The so-called "Suigu Zi" is a type of Chinese herbal medicine known as "Danzhu Ye" or "Bamboo Leaf Ophiopogon." It is commonly found in the areas south of the Yangtze River and in southwestern China. It has the effect of clearing heat and promoting diuresis, and is often used for fever, thirst, restlessness, and urinary difficulties.
Image of Suigu Zi
Danzhu Ye, also known as Zhuye Maidong, Jinzhuye, or Danzhu Mi, is mainly produced in the Yangtze River basin. It has a sweet and mild taste and a cold nature. It belongs to the heart, stomach, and small intestine meridians. It is used as a cooling and heat-clearing medicine. Its main components include polysaccharides, amino acids, organic acids, and phenolic compounds. It can be used for fever with thirst, dysuria with redness and pain, and mouth ulcers. In the "Compendium of Materia Medica," it is recorded that Danzhu Ye can induce abortion and childbirth.
Due to its ability to induce abortion, Suigu Zi was considered a forbidden medicine for pregnant women in ancient times. However, with the introduction of Western medicine in China, it has long lost its role as an abortion drug. Currently, the abortion drugs used in clinical practice are all Western medicine, which have undergone mature drug trials and have clear components, dosage, and effectiveness. They are safe and effective for those who take them. Moreover, they are administered in hospitals. The commonly used drugs in hospitals currently are mifepristone (Ru 486) and prostaglandin used in combination. The former causes necrosis and softening of the uterine decidua, while the latter causes uterine contractions to expel the embryo.
Image of Suigu Zi
Pregnant women who wish to terminate their pregnancy should not self-medicate according to the plot. Otherwise, it can lead to serious consequences and even endanger their own lives.
Compared to Suigu Zi, people are more familiar with musk and saffron, which are commonly used drugs for inducing abortion in period dramas. One often sees a scene where the main antagonist tries to induce abortion for their rival by forcing or tricking them into drinking a bowl of saffron soup or smelling a sachet containing musk. They then have a miscarriage and can no longer conceive, which is truly terrifying.
Image of Suigu Zi
From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, musk can stimulate the mind, promote blood circulation, dissolve stasis, and induce labor. It is used clinically to treat strokes, coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, blood circulation disorders, and labor induction.
Musk has an excitatory effect on the uterus, especially in the later stages of pregnancy. Because this drug can induce labor, it may lead to miscarriage.
As for saffron, it has a warm nature and can promote blood circulation, regulate menstruation, and relieve pain. It can be used to treat abdominal pain, joint pain, and other conditions. The blood circulation-promoting effect of saffron is not as strong, and it only leads to miscarriage when a certain dosage is reached. The dosage also varies from person to person, and not every pregnant woman who drinks a bowl of saffron soup will have a miscarriage.
