The Chinese medicinal herb "Gang Ban Gui" can be used to treat diseases such as nephritis and herpes zoster, as well as prevent respiratory diseases. It also has a good effect on regulating physical fitness. Now let's learn about the benefits of using Gang Ban Gui to bathe in boiled water!
Image of Gang Ban Gui
Gang Ban Gui is an annual plant of the Polygonaceae family that grows along roadsides. The leaves are alternate, shield-shaped; leaf blades are nearly triangular, 4-6cm long, 5-8cm wide, pointed at the apex, and nearly cordate or truncate at the base. The lower surface of the leaves has sparse hooked prickles along the veins; the leaf sheath is nearly circular, embracing the stem; the petiole is long, with sparse hooked prickles.
The inflorescence is in short spike-like clusters; the bracts are round; the perianth is deeply divided into 5 parts, pale red or white, and enlarges and becomes fleshy and dark blue when ripe; there are 8 stamens; the style is 3-cleft. The fruit is spherical and enclosed within the juicy blue perianth. It flowers from June to August and fruits from September to October.
It grows in valleys, shrubs, or alongside ditches. It is mainly produced in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan, and Guizhou.
In autumn, when the fruit is ripe, it is black and round like small beads. Why is a plant called Gang Ban Gui with such a strange name?
There is a story behind it. Legend has it that a long time ago, a farmer was bitten by a venomous snake while cutting firewood in the mountains. In a short time, his calf swelled to the size of his thigh, and he began to have a high fever. Soon, he died. The family had no choice but to put him in a coffin for burial.
Image of Gang Ban Gui
When the coffin was about to be buried, a friend of the deceased rushed over. He was a doctor, so he immediately opened the coffin, felt the pulse of the deceased, and listened to his heart, determining that although the deceased was severely poisoned, he had not yet died.
He immediately took out the herbs he carried with him and applied them to the wound, and also chewed some herbs and fed them to the deceased. Half an hour later, the patient's complexion improved, and he woke up. Everyone present was amazed and asked the doctor what medicine it was.
The doctor smiled and said, "This medicine has been passed down from my ancestors and does not have a name. Today, it saved a life. We don't need the coffin anymore. Let's call this medicine Gang Ban Gui!" Gang Ban Gui is used to treat snake bites. The whole plant of Gang Ban Gui is crushed and applied to the wound to stop snake bites. In addition, it can also be used externally to wash hemorrhoids, disperse toxins, reduce swelling, and treat skin rashes.
However, legends are just legends. Gang Ban Gui is only one type of medicine for treating snake bites, and it is still necessary to seek medical attention promptly after being bitten by a snake.
