The herb commonly known as "E Ma Huang" or "Xifengdai" in the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions is also known as "Shandougen" or "Zhanshencao". It is a commonly used detoxifying traditional Chinese medicine. It can be used fresh or dried after harvest in the summer and autumn seasons. It is particularly beneficial for women's health.
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【Morphological Characteristics of E Ma Huang】
E Ma Huang has cylindrical stems with a diameter of about 3mm and longitudinal ridges on the surface. It has trifoliate leaves, with the terminal leaflet being larger, measuring 5.5-9cm in length and 3.5-5cm in width, elliptical to inverted-ovate in shape.
The apex is blunt or acute with a hard tip, the base is wedge-shaped, the margin is entire, the color is pale green, and the lower surface is covered with soft hairs. The texture is crispy.
Sometimes, it can have racemose inflorescences or pods. The pod is 1.5-2.4cm long, with a constricted ventral suture and a deep wavy dorsal suture with 4-7 segments. The surface is densely covered with brownish silky hairs. It has a faint odor and a bean-like smell.
The fruit is 1.5-2.5cm long, densely covered with blackish-brown silky hairs, with 4-7 fruit segments, a constricted ventral suture, and a slightly wavy dorsal suture. It flowers from July to September and fruits from September to November.
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【Medicinal Value of E Ma Huang】
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that E Ma Huang has the effects of promoting blood circulation, relieving pain, detoxifying, and reducing swelling. It is used to treat abdominal pain, pediatric malnutrition, dry blood tuberculosis in women, lumbar strain, wounds, urethritis, and parotitis caused by snake bites.
1. "Emei Medicinal Plants": Clears heat and promotes urination.
2. "Guizhou Herbal Medicine": Nourishes weakness, promotes blood circulation, treats malaria, and relieves pain.
3. "Guangxi Chinese Herbal Medicine": Aids digestion, relieves pain, and detoxifies snake venom. It is used to treat stomach problems, pediatric malnutrition, and snake bites.
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【Clinical Applications of E Ma Huang】
Women often experience symptoms such as deficiency of qi and blood, irregular menstruation, and abdominal distension and pain. In such cases, E Ma Huang can be used to help treat these conditions. It has excellent blood circulation effects for women.
E Ma Huang mostly grows in grasslands or forest edges at altitudes of 600-2300m. It has a sweet and bitter taste and a cooling nature. It is a valuable Chinese medicinal herb for the lungs, stomach, liver, and gallbladder meridians of women.
If women experience abdominal pain, dry blood tuberculosis, accidental lumbar strain, injuries caused by physical trauma, urethritis, parotitis, or snake bites, E Ma Huang can be used to make herbal formulas for treatment.
However, it is important to note that when using E Ma Huang to regulate the body, it is necessary to treat the specific condition with the appropriate formula. Different diseases require different medicinal combinations to avoid unnecessary harm to the body.
