Acid Vine Fruit, a traditional Chinese medicine. It is the fruit of the plant Acid Vine, a member of the Rubiaceae family. The roots, leaves, and fruits are used in medicine. The roots and leaves can be harvested all year round, while the fruits are harvested in summer and steamed and dried. It is known for its ability to nourish blood and stop bleeding, and is commonly used for blood deficiency and gum bleeding.
【Plant Morphology】
Acid Vine Fruit is a climbing shrub or vine, reaching a height of 1-3 meters. The branches are gray or reddish-brown and smooth. The leaves are alternate, papery, and vary from inverted-ovate to narrowly rounded, measuring 3-6 cm in length and 1-2 cm in width. The apex is blunt or rounded, the base is wedge-shaped, and the margins are entire. The leaves are smooth on both sides, with a leaf stalk of about 5 mm in length.
The flowers are unisexual and dioecious. The inflorescence is dense, borne laterally or axillary, measuring 5-10 cm in length, with 3-8 flowers. The flower stalk is about 2 mm long. The calyx is 4-lobed, ovoid, and smooth. The petals are 4, white, ovoid or rectangular, with a blunt or rounded apex. The outer surface is smooth, while the inner surface has powdery papillae. There are 4 stamens, longer than the petals in male flowers, with ovate or kidney-shaped anthers without glandular dots. The ovary is degenerate in male flowers, spherical or ovoid in female flowers, with a cylindrical style and a head-shaped stigma.
【Identification】
The fruit is a spherical berry, red or purple-black when ripe, and dark brown after drying. It measures 5-6 mm in diameter and is smooth, with longitudinal wrinkles, a few glandular dots. It has a slight odor and a sour and sweet taste. The flowering period is from December to March of the following year, and the fruiting period is from April to June.
It grows in grasslands, shrubs, or under forests at an altitude of 100-1800m. It is distributed in Jiangxi, Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, and other places.
【Medicinal Uses】
It has the effects of strengthening and nourishing the blood, and stopping bleeding. It is commonly used for blood deficiency, gum bleeding, lack of gastric acid, and poor appetite.
1. It has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. It is used to treat oral inflammation, pharyngitis, gingivitis, and ulcers. It also detoxifies the poison from tea, Mu Ru, and Croton seeds.
2. It has insecticidal, anti-swelling, and digestive effects. It is used externally for bruises and ulcers. It is taken internally to treat internal and external hemorrhoids (and for external washing), sore throat, and pain in the feet (cooked with dog feet).
3. It promotes blood circulation, relieves pain, and has astringent and anti-diarrheal effects. It is used to treat bruises, enteritis, diarrhea, and sore throat.
4. "Jingzhu Materia Medica": Acid Vine Fruit has insecticidal properties and can increase gastric temperature. The fruit is pale red, makes a rattling sound when shaken, and resembles a bean.
5. "Morphological Metaphor": Acid Vine Fruit has slender stems, gray leaves that are small and rough, blue-red flowers that are small, and fruits that resemble frosted beans with a sour and sweet taste. It is effective in treating insect diseases.
6. "Handbook of Commonly Used Chinese Medicinal Herbs in Hainan Island": Acid Vine Fruit and leaves are used to treat vitamin C deficiency and anemia.
