Shuo He, the name of a traditional Chinese medicine, has the functions of antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, heat-clearing and detoxifying, dispelling wind and dampness, promoting blood circulation and relieving pain, and regulating menstruation and promoting bone healing. It is used to treat various inflammatory diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, back and leg pain, ulcers and abscesses, pneumonia, appendicitis, acute cellulitis, tumors, fractures, and more.
Plant Morphology of Shuo He:
Shuo He is a shrubby herbaceous plant that can grow up to 3 meters tall. It has a vertical main root with few lateral roots. The stem is angular, smooth, and hairless, with many branches. The leaves are opposite, odd-pinnate compound leaves, with 5 to 9 leaflets. The leaflets are long elliptical lanceolate, measuring 8 to 15 centimeters in length and 3 to 5 centimeters in width. The apex is gradually pointed, and the base is slightly inclined or broadly cordate. The edges have dense and sharp sawtooth-like serrations. The upper surface is dark green, and the lower surface is light green. Both surfaces are smooth and hairless, although there may be short soft hairs on the leaf veins. The petiole is about 3 centimeters long, without stipules, and the leaflets have short or almost no stalks. The compound umbel inflorescence is terminal, with a diameter of about 20 to 30 centimeters. It has short soft hairs or sometimes downy hairs. The bracts are small, ovate-lanceolate. The flowers are small and white, with a 5-lobed calyx that fuses into a bell shape at the lower part. The corolla is radiate, with 5 lobes that are ovate in shape. There are 5 stamens, alternating with the corolla lobes. The filaments are short, and the anthers open outward. There is 1 pistil with an ovary that is oval in shape and a head-like stigma. There are yellow cup-shaped glands scattered among the flowers. The fruit is spherical and red, with a diameter of 3 to 4 millimeters. It blooms in August and bears fruit in October.
Introduction to Shuo He with Pictures:
Other Uses of Shuo He:
Steamed Shuo He Soup:
Indications:
Prescription for deficiency of the skin, colitis, and cold qi: 3 liters of peach leaf bark, 3 liters of millet rice, 1 dou of fine bran, 2 liters of sweet flag leaves, and Shuo He roots and leaves.
Preparation:
Boil the above five herbal ingredients in 15 liters of water until the rice is cooked. Transfer it to a large basin and cover it with a small bamboo bed. Sit on the bed without any wind coming from all sides and cover it with a blanket to allow steaming.
Efficacy:
If the basin is not too hot, a charcoal fire can be placed underneath. If feeling breathless, a vent can be opened to release air into the air. The whole body must sweat profusely, preferably for about two meals' time. Steaming like this for three days can not only treat colds but also cure all cold skin diseases.
Shuo He Root Wine:
Ingredients: Shuo He roots, white wine
Method:
Wash and cut 1 small bundle of Shuo He roots, then soak them in 500 grams of white wine for 30 days before consumption.
Characteristics:
This is a traditional medicinal wine. It is recorded in the Tang Dynasty's "Wai Tai Mi Yao". Shuo He, also known as Lu Ying or Ji Gu Cao, is an herb that can be used for medicinal purposes. It can treat various sores and injuries. Shuo He root wine is suitable for paralysis, tumors, headaches, and general body swelling. Take it three times a day, 30 grams each time, and increase the dosage for those who can tolerate more alcohol. Take it on an empty stomach.
