Liu Jinu, a traditional Chinese medicine. It is the whole grass of the plant Artemisia anomala, which belongs to the Asteraceae family. It is used to treat conditions such as amenorrhea, abdominal distension, postpartum blood stasis, bruises, bleeding wounds, abscesses, and inflammation. However, it is difficult to distinguish between genuine and fake Liu Jinu. Today, I will teach you a method to accurately identify Liu Jinu.
Liu Jinu image
Methods to Identify Genuine and Fake Liu Jinu
[Genuine Liu Jinu]
It is a whole plant with flowers, with long stems measuring about 60-90 centimeters. The stems are usually bent and have a diameter of about 2-4 millimeters. The surface is brownish-yellow to brown, often covered with white hairs.
The leaves are opposite, usually dry and shriveled or fallen off. The surface of the leaves is dark green, and the back is grayish-green, densely covered with white hairs. The leaves are brittle and easily fall off.
The branches have flower spikes, which are yellowish-brown in color. The stems are tough and hard, not easily broken. The broken surface appears fibrous, yellowish-white, and the center is white and loose. It has a fragrant smell when smelled and a mild taste when tasted.
[Counterfeit Sweet Wormwood]
The stems are upright, with ridges, and the surface is grayish-brown. The leaves are also opposite, with petioles, but they are feather-like, with 3-5 deeply lobed segments and serrated edges.
There are small white flowers on the top of the stem, forming a compact cone-shaped inflorescence.
Liu Jinu image
It is brittle and easily breaks, with no fibrous texture on the broken surface, and there is no loose white part in the center of the stem. It also has a mild taste when tasted, but the smell is faint and there is no fragrant aroma.
Medicinal Effects of Liu Jinu
The decoction of Liu Jinu has good efficacy in treating acute infectious hepatitis;
Using 40 grams of Liu Jinu whole grass, grinding it finely in a sterilized mortar, adding 1 gram of borneol and grinding it together, then adding thin oil prepared by dry heat sterilization and mixing it into a thin paste for external use, it has a significant effect in treating burns.
Precautions for Using Liu Jinu
Excessive consumption can cause vomiting and diarrhea.
It is not suitable for those with weak Qi and blood, and those with weak spleen causing diarrhea.
Pregnant women should not use it. Children should use it with caution.
