Chuanmutong, also known as Huaiweitong, Youmutong, and Baimutong, is mentioned in the book "Tianbao Bencao". It refers to the vine stems of Clematis armandi Franch. or Clematis montana Buch.-Ham., plants belonging to the Ranunculaceae family. Chuanmutong is collected in spring and autumn, and the thick skin is removed before drying. Alternatively, it can be sliced thinly while fresh and then dried.
【Processing Method】"Shoushibao Yuan": "Remove the skin and cut into slices." Currently, the raw medicinal material is taken, washed, briefly soaked, then taken out and sliced thinly, and dried. If the sliced material is already available, impurities are removed, and ash residue is sieved out.
【Appearance of Prepared Medicinal Material】Chuanmutong is in the form of round, thin slices. The surface is pale yellow or yellow, with yellow-white radial patterns and cracks. It is covered in small pores, with a small medulla that is white in color and occasional hollow cavities. The periphery is brownish-yellow, with longitudinal grooves and ridges. It is hard in texture. It has no odor and a mild taste.
【Processing Effect】Chuanmutong has a mild and slightly bitter taste, and it is cold in nature. It belongs to the heart, small intestine, and bladder meridians. It has the functions of clearing heat, promoting diuresis, and regulating menstruation and lactation. It is commonly used for damp-heat stranguria, edema, urinary disorders, inflammation of the mouth and tongue due to heart-fire, damp-heat arthralgia, joint discomfort, amenorrhea in women, and painless lactation. Processing the medicinal material makes it clean and facilitates the adjustment and extraction of components.
