Campanula, also known as balloon flower or bellflower, is a perennial herbaceous plant commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine. It is also used as an auxiliary ingredient in pickled products.
Health Benefits of Campanula
1. Expectorant
Campanula decoction can promote respiratory mucous secretion.
The saponins contained in campanula can directly stimulate the oral, pharyngeal, and gastric mucosa, reflexively increasing the secretion of bronchial mucosa, thus thinning and facilitating the expectoration of phlegm.
Studies have shown that the saponins in campanula have a strong cough-relieving effect.
2. Antitussive and Anti-inflammatory
Research has shown that the saponins in campanula have a strong cough-relieving effect, as well as anti-inflammatory and immune effects, similar to aspirin.
3. Prevention of ulcers
Campanula water extract can enhance the phagocytic function of macrophages, increase the bactericidal power of neutrophils, and enhance the activity of lysozyme. It has a preventive effect on stress-induced ulcers.
Medicinal Uses of Campanula
1. Expectorant and Pus Expeller
Campanula is effective in promoting lung qi and relieving chest congestion, promoting the discharge of pus in the lungs, and treating lung abscess.
It is used to treat lung abscess with chest pain, fever, coughing up purulent blood, and foul-smelling sputum. It can be combined with licorice to make campanula decoction, or used together with fishy-smelling herb, coix seed, and reed root.
2. Chest-opening and Mass-dissipating
Campanula is not a qi-regulating herb, but it is often used in chest pain caused by qi stagnation, blood stasis, and phlegm obstruction.
For example, the Blood Mansion Dispelling Stasis Decoction in the book "Medical Forest Correction" is a special formula for treating blood stasis in the chest.
The combination of campanula and bitter orange peel in the decoction promotes the circulation of qi, and when qi flows, blood flows. Smooth qi circulation is beneficial for the removal of blood stasis, and it works synergistically with other blood-activating and stasis-dissipating herbs in the formula.
Modern pharmacological research has found that campanula "can reduce the resistance of the coronary artery and increase blood flow," providing strong evidence for the use of campanula in treating chest pain.
3. Throat-clearing and Voice-opening
Campanula is good at promoting lung qi, clearing the throat, and opening the voice. It can be used for sore throat and loss of voice caused by external pathogens invading the lungs.
For example, campanula decoction with licorice is used to treat wind-heat invading the lungs, sore throat, and loss of voice. It can also be combined with licorice, peppermint, and burdock fruit to make an enhanced decoction called Ganju Decoction.
It is also used to treat excessive heat and toxins, swollen and painful throat, often combined with Scrophularia, Poria, and Isatis root.
Campanula Tea Recipe
Ingredients: Campanula, honey
Method: Wash the campanula and put it in a teacup, pour boiling water over it, cover it and let it steep for 5-10 minutes. Add honey and stir well. Drink one dose a day.
