in the resin part.
Although Ye Xianghua has no effect on killing Schistosoma, it has significant diuretic effects on patients with ascites caused by schistosomiasis. It also has a strong laxative effect.
