The herb has small branches densely covered with short soft hairs. The leaves are alternate, narrowly ovate or ovate, with a shallow heart-shaped or rounded base. The upper surface is covered with glandular short hairs, while the lower surface is covered with stellate short hairs. The margins have irregular shallow teeth or serrations.
【Other names】 Xian Ren Sa Wang, Man Di Zhan (Xiamen "New Therapy and Selection of Chinese Herbal Medicine").
【Source】 The roots and stems of the plant Snake Granny.
【Plant morphology】 Snake Granny
It is a semi-shrub, 35-150 cm high. The small branches are densely covered with short soft hairs.
The leaves are alternate, narrowly ovate or ovate, 2-4.2 cm long, 1.2-2.2 cm wide, with a shallow heart-shaped or rounded base. The upper surface is covered with glandular short hairs, while the lower surface is covered with stellate short hairs. The margins have irregular shallow teeth or serrations. The leaf stalk is 0.5-1 cm long. The umbel inflorescence is axillary, head-like, with a peduncle 0.3-1.6 cm long.
The bracts are narrowly lanceolate, about 4 mm long, densely covered with soft hairs; the calyx is tubular, 5-lobed, covered with soft hairs on the outside; the petals are 5, pale yellow, nearly equal in length to the calyx; the stamens are 5, with fused filaments; the ovary is sessile, covered with soft hairs, and the stigma is stilt-like. The capsule is very small, usually splitting into 2 valve-like segments. There is one seed. Flowering period is in September.
It grows on sunny slopes or hills. It is distributed in South China and Yunnan, Fujian, Taiwan and other places.
【Collection】 It is harvested in autumn, the roots and stems are cut and dried in sections.
【Chemical composition】 It contains various peptide alkaloids, called snake granny alkaloids X, Y, Y', Z.
【Pharmacological effects】 Adouetine Z has no antipyretic effect; low doses can cause hypothermia and sedation, while high doses can cause excitement. The semi-lethal dose for mice is 52.5 mg/kg.
【Properties and tastes】 Xiamen "New Therapy and Selection of Chinese Herbal Medicine": "Slightly pungent and sweet, neutral."
【Functions and indications】 Xiamen "New Therapy and Selection of Chinese Herbal Medicine": "Eliminate dampness, dispel wind, reduce inflammation, detoxify. Used for leukorrhea, furuncle, mastitis."
【Usage and dosage】 Internally: decoction, 1-2 taels; or stew with meat.
