Dawei Yao, also known as Squid Grass, Cat's Tail Grass, and Big Dog Tail Grass, is mainly distributed in Fujian, Taiwan, Guangdong, and Yunnan provinces in China. It has the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying. It can be used to treat pneumonia, sore throat, and other symptoms. Let's learn about the efficacy and functions of Dawei Yao below.
Picture of Dawei Yao
【Medicinal Characteristics of Dawei Yao】
Leaves: Dawei Yao leaves are opposite or nearly opposite, with wrinkled and shriveled leaf blades measuring about 5-10 cm in length, ovate or triangular-ovate in shape.
Flowers: Green sepals, pale blue-purple or white corolla, 5 stamens, terminal inflorescence, a unilateral spike-like inflorescence densely covered with small flowers growing only on the upper side of the floral axis, gradually opening from the bottom to the top, flowering period from May to September.
The terminal inflorescence is arranged in a double-forked scorpion-like pattern, with the entire inflorescence reaching a length of 15 cm, and the tip curling like a caterpillar, which is the origin of the name "Ear Hook Grass".
Fruit: The fruit is a follicle formed by the fusion of two small achenes.
Uses: Edible, medicinal, and a source of nectar for bees.
Picture of Dawei Yao
【Efficacy and Functions of Dawei Yao】
Traditional Chinese medicine believes that Dawei Yao has the functions of clearing heat, detoxifying, and diuresis. It is used for pneumonia, empyema, sore throat, oral ulcers, bladder stones, and abscesses.
Dawei Yao can dispel wind and heat, treat pneumonia, pulmonary edema, liver disease, sore throat, oral ulcers, abscesses, tumors, etc. When crushed and applied externally, Ear Hook Grass can reduce swelling.
1. "Selected Compilation of Guangxi Materia Medica": "Clears heat, detoxifies, drains pus, and reduces swelling."
2. "National Compilation of Chinese Herbal Medicine": "Clears heat, detoxifies. Mainly used for pneumonia, lung abscess, empyema, diarrhea, dysentery, orchitis, diphtheria, oral ulcers, abscesses."
Internal use: Decoction, 15-30g, or 50-100g of fresh herb; or juice mixed with honey for oral administration. External use: Appropriate amount, decocted water for washing or juice for gargling.
Picture of Dawei Yao
【Pharmacological Actions of Dawei Yao】
The water extract of Dawei Yao root can lower blood pressure and stimulate respiration when intravenously injected into anesthetized cats, and it has an inhibitory effect on the isolated frog heart; the alcohol extract has no effect.
The water extract has no significant effect on the isolated guinea pig ileum, but it can increase the tension of the isolated rabbit duodenum; the alcohol extract has inhibitory effects in both cases.
It has no effect on the frog rectus abdominis muscle, but it has a significant excitatory effect on the isolated rat uterus. Both water and alcohol extracts have oxytocin-like effects.
The leaf extract has an anti-tumor effect (prolonging the lifespan) on Schwartz leukemia (ascitic type) in mice.
