Traditional Chinese medicine believes that wild yam has the effects of clearing heat and dampness, promoting blood circulation and relieving swelling, and detoxifying. It is commonly used for conditions such as lung heat cough, dysentery, and edema. Below, let's learn together how wild yam can treat children's indigestion!
[Wild Yam's Plant Morphology]
Wild yam is a perennial deciduous vine with latex throughout the plant. The aerial roots are climbing and clinging to trees or rocks. The stem is cylindrical or slightly flattened, brown, with many branches and slightly swollen nodes.
The leaves are alternate; leaf stalks are 1-2 cm long; there are 2 bracts, conical, with pointed tips and entire margins; leaf blades are ovate, obovate, or elongated elliptical, about 3-6 cm long and 2-4 cm wide;
The tips are blunt or pointed, with wavy serrations on the edges, and the base is round or heart-shaped. The upper surface is green with stiff hairs, and the lower surface is lighter with hairy veins.
The flowers are inconspicuous; wild yam flowers are unisexual, mostly with male and female flowers growing inside a pouch-like fleshy inflorescence; the inflorescence is flattened and spherical, reddish-brown, growing on creeping branches and partially buried in the soil. The fruit is small. Flowering period is from April to May.
[Clinical Application of Wild Yam]
Wild yam vine is used to treat children's indigestion.
Take 3 catties (approximately 1.5 kg) of fresh whole herb (stem, leaves) or rhizomes, add 10,000 ml of water, simmer over low heat for 3 hours, and reduce to 3,000 ml.
For infants aged 6 months, take 20 ml each time; for infants aged 7 months to 1 year, take 25-30 ml each time, 2-3 times a day, until normal bowel movements are achieved.
Treatment was performed on 331 cases, with ages ranging from 6 months to 2.5 years, with the shortest course of 1 day and the longest of 10 days; among them, there were 5 cases of simple indigestion and 326 cases of toxic indigestion.
The results showed that 261 cases were cured, while the remaining cases had poor or no effect. All cured cases were supplemented with intravenous fluids and correction of electrolyte imbalances.
Generally, 2-3 days after taking the medicine, the frequency of bowel movements decreased or diarrhea stopped, and there was no recurrence after recovery. On the first day of treatment, fasting for 6-24 hours is recommended based on the condition.
Practical experience has shown that the medicinal liquid must be concentrated, otherwise it will affect the efficacy; fresh herbs are better than dried ones, and rhizomes are better than the whole herb.
