Maidong, first recorded in the "Shennong Bencao Jing" (Shennong's Herbal Classic), is classified as a top-grade herb and belongs to the lily family. It is used medicinally in the form of rhizome.
Maidong is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine. It has a spindle-shaped appearance with slightly pointed ends and a light yellow or grayish-yellow color. The surface has fine longitudinal lines. When a piece of Maidong is broken with fingers, it is found to have a soft and flexible texture. The cross-section is yellowish-white, translucent, and has small central columns. It has a faint fragrance. In terms of its efficacy, the "Shennong Bencao Jing" describes it as "long-term use can lighten the body, prevent aging, and alleviate hunger," while the "Bielu" states that it "nourishes Yin, enhances essence, stabilizes lung qi, regulates the five viscera, promotes weight gain, and improves complexion." The 2015 edition of the "Chinese Pharmacopoeia" describes its functions as "nourishing Yin, generating fluids, moistening the lungs, and clearing the mind." It is used for lung dryness with dry cough, Yin deficiency cough, throat obstruction and soreness, fluid injury with thirst, internal heat with diabetes, restlessness and insomnia, and dryness of the intestines with constipation.
Quality identification of Maidong: The quality of Maidong is determined by its dry and plump body, yellowish-white color, translucency, soft and flexible texture, fragrance, and stickiness when chewed.
Identification of Sichuan Maidong and Zhejiang Maidong: Due to different origins, there are distinctions between Hangzhou Maidong and Sichuan Maidong. Sichuan Maidong is shorter and thicker, with less fragrance and lower sweetness. It has less or no stickiness when chewed. Zhejiang Maidong has the best quality, but Sichuan Maidong has a larger production volume.
