Chinese medicinal herb Da Chao Cai refers to the whole herb or seeds of the legume plant Da Chao Cai. It prefers warm and cool weather and has strong resistance to cold. It contains abundant protein, vitamins, and various trace elements such as potassium, calcium, and scallops.
Image of Da Chao Cai
Chinese medicine believes that Da Chao Cai has the effects of nourishing the kidneys, promoting diuresis, stopping bleeding, and relieving cough. It is commonly used to treat kidney deficiency and lower back pain, nocturnal emission, jaundice, edema, malaria, nosebleeds, palpitations, cough with excessive phlegm, irregular menstruation, and abscesses and swelling caused by toxins.
Da Chao Cai is an annual or biennial herbaceous plant, 25-50cm tall. It is covered with sparse yellowish short hairs. It has pinnately compound leaves with tendrils at the tip of the leaf axis; the stipules are lanceolate, with 1-3 lanceolate teeth on one side and entire margin on the other;
There are 4-8 pairs of leaflets, which are elongated or inverted lanceolate, 8-18mm long and 4-8mm wide. The apex is truncate and concave with a fine tip, and the base is wedge-shaped. Both sides of the leaf have sparse yellowish hairs.
The inflorescence is axillary; there are 1-2 flowers, with short yellowish hairy pedicels; the corolla is deep purple or pink; the calyx is campanulate, with 5 lanceolate calyx teeth, gradually pointed, and with white sparse short hairs;
The standard petal is inverted ovate, and the wing petals and keel petals have claws; there are 10 stamens, diadelphous; the ovary is stalkless, the stigma is short, and the stigma is capitate, with pale yellow hairs on the dorsal side of the stigma.
Image of Da Chao Cai
The seeds of Da Chao Cai are slightly flattened spherical, with a diameter of 3-4mm, and the surface is black-brown or black, with white hilum. It is hard in texture, and when broken, two large yellow cotyledons can be seen. It has a faint aroma and a mild taste with a fishy smell.
The pod is linear, flat, 2.5-4.5cm long, nearly hairless, and turns brown when mature. The seeds are spherical and brown. It blooms from March to April and fruits from May to June.
1. "Ben Cao Shi Yi": "Regulates the middle, promotes the function of the small and large intestines."
2. "Hai Yao Ben Cao": "Mainly promotes the function of the urinary system, reduces edema, and moisturizes the large intestine."
3. "Pin Hui Jing Yao": "Tonifies qi, moisturizes the skin, clears the mind, and strengthens determination."
