Chinese medicine "Ge Shan Xiang", also known as "Golden Chicken Claw", "Chicken Claw Ginseng", "Mountain Fragrance", etc., can be harvested throughout the year, with the best quality in autumn, cleaned and used fresh or dried. It is mainly distributed in Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi and other regions in China. What are the contraindications of Ge Shan Xiang for certain individuals?
Image of Ge Shan Xiang
Identification of Ge Shan Xiang
Ge Shan Xiang is a perennial herb, 40-130 cm tall, with a smooth and hairless body. The main root is cylindrical or spindle-shaped. The stem is erect, cylindrical, with longitudinal and shallow groove lines, and branching in the upper part.
The leaves have petioles, 7-30 cm long, with broad sheaths at the base. The leaf blades are elongated ovate to broadly triangular, 3-pinnately compound with 2-symmetrical branching; the lobes have petioles, 2-7 cm long.
The small lobes are elliptical to elongated lanceolate, 3.5-6.5 cm long, 0.4-2.5 cm wide, gradually tapering at the tip and narrowing at the base. The flowering period is from June to August, and the fruiting period is from September to October.
Habitat: It grows wild in sunny slopes of shrubs or forest edges. It is distributed in Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan and other regions. It is produced in Zhejiang and Guangxi.
Contraindications of Ge Shan Xiang
It is not suitable for those with Yin deficiency and excessive internal heat. Pregnant women and children should use it with caution.
Image of Ge Shan Xiang
It promotes qi circulation, relieves pain, activates blood circulation, disperses blood stasis, and eliminates dampness and detoxifies the body.
It is used for stomach pain, abdominal pain, angina, headache, rheumatism, traumatic injuries, hernia pain, bronchitis, liver cirrhosis with ascites, amenorrhea, amoebic dysentery, mumps, and snake bites.
Pharmacological Effects of Ge Shan Xiang
1. Antitussive, expectorant, and anti-inflammatory effects
The distillation liquid of Ge Shan Xiang has a significant antitussive effect on guinea pigs induced by ammonia solution and can promote the discharge of phenol red from the bronchi of mice, indicating a certain expectorant effect.
The inhibition rate of rat foot swelling inflammation is similar to 0.25% dexamethasone.
2. Effects on smooth muscles
The crystal of isoborneol extracted from Ge Shan Xiang root ether extract has been formulated into a suspension with Tween-80. It was found to have a certain antispasmodic effect on isolated rabbit intestine, guinea pig trachea, and rabbit aorta strips, and it can also inhibit in-situ small intestine motility.
3. Antibacterial effects
In vitro antibacterial tests showed that the distillation liquid of Ge Shan Xiang has a certain inhibitory effect on Streptococcus type A and B, influenza virus, and pneumonia bacillus.
