Introduction of Ku Lian Pi:Szechwan Chinaberry Bark or Cortex Meliae.
✵The article gives records of the herb Szechwan Chinaberry Bark, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source two plant species, ①.Melia toosendan Sieb.et Zucc., ②.Melia azedarach L., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of these two plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of these two plant species, the features of the herb Szechwan Chinaberry Bark, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Cortex Meliae(Szechwan Chinaberry Bark).
Pin Yin Name: Kǔ Liàn Pí.
English Name: Szechwan Chinaberry Bark.
Latin Name: Cortex Meliae.
Property and flavor: cold nature, tastes bitter.
Brief introduction: The herb Cortex Meliae is the dried stem-bark or root-bark of Melia toosendan Sieb.et Zucc., or Melia azedarach L., used as an antiparasitic for the treatment of helminths, and externally for scabies. The herb is commonly known as Cortex Meliae, Szechwan Chinaberry Bark, Kǔ Liàn Pí.
Botanical source: Herbal classical book defined the herb Cortex Meliae(Szechwan Chinaberry Bark) as the dried stem-bark or root-bark(cortex) of species (1).Melia toosendan Sieb.et Zucc., or (2).Melia azedarach L. They are plant species of the Melia Linn genus, the Meliaceae family (mahogany family) of the Rutales order. These 2 commonly used species are introduced:
(1).Melia toosendan Sieb.et Zucc.
Botanical description: The plant, Melia toosendan Sieb.et Zucc is commonly known as Chuān Liàn. Trees, the tree grows up to 10 meters high; Bark is taupe (dust color, grayish brown); Young branches are densely covered with brown stellate scales. Bipinnately compound leaves to tripinnately compound leaves, about 35-45 cm long;pinnae are in 4–5 pairs; lobules (leaflets) are oval or narrowly-oval, 4-10 cm long, 2-4 cm wide, entire or a few are sparsely serrated.
Panicles are axillary;the calyx is celadon (sage green or grayish-green), 5–6 sepals; 5-6 flower petals; 10 or 12 stamens, filaments connate together into a tube.
Drupes (drupe fruits) are big, elliptic or subsphaeroidal (near-spherical), about 3 cm long, yellow or chestnut brown, endocarp is firm and hard ligneous, has ridges, 6~8-loculed. Seeds are oblong oval, flat. Its flowering period is from March to April, and the fruiting period is from September to November.
Ecological environment: The plant, Melia toosendan Sieb.et Zucc., grows in shaw (holt or miscellaneous wood forest) and open forests, in areas at altitudes of 500-2,100 meters above sea level, or in flat dams and moist places in hilly areas. It is often cultivated near the village or along the highway. The plant is distributed in the northwest area, the middle reaches of the Yellow River, the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River, southwest area, and other areas of China.
Growth characteristics: The plant prefers a warm and moist climate, sunlights, and not tolerant to shade. It can grow in areas at altitudes below 1,000 meters above sea level. It is appropriate to choose fields with sufficient sunshine and deep soil layers, loose and fertile sandy loam for cultivation.
(2).Melia azedarach L.
Botanical description: The plant, Melia azedarach L is commonly known as Liàn, or Kǔ Liàn. A deciduous tree, the tree grows to over 10 meters, up to 15–20 meters high; Bark is darkish brown, longitudinal dehiscent, old branches are purple, has many thin and small lenticels. Branches are broad, branchlets have leaf markings. Bipinnately imparipinnate compound leaves to tripinnately imparipinnate compound leaves are alternate; lobules (leaflets) are opposite, oval (egg-shaped) to elliptic, 3-7 cm long, 2-3 cm wide, front end is long pointed, base is broadly cuneate or rounded, edges are crenated, the upper surface is dark green (deep green), the under surface is pea green (pale green), has stellate hairs when it is young, later, except white hairs on leaf veins, other parts are glabrous.
Panicles are axillary or apical; flowers are mauve (lilac), about 1 cm long; calyx is 5-lobed, lobes are lanceolate, both surfaces are piliferous; 5 flower petals, explanate or retroflexed, oblanceolate; stamen tube usually is dark purple, about 7 mm long; the ovary is superior.
Drupes (drupe fruits) are ovate or subsphaeroidal (near-spherical), 1.5-2 cm long, faint yellow (pale yellow), 4-5-loculed, each cell contains 1 seed. Its flowering period is from April to May, and the fruiting period is from October to November.
Ecological environment: The plant grows in the wilderness or on roadsides, often planted in front of or behind the house. It is distributed north to Hebei, south to Guangxi, Yunnan, west to Sichuan and other areas of China. It is also distributed in other areas of East Asia, Malay peninsula, Tropical Asia, Subtropical Asia.
Growth characteristics: The plant grows quickly on the moist fertile soil, the soil requirements are not strict, it can grow in acid soil, neutral soil and limestone areas, is a good afforestation tree species in the plain and hilly areas of low altitude, suitable for planting near to villages and on roadsides. It is more common near to villages, open land, forest edges, forest, roadsides, hills, valley, hillsides, sunny slopes, shaw (holt or miscellaneous wood forest).
Characters of herbs: The herb is irregular lumps-shape, groove-shaped, or semi-reel, with different lengths and widths, the thickness is 2 ~ 6 mm or 3-7 mm. The outer surface is taupe brown or gray-brown, rough, with interwoven vertical wrinkles and dotted taupe brown lenticels, and those with raw rough bark removed are pale yellow; the inner surface is off-white or faint yellow. The texture of the herb is pliable and tough, not easy to break, the fracture surface is fibrous, lamellar, and easy to peel off, yellow and white alternates in layers, thin flakes of each layer have very fine reticulated patterns. The herb has a slight odor, and it tastes bitter.
Pharmacological actions: ①.paralytic effect on Ascaris porcis in vitro. Mersosin is the main component to expell Ascaris. The herb also has the functions of paralyzing pinworms, resisting schistosomiasis and inhibiting a variety of pathogenic fungi; ②.enhance the contraction of skeletal muscle and smooth muscle; ③.anti-ulcer; ④.anti-diarrhea; ⑤.choleric, etc.
Medicinal efficacy: Kill parasites, clear heat, drying dampness, treat tinea. It is indicated for ascaridiasis (ascariasis), ancylostomiasis (hookworm disease), oxyuria (enterobiasis), trichomonas vaginalis, abdominal pain due to enterositosis. Externally for scabies itching, tinea capitis (scald head, favus of the scalp), urticaria (measles, nettle rash, roetheln), etc.
Administration of Cortex Meliae (Kǔ Liàn Pí):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Cortex Meliae (Kǔ Liàn Pí)
TCM Books:
①.Internally: 3~6 grams. Externally:proper amount, prepare to finely ground herb powder, mixed with lard and apply stick at affected part. ②.Internally:water decoction, 2~3 qian (about 6~9 grams), fresh herb 1~2 liang (about 30~60 grams);or prepare to pill, powder. Externally:wash with water decoction, or prepare to finely ground herb powder, apply stick. ③.Internally:water decoction, 6~15 grams, fresh herb 15~30 grams;or prepare to pill, powder. Externally:proper amount, wash with water decoction, or prepare to finely ground herb powder, mixed and apply stick..
Contraindications,Precautions and Adverse Reactions: The herb Cortex Meliae should be used cautiously or avoid using in conditions hepatitis, nephritis, functional disorder of liver and kidney, during pregnancy. Should not be used continuously and overdose. The herb has certain negative and toxic effect, poisoning symptoms are headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain,etc.
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1.Introduction of Ku Lian Pi:Szechwan Chinaberry Bark or Cortex Meliae.
✵The article gives records of the herb Szechwan Chinaberry Bark, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source two plant species, ①.Melia toosendan Sieb.et Zucc., ②.Melia azedarach L., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of these two plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of these two plant species, the features of the herb Szechwan Chinaberry Bark, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Pin Yin Name: Kǔ Liàn Pí.
Botanical description: The plant, Melia toosendan Sieb.et Zucc is commonly known as Chuān Liàn. Trees, the tree grows up to 10 meters high; Bark is taupe (dust color, grayish brown); Young branches are densely covered with brown stellate scales. Bipinnately compound leaves to tripinnately compound leaves, about 35-45 cm long;pinnae are in 4–5 pairs; lobules (leaflets) are oval or narrowly-oval, 4-10 cm long, 2-4 cm wide, entire or a few are sparsely serrated.
Ecological environment: The plant, Melia toosendan Sieb.et Zucc., grows in shaw (holt or miscellaneous wood forest) and open forests, in areas at altitudes of 500-2,100 meters above sea level, or in flat dams and moist places in hilly areas. It is often cultivated near the village or along the highway. The plant is distributed in the northwest area, the middle reaches of the Yellow River, the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River, southwest area, and other areas of China.
Botanical description: The plant, Melia azedarach L is commonly known as Liàn, or Kǔ Liàn. A deciduous tree, the tree grows to over 10 meters, up to 15–20 meters high; Bark is darkish brown, longitudinal dehiscent, old branches are purple, has many thin and small lenticels. Branches are broad, branchlets have leaf markings. Bipinnately imparipinnate compound leaves to tripinnately imparipinnate compound leaves are alternate; lobules (leaflets) are opposite, oval (egg-shaped) to elliptic, 3-7 cm long, 2-3 cm wide, front end is long pointed, base is broadly cuneate or rounded, edges are crenated, the upper surface is dark green (deep green), the under surface is pea green (pale green), has stellate hairs when it is young, later, except white hairs on leaf veins, other parts are glabrous.
Panicles are axillary or apical; flowers are mauve (lilac), about 1 cm long; calyx is 5-lobed, lobes are lanceolate, both surfaces are piliferous; 5 flower petals, explanate or retroflexed, oblanceolate; stamen tube usually is dark purple, about 7 mm long; the ovary is superior.
Growth characteristics: The plant grows quickly on the moist fertile soil, the soil requirements are not strict, it can grow in acid soil, neutral soil and limestone areas, is a good afforestation tree species in the plain and hilly areas of low altitude, suitable for planting near to villages and on roadsides. It is more common near to villages, open land, forest edges, forest, roadsides, hills, valley, hillsides, sunny slopes, shaw (holt or miscellaneous wood forest).
Characters of herbs: The herb is irregular lumps-shape, groove-shaped, or semi-reel, with different lengths and widths, the thickness is 2 ~ 6 mm or 3-7 mm. The outer surface is taupe brown or gray-brown, rough, with interwoven vertical wrinkles and dotted taupe brown lenticels, and those with raw rough bark removed are pale yellow; the inner surface is off-white or faint yellow. The texture of the herb is pliable and tough, not easy to break, the fracture surface is fibrous, lamellar, and easy to peel off, yellow and white alternates in layers, thin flakes of each layer have very fine reticulated patterns. The herb has a slight odor, and it tastes bitter.
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