The Chinese medicine Yunniuxi is found in Fujian, Taiwan, Hunan, Yunnan and other places. It has the effects of promoting blood circulation, diuresis, clearing heat and detoxification. It is used for lumbago, rheumatism, amenorrhea, urinary tract infection, carbuncles, boils, and snake bites.
[Source of Medicinal Materials]
Yunniuxi is the root of the Amaranthaceae plant called "Hong He Cu Mao Niu Xi". It is excavated in winter, the roots and buds are removed, washed and dried.
[Botanical Morphology of Yunniuxi]
Yunniuxi is a perennial herb. The root is cylindrical and has a yellowish appearance. The stem is upright, four-sided, with longitudinal grooves, sparsely covered with soft hairs. The stem and leaves are red, and turn brown after drying. The leaves are opposite, elliptic or rectangular-ovate, 2-10 cm long, 1.5-4 cm wide, with a long pointed tip, a wedge-shaped or broad wedge-shaped base, entire margin, and dense soft hairs on both sides. The petiole is 0.5-2 cm long.
The spike-like inflorescence is axillary or apical, with hairy pedicels and peduncles; the flowers are small; the bracts are membranous and ovate; the bracts are 2, bent spines, with oval-shaped lobes on both sides of the base and marginal hairs; the petals have 3 veins; the stamens are 5, with degenerate stamens in the form of cilia; the ovary is superior. The fruit is oblong.
[Pictures of Yunniuxi]
