The Chinese medicinal herb Zi Zhu Ye, also known as Mazhu Cao, refers to the dried leaves of the plant Du Hong Hua, which belongs to the Orobanchaceae family. It is commonly used for its astringent and hemostatic properties, as well as its ability to clear heat and detoxify. Let's take a closer look at the medicinal uses of Zi Zhu Ye.
【Medicinal Uses of Zi Zhu Ye】
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that Zi Zhu Ye has the effects of cooling the blood, astringing and stopping bleeding, promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, detoxifying, and reducing swelling. It is commonly used for conditions such as bleeding, including nosebleeds, coughing up blood, vomiting blood, rectal bleeding, uterine bleeding, and external bleeding from injuries, as well as for treating heat-toxin sores and burns.
Zi Zhu Ye has a cooling nature without being excessively cold, and it also promotes blood circulation. Therefore, it can stop bleeding without causing blood stasis, promote blood circulation without causing depletion, and cool the blood without obstructing its flow. It is considered an excellent herb for stopping bleeding and is widely used for various internal and external bleeding caused by different reasons.
It is particularly effective for treating bleeding in the digestive and respiratory systems caused by blood heat. Zi Zhu Ye can effectively stop bleeding and is a good treatment for various bleeding diseases caused by blood heat in humans.
【Usage of Zi Zhu Ye】
1. For treating coughing up blood: Take 1.5-2 grams of powdered dried Zi Zhu Ye and mix it with egg white. Take it once every 4 hours. Additionally, take 6 grams of powdered dried Zi Zhu Ye, decoct it in water, and drink it as a substitute for tea.
2. For treating pulmonary tuberculosis with hemoptysis: Take an equal amount of Zi Zhu Ye and Bai Ji, grind them into a fine powder. Take 6 grams of the powder three times daily.
3. For treating sprains and swelling: Take 30 grams of Zi Zhu Ye, 30 grams of E Bu Shi Cao, and 15 grams of Wei Ling Xian. Decoct them in water and take it orally. Alternatively, crush them and mix with pine resin oil, then apply it externally to the affected area.
4. For treating upper respiratory tract infections: Take 15 grams of Zi Zhu Ye, 15 grams of Zi Jin Niu, and 9 grams of Qin Pi. Decoct them in water and take one dose daily.
【Difference between Zi Zhu Ye and Zi Zhu Cao】
Medicinal Difference:
Zi Zhu Cao, also known as Zi Zhu or Zhi Xue Cao, is the root and leaves of the plant in the Orobanchaceae family. The leaves are harvested in summer and autumn, while the roots can be harvested all year round. Zi Zhu has a bitter and astringent taste and a neutral nature. Zi Zhu Ye refers to the dried leaves of the plant Du Hong Hua, which belongs to the Orobanchaceae family. The leaves are harvested in summer and autumn and then dried. Zi Zhu Ye has a bitter and astringent taste and a cooling nature. The two have similar medicinal effects.
Difference in Appearance:
The leaves of Zi Zhu Cao are opposite, with leaf blades mostly elongated or lanceolate in shape. In summer and autumn, small purple flowers will bloom in the leaf axils of Zi Zhu Cao, which will later develop into spherical fruits that turn purple-red when ripe.
Zi Zhu Ye often appears wrinkled and curled, and some may be broken. Complete leaves of Zi Zhu Ye are mostly elliptical in shape. The leaf stalk is about 0.5-1.5 cm long with a wide wedge-shaped or bluntly rounded base. The edges have fine serrations, and the lower part is nearly entire.
