Gan Sui is a unique plant in China, mainly distributed in Gansu, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Henan, and other places. It has been cultivated artificially, and has high medicinal value, which can be used to treat edema.
[Cultivation Methods of Gan Sui]
1. Gan Sui cultivation techniques:
Seeds propagation: Sow in mid to late July, soak the seeds in cold water for 2-3 days before sowing, mix with wood ash, dig holes according to row spacing of 25cm × 15cm, and sow the seeds.
Sow in rows, dig a trench with a row spacing of 20cm, evenly sow the seeds in the trench, cover with soil, and water.
Division propagation: Before March or after the withering of the seedlings in autumn, select the larger ones for medicinal use and the smaller ones for seed. The root must have rhizomes to survive. Plant by digging holes with a row spacing of 25cm × 15cm. When planting, the stems should be exposed above the soil surface, and watered after covering with soil.
2. Scientific management of Gan Sui:
Loosen the soil and remove weeds 2-3 times a year. When loosening the soil, be careful not to damage the roots. Remove water during rainy season and water to keep the soil moist during drought. Apply fertilizer 2-3 times, apply manure and urine in the early stage, and apply calcium phosphate in the later stage. Apply stable manure or compost after the seedlings wither. Remove flower buds when flowering.
[Prospects of Gan Sui Cultivation]
Gan Sui cultivation is labor-intensive and time-consuming, with high management and harvesting costs each year. Ten years ago, Gan Sui was extensively cultivated in Jiaocheng County, Yuncheng, Shanxi. Since then, the production area has moved from Jiaocheng County to Houma County, Linfen City. In recent years, the production and cultivation scale of Gan Sui has continued to shrink.
Gan Sui cultivation is suitable for cool and temperate climates and is cold-resistant. It does not have strict requirements for soil, but it prefers well-drained, rich in organic matter sandy or loamy soil for cultivation.
Gan Sui is a toxic plant recorded in the Chinese Plant Atlas Database. Its toxicity is present throughout the plant, with the roots being more toxic. It is generally used to treat edema, abdominal and chest water accumulation, phlegm retention, asthma, cough, constipation, swelling and dispersing nodules. When applied externally, it can treat abscesses and ulcers.
Wild resources are distributed in Gansu, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Henan, and other places, mostly found on low mountain slopes, wastelands, sandy areas, field edges, and roadsides.
[The Application Value of Gan Sui]
1. Treat edema and abdominal fullness: Gan Sui (fried) 6.6g, black ox gall 45g. Grind into powder and decoct with water, drink frequently.
2. Treat dampness-related lumbago, limb swelling, and liver pain caused by alcohol: Gan Sui (boiled) 30g, Dang Gui and Chen Pi each 15g. Grind into powder. Take 9g each time, drink before meals with wine to relieve symptoms.
3. Treat sudden deafness: Blow Gan Sui powder into the left ear and Gan Cao powder into the right ear, immediate effects. Alternatively, wrap Gan Sui powder in cotton and insert it into the ear, or chew Gan Cao in the mouth.
4. Treat constipation: Gan Sui (fried) 30g, Wu Xiang 0.3g. Grind the above two ingredients into powder. Take 3g each time, drink warm honey wine, no dosage restrictions.
5. Treat polydipsia: Gan Sui (fried until inside turns brown) 15g, Huang Lian (remove beard) 30g. Grind into fine powder, soak in water, steam into a pill-like shape, about the size of a mung bean. Take two pills each time, drink with peppermint soup, regardless of time. Avoid Gan Cao for three days.
