Banxia is a commonly used Chinese herb with the functions of drying dampness, transforming phlegm, and relieving nausea and vomiting. Banxia is listed as a toxic plant in the China Plant Database, and its toxicity is present throughout the whole plant.
However, excessive consumption of Banxia can cause poisoning, and in severe cases, it can lead to respiratory paralysis. So, what are the safe methods of consuming Banxia?
【Methods of consuming Banxia】
One: Banxia porridge
【Ingredients】
Main ingredient: 100g of rice.
Auxiliary ingredients: 6g of Banxia, 6g of Huangqin, 5g of dried ginger, 5g of licorice, 5g of ginseng, 10g of dried jujube.
Seasoning: 20g of white sugar.
【Preparation】
(1) Put Banxia, Huangqin, dried ginger, roasted licorice, Huanglian, ginseng, and dried jujube into a medicine pot together;
(2) Add an appropriate amount of water and boil for 20 minutes, then remove the residue and retain the juice;
(3) Wash the rice and put it in a pot, pour in the decoction and an appropriate amount of water;
(4) Boil over high heat for 30 minutes, then add white sugar.
Two: Banxia, Baizhu, and Tianma soup
【Ingredients】
9g of Banxia, 12g of Baizhu, 6g of Tianma, 6g of Chenpi, 15g of Fuling, 3g of licorice, 2 slices of ginger, 3 dried jujubes.
【Indications】
Dizziness, blurred vision, nausea, stuffiness in the chest, shortness of breath, restlessness, inability to open the eyes, headache, heavy limbs, numbness, and insomnia caused by spleen and stomach qi deficiency, phlegm stagnation, and internal wind disturbance due to hyperlipidemia.
【Usage】
Take one dose daily, decoct twice, combine the decoctions, and drink 300-400 ml in two divided doses.
Three: Banxia and Houpo decoction
【Composition】
1 liter (12g) of Banxia, 90g of Houpo, 120g of Fuling, 150g of ginger, 60g of Su Ye.
【Usage】
Boil 7 liters of water and reduce it to 4 liters. Drink one-fourth of the decoction warm, three times a day, every other night.
【Indications】 Plum pit qi: feeling of obstruction in the throat, unable to spit out, difficulty swallowing, fullness and stuffiness in the chest, coughing or vomiting, white or greasy tongue coating, wiry or slippery pulse.
【Side effects of Banxia】
Banxia is also known as San Ye Banxia, Ban Yue Lian, San Bu Tiao, Di Ba Dou, Shou Tian, Shui Yu, and Yang Yan.
Banxia is listed as a toxic plant in the China Plant Database, and its toxicity is present throughout the whole plant. The toxicity is higher in the rhizome, and consuming 0.1-1.8g of raw Banxia can cause poisoning. It can cause strong irritation to the oral, pharyngeal, and gastrointestinal mucosa.
Consuming a small amount can cause numbness of the mouth and tongue, while consuming a large amount can cause burning pain and swelling, inability to speak, drooling, vomiting, numbness of the whole body, slow and irregular breathing, spasms, difficulty breathing, and eventually paralysis and death. There have been cases of permanent loss of voice due to consuming a large amount of raw Banxia.
Important: To treat Banxia poisoning, drink ginger juice to counteract the toxicity.
