Acid Vine is a common traditional Chinese medicine in rural areas, which refers to the branches, leaves, or roots of the Acid Vine plant in the Rubiaceae family. The fruit of Acid Vine is called Acid Vine Fruit in traditional Chinese medicine. Now let's introduce what Acid Vine is!
【Identification】
The leaves are often curled and become inverted-ovate to elliptic in shape after being flattened, measuring 3-5.5cm in length and 1-2.5cm in width. The apex is blunt or slightly concave, and the base is wedge-shaped. The margin is entire, and the lateral veins are not obvious.
The petiole is short, measuring 5-3mm in length. Sometimes small cylindrical branches can be seen, with varying lengths and a purple-brown color. The odor is slight, and the taste is sour.
Acid Vine can be collected throughout the year. It can be used fresh or dried after being washed and cut into sections. The fruit is spherical, with a diameter of about 5mm, and the glandular dots are not obvious. The flowering period is from December to March of the following year, and the fruiting period is from April to June.
【Efficacy and Functions of Acid Vine】
Acid Vine tastes sour and astringent, and has a cool nature. It belongs to the Heart and Spleen meridians. It has the effects of clearing heat, detoxifying, dispersing stasis, and stopping bleeding. It is mainly used to treat red and swollen throat, gum bleeding, dysentery, diarrhea, ulcers, itchy skin, hemorrhoids, and injuries from falls and blows.
Usage: For internal use, decoct 9-15g of Acid Vine. For external use, apply an appropriate amount as a poultice, or decoct in water for washing, or use as a mouthwash.
1. For treating tinea capitis in children: Take 1.5g of Acid Vine root, decoct it in water to make a concentrated solution, and wash the affected area with warm solution twice a day. Continue for 3 days. (From "Identification and Application of Common Chinese Herbs")
2. For treating prolapse of the anus and uterus: Take 30g of Acid Vine root, 15g of red castor bean root, 25g of Le Lu root (from the Chinese trumpet creeper plant), and an appropriate amount of chicken meat. Cook them together and take orally. (From "Identification and Application of Common Chinese Herbs")
【Clinical Applications of Acid Vine】
Acid Vine has the effects of promoting blood circulation, reducing swelling, dispelling wind and facilitating pregnancy, clearing heat, detoxifying, and relieving pain. It is often used to treat symptoms such as enteritis, stomatitis, pharyngitis, abscesses, injuries from falls and blows, and sore throat. Acid Vine can also be used to treat symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
The most valuable part of Acid Vine is its roots and leaves, which can be used medicinally. The "Handbook of Common Chinese Herbs in Hainan Island" records that Acid Vine has the effect of detoxifying and reducing swelling. Fresh leaves can be pounded to extract juice for external application, which can treat itchy skin and other conditions.
In folk medicine, rural people often use Acid Vine to treat stomatitis. The method is to boil Acid Vine in water, and after boiling, use the boiled water to rinse the mouth, which can treat stomatitis.
