Introduction of Tu Fu Ling: Glabrous Greenbrier Rhizome.
✵This article documents the herb Glabrous Greenbrier Rhizome, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor, botanical sources—two plant species: (1) Smilax glabra Roxb. and (2) Smilax lanceaefolia Roxb. var. opaca A. DC.—with detailed descriptions of the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environments of these two species; as well as the macroscopic features of the herb, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines
Pinyin Name: Tǔ Fú Línɡ
English Name: Glabrous Greenbrier Rhizome
Latin Name:Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae Property and Flavor: Neutral; sweet and bland (tasteless)
Brief Introduction:Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae is the dried rhizome of Smilax glabra Roxb., used to counteract toxins and eliminate dampness in the treatment of syphilis, pathological leukorrhea, and heat-induced stranguria. It is commonly known as Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae, Glabrous Greenbrier Rhizome, or Tǔ Fú Línɡ.
Botanical Source: Classical herbal works and official pharmacopoeias define Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae (Glabrous Greenbrier Rhizome) as the dried rhizome of (1) Smilax glabra Roxb. or (2) Smilax lanceaefolia Roxb. var. opaca A. DC. These are plants belonging to the genus Smilax L., family Liliaceae (lily family), order Liliflorae. The two commonly used species are described below:
(1) Smilax glabra Roxb.
Botanical Description:Smilax glabra Roxb. is commonly known as Glabrous Greenbrier, Guāng Yè Bá Qiā (meaning "glabrous-leaf smilax"), or Tǔ Fú Línɡ. It is a climbing shrub growing 1–4 meters in length. The stem is smooth and spineless. Rhizomes are thick and tuberous, often connected by stolons (creeping stems), 2–5 cm in diameter. Leaves are alternate; petioles are 5–15 mm long (up to 20 mm), approximately 3/5 to 1/4 of the total leaf length, bearing a narrow sheath and usually two slender tendrils; the shedding point is near the tip. Leaf blades are thinly coriaceous, narrowly elliptic-lanceolate to narrowly ovate-lanceolate, 6–12 cm long (up to 15 cm), 1–4 cm wide (up to 7 cm), with an acuminate apex and a rounded or obtuse base; the abaxial surface is typically pale green.
Umbels are solitary and axillary, usually bearing more than 10 flowers. The peduncle of the male inflorescence is 2–5 mm long—typically significantly shorter than the petiole, rarely equal in length—and bears one bud between the peduncle and petiole. The receptacle is swollen and somewhat rosette-like, bearing numerous persistent bracteoles, 2–5 mm wide. Flowers are greenish-white, 6-ribbed, ~3 mm in diameter. Outer tepals of the male flower are nearly oblate (~2 mm wide), pouch-shaped, with a vertical groove on the dorsal surface; inner tepals are orbicular (~1 mm wide), with irregularly toothed margins. Stamens are connivent and nearly equal in length to the inner tepals; filaments are very short. The peduncle of the female inflorescence is ~1 cm long. Female flowers resemble male flowers morphologically, but their inner tepals lack marginal teeth and bear three staminodes.
Berries are 6–8 mm in diameter, turning black at maturity and covered with pruina. Flowering occurs from May to November; fruiting extends from November to April of the following year.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows in forests, thickets, along riverbanks, or in valleys, at altitudes below 1,800 m. It also occurs at forest margins and in open forests.
Growth Characteristics: Smilax glabra prefers a warm, humid climate and is tolerant of drought and shade. It thrives in sandy loam or clay loam soils.
Characteristics of the Herb: The rhizome of Smilax glabra Roxb. is subcylindrical or irregularly elongated, bearing nodular protuberances and short branches; 5–22 cm long and 2–5 cm in diameter. The surface is yellowish-brown, with furrows and ridges; hard fibrous root remnants persist at the tips of protuberances, and round bud scars occur at branch tips. Irregular cracks and residual scale-like leaves may be present on the surface. The herb is hard and difficult to fracture. The cross-section is off-white to pale reddish-brown, mealy, with faintly visible vascular bundle points centrally and conspicuous gravel-like, bright, heat-stable spots (persisting after boiling). The texture is slightly tough and starchy; dust is released upon breaking, and it becomes sticky when moistened with water. It has a faint odor and a mild, astringent taste.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) Antipyretic activity against fevers of diverse etiologies; (2) Increased urinary chloride excretion; (3) Reduced serum uric acid concentration; (4) Inhibitory effects on Staphylococcus aureus, hemolytic streptococcus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus dysenteriae; (5) Diuretic activity.
Medicinal Efficacy: Clearing dampness, clearing heat and eliminating dampness, detoxifying, draining turbidity, and benefiting the joints. It is indicated for damp-heat stranguria with turbid urine, pathological leukorrhea, diarrhea, carbuncles, scrofula, scabies, syphilis, limb twitching and spasms associated with syphilis or mercury poisoning, galls and mercury poisoning, arthralgia, myalgia, beriberi, malignant boils, carbuncular swellings, sores, tinea, and scrofula.
Administration of Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae (Tǔ Fú Línɡ):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Rhizoma Smilacis Glabrae (Tǔ Fú Línɡ)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 15–60 grams; (2) Internally: water decoction, 0.5–1 liǎng (~15–30 grams); Externally: apply finely ground herb powder topically; (3) Internally: water decoction, 10–60 grams; Externally: appropriate amount—apply finely ground herb powder topically.
(2) Smilax lanceaefolia Roxb. var. opaca A. DC.
Botanical Description:Smilax lanceaefolia Roxb. var. opaca A. DC. is also known as S. opaca (A. DC.) Norton. It is commonly known as Àn Sè Bá Qiā (meaning "dark-leaf smilax") or Bái Fú Línɡ (meaning "white poria"). It is a climbing shrub with a smooth, spineless stem. Leaves are typically coriaceous, ovate-lanceolate, 6–15 cm long and 2–6 cm wide, with an acute apex and a broadly cuneate base; three to five prominent veins are visible. Petioles are ~1 cm long.
Umbels are solitary and axillary; the peduncle is ~1 cm long, slightly elongating after flowering, and bears three oval bracteoles at its base. Tepals are narrowly rectangular to orbicular, ~3 mm long. Stamens are nearly equal in length to the perianth. Flowering occurs in autumn. Berries are ~6–8 mm in diameter.
Distinguishing features from Smilax glabra Roxb. include: (1) leaf blades are ovate-lanceolate (not narrowly elliptic-lanceolate); (2) the lower surface lacks whitish pruina; (3) the dried material does not turn caesious; (4) leaf veins are raised on the upper surface; (5) peduncles of the male inflorescence are typically >5 mm long; and (6) male flower buds are cylindrical.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows in forests, thickets, or shaded areas on hillsides and mountain slopes, at altitudes of 600–2,000 m.
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References:
1.Introduction of Tu Fu Ling: Glabrous Greenbrier Rhizome.
✵This article documents the herb Glabrous Greenbrier Rhizome, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor, botanical sources—two plant species: (1) Smilax glabra Roxb. and (2) Smilax lanceaefolia Roxb. var. opaca A. DC.—with detailed descriptions of the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environments of these two species; as well as the macroscopic features of the herb, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines
Pinyin Name: Tǔ Fú Línɡ
Botanical Description: Smilax glabra Roxb. is commonly known as Glabrous Greenbrier, Guāng Yè Bá Qiā (meaning "glabrous-leaf smilax"), or Tǔ Fú Línɡ. It is a climbing shrub growing 1–4 meters in length. The stem is smooth and spineless. Rhizomes are thick and tuberous, often connected by stolons (creeping stems), 2–5 cm in diameter. Leaves are alternate; petioles are 5–15 mm long (up to 20 mm), approximately 3/5 to 1/4 of the total leaf length, bearing a narrow sheath and usually two slender tendrils; the shedding point is near the tip. Leaf blades are thinly coriaceous, narrowly elliptic-lanceolate to narrowly ovate-lanceolate, 6–12 cm long (up to 15 cm), 1–4 cm wide (up to 7 cm), with an acuminate apex and a rounded or obtuse base; the abaxial surface is typically pale green.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows in forests, thickets, along riverbanks, or in valleys, at altitudes below 1,800 m. It also occurs at forest margins and in open forests.
Characteristics of the Herb: The rhizome of Smilax glabra Roxb. is subcylindrical or irregularly elongated, bearing nodular protuberances and short branches; 5–22 cm long and 2–5 cm in diameter. The surface is yellowish-brown, with furrows and ridges; hard fibrous root remnants persist at the tips of protuberances, and round bud scars occur at branch tips. Irregular cracks and residual scale-like leaves may be present on the surface. The herb is hard and difficult to fracture. The cross-section is off-white to pale reddish-brown, mealy, with faintly visible vascular bundle points centrally and conspicuous gravel-like, bright, heat-stable spots (persisting after boiling). The texture is slightly tough and starchy; dust is released upon breaking, and it becomes sticky when moistened with water. It has a faint odor and a mild, astringent taste.
Botanical Description: Smilax lanceaefolia Roxb. var. opaca A. DC. is also known as S. opaca (A. DC.) Norton. It is commonly known as Àn Sè Bá Qiā (meaning "dark-leaf smilax") or Bái Fú Línɡ (meaning "white poria"). It is a climbing shrub with a smooth, spineless stem. Leaves are typically coriaceous, ovate-lanceolate, 6–15 cm long and 2–6 cm wide, with an acute apex and a broadly cuneate base; three to five prominent veins are visible. Petioles are ~1 cm long.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows in forests, thickets, or shaded areas on hillsides and mountain slopes, at altitudes of 600–2,000 m.
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