Wild sweet potatoes are distributed in Hunan, Guangxi, Yunnan, and other places. They can be used as food and medicine. Let's take a look at their specific medicinal uses!
Characteristics of Wild Sweet Potatoes
They are perennial deciduous creeping shrubs with latex throughout the plant. The stems are cylindrical or slightly flat, brownish, with many branches and slightly swollen nodes. The roots are thin, long, and indefinite, touching the ground.
The leaves are alternate; the leaf stalk is 1-2cm long; the leaf blade is stiff, ovate or inverted ovate-elliptic, 1.6-8cm long, 1-4cm wide, with a blunt tip;
The base is nearly circular or shallowly cordate, with shallow, sparse, wavy serrations on the edges. The upper surface is green, covered with short thorns, rough, and the lower surface is light green, with short hairs along the veins;
There are three primary veins and 3-4 pairs of lateral veins. The inflorescence is borne in pairs or clusters on leafless short branches, often buried in the soil, spherical or oval, 1-2cm in diameter, pale red when mature;
The basal bracts are 3; the male flowers and gall flowers are borne in the same inflorescence receptacle, with 2-6 petals, 1-3 (6) stamens; the female flowers are borne in another inflorescence receptacle. The fruit is a dry fruit. The flowering period is from April to June, and the fruiting period is from June to November.
Medicinal Uses of Wild Sweet Potatoes
1. Dispels Wind and Dampness
The whole plant of wild sweet potatoes can be used as medicine. It has a bitter and astringent taste and has the effect of dispelling wind and dampness. It is used to treat rheumatism, numbness, rheumatic bone pain, edema, and other conditions.
2. Activates Blood Circulation and Relieves Pain
Wild sweet potatoes also have the function of activating blood circulation and relieving pain. They are effective in treating bruises, fractures, and joint and bone pain.
3. Stops Bleeding and Detoxifies
Wild sweet potatoes have a cool nature and can clear heat and toxins. They also have excellent hemostatic effects and are used to treat conditions such as hemorrhage, nosebleeds, dog bites, abscesses, pustules, and snakebites.
4. Treats Leukorrhea
Wild sweet potatoes belong to the liver, spleen, and stomach meridians. They invigorate the spleen, eliminate dampness, and stop leukorrhea. They are used to treat conditions such as abnormal vaginal discharge and irregular menstruation.
