Introduction of Xiang Jia Pi: Chinese Silkvine Bark
✵The article records the herb Chinese Silkvine Bark—including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor, botanical source—a single plant species: (1) Periploca sepium Bunge.—and provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this species; the macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of the herb; its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Cortex Periplocae (Chinese Silkvine Bark)
Pinyin Name: Xiānɡ Jiā Pí
English Name: Chinese Silkvine Bark; Chinese Silkvine Root-bark
Latin Name:Cortex Periplocae Properties and Flavor: Warm, pungent, bitter, toxic
Brief Introduction:Cortex Periplocae is the dried root-bark of Periploca sepium Bunge., used to dispel wind-dampness in rheumatic arthralgia and promote diuresis for edema. It is commonly known as Cortex Periplocae, Chinese Silkvine Bark, or Xiānɡ Jiā Pí.
Botanical Source: Classical herbal works define Cortex Periplocae (Chinese Silkvine Bark) as the dried root-bark of (1) Periploca sepium Bunge. It is a plant of the genus Periploca, family Apocynaceae (subfamily Asclepiadoideae, formerly Asclepiadaceae), order Gentianales (formerly in order Contortae). This commonly used species is described below:
(1) Periploca sepium Bunge
Botanical Description:Periploca sepium Bunge is commonly known as Gāng Liǔ. It is a deciduous, sprawling shrub growing up to 1.5 m in length. Taproots are terete; the rind is taupe brown (grayish brown); the endothelium is pale yellow. The plant exudes latex; the whole plant is glabrous except for the flowers. Stem bark is taupe brown (grayish brown); branchlets are usually opposite, finely striped, and lenticellate. Leaves are opposite; petioles are ~3 mm long; leaf blades are membranous, ovate-oblong, 5–9 cm long and 1.5–2.5 cm wide; apex is acute to acuminate, base is cuneate; upper surface is dark green, lower surface is pale green; midrib is flat on the adaxial surface and slightly convex on the abaxial surface; lateral veins are fine, flat on both surfaces, numerous (~20–25 per side).
Cymes are axillary, bearing several flowers; calyx is 5-lobed; sepal apices are blunt; the inner basal surface of the calyx bears 10 small glands; corolla is prunus-colored (violet-red), with a diameter of 1.5–2 cm at anthesis; corolla has 5 lobes, the middle portion is thickened and fusiform (spindle-shaped), reflexed; inner surface is villous; corolla tube is short (~3 mm); lobes are oblong-lanceolate, ~8 mm long and ~4 mm wide; paracorolla (catacorolla) is annular (ring-shaped), 10-lobed—of which 5 lobes are filiform and elongated, pubescent; stamens inserted on the inner surface of the paracorolla, anthers are connivent and surrounding the stigma; carpels are free, glabrous, each containing several ovules; stigma is discoid and convex; the translator (pollen carrier) is spatulate; tetrahedral granular pollen grains are embedded in the translator; the sticky disc adheres to the stigma.
Follicles are paired, terete, 7–12 cm long and ~5 mm in diameter, glabrous, with longitudinal striations; seeds are oblong, ~7 mm long and ~1 mm wide, dark brown, with white silky coma hairs at the apex; coma hairs are ~3 cm long. Flowering occurs from May to June; fruiting from July to September.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows in plains, hilly forest margins, slopes, sandy riverbanks, valley terraces, river floodplains, wastelands, loess hills, forests, roadsides, field margins, and fixed or semi-fixed sand dunes.
Growth Characteristics: Periploca sepium is not highly demanding regarding climate; it thrives best on sunny hillsides or riversides. For soil, it prefers deep, fertile, well-drained yellow sandy loam.
Characteristics of the Herb: The root bark is cylindrical or grooved in shape; a few specimens are irregular, lumpy, and flaky. It measures 3–12 cm in length, 0.7–2 cm in diameter, and 2–5 mm in thickness. The outer surface is taupe brown (grayish brown) to yellowish brown, coarse and rough, with transverse lenticels; the cork layer often exfoliates in scaly fragments, exposing the ash-gray (grayish white) cortex. The inner surface is primrose yellow (pale yellow) to sallow (grayish yellow), slightly smooth, with fine longitudinal striations. The herb is light in weight, brittle in texture, and breaks easily; the fracture surface is yellowish white and irregular. It has a distinctive aroma and a bitter taste.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) Cardiotonic effect; (2) Central excitatory effect; (3) Other effects: Under certain conditions, it increases pulmonary circulation; cardiotonic and diuretic effects have been demonstrated; the bark exhibits insecticidal activity.
Medicinal Efficacy: Expels wind and dampness, strengthens muscles and bones, alleviates edema and reduces swelling, and exerts a cardiotonic effect. It is indicated for wind-cold-damp bi syndrome (arthralgia), rheumatism with numbness and pain, lumbar and knee pain, palpitations and shortness of breath, lower limb edema, general edema, dysuria (difficulty in urination), and heart failure.
Administration of Cortex Periplocae (Xiānɡ Jiā Pí):
Reference:
Administration Guide for Cortex Periplocae (Xiānɡ Jiā Pí)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 3–6 grams; (2) Internally: water decoction, 1.5–3 qian (≈4.5–9 grams); also used in wine infusions or prepared as pills or powders; (3) Internally: water decoction, 4.5–9 grams, or wine infusion, or prepared as pills or powders. External use: appropriate amount, as a wash prepared from water decoction.
Precautions and Adverse Reactions: Cortex Periplocae must not be administered in excessive doses.
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1.Introduction of Xiang Jia Pi: Chinese Silkvine Bark
✵The article records the herb Chinese Silkvine Bark—including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavor, botanical source—a single plant species: (1) Periploca sepium Bunge.—and provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this species; the macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of the herb; its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Xiānɡ Jiā Pí
Botanical Description: Periploca sepium Bunge is commonly known as Gāng Liǔ. It is a deciduous, sprawling shrub growing up to 1.5 m in length. Taproots are terete; the rind is taupe brown (grayish brown); the endothelium is pale yellow. The plant exudes latex; the whole plant is glabrous except for the flowers. Stem bark is taupe brown (grayish brown); branchlets are usually opposite, finely striped, and lenticellate. Leaves are opposite; petioles are ~3 mm long; leaf blades are membranous, ovate-oblong, 5–9 cm long and 1.5–2.5 cm wide; apex is acute to acuminate, base is cuneate; upper surface is dark green, lower surface is pale green; midrib is flat on the adaxial surface and slightly convex on the abaxial surface; lateral veins are fine, flat on both surfaces, numerous (~20–25 per side).
Cymes are axillary, bearing several flowers; calyx is 5-lobed; sepal apices are blunt; the inner basal surface of the calyx bears 10 small glands; corolla is prunus-colored (violet-red), with a diameter of 1.5–2 cm at anthesis; corolla has 5 lobes, the middle portion is thickened and fusiform (spindle-shaped), reflexed; inner surface is villous; corolla tube is short (~3 mm); lobes are oblong-lanceolate, ~8 mm long and ~4 mm wide; paracorolla (catacorolla) is annular (ring-shaped), 10-lobed—of which 5 lobes are filiform and elongated, pubescent; stamens inserted on the inner surface of the paracorolla, anthers are connivent and surrounding the stigma; carpels are free, glabrous, each containing several ovules; stigma is discoid and convex; the translator (pollen carrier) is spatulate; tetrahedral granular pollen grains are embedded in the translator; the sticky disc adheres to the stigma.
Follicles are paired, terete, 7–12 cm long and ~5 mm in diameter, glabrous, with longitudinal striations; seeds are oblong, ~7 mm long and ~1 mm wide, dark brown, with white silky coma hairs at the apex; coma hairs are ~3 cm long. Flowering occurs from May to June; fruiting from July to September.
Growth Characteristics: Periploca sepium is not highly demanding regarding climate; it thrives best on sunny hillsides or riversides. For soil, it prefers deep, fertile, well-drained yellow sandy loam.
Characteristics of the Herb: The root bark is cylindrical or grooved in shape; a few specimens are irregular, lumpy, and flaky. It measures 3–12 cm in length, 0.7–2 cm in diameter, and 2–5 mm in thickness. The outer surface is taupe brown (grayish brown) to yellowish brown, coarse and rough, with transverse lenticels; the cork layer often exfoliates in scaly fragments, exposing the ash-gray (grayish white) cortex. The inner surface is primrose yellow (pale yellow) to sallow (grayish yellow), slightly smooth, with fine longitudinal striations. The herb is light in weight, brittle in texture, and breaks easily; the fracture surface is yellowish white and irregular. It has a distinctive aroma and a bitter taste.
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