Gang Ban Gui, the Chinese name. It is the dried above-ground part of the plant Polygonum perfoliatum, which belongs to the family Polygonaceae. It has the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, diuresis, reducing swelling, and stopping cough. It is used for sore throat, hot cough, infantile convulsion cough, edema with reduced urine output, damp-heat diarrhea, eczema, abscesses, and snake or insect bites.
Image of Gang Ban Gui
[Alias] He Bai Cao, Snake Retreating, Pear Thorn, Snake Not Crossing.
[Source] It is the above-ground part of the plant Polygonum perfoliatum L. of the family Polygonaceae.
[Processing] It is harvested when the flowers bloom in summer and dried.
[Properties] Slightly cold in nature, sour in taste.
[Distribution and Habitat of Gang Ban Gui] It grows in valleys, shrubs, or beside ditches. It is mainly produced in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan, and Guizhou.
[Morphology of Gang Ban Gui Plant] It is a perennial herb of the Polygonum family. The stem is angular and reddish-brown, with retroverted hooks.
The leaves are alternate, shield-shaped; leaf blades are nearly triangular, 4-6cm long, 5-8cm wide, pointed at the tip, near cordate or truncate at the base, with sparse hooked spines along the veins on the lower surface; the leaf sheaths are nearly circular, clasping the stem; leaf stalks are long, sparsely covered with retroverted hooked spines.
The inflorescence is short and spike-like; bracts are circular; the perianth is deeply divided into 5, pale red or white, enlarged and fleshy, turning deep blue when mature; stamens are 8; the pistil is 3-lobed. The fruit is spherical, enclosed in a blue, juicy perianth. It flowers from June to August and fruits from September to October.
It grows in valleys, shrubs, or beside ditches. It is mainly produced in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan, and Guizhou.
[Chemical Composition of Gang Ban Gui] It contains indican, persicarin, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, vanillic acid, protocatechuic acid, and caffeic acid.
[Main Functions and Indications of Gang Ban Gui] It has the functions of diuresis, reducing swelling, clearing heat, detoxifying, and stopping cough. It is used for nephrotic edema, whooping cough, diarrhea, eczema, abscesses, and snake or insect bites.
[Dosage and Administration of Gang Ban Gui] 0.5-1 liang (about 15-30 grams); for external use, use an appropriate amount, crush fresh herb for topical application or decoct dried herb to wash the affected area.
