Purple Swallowwort, also known as Dajiangjun, Hongxue Liu, Red Snow Willow, and Snow Willow, is the root of the plant Dali Mountain Gentian, which belongs to the Campanulaceae family. It is mainly distributed in Yunnan and has the effects of stopping bleeding, promoting bone healing, and treating malaria. It is commonly used to treat wounds, fractures, and malaria, among other conditions.
I. Morphology of Purple Swallowwort
Dali Mountain Gentian is a perennial herbaceous plant, 50-80 (-120) cm tall. The rhizome is short and well-developed. The stem is cylindrical, erect, unbranched or sparsely branched, and hairless, often purple. The leaves are papery; the basal leaves have petioles with narrow wings; the stem leaves are inverted ovate, lanceolate, or elliptic, with short or no petioles, 3.5-7 cm long, 1.5-2 (-3) cm wide, blunt or obtuse at the apex, wedge-shaped at the base, with fine glandular teeth on the margins, hairless on both sides, pinnate veins, concave on the upper surface, and convex on the lower surface. The inflorescence is terminal, with sparse flowers, leaning towards one side of the inflorescence axis; bracts are the same as the leaves, sessile; pedicels are flat, 4-7 mm long, with short soft hairs; bracteoles are 2, located on the leafy part;
The calyx tube is elongated, 3-4 mm long, covered with short soft hairs, and the lobes are lanceolate, 9-12 cm long and about 1 mm wide; the corolla is pale blue or pink, 24-30 mm long, the upper lip lobes are lanceolate and slightly ascending, the lower lip lobes are lanceolate-ovate and spreading; the stamens are fused into a tube except at the base, the stamen tube is about 11 mm long, hairless, and the anther tube is about 6 mm long with soft hairs at the dorsal end. The capsule is elongated, about 6 mm long and about 4 mm wide. The seeds are nearly round and have a wedge-shaped cross section. Flowering and fruiting period is from August to October.
II. Habitat of Purple Swallowwort
It grows on slopes at an altitude of 1600-2600m, or sunny fields or beaches, and is distributed in Yunnan and other regions.
III. Efficacy and Functions of Purple Swallowwort
Taste: Spicy, slightly bitter, cool, slightly toxic
Main Functions: Stops bleeding, promotes bone healing, treats diseases. Mainly used for wounds, fractures, and malaria.
1. "Yunnan Chinese Herbal Medicine": "Stops bleeding, promotes bone healing. Used for treating wounds and fractures."
2. "National Compilation of Chinese Herbal Medicine": "Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antimicrobial, detoxifying. Used for treating malaria."
IV. Usage and Dosage of Purple Swallowwort
Oral administration: Decoction, 1.5-3g. External use: Appropriate amount, powdered and applied.
"National Compilation of Chinese Herbal Medicine": "Used for treating wounds and fractures: Apply an appropriate amount of powdered Purple Swallowwort to the affected area."
Note: Pregnant women should use with caution.
