✵The article records the herb Isatis Root—its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor, botanical source—Isatis indigotica Fort., and provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this species, as well as the macroscopic characteristics of the herb, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Radix Isatidis (Isatis Root)
Pinyin Name: Bǎn Lán Gēn
English Name: Isatis Root.
Latin Name:Radix Isatidis Properties and Flavor: Cold, bitter
Brief Introduction:Radix Isatidis is the dried root of Isatis indigotica Fort., used to clear heat, resolve toxins, and cool the blood in treating warm diseases with fever, headache, and sore throat; eruptive epidemic diseases; mumps; boils, sores, and erysipelas. The herb is commonly known as Radix Isatidis, Isatis Root, or Bǎn Lán Gēn.
Botanical Source:Radix Isatidis (Isatis Root) is the dried root of Isatis indigotica Fort., a plant of the genus Isatis, family Brassicaceae (Cruciferae, mustard family), order Brassicales. This commonly used species is described below:
(1) Isatis indigotica Fort.
Botanical Description:Isatis indigotica Fort. is also known as Isatis indigotica Fortune. It belongs to the family Brassicaceae (Cruciferae, mustard family) and genus Isatis. It is commonly called Sōng Lán. A biennial herb, growing up to 50–100 cm tall. The stem is erect, smooth, glabrous, and often covered with a waxy bloom (pruina). The root is hypertrophied, subconical, 20–30 cm long and 2–3 cm in diameter; surface is khaki-colored, bearing short transverse striations and few fibrous roots. Basal leaves form a rosette, petiolate; leaf blades are oblong to broadly oblanceolate, 5–15 cm long and 1.5–4 cm wide; apex is obtuse or bluntly pointed; margins are entire or slightly undulate; base with rounded auricles or inconspicuous auricles. Cauline (stem) leaves are lanceolate to narrowly strap-shaped, sessile, and entire.
Inflorescences are terminal or axillary racemes, forming conical clusters at branch tips. Flowers: 4 sepals, broadly ovate or lanceolate, 2–3 cm long; 4 yellow petals, broadly cuneate, 3–4 mm long, apex is subtruncated and entire, base with inconspicuous short claws; 6 stamens—4 longer and 2 shorter; longer stamens are 3–3.2 mm, shorter stamens are 2–2.2 mm; 1 pistil; ovary is subcylindrical; style is indistinct; stigma is truncate.
Fruits are silicules—nearly oblong or oblate, glabrous, with membranous marginal wings broader at both ends; mericarps bear a prominent midrib. Each silicule contains 1 seed—oblong, hazel (pale brown). Flowering period: April–May; fruiting period: May–June.
Ecological Environment: Grows in moist habitats at forest edges on mountain slopes. Occurs wild or cultivated.
Growth Characteristics:Isatis indigotica Fort. prefers a warm, humid environment; tolerates cold but is intolerant of waterlogging. Optimal cultivation occurs in well-drained, loose, fertile sandy loam soil.
Characteristics of the Herb: The root is cylindrical and slightly twisted, 10–20 cm long and 0.5–1 cm in diameter. Surface is pale grayish-yellow (ravinous) or pale yellowish-brown, with longitudinal wrinkles and transverse lenticels; bearing fine rootlets or rootlet scars. Root head is slightly enlarged, with dark green or dark brown petiole remnants arranged in a whorl, petiole scars, and dense verrucous protrusions. Texture is firm yet slightly soft; fracture surface is relatively flat; cortex is yellowish-white, occupying ~½–¾ of the radius; xylem is yellow. Odor is slight; taste initially mildly sweet, followed by a bitter, astringent puckering sensation.
Medicinal Efficacy: Clears heat, resolves toxins, cools the blood, and benefits the throat. Indicated for febrile macular rashes (e.g., in epidemic febrile diseases), high fever with headache, purplish-dark tongue, pharyngeal swelling, mumps, pharyngitis, scarlet fever, erysipelas (especially of the face/head), carbuncles, furuncles, influenza, epidemic encephalitis B, pneumonia, pestilential maculae, coma with hematemesis, conjunctivitis (“pinkeye”), herpes simplex, varicella, measles, and purplish-dark tongue. Used for prevention and treatment of epidemic encephalitis B, acute and chronic hepatitis, epidemic mumps, influenza, and osteomyelitis.
Administration of Radix Isatidis (Bǎn Lán Gēn):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Radix Isatidis (Bǎn Lán Gēn)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 9–15 grams; (2) Internally: water decoction, 0.5–1 liǎng (≈ 15–30 grams); (3) Internally: water decoction, 15–30 grams, big dosage could be 60–120 grams; or prepared as pills or powder.Externally: appropriate amount, prepared as water decoction for fumigation wash.
✵The article records the herb Isatis Root—its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor, botanical source—Isatis indigotica Fort., and provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this species, as well as the macroscopic characteristics of the herb, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Bǎn Lán Gēn
Botanical Description: Isatis indigotica Fort. is also known as Isatis indigotica Fortune. It belongs to the family Brassicaceae (Cruciferae, mustard family) and genus Isatis. It is commonly called Sōng Lán. A biennial herb, growing up to 50–100 cm tall. The stem is erect, smooth, glabrous, and often covered with a waxy bloom (pruina). The root is hypertrophied, subconical, 20–30 cm long and 2–3 cm in diameter; surface is khaki-colored, bearing short transverse striations and few fibrous roots. Basal leaves form a rosette, petiolate; leaf blades are oblong to broadly oblanceolate, 5–15 cm long and 1.5–4 cm wide; apex is obtuse or bluntly pointed; margins are entire or slightly undulate; base with rounded auricles or inconspicuous auricles. Cauline (stem) leaves are lanceolate to narrowly strap-shaped, sessile, and entire.
Inflorescences are terminal or axillary racemes, forming conical clusters at branch tips. Flowers: 4 sepals, broadly ovate or lanceolate, 2–3 cm long; 4 yellow petals, broadly cuneate, 3–4 mm long, apex is subtruncated and entire, base with inconspicuous short claws; 6 stamens—4 longer and 2 shorter; longer stamens are 3–3.2 mm, shorter stamens are 2–2.2 mm; 1 pistil; ovary is subcylindrical; style is indistinct; stigma is truncate.
Characteristics of the Herb: The root is cylindrical and slightly twisted, 10–20 cm long and 0.5–1 cm in diameter. Surface is pale grayish-yellow (ravinous) or pale yellowish-brown, with longitudinal wrinkles and transverse lenticels; bearing fine rootlets or rootlet scars. Root head is slightly enlarged, with dark green or dark brown petiole remnants arranged in a whorl, petiole scars, and dense verrucous protrusions. Texture is firm yet slightly soft; fracture surface is relatively flat; cortex is yellowish-white, occupying ~½–¾ of the radius; xylem is yellow. Odor is slight; taste initially mildly sweet, followed by a bitter, astringent puckering sensation.
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