As a special group, pregnant women need to pay extra attention to what they eat and use. However, when it comes to Chinese medicine, even though it is a supplement, it also has medicinal uses. This leads to confusion about whether pregnant women can consume it. Can pregnant women consume Da Wei Yao?
Da Wei Yao
Basic Information of Da Wei Yao
【Alias】Xiangbi Cao, Quan Chong Cao, Gou Wei Chong, Tian Jie Cai
【Source】Da Wei Yao (Heliotropium indicum L.), a plant of the family Boraginaceae, is used as a whole herb. It is harvested in summer and autumn, and can be dried or used fresh.
【Nature and Taste】Bitter, neutral.
【Functions and Indications】Clears heat and detoxifies. Used for pneumonia, lung abscess, empyema, diarrhea, dysentery, orchitis, diphtheria, oral ulcers, and boils.
【Dosage】0.5-1 liang (a traditional Chinese unit of weight). For external use, an appropriate amount can be crushed and applied, or the juice can be used for mouthwash.
Medicinal Value of Da Wei Yao
【Medicinal Parts】
The whole herb or root of Da Wei Yao, a plant of the family Boraginaceae.
【Medicinal Value】
Clears heat, diuretic, reduces swelling, and detoxifies. Used for pneumonia, empyema, sore throat, cough, bladder stones, convulsions in children, oral ulcers, and abscesses.
① "Fujian Folk Herbal Medicine": "Diuretic, clears heat, reduces swelling, and detoxifies. Used for fever and rash, pneumonia, empyema."
② "Nanning Pharmacopoeia": "Reduces swelling, detoxifies, disperses accumulation. Internally used to treat bladder stones; branches and leaves are boiled with lime water for fumigation to treat snakehead sores."
③ "Folk Herbal Medicine of Southern Fujian": "Used for sore throat, cough, initial stage of boils and swelling, oral ulcers."
【Application of Prescriptions】
Da Wei Yao
① Treatment for scrofula and abdominal pain: 1-2 liang of fresh Da Wei Yao. Decoction for oral administration.
② Treatment for pneumonia, lung abscess, empyema: 2 liang of fresh Da Wei Yao. Decoction with honey; or 2-4 liang of fresh Da Wei Yao, crushed and squeezed for juice, mixed with honey for oral administration.
③ Treatment for testicular swelling and pain: 2 liang of fresh Da Wei Yao root. Decoction for oral administration.
④ Treatment for convulsions in children: 4 qian of dried Da Wei Yao root, 3 qian of dried Huang Dan Cao (Scutellaria barbata), a little salt, stewed in water and taken orally.
⑤ Treatment for oral ulcers: Crush fresh Da Wei Yao leaves into juice, use for gargling 4-6 times a day.
⑥ Treatment for boils and abscesses: 2 liang of fresh Da Wei Yao root, a little salt, decoction for oral administration; separately, take fresh leaves, crush and apply with leftover rice. (Prescriptions from "Fujian Chinese Herbal Medicine")
【Clinical Application】
Treatment for boils and abscesses: Take 60 grams of dried Da Wei Yao, cut into pieces, add 1000 milliliters of water, simmer until 500 milliliters remain.
Take 20 milliliters each time, 3 times a day after meals.
Reduce the dosage for children. In the treatment of 213 cases, 37 cases were cured within 1-3 days of medication, 96 cases within 4-5 days, 52 cases within 6-10 days, and 28 cases took more than 10 days to recover.
Preliminary observations showed that it is effective in the early stage, suppurative stage, and necrotic stage of boils and abscesses, with better results when used early.
Can Pregnant Women Consume Da Wei Yao?
"Nanning Pharmacopoeia": "Pregnant women should avoid taking it."
