Introduction of Zi Cao:Arnebia Root,Gromwell Root or Radix Arnebiae seu Lithospermi.
✵The article gives records of the herb Arnebia Root or Gromwell Root, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source two plant species, ①.Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst., ②.Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb.et Zucc., 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 Arnebia Root or Gromwell Root, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Radix Arnebiae seu Lithospermi(Arnebia Root or Gromwell Root).
Pin Yin Name: Zǐ Cǎo.
English Name: Arnebia Root or Gromwell Root.
Latin Name: Radix Arnebiae seu Lithospermi.
Property and flavor: cold, bitter.
Brief introduction: The herb Radix Arnebiae seu Lithospermi is the dried root of Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst. Or Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb.et Zucc., used for promoting eruption in cases of measles, and externally for treating burns, frostbite, dermatitis and eczema. The herb is commonly known as Radix Arnebiae seu Lithospermi, Arnebia Root, Gromwell Root, Zǐ Cǎo.
Botanical source: The herb Radix Arnebiae seu Lithospermi is the dried root of Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst., or Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb.et Zucc., they are plants of the Lithospermum genus, the Boraginaceae family (borage, forget-me-not family) of the unplaced order. These two commonly used species are introduced:
(1).Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb.et Zucc.
Botanical description: The plant, Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb.et Zucc is also known as Lithospermum officinale L.subsp. erythrorhizone (Zieb.etc Zucc.) Hand.-Mazz., it is a plant of the Boraginaceae family (borage, forget-me-not family) and Symphytum genus, it is commonly known as Lithospermum erythrorhizon, Zi Cao, Zi Dan, Zi Cao Gen (Purple Grass Root), Ying Zi Cao., etc. A perennial herb, the plant grows up to 50~90 cm high. The root is thick and big, hypertrophic, conical, slightly curved, and often branched, the out cortex is violet red (purple-red). The stem is upright, cylindrical, unbranched, or with branches at the upper part, the whole plant is densely covered with white thick bristles. Single leaves are alternate; sessile; leaf blades are oblong-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 3~8 cm long, 5~17 mm wide, the apex is acuminate, the base is cuneate, entire, both surfaces are strigose (covered with hirsute).
Cyme is botrytic, terminal or axillary; flowers are small, hermaphroditic; flower bracts are lanceolate or narrowly ovate, 3 cm long, with coarse hairs on both sides; calyx is 5-parted near base, lobes are linear, about 4 mm long; corolla is white, fistuliform (tubulose), 6~8 cm long, the apex is 5-lobed, lobes are broad-ovate, stretching, the appendage of flower throat is hemispherical, the apex is slightly concave; 5 stamens, insert at the part slightly above the middle of the corolla; filaments are about 0.4 mm long, insert at the middle of the corolla, anthers are 1~1.2 mm long, the ovary is 4-parted, style is linear, 2~2.5 mm long; stigma is globular shape, 2-lobed.
Nutlets are ovoid, about 3 mm long, ash gray (gray-white) or fawn (yellowish brown), smooth, glossy, 4 seeds. Its flowering period is from June to August, and the fruiting period is from August to September.
Ecological environment: Lithospermum erythrorhizon grows on sunny mountain slopes and in grass, shrubs, or on forest edges. It is distributed in the northern area, the reaches of the Yellow River, the reaches of the Yangtze River, and the southwest areas of China.
Growth characteristics: The plant Lithospermum erythrorhizon is resistant to cold, avoids high temperatures, afraid of water immersion. It is better to cultivate the plant in calcareous loam, sandy loam, and clay loam.
Characters of herbs: The dried root of Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb.et Zucc is also known as hard gromwell root, the root is conical, twisted and branched, 7~14 cm long, and 1~2 cm in diameter. The surface is prunus (purple-red) or atropurpureus (purple-black), rough with vertical stripes, and the cortex is thin and easy to fall off. The texture of the herb is hard and brittle (crisp), easily broken, the cortex of the fracture surface is modena (deep purple), and the xylem (wood part) is large and grayish yellow. The herb has a special smell, and tastes sour and sweet. The herb of a better grade has long and thick strips, purple, thick bark, and small duramen (wood core).
Pharmacological actions: ①.contraceptive effect; ②.impact on the circulatory system; ③.other effects: mild antipyretic effect, enhance the tension and contraction of the small intestine.
Medicinal efficacy: Cool blood, activate blood, detoxify, and promoting eruption. It is indicated for blood heat and excessive toxicity, macula, macula purplish-black, measles, measles without adequate eruption, vomiting blood, epistaxis (nosebleed), hematuria, purpura (peliosis, hemokelidosis), jaundice, ulcer, swelling and ulcer on the body surface, eczema, ulcers, burns due to hot liquid or fire.
Administration of Radix Arnebiae seu Lithospermi (Zǐ Cǎo):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Radix Arnebiae seu Lithospermi (Zǐ Cǎo)
TCM Books:
①.Internally: 5~9 grams. Externally:proper amount, prepare paste or infusing in vegetable oil and smear; ②.Internally:water decoction, 1~3 qian (about 3~9 grams), or prepare to pill, powder. Externally:prepare paste and smear apply; ③.Internally:water decoction, 3~9 grams, prepared to powder. Externally:proper amount, prepare to paste or oil paste and smear apply.
(2).Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst.
Botanical description: The plant, Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst is also known as Lithospermum euchroma Royle, a plant of the Boraginaceae family (borage, forget-me-not family) and Arnebia genus, it is commonly known as Arnebia euchroma, Arnebia Root, Ruan Zi Cao (means soft arnebia root), etc. A perennial herb, the plant grows up to 15~40 cm tall. The whole plant is covered with white or faint yellow (light yellow) long hirsute. The root is stout and slightly conical, the root head and several lateral roots often entangle together, and the out cortex is dark reddish purple. The stem is upright, single, or the base is dichotomal (dichotonous), base with stem sheath formed by residual leaf base. Basal leaves are tufted, linear-lanceolate or linear, 5~20 cm long, 5~15 cm wide, apex is short and acuminate, the base is extended to sheath-shape, entire; cauline leaves are linear-lanceolate, acuminate, base has no sheath; sessile.
Drepanium densely grows in stem leaf axils, 2~6 cm long; flowers are hermaphroditic, flower bracts are foliate (leaf-like), lanceolate, with hirsute; the calyx is short fistuliform (tubulose), 5-lobed, lobes are narrow strip-shaped, both surfaces are densely covered with faint yellow (light yellow) bristles; corolla is tube-like campanulate (tubular-campanulate), purple or mauve (lilac), 1~1.5 cm long, lobes are elliptic, unfolding; outside is slightly covered with white hairs, throat and base are smooth, no appendage; 5 stamens, filaments are short or absent, inserted in the middle of corolla tube or corolla throat; the ovary is 4-parted, style is slender, the apex is 2-lobed, 2 stigmata, obovate.
Nutlets are broad-ovate, brown, 3.5 mm long, and about 3 mm wide, has a coarse reticulated pattern and a few warty protrusions. Its flowering period is from June to July, and the fruiting period is from August to September.
Ecological environment: Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst grows on gravel hillsides, grassland and grassy marshland, in areas at altitudes of 2,500~4,200 meters above sea level. It is distributed in northwest areas of China, mainly in Sinkiang, Gansu, and west of Tibet.
Characters of herbs: The dried root of Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst is also known as soft gromwell root, the roots are irregularly long cylindrical, most are twisted, 7~20 cm long, and 1~2.5 cm in diameter. The surface is prunus (purple-red) or puce (purple-brown), and the root cortex is loose and strip-shaped, often over 10 layers overlapping and easy to peel off. Some have visible divergent stem residues at the top end. The herb is soft, the texture of the herb is loose and soft, easily broken, the fracture surface is irregular, and the xylem (wood part) is small, yellow, or yellowish white. The herb has a specific smell, and it tastes slightly bitter, and puckery. The herb of a better grade has long and thick strips, purple, thick bark, and small duramen (wood core).
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1.Introduction of Zi Cao:Arnebia Root,Gromwell Root or Radix Arnebiae seu Lithospermi.
✵The article gives records of the herb Arnebia Root or Gromwell Root, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source two plant species, ①.Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst., ②.Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb.et Zucc., 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 Arnebia Root or Gromwell Root, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Pin Yin Name: Zǐ Cǎo.
Botanical description: The plant, Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb.et Zucc is also known as Lithospermum officinale L.subsp. erythrorhizone (Zieb.etc Zucc.) Hand.-Mazz., it is a plant of the Boraginaceae family (borage, forget-me-not family) and Symphytum genus, it is commonly known as Lithospermum erythrorhizon, Zi Cao, Zi Dan, Zi Cao Gen (Purple Grass Root), Ying Zi Cao., etc. A perennial herb, the plant grows up to 50~90 cm high. The root is thick and big, hypertrophic, conical, slightly curved, and often branched, the out cortex is violet red (purple-red). The stem is upright, cylindrical, unbranched, or with branches at the upper part, the whole plant is densely covered with white thick bristles. Single leaves are alternate; sessile; leaf blades are oblong-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, 3~8 cm long, 5~17 mm wide, the apex is acuminate, the base is cuneate, entire, both surfaces are strigose (covered with hirsute).
Characters of herbs: The dried root of Lithospermum erythrorhizon Sieb.et Zucc is also known as hard gromwell root, the root is conical, twisted and branched, 7~14 cm long, and 1~2 cm in diameter. The surface is prunus (purple-red) or atropurpureus (purple-black), rough with vertical stripes, and the cortex is thin and easy to fall off. The texture of the herb is hard and brittle (crisp), easily broken, the cortex of the fracture surface is modena (deep purple), and the xylem (wood part) is large and grayish yellow. The herb has a special smell, and tastes sour and sweet. The herb of a better grade has long and thick strips, purple, thick bark, and small duramen (wood core).
Botanical description: The plant, Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst is also known as Lithospermum euchroma Royle, a plant of the Boraginaceae family (borage, forget-me-not family) and Arnebia genus, it is commonly known as Arnebia euchroma, Arnebia Root, Ruan Zi Cao (means soft arnebia root), etc. A perennial herb, the plant grows up to 15~40 cm tall. The whole plant is covered with white or faint yellow (light yellow) long hirsute. The root is stout and slightly conical, the root head and several lateral roots often entangle together, and the out cortex is dark reddish purple. The stem is upright, single, or the base is dichotomal (dichotonous), base with stem sheath formed by residual leaf base. Basal leaves are tufted, linear-lanceolate or linear, 5~20 cm long, 5~15 cm wide, apex is short and acuminate, the base is extended to sheath-shape, entire; cauline leaves are linear-lanceolate, acuminate, base has no sheath; sessile.
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