Bamboo is loved by people for its upright and slender shape and evergreen leaves. It is known as one of the "Four Gentlemen" along with plum, orchid, and chrysanthemum, and as one of the "Three Friends of Winter" along with plum and pine. Throughout history, it has been a popular subject for poets and scholars. Every part of the bamboo plant is valuable and has different medicinal properties.
[Bamboo Leaves]
Also known as Pale Bamboo Leaves, it is the dried stem and leaves of the bamboo plant. It has a cool nature and a mild taste. It enters the heart, lungs, gallbladder, and stomach meridians and has the effects of clearing heat, relieving restlessness, promoting saliva production, and diuresis. It is used to treat symptoms such as fever and thirst, childhood epilepsy, coughing and vomiting, flushed face, short and red urination, and mouth sores.
Modern pharmacological studies have shown that the flavonoids and coumarins found in bamboo leaves have good antioxidant capacity, anti-aging, anti-fatigue, lipid-lowering, prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, liver protection, dilation of capillaries, promotion of microcirculation, activation of the brain, improvement of memory, improvement of sleep, anti-cancer, and beautifying effects on the skin.
Research has also shown that Pale Bamboo Leaves have inhibitory effects on Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It has been found to be effective in clearing heat and promoting diuresis, treating mouth sores and reduced urination caused by excessive heart fire, or heat-induced painful urination, as well as wind-heat symptoms.
[Bamboo Husk]
Also known as Pale Bamboo Husk or Bamboo Bark, it is the middle layer of the bamboo stem after the outer skin is removed. It is curled and twisted in the shape of a thread. It can be used raw or stir-fried with ginger water to make Ginger Bamboo Husk. It has a cool nature and a bitter taste. It enters the stomach and gallbladder meridians and has the effects of clearing heat, transforming phlegm, relieving restlessness, and stopping vomiting. It is used to treat symptoms such as phlegm-heat cough, gallbladder fire with phlegm, restlessness and vomiting, palpitations and insomnia, excessive phlegm after a stroke, inability to speak clearly, hot vomiting, pregnancy-induced nausea and vomiting, and restless fetal movements.
[Bamboo Juice]
Also known as Bamboo Sap or Pale Bamboo Juice, it is the liquid obtained from roasting the bamboo stems. It is distributed in Shandong, Henan, and the Yangtze River Basin. It has the effects of clearing the lungs, reducing fire, and promoting phlegm discharge. It is used to treat symptoms such as phlegm-obscured stroke, lung heat with phlegm stagnation, convulsions, fever with excessive phlegm, high fever and restlessness, irritability in children, and tetanus.
Drinking bamboo juice instead of tea for several days can treat excessive thirst and frequent urination. Mixing bamboo juice with ginger juice, bile star powder, and natural musk in boiled water and drinking it can treat childhood convulsions and limb twitching. Taking bamboo juice, kudzu root juice, and ginger juice for the treatment of phlegm-obscured stroke can also be effective.
[Rolled Bamboo Leaves]
Also known as Bamboo Needle or Bamboo Heart, it refers to the young leaves of bamboo that are rolled up and have not yet unfolded. It has the same taste and medicinal properties as bamboo leaves. It has the effects of clearing the heart, relieving restlessness, relieving heatstroke, and quenching thirst. However, it has a stronger heat-clearing power and is mostly used for conditions such as heat in the heart causing restlessness, dizziness, short and red urination, and burns. Soaking and drinking it can treat recurrent mouth ulcers and chronic prostatitis.
[Bamboo Yellow]
Also known as Tianzhu Yellow or Bamboo Resin, it is the solid substance formed by the flow of liquid between the segments of bamboo after being bitten by bamboo yellow wasps. It is rarely found naturally and is mostly obtained by burning bamboo forests to make the bamboo heat up and the liquid flow out between the segments. It then solidifies and is cut and dried.
It has a cool nature and a sweet taste. It has the effects of transforming phlegm, stopping cough, promoting blood circulation, dispelling wind, and eliminating dampness. It is used to treat symptoms such as cough with excessive phlegm, whooping cough, excessive vaginal discharge, stomach pain, rheumatic pain, childhood convulsions, and injuries from falls.
[Bamboo Shoots]
They are the new shoots of bamboo plants. Depending on the harvesting season, they can be divided into winter shoots, spring shoots, and whip shoots (harvested in summer). Bamboo shoots are rich in nutrients, can be eaten, and have high medicinal value. They have the effects of clearing heat, transforming phlegm, benefiting qi and the stomach, treating excessive thirst, promoting urination, and relieving chest tightness.
Bamboo shoots also have the characteristics of low fat, low sugar, and high fiber. Consuming bamboo shoots can promote intestinal peristalsis, aid digestion, help remove food stagnation, and prevent constipation. They also have the ability to prevent colorectal cancer.
Modern pharmacological studies have shown that the dietary fiber found in bamboo shoots can increase the water content in the intestines, soften the stools for easy elimination, and promote intestinal peristalsis, digestion, and smooth bowel movements. Its detoxification function can also reduce the occurrence of gastric and colorectal cancer.
