The Big Tailed Shaker, also known as Squid Grass, Cat Tail Grass, Dog Tail Grass, and Elephant Nose Grass, is a traditional Chinese medicine that has the functions of clearing heat and detoxifying. It is clinically used to treat cancer and leukemia. Let's learn about the benefits, effects, and morphological characteristics of the Big Tailed Shaker.
Image of the Big Tailed Shaker
【Morphological Characteristics of the Big Tailed Shaker】
The Big Tailed Shaker, also known as Dog Tail Grass and Whole Insect Grass, is an annual herb that grows 15-60cm tall. The root is cylindrical and turns yellow-brown when dry. The stem is erect, stout, and often branched, with rough and appressed hairs.
Leaves: Leaves are alternate or nearly opposite, with wrinkled and elongated leaf blades measuring about 5-10cm in length, ovate or triangular-ovate in shape.
Flowers: Green sepals, pale blue-purple or white corolla, 5 stamens, terminal inflorescence in the form of a unidirectional spike, with small flowers densely growing on the upper side of the flower axis. The tip bends outward and gradually opens from bottom to top. The flowering period is from May to September.
The inflorescence is arranged in a double-forked scorpion tail shape, with the entire inflorescence reaching a length of 15 centimeters. The end curls like a caterpillar, which is why it is also called Ear Hook Grass.
Fruit: The fruit is a capsule formed by the fusion of two small nutlets.
Uses: Edible, medicinal, and a source of nectar for bees.
The main benefits and effects of the Big Tailed Shaker are dispelling wind and heat, treating pneumonia, pulmonary edema, liver disease, sore throat, oral ulcers, abscesses, tumors, etc. Crushed Ear Hook Grass can be applied externally to reduce swelling.
Image of the Big Tailed Shaker
【Pharmacological Effects of the Big Tailed Shaker】
The leaf extract of the Big Tailed Shaker has anti-cancer effects and can prolong the lifespan of mice with Schwartz leukemia (ascitic type). Foreign experimental literature has confirmed the anti-cancer effect of this herb and its clinical use in the treatment of cancer and leukemia.
1. Anti-tumor effects
The leaf extract has anti-tumor effects (prolonging lifespan) on mice with leukemia (ascitic type).
It has no effect on the frog abdominal rectus muscle, but it has significant excitatory effects on the isolated rat uterus. Both the water extract and alcohol extract have oxytocin-like effects.
2. Hypotensive effects
The water extract of the Big Tailed Shaker root can lower blood pressure and stimulate respiration when intravenously injected into anesthetized cats. It has inhibitory effects on the frog heart, while the alcohol extract has no effect.
Toxicity: The water extract has mild toxicity, while the alcohol extract has no apparent toxicity.
【Image Characteristics of the Big Tailed Shaker】
