Throat grass, also known as Dian Di Mei or Buddha's crown bead, is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb used to treat throat diseases such as tonsillitis, pharyngitis, and oral inflammation. In addition to its medicinal uses, throat grass is also aesthetically pleasing. Let's learn more about throat grass together!
【Medicinal Benefits of Throat Grass】
In the past, when living conditions in rural areas were poor, people would often gather herbs from the mountains to treat minor ailments. For example, if someone had pharyngitis or tonsillitis, they would gather some throat grass from the mountains, boil it in water, and drink it for a few days to experience noticeable relief.
Throat grass also has detoxifying effects and is commonly used in folk medicine to treat snake bites. Applying fresh fruit juice to the eyes can treat eye heat and remove eye opacity. It also has certain efficacy in treating migraines and toothaches.
All parts of the throat grass can be used as medicine. It has the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, reducing swelling, and relieving pain. It is effective in treating tonsillitis, pharyngitis, oral inflammation, acute conjunctivitis, and trauma.
In folk medicine, throat grass is also known as "throat grass" because of its excellent effects in treating throat-related diseases. It is a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine.
【Botanical Characteristics of Throat Grass】
Throat grass is an annual herbaceous plant, 8-15cm tall, covered with fine white hairs. It has a rosette of leaves that spread out on the ground with thin stems.
The leaf blades are nearly circular, about 15mm in diameter, with a slightly heart-shaped base and rounded toothed edges. The upper surface is green, sometimes with purple-red coloration.
The flower stems emerge from the leaf rosette, with 3-7 branches and 5-7 umbels at the top, arranged in an umbel-like inflorescence.
The calyx is green, deeply divided into 5 ovate lobes. The corolla is white, with a short tubular base that fuses and 5 spreading lobes. There are 5 stamens and the stigma is not prominent.
The fruit is spherical, 2-3mm in diameter, and splits into 5 lobes when mature. The seeds are numerous, small, and brown. The flowering period is in April, and the fruiting period is in May.
【Selected Medicinal Recipes of Throat Grass】
1. For treating throat swelling and mouth ulcers: Grind throat grass into a fine powder and blow it onto the affected area.
2. For treating bruises or prolonged sitting-induced lower back pain: Take one or two throat grass, five qian of Xiantao grass, and one qian of Luan Tou Fa. Soak them in half a jin of alcohol. Take twice a day, with each dose not exceeding one or two liang.
3. For treating hemoptysis: Take three qian of throat grass. Grind it into a powder and swallow it with alcohol.
4. For treating leukorrhea and turbid urine: Take one or two liang of throat grass and one liang of bitter bamboo. Add three small bowls of water and boil it into two bowls of soup. Divide it into three doses and take it three times.
5. For treating one-sided headaches, toothaches, and red eyes caused by wind and fire: Take three qian to one or two liang of throat grass. Boil and drink it.
