Wuxiangcao is a Chinese herbal medicine, also known as Tuxiangru, Shayao Cao, Xiaoye Xiangru, Xiaoye Tianxiangyou, and Yexiangcao. It has the effects of dispelling wind and detoxifying. The pharmacological effects and commonly used prescriptions of Wuxiangcao are as follows:
Wuxiangcao
[Description]
Morphological identification: The stem is thin and quadrangular, branching, 20-42cm long, with a gray-green to purple surface, covered with soft hairs that face the sun, and has a crisp texture.
The leaves are opposite, curled and shriveled, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate after being flattened, 1.5-3cm long, 2-5mm wide, with short hairs and glandular dots on both sides.
The flowers are clustered, with small bracts, only 1.5-2.5cm long, and the corolla is light purple.
The small nut-like fruit is spherical and has a blackish-brown surface with fine reticulation. It has a strong and fragrant aroma and a pungent and cool taste.
[Pharmacological Effects]
Pharmacological effect 1: Antibacterial effect
In vitro experiments, the decoction of Wuxiangcao has a certain antibacterial effect.
It has the strongest antibacterial effect on Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, and Proteus vulgaris, and also has good antibacterial effects on Escherichia coli, Shigella sonnei, and Salmonella paratyphi, but slightly lower antibacterial effects on Shigella flexneri and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
The antibacterial active ingredients are present in the leaves and stems, while the roots have little effect. After oral administration of the decoction to rats, the concentrated urine has antibacterial effects in test tubes.
Pharmacological effect 2: Immunomodulatory effect
Wuxiangcao can promote lymphocyte transformation in healthy individuals and patients with acute nephritis, and has immunomodulatory effects.
Wuxiangcao
Pharmacological effect 3: Toxicity
The LD50 of the intraperitoneal injection of Wuxiangcao decoction in mice is 0.78±0.13ml/kg.
Small doses have no obvious toxicity to rabbits, but doses above 1ml/kg can cause obvious toxic symptoms such as convulsions and tremors.
A dose of 2ml/kg can cause repeated convulsions, rigid body, opisthotonos, and recurrent attacks until death in rabbits.
Subacute toxicity tests showed that feeding rabbits with 0.14ml/kg of volatile oil for 2 weeks did not show any abnormalities in indicators such as hemoglobin, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and blood urea nitrogen.
The toxicity of Wuxiangcao may be related to the presence of sidebin. Phenobarbital at a dose of 30mg/kg has a certain protective effect on rabbits in the low-dose group.
[Commonly used prescriptions]
1. Treatment of peptic ulcer
Take three qian of Wuxiangcao and Hongmuxiang, one or two liang of dandelion, and two qian of Xuchangqing. Decoction and take orally.
2. Treatment of tonsillitis
Take one or two liang and five qian of Wuxiangcao, and add an appropriate amount of honey. Decoction and take orally.
3. Treatment of boils
Take three qian of Wuxiangcao and wild chrysanthemum, and one or two liang of Zihuading and dandelion. Decoction and take orally.
4. Treatment of centipede bites
Crush Wuxiangcao and apply the juice externally. (Prescription from "Folk Use of Herbs in Zhejiang")
