Shixi grass, as a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, is used for dispelling wind and dampness, promoting joint health, and detoxifying the body. It is commonly used for conditions such as rheumatism, weakness in the tendons and bones, soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, limb paralysis, hemiplegia, and skin rashes and sores caused by wind and dampness. Let's explore the efficacy and application of Shixi grass together.
【Efficacy and Benefits of Shixi Grass】
Shixi grass is characterized by its pungent and bitter taste and cold nature. It belongs to the liver and kidney meridians.
The main effects of Shixi grass are dispelling wind and dampness, promoting joint health, and detoxifying the body. It is commonly used for conditions such as rheumatism, weakness in the tendons and bones, soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees, limb paralysis, hemiplegia, and skin rashes and sores caused by wind and dampness.
【Appearance of Shixi Grass】
The stems of Shixi grass are slightly square in shape, with multiple branches, measuring 30-110cm in length and 0.3-1cm in diameter. The surface is gray-green, yellow-brown, or purple-brown, with longitudinal grooves and fine longitudinal lines, covered in gray soft hair. The nodes are distinct and slightly swollen. The texture is brittle and easily breaks, with a yellow-white or greenish color on the cross-section. The pith is wide and white, and the stem is hollow. The leaves are opposite, often wrinkled and curled, and when flattened, they are ovoid in shape and gray-green in color, with blunt serrations on the edges. Both sides are covered in white soft hair, and there are three primary veins. Some plants may have yellow head-shaped inflorescences with spoon-shaped bracts. The scent is faint, and the taste is slightly bitter.
【Application of Shixi Grass in Prescriptions】
1. Dispelling wind and dampness, promoting circulation
① Used for rheumatism, which is also known as rheumatoid arthritis. Shixi grass has the effects of dispelling wind and dampness, promoting circulation, and promoting joint health. It is often used in combination with herbs such as angelica, eleutherococcus, and houttuynia cordata. It can also be ground into powder and processed with alcohol and honey to make pills for consumption.
② Used for sequelae of stroke, hemiplegia, and numbness in the limbs. Shixi grass is used to promote circulation, regulate qi and blood, and is often used in combination with astragalus, angelica, and salvia.
2. Clearing damp-heat, relieving itching: Used for skin rashes and itching caused by dampness and heat. It can be used in combination with white fresh skin and xanthium sibiricum.
3. Treating malaria: Used for malaria, with a dosage of 30g of Shixi grass, decocted in water and divided into two doses for consumption.
