Introduction of Lai Fu Zi:Radish Seed or Semen Raphani.
✵The article gives records of the herb Radish Seed, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Raphanus sativus 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 Radish Seed, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Semen Raphani(Radish Seed).
Pin Yin Name: Lái Fú Zǐ.
English Name: Radish Seed.
Latin Name: Semen Raphani.
Property and flavor: neutral in nature, tastes pungent, sweet.
Brief introduction: The herb Semen Raphani is the dried ripe seed of garden radish, Raphanus sativus L., used (1).to improve the digestion and direct Qi downward for the treatment of food stagnation with abdominal distension and pain, and (2).to resolve phlegm for cough and dyspnea with profuse expectoration. The herb is commonly known as Semen Raphani, Radish Seed, Lái Fú Zǐ.
Botanical source: Herbal classical book defined the herb Semen Raphani(radish seed) as the dried ripe seed of garden radish, Raphanus sativus L. It is a plant of the Raphanus genus, the Brassicaceae family (Cruciferae, mustard family of the Brassicales order. This commonly used species is introduced:
Raphanus sativus L.
Botanical description: The plant, Raphanus sativus L is commonly known as turnip radish, turnip, Luó Bo, or Lái Fú. An annual or biennial herb, it grows up to 20~100 cm tall; taproots, succulent, oblong, globular (spherical shape) or coniform (conical), exodermis is green, white or red; Stem is branched, glabrous, slightly glaucous. Basal leaves and lower cauline leaves are lyrated pinnatifid, 8~30 cm long, 3~5 cm wide, apical lobes are oval (egg-shaped), lateral lobes are in 4~6 pairs, oblong, crenate, have sparse coarse hairs, upper leaves are oblong, serrate or subentire.
Racemes are apical or axillary; sepals are oblong; 4 flower petals, white, purple or pink, 1.5 ~ 2 cm in diameter, obovate, 1-1.5 mm long, has purple patterns, the lower part has claws of 5 mm length; six stamens, four stamens are long and other two stamens are short; one pistil, ovary is subulate, stigma is prismatical.
Silique (siliqua) is cylindrical, 3 ~ 6 cm long, 10 ~ 12 mm wide, constricted between seeds, forming spongiform transeptae; front end has a rostrum (beak), rostrum is 1 ~ 1.5 mm long; 1 ~ 6 seeds, ovate, slightly oblate, about 3 mm long, reddish-brown, has fine reticulated patterns. Its flowering period is from April to May, and the fruiting period is from May to June.
Ecological environment: The plant grows all over China, and it is mainly produced in middle to lower reaches of the Yellow River, the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, and other areas.
Growth characteristics: The adaptability of Raphanus sativus is strong, the distribution is wide, can be cultivated in the whole area of China. It is appropriate to choose fields with sandy loam for cultivation, and Glycine max, paddy rice, and Zea mays are its appropriate preceding crops, but it is not appropriate to choose cruciferous crop field for cultivation.
Characters of herbs: The dried seeds are quasi-circular, subellipsoid or subsphaeroidal, and slightly flat, length is 2.5 ~ 4 mm or about 3 mm, and width is 2 ~ 3 mm. The spermoderm (seed coat) is thin, the surface is reddish-brown, yellow-brown, or dark taupe brown (deep grayish-brown), with several vertical grooves on one side, and a black hilum on one end, showing a brown punctate protrusion. Observe with a magnifying glass, and all of them have fine and dense reticulated patterns. The texture of the seeds is hard, the spermoderm is thin and crisp, the seed has two cotyledons, yellowish-white or milky yellow, hypertrophic, oily. The herb has a slight odor, and it tastes mild or sweet, slightly pungent or slightly bitter and pungent. The herb of a better grade has big, full, firm and oily grains, reddish brown, without impurities.
Pharmacological actions: ①.detoxification effect; ②.lowering blood pressure; ③.antitussive effect; ④.expectorant effect; ⑤.reduce the serum cholesterol level, etc.
Medicinal efficacy: Help digestion and eliminate distension, removing food stagnation, sending down abnormally ascending, reduce phlegm, stop asthma. It is indicated for retention of food and drink, dyspepsia and Qi stagnation (indigestion, Qi stagnation), epigastric distended pain, oppression in the chest and abdominal distension, constipation, indigestion and diarrhea dysentery, diarrhea, diarrhea and tenesmus, phlegm accumulation and asthma due to excessive phlegm, cough with much phlegm, reversed the flow of Qi and dyspneal fullness, etc.
Administration of Semen Raphani (Lái Fú Zǐ):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Semen Raphani (Lái Fú Zǐ)
TCM Books:
①.Internally: 5~12 grams; ②.Internally:water decoction, 1.5~3 qian (about 4.5~9 grams); or prepare to pill, powder. Externally:prepare to finely ground herb powder, apply stick; ③.Internally:water decoction, 5~10 grams;or prepared to pill, powder, better fried. Externally:proper amount, prepare to finely ground herb powder, mixed and apply stick.
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References:
1.Introduction of Lai Fu Zi:Radish Seed or Semen Raphani.