Da Wu Pao, also known as Da Hong Huang Pao or Wu Pao, has a bitter and cool taste. It can be collected throughout the year and dried. It grows on slopes and valleys at an altitude of 700-2500 meters, in shady shrubs or on the edge of forests and roadsides.
Image of Da Wu Pao
Morphology of Da Wu Pao
Da Wu Pao is a shrub, reaching a height of 2-3 meters.
The stem is thick and covered with yellow hairs and short curved thorns.
The leaves are alternate, with a leaf stalk measuring 3-6 cm and covered with yellow soft hairs; stipules are split; leaf blades are leathery, nearly circular, with a diameter of 5-16 cm, and shallowly divided into 7-9 lobes resembling a palm.
The lobes often have 2 shallow divisions or notches, with a rounded or acute apex, a heart-shaped base, and irregular serrations on the edges. The upper surface has short hairs and dense small protuberances, while the lower surface is covered with yellow hairs. The main veins are palmately 5-7, and the reticulate veins are distinct.
The inflorescence is a corymb or panicle, densely covered with yellow hairs. The bracts are elliptic, measuring 1-1.5 cm in length, with torn edges. The sepals are ovate, often with multiple divisions at the apex, and densely covered with yellow hairs on the outside. The petals are slightly longer than the sepals, nearly elliptic, white, and have a claw. There are numerous stamens and pistils, which are borne on the raised receptacle.
The aggregated fruit is spherical, reaching a diameter of 1.5 cm, and bears numerous red berry-like drupes. The flowering period is from April to June, and the fruiting period is from August to September.
Habitat and Distribution of Da Wu Pao
Ecological environment: It grows on slopes and valleys at an altitude of 700-2500 meters, in shady shrubs or on the edge of forests and roadsides.
Distribution: It is distributed in Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, and Guizhou.
Image of Da Wu Pao
Functions and Indications of Da Wu Pao
It clears heat, stops bleeding, and dispels wind and dampness. It is mainly used for fever and cold, coughing up blood, nosebleeds, irregular menstruation, external bleeding, dysentery, diarrhea, prolapse of the rectum, and rheumatic pain.
Chemical Components of Da Wu Pao in Chinese Medicine
The fruit contains amino acids (g/100g, dry basis): aspartic acid 0.012, threonine 0.316, serine 0.328, glutamic acid 0.775, glycine 0.538, alanine 0.379, cystine 0.183, valine 0.476, methionine 0.080, isoleucine 0.412, leucine 0.601, tyrosine 1.307, phenylalanine 0.394, lysine 0.426, histidine 0.322, arginine 0.668, and proline 0.378.
Fresh fruit: contains 2.69% total sugars, 1.77% total acids, and 12.64mg/100g vitamin C (μg/g): vitamin B1 0.69, vitamin B2 0.95, vitamin E 74.76, and trace amounts of vitamin A.
The fruit contains mineral elements (% dry basis): potassium 0.6968, calcium 0.5994, magnesium 0.4396, manganese (μg/g): 40.9201, zinc (μg/g): 29.9520, iron (μg/g): 24.2567, and selenium (μg/g): 0.0408.
