Introduction of Luo Shi Teng: Chinese Star Jasmine Stem
✵This article documents the herb Chinese Star Jasmine Stem, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavors, and botanical source—the dried stem (with or without leaves) of (1) Trachelospermum jasminoides (Lindl.) Lem. It provides a detailed description of the plant’s botanical features, growth characteristics, ecological environment, macroscopic characteristics of the herb, pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Caulis Trachelospermi (Chinese Starjasmine Stem)
Pinyin Name: Luò Shí Ténɡ
English Name: Chinese Starjasmine Stem
Latin Name:Caulis Trachelospermi Property and Flavor: Slightly cold; bitter, pungent
Brief Introduction:Caulis Trachelospermi is the dried stem of Trachelospermum jasminoides (Lindl.) Lem., used to dispel wind-dampness, unblock meridians, cool the blood, and reduce swelling. It is employed in the treatment of wind-damp bi syndrome with muscular contracture and joint pain, as well as sore throat. Common names include Chinese Star Jasmine Stem, Luò Shí Ténɡ, and—historically—"Luò Shí" (though the latter refers botanically to the resinous exudate of another species and is a misnomer when applied to the stem).
Botanical Source: Classical herbal works define the herb as the dried stem (often with attached leaves) of (1) Trachelospermum jasminoides (Lindl.) Lem., a twining evergreen vine belonging to the genus Trachelospermum, family Apocynaceae (dogbane family), order Gentianales. This widely used species is described below:
(1) Trachelospermum jasminoides (Lindl.) Lem.
Botanical Description: Also known as Rhynchospermum jasminoides Lindl.; commonly called Chinese Star Jasmine or Luò Shí (though this vernacular name is taxonomically ambiguous and best avoided for the stem). An evergreen woody vine reaching up to 10 m in length; the whole plant exudes latex. Stems are cylindrical and lenticellate. Young shoots and twigs are yellowish-pilose, becoming glabrescent with age. Leaves are opposite, coriaceous to subcoriaceous, elliptic, ovate-lanceolate, or broadly obovate, 2–10 cm long and 1–4.5 cm wide; upper surface is glabrous; lower surface is sparsely pubescent; 6–12 lateral veins per side.
Cymes are terminal or axillary, dichotomously branched; flowers are white and fragrant; pedicels are 2–5 cm long, pilose when young and glabrous at maturity; bracts and bracteoles are narrowly lanceolate, 1–2 mm long; calyx is deeply 5-parted, lobes are linear-lanceolate, reflexed at the apex, 2–5 mm long; outer surface is villous, margins ciliate, inner surface is glabrous; base bearing ten scale-like glands; flower bud apex is obtuse; corolla tube is terete, swollen in the middle, glabrous externally, pubescent internally at the throat and near stamen apices, 5–10 mm long; 5 corolla lobes, 5–10 mm long, glabrous, imbricate to the right; 5 stamens inserted at mid-corolla tube, ventral portions adnate to the stigma; anthers are arrow-shaped, auriculate at the base, enclosed within the corolla throat; floral disc is annular and 5-lobed, equal in length to the ovary; ovary is composed of two free carpels, glabrous; style is terete; stigma is ovoid, entire at the apex; each carpel contains multiple ovules grow on two parietal placentae.
Follicles are paired, divergent, glabrous, linear-lanceolate, acuminate at the apex, 10–20 cm long and 3–10 mm wide; seeds are numerous, brown, linear, 1.5–2 cm long and ~2 mm in diameter, each with a white, silky coma (seed hair) at the apex; seed coat (spermoderm) is 1.5–3 cm long, including the coma. Flowering occurs from March to July; fruiting from July to December.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows in mountainous regions, along streams, roadsides, forest margins, and in shrublands (i.e., holt or mixed woodland). It commonly twines around trees or climbs walls, rocks, and garden structures.
Growth Characteristics:Trachelospermum jasminoides prefers a warm, moist, semi-shaded environment. It is adaptable to various soil types but intolerant of waterlogging; though drought-tolerant, it thrives best in consistently moist (not waterlogged) conditions. It exhibits strong climatic adaptability—tolerant of both cold and heat—but is sensitive to severe frost. Consequently, in northern China, it cannot survive winter outdoors and must be cultivated in containers and moved indoors during cold months. In southern China, it withstands summer heat well when grown in open fields. The plant prefers humid conditions and is susceptible to desiccation from dry winds. It tolerates both partial shade and full sun, growing successfully on both sunny and shaded aspects of walls. It thrives in light clay or sandy loam soils of moderate fertility and is adaptable to slightly acidic through mildly alkaline soils.
Characteristics of the Herb: The stems are cylindrical, extensively branched, variable in length, and 0.2–1 cm in diameter; surface is reddish-brown, bearing punctiform lenticels and adventitious roots; texture is hard, fracture surface fibrous and yellowish-white, occasionally hollow. Leaves are opposite, with short petioles; intact leaves are elliptic or ovate-elliptic, 2–10 cm long and 0.8–3.5 cm wide; apex is acuminate or obtuse, sometimes emarginate; margin is slightly revolute; upper surface is yellowish-green, lower surface is paler; venation is pinnate, more prominent and slightly raised on the lower surface; texture is coriaceous; white, woolly trichomes are visible upon fracture. The herb has a faint odor and tastes slightly bitter.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) Arctiin induces vasodilation and lowers blood pressure; causes convulsions in both cold-blooded and warm-blooded animals; at high doses, leads to respiratory failure; and in mice, produces cutaneous erythema and diarrhea. (2) Inhibits contractions of isolated rabbit intestine and uterus. (3) Exhibits antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella flexneri, and Salmonella typhi.
Medicinal Efficacy: Expel wind-dampness and unblock meridians; cool the blood and reduce swelling; arrest bleeding; and resolve blood stasis. Indicated for wind-damp-heat bi syndrome (febrile arthralgia), rheumatic arthralgia, muscular contracture, low back and knee pain, carbuncles and swellings, hematemesis, traumatic injuries, and postpartum lochiostasis.
Administration of Caulis Trachelospermi (Luò Shí Ténɡ):
Reference:
Administration Guide for Caulis Trachelospermi (Luò Shí Ténɡ)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally:6–12 grams, decocted in water. External use: apply appropriate amount of fresh herb, mashed and applied topically to affected areas. (2) Internally: water decoction, 2–3 qian (approximately 6–9 grams); may also be prepared as wine extract or powder. External use: apply finely powdered herb as a poultice, or use expressed juice for washing. (3) Internally: water decoction, 6–15 grams; single-herb formulas may use up to 30 grams; wine extract, 30–60 grams; or prepare as pills or powder. External use: apply appropriate amount—finely powdered herb as a poultice, or expressed juice topically.
Contraindications, Precautions, and Adverse Reactions: Caulis Trachelospermi should not be combined with Acorus calamus or Fritillaria bulbs.
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1.Introduction of Luo Shi Teng: Chinese Starjasmine Stem
✵This article documents the herb Chinese Star Jasmine Stem, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavors, and botanical source—the dried stem (with or without leaves) of (1) Trachelospermum jasminoides (Lindl.) Lem. It provides a detailed description of the plant’s botanical features, growth characteristics, ecological environment, macroscopic characteristics of the herb, pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Luò Shí Ténɡ
Botanical Description: Also known as Rhynchospermum jasminoides Lindl.; commonly called Chinese Star Jasmine or Luò Shí (though this vernacular name is taxonomically ambiguous and best avoided for the stem). An evergreen woody vine reaching up to 10 m in length; the whole plant exudes latex. Stems are cylindrical and lenticellate. Young shoots and twigs are yellowish-pilose, becoming glabrescent with age. Leaves are opposite, coriaceous to subcoriaceous, elliptic, ovate-lanceolate, or broadly obovate, 2–10 cm long and 1–4.5 cm wide; upper surface is glabrous; lower surface is sparsely pubescent; 6–12 lateral veins per side.
Follicles are paired, divergent, glabrous, linear-lanceolate, acuminate at the apex, 10–20 cm long and 3–10 mm wide; seeds are numerous, brown, linear, 1.5–2 cm long and ~2 mm in diameter, each with a white, silky coma (seed hair) at the apex; seed coat (spermoderm) is 1.5–3 cm long, including the coma. Flowering occurs from March to July; fruiting from July to December.
Growth Characteristics: Trachelospermum jasminoides prefers a warm, moist, semi-shaded environment. It is adaptable to various soil types but intolerant of waterlogging; though drought-tolerant, it thrives best in consistently moist (not waterlogged) conditions. It exhibits strong climatic adaptability—tolerant of both cold and heat—but is sensitive to severe frost. Consequently, in northern China, it cannot survive winter outdoors and must be cultivated in containers and moved indoors during cold months. In southern China, it withstands summer heat well when grown in open fields. The plant prefers humid conditions and is susceptible to desiccation from dry winds. It tolerates both partial shade and full sun, growing successfully on both sunny and shaded aspects of walls. It thrives in light clay or sandy loam soils of moderate fertility and is adaptable to slightly acidic through mildly alkaline soils.
Characteristics of the Herb: The stems are cylindrical, extensively branched, variable in length, and 0.2–1 cm in diameter; surface is reddish-brown, bearing punctiform lenticels and adventitious roots; texture is hard, fracture surface fibrous and yellowish-white, occasionally hollow. Leaves are opposite, with short petioles; intact leaves are elliptic or ovate-elliptic, 2–10 cm long and 0.8–3.5 cm wide; apex is acuminate or obtuse, sometimes emarginate; margin is slightly revolute; upper surface is yellowish-green, lower surface is paler; venation is pinnate, more prominent and slightly raised on the lower surface; texture is coriaceous; white, woolly trichomes are visible upon fracture. The herb has a faint odor and tastes slightly bitter.
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