Da Wei Yao is a type of traditional Chinese herbal medicine that grows in the southern part of China. To many people, it is just a weed, but with the development of medicine, people have gradually discovered its medicinal properties.
【Morphological Characteristics of Da Wei Yao】
Da Wei Yao is also known as dogtail grass or whole insect grass. It is an annual herb, reaching a height of 15-60cm. The root is cylindrical and turns yellow-brown when dried. The stem is erect, stout, and branches out, covered with rough hairs.
Leaves: The leaves are opposite or nearly opposite, with wrinkled blades measuring about 5-10cm in length, ovate or triangular-ovate in shape.
Flowers: The calyx is green, and the corolla is light blue-purple or white. There are 5 stamens, and the inflorescence is terminal, forming a unidirectional spike-like inflorescence. The small flowers grow densely on the upper side of the flower axis, gradually opening from the bottom to the top. The flowering period is from May to September.
The inflorescence is arranged in a bifurcated scorpion tail-like pattern, with the entire inflorescence reaching a length of 15cm. The end curls up like a caterpillar, which is the origin of the name "ear hook grass".
Fruit: The fruit is a capsule formed by the fusion of two small drupes.
Uses: Edible, medicinal, and a source of nectar for bees.
【Medicinal Properties of Da Wei Yao】
1. Treatment of pneumonia, lung abscess, and empyema: Take 100g of fresh Da Wei Yao whole herb, decoct it and mix with honey; or crush and squeeze 100-200g of fresh Da Wei Yao whole herb, mix with honey and take orally.
2. Treatment of scabies and abdominal pain: Take 50-100g of fresh Da Wei Yao whole herb, decoct it and take orally.
3. Treatment of testicular swelling and pain: Take 100g of fresh Da Wei Yao root, decoct it and take orally.
4. Treatment of infantile convulsions: Take 12g of dried Da Wei Yao root and 9g of dried Huang Dan Cao. Add a little salt and stew with water, then take orally.
5. Treatment of oral ulcers: Crush and squeeze the fresh leaves of Da Wei Yao, use the juice for gargling, repeat 4-6 times daily.
6. Treatment of abscesses and boils: Take 100g of fresh Da Wei Yao root, add a little salt, decoct it, and take orally; also take fresh leaves, crush them with cold rice, and apply as a poultice.
