Sea toon bark is the dried bark of the legume plant Staphylea bumalda. It can be harvested all year round, but it is easier to peel in spring. The tree is cut down and the bark is peeled, removing thorns and dirt, and then dried. It has a slightly fragrant smell and a bitter taste. The best quality bark is large and has many thorns.
【Botanical Characteristics of Sea Toon Bark】 Sea toon (as described in "Southern Plants"), also known as mountain hibiscus, Ti ku, hollow toon tree, chicken toon wood, and sea toon.
It is a tall tree that can reach a height of 20 meters. The bark is gray-brown, and the branches are light yellow to earthy yellow, covered with gray hairs and black, cone-shaped thorns, which fall off after 2-3 years.
The compound leaves are trifoliate, alternate or clustered at the top of the branches. The petiole of the compound leaf is 10-15 centimeters long.
The leaflets are broadly ovate to oblique-ovate, 10-15 centimeters long. The terminal leaflet is wider and longer, gradually pointed and blunt at the tip, and the base is nearly truncate or broadly rhomboid. The leaf color is dark green on the upper surface and powdery green on the lower surface, and both sides have sparse hairy veins.
The petiolule of the terminal leaflet is 3.5-4.5 centimeters long, while the petiolules of the lateral leaflets are short, about 5 millimeters long. There are 2 stipules, linear in shape, about 1-1.3 centimeters long, and they fall off early.
The inflorescence is racemose, about 15 centimeters long, covered with hairs. The peduncle of the inflorescence is 7-10 centimeters long. The calyx is hood-shaped, about 2-3 centimeters long, with a slanted calyx mouth that splits from the back to the base.
The corolla is butterfly-shaped, bright red, with a banner petal about 5-6 centimeters long, and the wing petals and keel petals are nearly equal in length, shorter than the calyx. There are 10 stamens in two bundles, with pale purple filaments about 3-3.5 centimeters long and yellow anthers. There is 1 pistil, pale green, with an undivided stigma covered with purple soft hairs. The fruit is a curved string of capsules. There are 1-8 seeds, spherical and dark red. The flowering period is in March.
It is wild or planted as a roadside tree. It is distributed in Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Zhejiang, Hunan, Hubei, Fujian, Taiwan, and other places.
【Combinations and Applications of Sea Toon Bark】
It is commonly used in combination with Xie Cao (Croton tiglium) to dispel wind and dampness, promote joint health, regulate menstruation, activate blood circulation, and relieve pain. It is often used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
It is often combined with Qin Jiao (Gentiana macrophylla) to promote circulation throughout the body, eliminate wind and dampness, activate meridians, and relieve pain. It is effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis.
When combined with Curcuma wenyujin, it has a good analgesic effect and is suitable for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, as well as lumbago and knee pain.
When combined with Hibiscus syriacus bark, it has a good effect in relieving itching caused by skin diseases such as scabies and eczema.
When combined with Rhizoma seu Radix Notopterygii and Radix Angelicae Pubescentis, it can relieve pain throughout the body, including joint pain, bone and joint soreness, and lumbago.
【Dosage and Administration of Sea Toon Bark】
Orally: Decoction, 2-4 qian (6-12 grams); or soak in alcohol. External use: Boil with water for washing or grind into powder for topical application.
【Precautions for Using Sea Toon Bark】
It is not suitable for people with blood deficiency.
According to "Ben Cao Jing Shu": "It should not be used for lower back pain that is not caused by wind and dampness."
According to "Ben Cao Hui Yan": "It should not be used for dysentery, conjunctivitis, and other conditions that are not related to wind and dampness."
According to "De Pei Ben Cao": "It is prohibited for those with deficient blood and excessive internal heat."
