1. Alias
Aster, Qingwan, Braided Purple Garden, Soft Purple Garden, and Soul Returning Grassroots.
2. Plant morphology
Perennial herb, 1-1.5 meters tall. The rhizome is short, densely packed with many fine roots, and the root bark is purple red. The stem is upright with sparse short hairs on the upper part. The basal leaves are clustered, elongated and elliptical, measuring 20-50 cm in length and 6-12 cm in width. The base gradually narrows into a wing shaped stem, with serrated edges and sparse rough hairs on both sides. The petiole is long and withered during the flowering period; Stems and leaves alternate, ovate or oblong in shape, measuring 18-35 cm in length and 5-10 cm in width, gradually ascending without stems. The inflorescence is arranged in an umbrella shaped pattern, with long stalks and densely covered with short hairs; The bracts are spherical, with 3 layers and purple red edges; Tongue shaped flowers are blue purple, while tube shaped flowers are yellow. The achene is flat, with one side curved and convex, and the other side straight, with short hairs and gray white or reddish coronal hairs. It is 3-4 times longer than the achene. The flowering period is from July to August, and the fruiting period is from August to October.
3. Origin distribution
Born on hillsides, grasslands, and riverbanks. There is a large amount of cultivation in Hebei, Anhui and other places. Distributed in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Anhui, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai and other places.
4. Harvesting and processing
Excavate in spring and autumn, remove the jointed roots (commonly known as "mother roots") and sediment, weave them into braids and dry them in the sun, or dry them directly.
5. Characteristics of medicinal herbs
Irregular block shaped, of varying sizes, with stem and leaf residues at the top, slightly hard in texture. The rhizome clusters mostly consist of fine roots, measuring 3-15 centimeters in length and 0.1-0.3 centimeters in diameter, often braided; Surface purple red or gray red, with longitudinal wrinkles; Relatively flexible in quality. The aroma is slightly fragrant, with a sweet and slightly bitter taste.
6. Sexual Taste Returning to the Classics
Warm in nature, spicy and bitter in taste. Return to the lung meridian.
7. Effect and Function
Moisturize the lungs and lower qi, reduce phlegm and cough. Cough and asthma relieving drugs under the subcategory of phlegm resolving cough and asthma relieving drugs
8. Clinical application
Dosage: 5-9 grams, decoct in water and take orally; Moisturizing the lungs is suitable for honey roasting. Used to treat phlegm, wheezing cough, new chronic cough, and cough with blood.
9. Pharmacological research
Modern pharmacological experiments have confirmed that it has expectorant and antitussive effects, and has inhibitory effects on Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella, Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Vibrio cholerae; It also has an inhibitory effect on Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In addition, it has antiviral, anticancer, hemolytic, and diuretic effects.
10. Chemical composition
Containing puerarin, quercetin, terpenoids, epigallocatechins, and volatile oils. Volatile oil contains furyl alcohol, furyl alcohol ethyl ester, anise ether, hydrocarbons, fatty acids, aromatic acids, etc., and is separated into succinic acid. In addition, it contains compounds such as iridoid pentapeptide, rutin, astragaloside A, astragaloside B, and astragaloside C, as well as free terpenoids and furyl alcohols.
11. Usage taboos
Those with actual heat should take it with caution.
12. Compatibility prescription
① To treat persistent cough and restlessness: 30g of Ziyuan (removing reed head) and 30g of winter flower, and 15g of Baibu. Three things are crushed into powder. Take 9 grams per serving, three slices of ginger, one black plum, and mix with the decoction. Take one after eating and one when lying down. (Compendium of Materia Medica)
② For children with cough and no sound: equal parts of purple clover powder and almond puree. Research together with honey. The water chestnut is large in size. Take one pill each time and add it to the Schisandra soup. (From "A Comprehensive Guide to Childhood Education")
③ Treatment for vomiting blood, hemoptysis, and coughing blood: equal parts of Purple Garden and Qiangen. To make fine powder, refine honey into pills, refine as big as cherry seeds. Take one pill without delay. (Ji Feng Pu Ji Fang "Zi Er Wan)
④ Poor treatment for urination: 12 grams each of Aster and Plantago asiatica (cloth bag). Fry and serve. (Anhui Chinese Herbal Medicine)
⑤ Treatment for habitual constipation: 9 grams each of Aster, Bitter Almond, Angelica sinensis, and Cistanche deserticola. Fry and serve. (Anhui Chinese Herbal Medicine)
⊙ The content of the article is for clinical reference only. Non TCM professionals are not allowed to test drugs.