Alihong is a commonly used ethnic medicine in Xinjiang Uygur Medicine. Its Uygur name is Harikun. It is mainly distributed in the western and northeastern regions of China. Research has shown that Alihong has the functions of warming the lungs, resolving phlegm, reducing qi, promoting blood circulation, reducing swelling, and diuresis. It is one of the main ingredients of the Uighur medicine compound Alihong tablets, mainly used for eliminating phlegm and relieving asthma.
【Plant Morphology】
Bitter white hoof, also known as medicinal layer pore, is a polypore fungus in the Polyporaceae family. The fruiting body has an inconspicuous stem, which grows on the surface of tree trunks with a flat attachment. It is white to pale yellow in color, smooth and hard. The mushroom cap is horseshoe-shaped, usually fist-sized or larger, white to pale yellow in color. It has a smooth thin skin on the surface in the early stage, which gradually cracks and becomes rough. Sometimes there are concentric rings, and the edge is blunt. The mushroom flesh is soft, powdery white, loose and light, and becomes fragile when old. The tubes are white and multi-layered. The spores are colorless, smooth, and oval in shape.
【Production and Sales of Medicinal Materials】
Alihong is mainly produced in Xinjiang and is mostly self-collected and used. It is harvested in summer and autumn, and the coarse skin is removed and dried. It grows on the trunks of pine and larch trees. It is distributed in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Shanxi, Xinjiang, Sichuan, Yunnan, and other places.
【Identification of Characteristics】
Dry fruiting bodies are often horseshoe-shaped or irregular in shape. The diameter is 8-30cm, and the surface is pale yellow to grayish-brown. It is usually rough, sometimes with concentric rings or cracks. The tubes are multi-layered, round, white or pale yellow, and have an asbestos-like texture. It has a slight smell and a bitter and slightly sweet taste.
【Properties and Effects】
Alihong contains ergosterol and dehydroergosterol, which have antiperspirant effects. However, internal use can stimulate the stomach. It has the effects of warming the lungs, resolving phlegm, reducing qi, relieving asthma, dispelling wind and dampness, promoting blood circulation, reducing swelling, diuresis, and detoxification. It is used for cough, asthma, stomach pain, excessive stomach acid, urinary stones, nephritis, chronic rheumatoid arthritis, pharyngitis, periodontitis, and snake bites.
【Medicinal Formulas】
① Treatment for cough and asthma: 1 qian of Alihong, 2 qian of licorice. Decoction and oral administration.
② Treatment for stomach pain and excessive stomach acid: 1 qian 5 fen of Alihong, crushed and decocted with water.
③ Treatment for urinary stones and nephritis: 1 qian 5 fen of Alihong, 1 qian 5 fen of xiecao. Decoction, extract the juice, and add honey for oral administration.
④ Treatment for chronic rheumatoid arthritis: 1 qian of Alihong, 1 qian of citang. Dissolve in warm water and drink.
⑤ Treatment for pharyngitis and periodontitis: appropriate amount of Alihong, decoction for gargling.
⑥ Treatment for snake bites: appropriate amount of Alihong, grind into fine powder, mix with vinegar and apply to the affected area.
Alihong is a minority medicinal material and is frequently used to make compound Alihong tablets in traditional Chinese medicine. It has a good therapeutic effect on warming the lungs and relieving asthma. In addition, Alihong also has the functions of treating stomach pain and snake venom. It has a wide range of medicinal value, but because Alihong is mostly self-collected and used, there are relatively few people who know about this traditional Chinese medicine.
