Introduction of Lǜ Cǎo:Climbing Hop Herb or Herba Humuli Scandentis.
✵The article gives records of the herb Climbing Hop Herb, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Humulus scandens (Lour.) Merr., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Climbing Hop Herb, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Herba Humuli Scandentis(Climbing Hop Herb).
Pin Yin Name: Lǜ Cǎo.
English Name: Climbing Hop Herb.
Latin Name: Herba Humuli Scandentis.
Property and flavor: cold, sweet, bitter.
Brief introduction: The herb Herba Humuli Scandentis is the dried aerial part of Humulus scandens (Lour.) Merr. (family Moraceae), used for the treatment of enteritis, dysentery, acute urinary infection, and also as a tranquilizer in cases of insomnia. The herb is commonly known as Herba Humuli Scandentis, Climbing Hop Herb, Lǜ Cǎo.
Botanical source: Common herbal classics defined the herb Herba Humuli Scandentis (Climbing Hop Herb) as the dried aerial part of (1).Humulus scandens (Lour.) Merr., it is a plant of the Humulus Linn. Genus, the Moraceae family (mulberry family) of the Rosales order. This commonly used species is introduced:
(1).Humulus scandens (Lour.) Merr.
Botanical description: Humulus scandens (Lour.) Merr is also known as Antidesma scandens Lour., Humulus scandens, Humulus japonicus Sieb. et Zucc., Antidesma scandens, it is commonly known as Lǜ Cǎo. Annual or perennial twining herbs. Its stems grow up to several meters long, pale green, with strigations (longitudinal ridges), stem branches and petioles have dense inverted short hooked spines. Simple leaves are opposite; petioles are 15~20 cm long, slightly with 6 ridges, with inverted short hooked spines; palmate leaves are 5~7 parted, about 5~15 cm in diameter, lobes are oval (egg-shaped) or ovate-lanceolate, the apex is sharp-pointed or acuminate, edge is serrated, the upper surface has coarse bristles, the undersurface is covered with fine oil spots, bristles on leaf veins.
Flowers are unisexual and dioecious; male inflorescences are panicles, and female inflorescences are short spikes; the male flower is small, has 5 tapels (perianth lobes), chartreuse (yellowing green), 5 stamens, filaments are filiform (threadlike), short and small; every 2 female flowers have 1 tapel, tapel is ovate-lanceolate, covered with white bristles and yellow small glandular dots, 1 tapel, ash gray (grayish-white), tightly wrap the pistil, the ovary is simple, the upper part is protuberant, sparsely covered with fuzz (fine hairs).
Fruit ears are green, subsphaeroidal; achenes are primrose yellow (pale yellow), oblate. Its flowering period is from June to October, and the fruiting period is from August to November.
Ecological environment: Humulus scandens often grows on roadsides, marshes near ditches, fences of stockaded villages, wasteland, and ruins, in forest edges and bushes. In China, except Xinjiang and Qinghai, the plant is distributed in the northern and southern areas. It is also distributed in Southeast Asia.
Growth characteristics: The plant Humulus scandens prefers a warm and humid climate and has a strong adaptability, it is appropriate to choose a field with deep soil layers, loose and fertile, sandy loam, or loam with good drainage for cultivation.
Characters of herbs: The leaves are shriveled into a ball. After flattening, the intact leaves are nearly subreniform pentagonal, palmately parted, with 5~7 lobes, the edge is coarsely serrate, both surfaces are covered with trichomes and yellow glandular dots grow on the undersurface; petioles are 5~20 cm long, with longitudinal grooves and barbs (inverted hooked spines). The stem is cylindrical, has barbs and trichomes. The texture of the herb is brittle (crisp) and fragile, the fracture surface of the stem is hollow and uneven, cortex and xylem (wood part) are easily separated. Some have visible inflorescence or fruit ears. The herb has a slight odor and a mild taste.
The herb can be used medicinally, the stem bark fiber can be used as raw material for paper making, the seed oil can be used for soap making, and the fruit spikes can be used as a substitute for hops (fruit ears and flowers of Humulus lupulus).
Pharmacological actions: ①.significant inhibitory effect on Gram-positive bacteria in the test tube; ②.antimicrobial effects; ③.inhibit the growth of gram-positive and negative bacteria, some fungi, and yeasts; ④.inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Proteus.
Medicinal efficacy: Clear heat and detoxification, diuretic, and treating stranguria. It is indicated for lung heat and cough, a pulmonary abscess. asthenic fever and polydipsia, pyretic stranguria, edema, dysuria (difficulty in micturition), dampness-heat diarrhea and dysentery, toxic heat sore ulcer, itchy skin, etc.
Administration of Herba Humuli Scandentis (Lǜ Cǎo):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Herba Humuli Scandentis (Lǜ Cǎo)
TCM Books:
①.Internally:water decoction, 3~6 qian (about 9~18 grams), fresh herb 2~4 liang (about 60~120 grams), or extract juice.Externally:mashed and apply stick, or fumigation wash with water decoction; ②.Internally:water decoction, 10~15 grams, fresh herb 30~60 grams, or extract juice.Externally:mashed and apply stick, or fumigation wash with water decoction.
Contraindications,Precautions and Adverse Reactions:the herb should be used cautiously in conditions not a febrile disease.
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References:
1.Introduction of Lǜ Cǎo:Climbing Hop Herb or Herba Humuli Scandentis.
✵The article gives records of the herb Climbing Hop Herb, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Humulus scandens (Lour.) Merr., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Climbing Hop Herb, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Pin Yin Name: Lǜ Cǎo.
Botanical description: Humulus scandens (Lour.) Merr is also known as Antidesma scandens Lour., Humulus scandens, Humulus japonicus Sieb. et Zucc., Antidesma scandens, it is commonly known as Lǜ Cǎo. Annual or perennial twining herbs. Its stems grow up to several meters long, pale green, with strigations (longitudinal ridges), stem branches and petioles have dense inverted short hooked spines. Simple leaves are opposite; petioles are 15~20 cm long, slightly with 6 ridges, with inverted short hooked spines; palmate leaves are 5~7 parted, about 5~15 cm in diameter, lobes are oval (egg-shaped) or ovate-lanceolate, the apex is sharp-pointed or acuminate, edge is serrated, the upper surface has coarse bristles, the undersurface is covered with fine oil spots, bristles on leaf veins.
Ecological environment: Humulus scandens often grows on roadsides, marshes near ditches, fences of stockaded villages, wasteland, and ruins, in forest edges and bushes. In China, except Xinjiang and Qinghai, the plant is distributed in the northern and southern areas. It is also distributed in Southeast Asia.
Characters of herbs: The leaves are shriveled into a ball. After flattening, the intact leaves are nearly subreniform pentagonal, palmately parted, with 5~7 lobes, the edge is coarsely serrate, both surfaces are covered with trichomes and yellow glandular dots grow on the undersurface; petioles are 5~20 cm long, with longitudinal grooves and barbs (inverted hooked spines). The stem is cylindrical, has barbs and trichomes. The texture of the herb is brittle (crisp) and fragile, the fracture surface of the stem is hollow and uneven, cortex and xylem (wood part) are easily separated. Some have visible inflorescence or fruit ears. The herb has a slight odor and a mild taste.
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