Wild taro is the fruit of the Araceae family plant, also known as Aroid fruit. Its tuber can be eaten, and the berries are red in color. It has the medicinal effect of clearing heat and detoxifying. Let's learn more about wild taro!
【Pharmacological Effects】
Wild taro is mainly used to treat breast abscess, swelling, leprosy, scabies, injuries from falls, and bee or wasp stings.
The tuber can be eaten, but it contains calcium oxalate, which is highly irritating. However, it becomes non-irritating after being cooked. It is said that people who consume this as food have a high incidence of nephritis, and the stem can cause thyroid enlargement.
Some subspecies of wild taro contain saponin glycosides, and there have been reports that injecting 0.1 milligrams of acidic saponin glycosides extracted from them into rats can cause immediate death.
Autopsies of the rats showed hemolysis and congestion in the adrenal glands. Different individuals have different sensitivities to this glycoside, and generally, if the intake is not large, there will be no poisoning.
【Medicinal Applications】
1. For treating breast abscess: Pound the head of wild taro and apply it as a poultice.
2. For treating wind-heat phlegm toxin (acute cervical lymphadenitis): Cut a wild taro root in half symmetrically, use one piece (with the cut side facing inward), apply it to the affected area, and secure it with a cloth strip. In the early stages, it can help disperse the inflammation. If there are local red rashes, burning, itching, etc., applying gentian violet solution can help alleviate the symptoms.
3. For treating snake bites: Pound fresh wild taro root into a paste-like consistency, or grind it with well water to make a paste, and apply or rub it on the area around the wound and the swollen area.
4. For treating bee or centipede stings: Take an appropriate amount of wild taro root, grind it with water, and apply it externally; or pound fresh wild taro root into a paste and apply it.
