Thousand Year Health is the dried rhizome of the plant Dioscorea polystachya, also known as Dioscorea nipponica or Nannanxing. It is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine for its anti-rheumatic, bone-strengthening, pain-relieving, and swelling-reducing properties. Let's take a closer look at the morphology and medicinal uses of Thousand Year Health.
【Morphological Characteristics of Thousand Year Health】
Thousand Year Health is a perennial herb with fleshy roots that are at least 3-4 millimeters thick and generally cylindrical in shape. It has few fibrous roots. It also has aboveground stems that can grow up to 30-50 centimeters in height and are erect in growth. The leaves of Thousand Year Health are membranous to papery and have an arrow-shaped to heart-shaped appearance. The leaves are relatively large, resembling those of the plant Agave americana, with lengths ranging from 15 to 30 centimeters. The flowering period is from July to September.
【Growth Environment of Thousand Year Health】
Thousand Year Health is a resilient plant and can be considered a "weed" by some gardeners. It thrives in warm and shaded environments, particularly on hillsides where it can withstand high temperatures. It prefers to grow in an environment with a temperature of around 20°C and can tolerate short periods of low temperatures around 0°C. It does not wither when the soil is dry. It is commonly found in dense forests or shrubs on slopes at altitudes ranging from 80 to 1200 meters above sea level.
【Medicinal Value of Thousand Year Health】
Thousand Year Health has a wide range of medicinal applications and is highly valued in traditional medicine. The rhizome of this plant has various benefits, including anti-rheumatic, muscle and tendon relaxation, pain relief, and swelling reduction. It is particularly effective in treating injuries, fractures, bleeding, numbness in limbs, muscle spasms, and rheumatic pain in the lower back and legs.
With the increasing demand for health preservation among the general public, Thousand Year Health has been widely used as a Chinese herbal medicine.
【Precautions for Using Thousand Year Health】
There have been reports of patients experiencing nausea, vomiting, dizziness, loss of consciousness, incontinence, tetanic spasms, and difficulty breathing after taking a compound medicine containing Thousand Year Health. Therefore, the dosage and post-medication reactions should be carefully monitored when using this medicine. It should not be used in patients with heat-type rheumatism. It is also not recommended for individuals with a constitution of Yin deficiency and internal heat.
