Introduction of Fang Ji: Fourstamen Stephania Root
✵The article records the herb Fourstamen Stephania Root, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavors, and botanical source—namely, (1) Stephania tetrandra S. Moore—with detailed descriptions of the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species; the morphological characteristics of the herb Fourstamen Stephania Root; its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Fáng Jǐ
English Name: Four-stamen Stephania Root
Latin Name:Radix Stephaniae Tetrandrae Properties and Flavors: Cold, pungent, bitter
Brief Introduction:Radix Stephaniae Tetrandrae is the dried root of Stephania tetrandra S. Moore, used to dispel wind-dampness and promote diuresis in rheumatic arthritis, edema, and oliguria. It is commonly known as Radix Stephaniae Tetrandrae, Four-stamen Stephania Root, or Fáng Jǐ.
Botanical Source: Classical herbal works define Radix Stephaniae Tetrandrae (Four-stamen Stephania Root) as the dried root of (1) Stephania tetrandra S. Moore. It belongs to the genus Stephania Lour., family Menispermaceae (moonseed family), order Ranunculales. This commonly used species is described below:
(1) Stephania tetrandra S. Moore.
Botanical Description:Stephania tetrandra S. Moore is commonly known as Fěn Fáng Jǐ, Jīn Qián Diào Hú Lu, Jīn Qián Diào Há Ma, or Shān Wū Guī. It is a perennial deciduous vine, growing 1–3 meters tall. The tuberous roots are usually cylindrical and succulent, growing deeply underground, 3–15 cm long and 1–5 cm in diameter; the root bark is pale brown or tan (chocolate brown) and bears transverse striations. The stems are slender and longitudinally striped. Leaves are alternate; petioles are 5–6 cm long, scutiform (shield-shaped), and centrally inserted; leaf blades are triangular broad-ovate or broadly triangular, 4–6 cm long and 5–6 cm wide, with a blunt apex bearing small mucronate tips, a truncate or slightly cordate base, and an entire margin. The upper surface is green; the lower surface is celadon (sage green) or gypseous, both surfaces are pubescent—with denser indumentum on the lower surface—and with five palmate veins.
Flowers are small, unisexual, and dioecious. Male plants bear cymose, racemose inflorescences. Male flowers have four sepals (occasionally five), arranged in a whorl, green and spatulate, ~1 mm long and ~0.5 mm wide, with a cuneate base; four green, obovate petals, ~0.9 mm long and ~0.7 mm wide, fleshy, with slightly recurved (involute) margins—sometimes bearing short claws; and four stamens with connate filaments forming a prismatic column, the upper part is discoid, with anthers attached to it. Female plants bear shortened, pseudocephalic, racemose cymes. Female flowers have four sepals arranged in a whorl and four petals; the ovary is elliptic (~1 mm long), with three mamillary styles.
Drupe fruits are globose at maturity, red, and 5–6 mm in diameter. The endocarp is 4–5 mm long or wide, bearing four longitudinal sculptural ridges on the dorsal surface; the two median ridges are prominent, cockscomb-like, each bearing 15–17 granular projections; the placental trace is imperforate. Flowering occurs from May to June; fruiting occurs from July to September.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows on hillsides and mountain slopes, in forest undergrowth, shrublands, village margins, wastelands, and along roadsides.
Growth Characteristics:Stephania tetrandra prefers warm, moist conditions and is intolerant of drought and waterlogging. Cultivation is best conducted in deep, fertile, well-drained sandy loam or loam soils. On hillsides, mountain slopes, or forest edges, limestone-rich soils are preferred.
Characteristics of the Herb: The tuberous roots of Stephania tetrandra are cylindrical, semi-cylindrical and lumpy, or flaky and nodular, often curved into tubercle-like shapes, with constricted transverse grooves at the bends—resembling nodules—measuring 3–15 cm in length and 2–5 cm in diameter. Unscraped roots have a taupe-brown (grayish-brown) surface with fine wrinkles and conspicuous, transversely protuberant lenticels; scraped roots exhibit a ravous (pale sallow or pale grayish-yellow) surface. The herb is heavy; its texture is firm and solid; the fracture surface is flat, ash-gray (grayish-white) to yellowish-white, mealy (powdery), with sparsely arranged radial lines; the vertical section reveals vessel-like, curly vascular bundles. It has a slight odor and a bitter taste.
Medicinal Efficacy: Alleviates water retention and edema (reduces swelling), dispels wind and relieves pain, clears heat and dampness from the lower jiao. It is indicated for edema and beriberi, damp-heat beriberi, swelling and pain associated with beriberi, spasmodic pain in the hands and feet, dysuria (difficulty in urination), eczema, sores, toxic swellings, scabies, rheumatic pain, and hypertension, etc.
Administration of Radix Stephaniae Tetrandrae (Fánɡ Jǐ):
Reference:
Administration Guide for Radix Stephaniae Tetrandrae (Fánɡ Jǐ)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 4.5–9 grams; (2) Internally: water decoction, 1.5–3 qian (approximately 4.5–9 grams), or prepared as pills or powder; (3) Internally: water decoction, 6–10 grams, or prepared as pills or powder.
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1.Introduction of Fang Ji: Fourstamen Stephania Root
✵The article records the herb Fourstamen Stephania Root, including its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavors, and botanical source—namely, (1) Stephania tetrandra S. Moore—with detailed descriptions of the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species; the morphological characteristics of the herb Fourstamen Stephania Root; its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Fáng Jǐ
Botanical Description: Stephania tetrandra S. Moore is commonly known as Fěn Fáng Jǐ, Jīn Qián Diào Hú Lu, Jīn Qián Diào Há Ma, or Shān Wū Guī. It is a perennial deciduous vine, growing 1–3 meters tall. The tuberous roots are usually cylindrical and succulent, growing deeply underground, 3–15 cm long and 1–5 cm in diameter; the root bark is pale brown or tan (chocolate brown) and bears transverse striations. The stems are slender and longitudinally striped. Leaves are alternate; petioles are 5–6 cm long, scutiform (shield-shaped), and centrally inserted; leaf blades are triangular broad-ovate or broadly triangular, 4–6 cm long and 5–6 cm wide, with a blunt apex bearing small mucronate tips, a truncate or slightly cordate base, and an entire margin. The upper surface is green; the lower surface is celadon (sage green) or gypseous, both surfaces are pubescent—with denser indumentum on the lower surface—and with five palmate veins.
Drupe fruits are globose at maturity, red, and 5–6 mm in diameter. The endocarp is 4–5 mm long or wide, bearing four longitudinal sculptural ridges on the dorsal surface; the two median ridges are prominent, cockscomb-like, each bearing 15–17 granular projections; the placental trace is imperforate. Flowering occurs from May to June; fruiting occurs from July to September.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows on hillsides and mountain slopes, in forest undergrowth, shrublands, village margins, wastelands, and along roadsides.
Characteristics of the Herb: The tuberous roots of Stephania tetrandra are cylindrical, semi-cylindrical and lumpy, or flaky and nodular, often curved into tubercle-like shapes, with constricted transverse grooves at the bends—resembling nodules—measuring 3–15 cm in length and 2–5 cm in diameter. Unscraped roots have a taupe-brown (grayish-brown) surface with fine wrinkles and conspicuous, transversely protuberant lenticels; scraped roots exhibit a ravous (pale sallow or pale grayish-yellow) surface. The herb is heavy; its texture is firm and solid; the fracture surface is flat, ash-gray (grayish-white) to yellowish-white, mealy (powdery), with sparsely arranged radial lines; the vertical section reveals vessel-like, curly vascular bundles. It has a slight odor and a bitter taste.
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