Blood Fulfilling Herb, also known as Rubia cordifolia, is a herbaceous plant belonging to the honeysuckle family. It is mainly distributed in Shaanxi, Ningxia, Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, and Tibet. It has the effects of dispelling wind, promoting diuresis, activating blood circulation, and dredging collaterals. It is commonly used to relieve rheumatic pain, itching caused by wind rash, and fractures, among other conditions.
The efficacy and functions of Blood Fulfilling Herb are as follows:
1. "Yunnan Herbal Medicine": It dispels wind and activates collaterals, dissipates blood stasis, and relieves itching. It is used to treat wind rash, rheumatic pain, infantile paralysis sequelae, sprains, fractures, and edema.
2. "Commonly Used Tibetan Herbal Medicine": It activates blood circulation, dissipates blood stasis, strengthens tendons and bones, dispels wind and dampness, and eliminates edema. It is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, chronic lumbago and leg pain, sprains, hematoma, and edema.
3. "Commonly Used Folk Herbal Medicine in Kunming": It dispels wind and dampness, nourishes blood, activates blood circulation, and promotes diuresis.
4. "Plant Names and Facts": It is used to treat athlete's foot and swollen feet caused by dampness.
5. "Illustrated Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau": It is used externally to treat boils, carbuncles, neurodermatitis, and infantile eczema; internally, it is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
To identify Blood Fulfilling Herb:
1. Appearance: The stem of Blood Fulfilling Herb is cylindrical, with a diameter of 0.3-2.5cm. It has a gray-green to dark brown surface with multiple longitudinal ridges. The ridges are covered with yellow-brown to rust-colored short hairs. The pith is wide and white, spongy in texture, and slightly shiny, with scattered brown-red dots, more on the outer side of the pith. The compound leaves are pinnately opposite, and the leaflets are often wrinkled and fragmented. The intact leaflets are lanceolate, 5-15cm long and 2-4cm wide, green-brown to dark green, with short stalks and serrated margins. Occasionally, it produces cone-shaped inflorescences with small, light yellow or white flowers.
2. Smell: Blood Fulfilling Herb has a slightly fragrant odor.
3. Taste: It has a relatively mild and slightly astringent taste.
Some uses of Blood Fulfilling Herb are:
1. Treatment of acute and chronic nephritis: Take 50g of Blood Fulfilling Herb, 30g of Hedyotis diffusa roots, 40g each of Cibotium barometz and Lycopodium clavatum. Decoct in water and drink.
2. Treatment of rheumatic pain and wind rash: Take an appropriate amount of Blood Fulfilling Herb, decoct in water, and use the decoction to wash the affected area.
3. Treatment of fractures: Take fresh Blood Fulfilling Herb, mash it, and apply it with alcohol or hot water.
4. Treatment of edema: Take 15-25g of fresh leaves and root bark of Blood Fulfilling Herb, cook with tofu, and eat.
5. Treatment of rectal bleeding and hemorrhoids: Take Blood Fulfilling Herb, black Prunus mume roots, and Silene capensis roots, cook with pork, and eat.
Please note: The information provided above is for reference only and should not replace professional medical advice.
