【Taste, Effect, and Usage】
Sweet in taste, cold in nature. It has the effects of clearing the lungs, reducing fluid retention, and eliminating swelling.
【Traditional Applications】
Used to treat symptoms such as lung heat coughing and wheezing, phlegm and fluid retention, difficult urination, and facial swelling.
This herb is commonly used in the following traditional formulas: 1) Xia Bai San (Pediatric Prescription Directly Deciphered): Sang Bai Pi, Di Gu Pi, Jing Mi, Gan Cao, used to treat coughing with excessive phlegm due to lung heat; 2) Wu Pi San (Treasury of Traditional Chinese Medicine): Sang Bai Pi, Fu Ling Pi, Sheng Jiang Pi, Da Fu Pi, Chen Pi, used to treat edema in the limbs; 3) Yan Fang (Summary of Materia Medica): Sang Bai Pi, Ma Huang, Gui Zhi, Xing Ren, Xi Xin, Gan Jiang, decocted and taken orally, used to treat fluid retention in the lungs, distension, and wheezing.
In the famous formula Hua Gai San, Sang Bai Pi is combined with Ma Huang to treat coughing and excessive phlegm due to external pathogens.
【Main Components】
Main components include flavonoids such as sangpiperine and lactones such as oxycanthin.
【Pharmacological Actions】
(1) Diuretic
The decoction of this herb has a diuretic effect when administered to rabbits. It increases urine volume, sodium, and chloride excretion.
The water extract of this herb can cause liquid feces when administered to mice, indicating its laxative effect.
(2) Hypotensive
The decoction and alcohol extract of this herb have varying degrees of hypotensive effects on normal and hypertensive dogs, rabbits, and mice. The active ingredients are believed to be similar to acetylcholine-like substances.
(3) Antipyretic, Sedative, Analgesic
The intraperitoneal injection of the butanol extract of this herb in mice has antipyretic effects, but oral administration is ineffective.
The butanol and water extracts of this herb, when injected into the peritoneal cavity of mice, have sedative and calming effects, reducing tactile and pain responses and dilating pupils. The butanol and water extracts also have anticonvulsant effects on mice.
The water extract of this herb has significant analgesic effects in mice, increasing pain threshold.
(4) Other Actions
1. Effects on smooth muscles: The butanol extract of this herb can significantly increase gastrointestinal motility when administered intravenously to dogs. It also has excitatory effects on isolated rabbit intestines and uteri.
2. Antitussive: The decoction has a mild antitussive effect.
3. Anti-inflammatory: It has inhibitory effects on foot swelling induced by carrageenan in rats.
4. Antibacterial: The decoction has antibacterial effects and antifungal effects on skin.
【Clinical Applications】
Used to treat edema and fluid accumulation caused by various diseases. For example, edema in the lower limbs due to kidney, liver, heart, or lung diseases, as well as fluid accumulation in the chest, pericardium, abdominal cavity, pelvic cavity, and joint cavity.
【Side Effects】
(1) Traditional Literature
According to "Compendium of Materia Medica": non-toxic.
(2) Toxicological Studies
1. LD50: The LD50 of the yellow powder obtained after treatment with water, ethanol, ether, etc. is 32.7mg/kg when intravenously injected into mice.
2. Toxic reactions: Intraperitoneal injection of the butanol and water extracts at a dose of 10g/kg or intravenous injection at a dose of 5g/kg in mice did not cause death. Large doses or multiple small doses of the butanol extract did not produce any side effects in animals.
The above indicates that it has very low toxicity.
(3) Clinical Observations
Sang Bai Pi is non-toxic. There are no adverse reactions when taken orally in regular doses. Long-term or high-dose (below 30g) oral administration also does not have any significant side effects. However, in individuals with spleen deficiency, large doses may cause loose stools or even watery stools.
