1. Alias
Mountain pepper, dog pepper, flower pepper, chicken pepper.
2. Plant morphology
Shrubs or small trees, up to 4 meters high. Branches grow straight and expand, with curved and flattened spines at the base. The spines on old branches are cork like at the base, while the spines on stems are flattened and cushioned at the base. Odd feather compound leaves alternate; Leaf axis hairless, with broad wings and spines; Small leaves without stems; Small leaf blades 3-5, lanceolate or elliptical lanceolate, 5-9 cm long, apex pointed, base wedge-shaped, margin with small rounded teeth, both surfaces hairless and sparsely transparent glandular dots, main veins with needle punctures, lateral veins indistinct, papery. Umbrella shaped inflorescence, axillary, 2-6 cm long; Flower quilt slices 6-8, with one glandular spot in the medicine septum; The carpel of female flowers is 2-4, usually 1-2 developed. Follicles with 1-2 petals, sparse 3 petals, red in color, with raised glandular spots on the surface. Seed ovate, black, glossy. The flowering period is from March to May, and the fruiting period is from June to August.
3. Origin distribution
Born in sparse forests, shrubs, and roadsides on mountain slopes below an altitude of 2300 meters. Distributed in East China, Central South, Southwest China, as well as Shaanxi, Gansu, Taiwan and other places.
4. Harvesting and processing
Harvested from June to August when the fruit is ripe, sun dry the skin and remove the seeds for later use.
5. Characteristics of medicinal herbs
Spherical small fruit 1-2, diameter 4-5 millimeters, with a small beak tip at the top and no undeveloped free carpel at the base. The top of the small fruit stalk is jointed and slightly swollen about 0.7 millimeters from the base. The outer surface is reddish brown to brownish red, with sparse and scattered prominent tumor like oil gland spots. The inner skin is smooth, light yellow, and thinly leathery. The fruit stalk is sparsely hairy. The seeds are round and bead shaped, with a diameter of about 3 millimeters. The surface is dark black, shiny, and densely covered with small warts. The navel is round, and the spine is obvious. When the fruit is ripe, the stem is connected to the base of the inner skin, and the texture of the skin is relatively brittle. Fragrant aroma, numbing and cool taste.
6. Sexual Taste Returning to the Classics
Warm in nature, with a pungent and slightly bitter taste. Return to the Stomach Meridian and Spleen Meridian.
7. Effect and Function
Warm and dry, dispel cold and relieve pain, expel insects and relieve itching. Belonging to Wenli medicine.
8. Clinical application
Oral administration: decoction, 6-9 grams; At the end of the study, 1-3 grams. External use: appropriate amount, decoct and wash with water or rinse with mouthwash; Or soak in alcohol and apply externally; Either grind the powder into the cavity of dental caries, or apply fresh products by pounding. Indications include cold pain in the epigastric region, vomiting and diarrhea due to cold dampness, abdominal pain caused by roundworms, dental caries and toothache, eczema, scabies and itching sores.
9. Chemical composition
This product mainly contains chemical components such as volatile oil, magnolol, and bamboo pepper alkaloid.
10. Usage taboos
Not yet clear.
11. Compatibility prescription
① Treating stomach pain and toothache: 3-6 grams of bamboo leaf pepper fruit, 9 grams of mountain ginger root, ground into powder. Serve with warm water. (Jiangxi Herbal Medicine)
② Treating deficiency cold and stomach pain: 6g of bamboo leaf pepper fruit and 9g of ginger. Boil it in water. (National Compilation of Chinese Herbal Medicines)
③ Treating abdominal pain and diarrhea: Take 6-9g of bamboo leaf pepper, decoct and take. (Anhui Chinese Herbal Medicine)
④ Treating abdominal pain caused by roundworms: 6g of bamboo leaf pepper and 9g of Melia azedarach peel. Boil it in water. Add an appropriate amount of vinegar when taking. (Anhui Chinese Herbal Medicine)
⊙ The content of the article is for clinical reference only. Non TCM professionals are not allowed to test drugs.