✵The article documents the herb Bistort Rhizome—including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor—and describes its botanical sources as defined in classical herbal texts: primarily (1) Polygonum bistorta L., and secondarily (2) Polygonum manshuriense V. Petr. ex Kom. It provides a detailed account of the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environments of these two species, as well as the morphological characteristics of the herb, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Rhizoma Bistortae (Bistort Rhizome)
Pinyin Name: Quán Shēn
English Name: Bistort Rhizome
Latin Name:Rhizoma Bistortae Properties and Flavor: Slightly cold; bitter and astringent
Brief Introduction:Rhizoma Bistortae is the dried rhizome of Polygonum bistorta L., used: (1) to clear heat and resolve toxicity—indicated for dysentery, boils, and sores; (2) to arrest bleeding—in cases of hematemesis, epistaxis, and hemorrhoidal bleeding; and (3) externally—for snakebite. It is commonly known as Rhizoma Bistortae, Bistort Rhizome, or Quán Shēn.
Botanical Source: Classical herbal works define Rhizoma Bistortae (Bistort Rhizome) as the dried rhizome of (1) Polygonum bistorta L. Other authoritative texts also accept (2) Polygonum manshuriense V. Petr. ex Kom. as an alternative source. Both are species of the genus Polygonum, family Polygonaceae (buckwheat family), order Caryophyllales. The two commonly used species are described below:
(1) Polygonum bistorta L.
Botanical Description:Polygonum bistorta L. is also known as Polygonum lapidosum Kitag. (P. lapidosum Kitag.). It is commonly called Quán Shēn, Fist Ginseng, Quán Liǎo, or Dào Gēn Cǎo. A perennial herb, it grows up to 35–90 cm tall. The rhizome is hypertrophied and curved; the outer bark is purplish-brown. The stem is erect, unbranched, and glabrous. Basal leaves have long petioles; leaf blades are coriaceous, oblong-lanceolate or lanceolate, 10–20 cm long and 2–6 cm wide; the apex is long-acuminate, the base is blunt or truncate (sometimes cordate), decurrent along the petiole to form wings; the margin is revolute; both surfaces are sparsely pilose and become glabrate with age; the lower surface exhibits reticulate venation. Cauline leaves are alternate; upper petioles gradually shorten to become amplexicaul (stem-clasping); leaf blades are lanceolate or linear and sessile. Stipular sheaths are tubular and membranous, 2–5 cm long.
Racemes are spicate, terminal or axillary, cylindrical, erect or slightly curved, 3–6 cm long and 0.8–1.2 cm in diameter, compact; florets are densely arranged; floral bracts are ovate and membranous; pedicels are slender and spreading, 5–7 mm long—longer than the bracts; flowers are pale red or white, ~2.5 mm in diameter; the perianth is 5-merous; tepals are elliptic, 2–3 mm long; there are 8 stamens, nearly equal in length to the tepals or slightly longer; the gynoecium has 3 styles, with capitate stigmas.
Achenes are prismatic-elliptic, reddish-brown, tapering at both ends, lustrous, ~3.5 mm long, enclosed within the persistent perianth. Flowering occurs from June to September; fruiting, from September to November.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows in wild grasslands and moist forest habitats.
Growth characteristics: The plant prefers a cool climate and is tolerant of cold and drought. Cultivation is best carried out in sunny, well-drained fields with sandy loam or calcareous loam soil.
Characteristics of the Herb: The rhizome is flattened-cylindrical or flattened-strip-shaped, often curved into a shrimp-like shape; some specimens are coiled; ends are slightly pointed or tapered, 4–15 cm long and 1–2.5 cm in diameter. The surface is purplish-brown or dark purple (atropurpureus), slightly coarse and rough, bearing dense annular nodes and residual fibrous roots or root scars; one side is convex and the other is flat or shallowly grooved. The texture is hard; the fracture surface is subreniform, light brownish-red, with yellowish-white vascular bundle dots arranged in discontinuous rings. The herb has a faint odor and tastes bitter and astringent.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) Hemostatic activity; (2) Antibacterial activity in vitro against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Escherichia coli; (3) Hemostatic and anti-inflammatory effects.
Medicinal efficacy: Clears heat and resolves toxicity; calms liver-wind and arrests convulsions; clears heat and drains dampness via diuresis; reduces swelling (detumescence); cools the blood to stop bleeding; resolves toxicity; disperses nodules and dissipates stagnation. Indicated for bloody dysentery (dysentery with hematochezia), febrile diarrhea, fever with convulsions, lung-heat-induced cough, carbuncles, scrofula, oral and lingual ulcers, hematemesis, epistaxis, hemorrhoidal bleeding, tetanus, abscesses and swellings, ulcerated sores, snakebite, etc.
Administration of Rhizoma Bistortae (Quán Shēn):
Reference:
Administration Guide for Rhizoma Bistortae (Quán Shēn)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 4.5–9 grams. External use: appropriate amount. (2) Internally: water decoction, 1–3 qián (≈3–9 grams); or prepared as pills or powder. External use: crush and apply topically; use as a mouthwash or wash with decoction. (3) Internally: water decoction, 3–12 grams; or prepared as pills or powder. External use: appropriate amount—crush and apply topically, use as a mouthwash, or perform fumigation and wash with decoction.
(2) Polygonum manshuriense V. Petr. ex Kom.
Botanical Description:Polygonum manshuriense V. Petr. ex Kom. is commonly known as Ear-Leaf Polygonum or ěr yè liǎo. It is a perennial herb. The rhizome is short and stout, hypertrophic, curved, 3 cm long and about 1 cm in diameter, and black. The stem is simple, upright, and grows up to 60–80 cm tall; usually several stems arise from the rhizome, unbranched, smooth, and glabrous. Basal leaves are oblong or lanceolate, chartaceous (papery), 13–15 cm long and 2–3 cm wide; apex is acuminate, base is cuneate and decurrent along the petiole to form wings; margin is entire; upper surface is green, lower surface is celadon (sage green); both surfaces are glabrous; petioles is up to 15 cm long. There are 5–7 cauline leaves, lanceolate and sessile; upper leaves are amplexicaul (clasping the stem), with auricles (leaf ears). Stipule sheaths are tubular and membranous; lower part is green, upper part is brown, deflexed, splitting to the middle; without marginal setae.
Racemes are spicate, terminal, 4–8 cm long and about 1.0 cm in diameter. Flower bracts are ovate (egg-shaped), membranous, apex cuspidate. Each bud contains 2–3 flowers. Pedicels are 4–5 mm long—longer than the bracts—and jointed near the apex. Perianth is 5-merous, faintly red or white; tepals are elliptic, about 3 mm long. There are 8 stamens, longer than the perianth; 3 styles, with capitate stigmas.
Achenes are ovate (egg-shaped), with 3 sharp angles (carinae), about 3 mm long, lustrous, and enclosed within the persistent perianth. Flowering occurs from June to July; fruiting occurs from August to September.
Polygonum manshuriense V. Petr. ex Kom. shares morphological similarities with Polygonum bistorta L., but key differences include: leaves are lanceolate or ovate-oblong, 5–9 cm long and 0.7–2.4 cm wide; base is rounded; margin with relatively conspicuous, raised vein endings; both leaf surfaces are glabrous. Stems bear 8–9 nodes. Achenes are brownish-black.
Ecological Environment: This species grows in grasslands on hillsides or mountain slopes, at forest edges and in valley marshes, at altitudes of 800–1,800 m.
✵The article documents the herb Bistort Rhizome—including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor—and describes its botanical sources as defined in classical herbal texts: primarily (1) Polygonum bistorta L., and secondarily (2) Polygonum manshuriense V. Petr. ex Kom. It provides a detailed account of the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environments of these two species, as well as the morphological characteristics of the herb, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Quán Shēn
Botanical Description: Polygonum bistorta L. is also known as Polygonum lapidosum Kitag. (P. lapidosum Kitag.). It is commonly called Quán Shēn, Fist Ginseng, Quán Liǎo, or Dào Gēn Cǎo. A perennial herb, it grows up to 35–90 cm tall. The rhizome is hypertrophied and curved; the outer bark is purplish-brown. The stem is erect, unbranched, and glabrous. Basal leaves have long petioles; leaf blades are coriaceous, oblong-lanceolate or lanceolate, 10–20 cm long and 2–6 cm wide; the apex is long-acuminate, the base is blunt or truncate (sometimes cordate), decurrent along the petiole to form wings; the margin is revolute; both surfaces are sparsely pilose and become glabrate with age; the lower surface exhibits reticulate venation. Cauline leaves are alternate; upper petioles gradually shorten to become amplexicaul (stem-clasping); leaf blades are lanceolate or linear and sessile. Stipular sheaths are tubular and membranous, 2–5 cm long.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows in wild grasslands and moist forest habitats.
Characteristics of the Herb: The rhizome is flattened-cylindrical or flattened-strip-shaped, often curved into a shrimp-like shape; some specimens are coiled; ends are slightly pointed or tapered, 4–15 cm long and 1–2.5 cm in diameter. The surface is purplish-brown or dark purple (atropurpureus), slightly coarse and rough, bearing dense annular nodes and residual fibrous roots or root scars; one side is convex and the other is flat or shallowly grooved. The texture is hard; the fracture surface is subreniform, light brownish-red, with yellowish-white vascular bundle dots arranged in discontinuous rings. The herb has a faint odor and tastes bitter and astringent.
Botanical Description: Polygonum manshuriense V. Petr. ex Kom. is commonly known as Ear-Leaf Polygonum or ěr yè liǎo. It is a perennial herb. The rhizome is short and stout, hypertrophic, curved, 3 cm long and about 1 cm in diameter, and black. The stem is simple, upright, and grows up to 60–80 cm tall; usually several stems arise from the rhizome, unbranched, smooth, and glabrous. Basal leaves are oblong or lanceolate, chartaceous (papery), 13–15 cm long and 2–3 cm wide; apex is acuminate, base is cuneate and decurrent along the petiole to form wings; margin is entire; upper surface is green, lower surface is celadon (sage green); both surfaces are glabrous; petioles is up to 15 cm long. There are 5–7 cauline leaves, lanceolate and sessile; upper leaves are amplexicaul (clasping the stem), with auricles (leaf ears). Stipule sheaths are tubular and membranous; lower part is green, upper part is brown, deflexed, splitting to the middle; without marginal setae.
Racemes are spicate, terminal, 4–8 cm long and about 1.0 cm in diameter. Flower bracts are ovate (egg-shaped), membranous, apex cuspidate. Each bud contains 2–3 flowers. Pedicels are 4–5 mm long—longer than the bracts—and jointed near the apex. Perianth is 5-merous, faintly red or white; tepals are elliptic, about 3 mm long. There are 8 stamens, longer than the perianth; 3 styles, with capitate stigmas.
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