Introduction of Ma Chi Xian:Purslane Herb or Herba Portulacae.
✵The article gives records of the herb Purslane Herb, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Portulaca oleracea L., 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 Purslane Herb, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Herba Portulacae(Purslane Herb).
Pin Yin Name: Mǎ Chǐ Xiàn.
English Name: Purslane Herb.
Latin Name: Herba Portulacae.
Property and flavor: cold, sour.
Brief introduction: The Herb Herba Portulacae is the dried aerial part of Portulaca oleracea L., used for treating dysentery with bloody stools, and externally for boils and sores, eczema, erysipelas, and snake- and insect-bite. The herb is commonly known as Herba Portulacae, Purslane Herb, Mǎ Chǐ Xiàn.
Botanical source: The herb Herba Portulacae (Purslane Herb) is the dried aerial part of (1). Portulaca oleracea L., it is a plant of the Portulaca Genus, the Portulacaceae family (purslane family) of the Caryophyllales order. This commonly used species is introduced:
(1).Portulaca oleracea L.
Botanical description: Portulaca oleracea L is a plant of the Portulacaceae family (purslane family) and Portulaca genus, it is commonly known as Portulaca oleracea, common purslane, verdolaga, red root, or pursley, or Mǎ Chǐ Xiàn. Annual succulent herb, thick and succulent, glabrous, the plant grows up to 10~30 cm high. Stems are cylindrical, the lower part is procumbent, the upper part is oblique or upright, many-branched, sunny side often with maroon (brownish red). Leaves are alternate or subopposite; obovate, oblong or spatulate (spoon-shaped), 1~3 cm long, 5~15 mm wide, apex is blunt, sometimes emarginate, the base is narrowing to a short petiole, the upper surface is green, the undersurface is dark red (dull red).
Flowers are hermaphroditic, smaller, yellow, usually, 3~5 flowers grow in clusters on leaf tip; 4~5 involucral bracts, triangular-ovate; 2 sepals (calyx lobes), opposite, oval (egg-shaped), about 4 cm long and wide; 5 flower petals, primrose yellow (pale yellow), obovate, base and sepals grow together on the ovary; 8~12 stamens, anther is yellow; 1 pistil, ovary is semi-inferior, style is 4-lobed to 6-lobed, linear, stretching beyond the stamen.
Capsularfruit is short conical, about 5 mm long, brown, operculum (fruit cap) cracks. Seeds are black, about 1 mm in diameter, with fine dots on the surface. Its flowering period is from May to August, and the fruiting period is from July to October.
Ecological environment: The plant grows in sunny places of fields, yard ruins, and roadside. The plant is distributed all over the areas of China, and many other areas in the global village.
Growth characteristics: Portulaca oleracea prefers a warm and humid climate, has a strong adaptability, tolerant to drought, it could be cultivated in the field of hills and flat ground, and general soils.
Characters of herbs: The whole herb is shriveled and curls into a ball. The stem is cylindrical, 10~25 cm long, 1~3 mm in diameter, the surface is yellow-brown to brown, and with obviously twisted vertical grooves. The leaves are easily broken or falling off, intact leaves are obovate, greenish-brown, 1~2.5 cm long, 0.5~1.5 cm wide, the apex is truncated or emarginate, entire. The flowers are scarce and yellow, and 3~5 flowers grow at branch ends. The capsularfruit is conical, about 5 mm long, cap-shaped, and dehiscent by lid, with many small black fine seeds inside. The herb has a slight smell, and it tastes slightly sour and sticky. The herb of a better grade is small, tender, orderly and less broken, foliate (leaflike), turquoise, and free of impurities.
Pharmacological actions: ①.inhibitory effect on dysentery bacillus, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and so on, especially has obvious inhibition on Bacillus dysenteriae; ②.shrink the rabbit aorta, weaken the contractility of myocardium and increase the blood pressure of rats; ③.enhance the contraction of guinea pig ileum in vitro. It has a contractive effect on the uterus; ④.diuretic effect; ⑤.increase blood potassium level.
Medicinal efficacy: Clearing heat and remove dampness through diuresis, clearing heat and detoxification, cooling blood and detoxification, cooling blood and stopping dysentery, dispersing blood and detumescence (reduce swelling), eliminate dampness, and treating stranguria. It is indicated for bacillary dysentery, dysentery with bloody stool due to heat pathogen, heat dysentery with pus blood, acute gastroenteritis, acute appendicitis, mastitis, hemorrhoid bleeding, hemorrhoids, bloody stranguria, pyretic stranguria, hemafecia (bloody stool), uterine bleeding, urodialysis (suppression of urine), morbid leukorrhea, white leukorrhea, leukorrhea with reddish discharge, metrorrhagia and metrostaxis; Topical treatment for malignant boils, carbuncles, erysipelas, snake and insect bites, eczema, scrofula, acute eczema, herpes zoster, tinea tonsure, etc.
Administration of Herba Portulacae (Mǎ Chǐ Xiàn):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Herba Portulacae (Mǎ Chǐ Xiàn)
TCM Books:
①.Internally:9~15 grams, fresh herb 30~60 grams. Externally: proper amount, mashed and apply at affected area; ②.Internally: water decoction, 3~5 qian (about 9~15 grams), fresh herb 2~4 liang (about 6~12 grams), or extract the juice and drink. Externally: mashed and apply stick, charred the herb and prepare to finely ground herb powder and apply stick, or wash with water decoction; ③.Internally: water decoction, 10~15 grams, fresh herb 30~60 grams, or extract the juice. Externally: proper amount, mashed and apply stick, charred the herb and prepare to finely ground herb powder and apply stick, or wash with water decoction.
Contraindications,Precautions and Adverse Reactions: the herb Herba Portulacae should not be combined with turtle shell in decoction preparation.
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1.Introduction of Ma Chi Xian:Purslane Herb or Herba Portulacae.
✵The article gives records of the herb Purslane Herb, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Portulaca oleracea L., 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 Purslane Herb, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Pin Yin Name: Mǎ Chǐ Xiàn.
Botanical description: Portulaca oleracea L is a plant of the Portulacaceae family (purslane family) and Portulaca genus, it is commonly known as Portulaca oleracea, common purslane, verdolaga, red root, or pursley, or Mǎ Chǐ Xiàn. Annual succulent herb, thick and succulent, glabrous, the plant grows up to 10~30 cm high. Stems are cylindrical, the lower part is procumbent, the upper part is oblique or upright, many-branched, sunny side often with maroon (brownish red). Leaves are alternate or subopposite; obovate, oblong or spatulate (spoon-shaped), 1~3 cm long, 5~15 mm wide, apex is blunt, sometimes emarginate, the base is narrowing to a short petiole, the upper surface is green, the undersurface is dark red (dull red).
Capsularfruit is short conical, about 5 mm long, brown, operculum (fruit cap) cracks. Seeds are black, about 1 mm in diameter, with fine dots on the surface. Its flowering period is from May to August, and the fruiting period is from July to October.
Characters of herbs: The whole herb is shriveled and curls into a ball. The stem is cylindrical, 10~25 cm long, 1~3 mm in diameter, the surface is yellow-brown to brown, and with obviously twisted vertical grooves. The leaves are easily broken or falling off, intact leaves are obovate, greenish-brown, 1~2.5 cm long, 0.5~1.5 cm wide, the apex is truncated or emarginate, entire. The flowers are scarce and yellow, and 3~5 flowers grow at branch ends. The capsularfruit is conical, about 5 mm long, cap-shaped, and dehiscent by lid, with many small black fine seeds inside. The herb has a slight smell, and it tastes slightly sour and sticky. The herb of a better grade is small, tender, orderly and less broken, foliate (leaflike), turquoise, and free of impurities.
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