Child tea, also known as hai'er tea, is a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine. It is widely grown in humid areas such as Yunnan and Hainan in China. It has a bitter and astringent taste, is neutral in nature, and has the functions of promoting blood circulation, relieving pain, stopping bleeding and promoting tissue regeneration, as well as drying dampness and healing wounds, clearing the lungs and resolving phlegm. It is used to treat injuries and pain, external bleeding, vomiting of blood, non-healing ulcers, eczema, damp sores, and lung heat cough, among other conditions.
Clearing heat and resolving phlegm
Child tea has a bitter and cool nature, and its function is to clear lung heat, resolve phlegm, generate body fluids and relieve thirst. Therefore, it is commonly used to treat phlegm heat cough, restlessness and thirst, and throat obstruction.
Stopping bleeding and relieving pain
Child tea has the effect of stopping bleeding and relieving pain. It can promote blood circulation, disperse stasis, and treat injuries and pain. It can be used for various bleeding conditions and traumatic injuries, especially suitable for external bleeding. It can be applied externally along with other herbs such as longgu, xuejie, and baiji.
Drying dampness and healing wounds
Child tea has a bitter and astringent property, and it is best at drying dampness and healing wounds. It is commonly used for non-healing ulcers, oozing eczema, and excessive vaginal discharge in women.
Antibacterial and antifungal
Child tea can kill various microorganisms, and it has obvious bactericidal and inhibitory effects on Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhi, as well as the ability to treat fungal skin infections.
Diuretic effect
Child tea has a diuretic effect and has a good therapeutic effect on ascites caused by liver cirrhosis. It can also significantly kill cancer cells.
Preventing gastric ulcers
The administration of child tea solution can inhibit the peristalsis of the duodenum and small intestine in fasting rabbits, promote the retroperistalsis of the cecum, but has almost no effect on the large intestine. Child tea can also temporarily increase the tension of the intestinal tube, which has a preventive effect on gastric ulcers.
Nutritional value of child tea
Child tea contains components such as catechins, epicatechins, tannins, mucopolysaccharides, fatty oils, gums, waxes, and catechins.
1. The decoction of child tea has inhibitory effects on Staphylococcus aureus, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Proteus vulgaris, Shigella dysenteriae, and Salmonella typhi.
2. The extract of child tea leaves has inhibitory effects on Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.
3. The solution of child tea can inhibit the peristalsis of the duodenum and small intestine, and promote the retroperistalsis of the cecum, thus having an antidiarrheal effect, but it has almost no effect on the large intestine.
4. Catechins have antioxidant effects and can inhibit the generation of free radicals, making them powerful scavengers of free radicals.
Precautions for child tea consumption
1. Child tea has a cold nature and is not suitable for people with cold and damp constitution.
2. Pregnant women should avoid taking child tea as it can lead to fetal malformation.
3. Infants should be cautious when taking child tea and should do so under the guidance of a doctor.
Methods of consuming child tea
Treating oral diseases
Child tea, along with substances such as borneol, borax, indigo naturalis, and coptis, can be ground into a fine powder and applied externally to treat oral ulcers, gingival erosion, periodontitis, and herpetic stomatitis.
Treating skin ulcers
Child tea, longgu, qingfen, and borneol can be ground into a powder and applied externally to effectively treat skin ulcers and damp sores.
Treating cough
Take 60g of child tea, 12g of xixin, and 1 pig gallbladder. Grind the first two ingredients into a powder, refine the pig gallbladder, and mix them into pills. Take 3g of pills, 4 times a day, dissolve them on an empty stomach.
