Introduction of Huo Xiang:Agastache, Wrinkles Gianthyssop Herb or Herba Agastachis.
✵The article gives records of the herb Agastache, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source two plant species, ①.Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth., ②.Agastache rugosa (Fisch.et Mey.) O.Kuntze., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of the second plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of the second plant species, the features of the herb Agastache, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Herba Agastachis(Agastache).
Pin Yin Name: Huò Xiānɡ.
English Name: Agastache, Wrinkles Gianthyssop Herb.
Latin Name: Herba Agastaches.
Property and flavor: slightly warm, pungent.
Brief introduction: The herb Herba Agastachis is the dried aerial part of Agastache rugosa (Fisch.et Mey.) O.Kuntze., used in a similar way to cablin patchouli. The herb is commonly known as Herba Agastachis, Agastache, Cablin Potchouli Herb, Wrinkled Gianthyssop Herb, or Huò Xiānɡ.
Botanical source: Herbal classic book defined the herb Herba Agastachis(Agastache) as the dried aerial part of (1). Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth., or (2). Agastache rugosa (Fisch.et Mey.) O.Kuntze. The Agastache rugosus is a plant of the Agastache Genus, the Lamiaceae family (Labiatae, mint family), Lamiales order. This commonly used species is introduced:
(2).Agastache rugosa (Fisch.et Mey.) O.Kuntze.
Botanical description: Agastache rugosa (Fisch.et Mey.) O.Kuntze is commonly known as Huò Xiānɡ. Annual or perennial herbs, the plant grows up to 40~110 cm tall. Stem is upright, prismatic, slightly reddish, sparsely puberulent (puberulose) and glandular. Leaves are opposite; petioles are 1~4 cm long; leaf blades are elliptic-ovate or oval (egg-shaped), 2~8 cm long, 1~5 cm wide, the apex is sharp pointed or shortly acuminate, the base is rotundate (circular) or slightly cordate, the margin is irregularly crenature, teeth are rounded; the upper surface is glabrous or glabrate, scattered with transparent glandular dots, the undersurface is pubescent.
Inflorescences grow in a cluster and form apical racemes; flower bracts are large, strip (strip-shaped) or lanceolate, puberulent; calyx is 5-lobed, lobes are triangular, with longitudinal veins and glandular dots; corolla is labiate, purple or white, about 8 mm long, the upper lip is quadrate or oval (egg-shaped), the apex is emarginate (slightly concave), the lower lip is 3-lobed, lobes are short on both sides, middle lobes are fan (fan-shaped), margin is undulated and serrulate; the corolla outside is covered with fine pilose; 4 stamens, didynamous, stretching outside corolla tube; the ovary is deeply 4-parted, style insert at the bottom center of the ovary, stretch out of the flower, stigma is 2-lobed.
Nutlets are obovate-trigonous. Its flowering period is from June to July, and the fruiting period is from October to November.
Ecological environment: The plant grows on hillsides, mountain slopes, or roadsides; it is mostly cultivated. It is distributed in the northern, eastern, northwest, and southwest areas, and the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, the Zhujiang River area and other areas of China.
Growth characteristics: The plant Agastache rugosa prefers a warm and moist climate, is slightly resistant to coldness, and can pass winter in the field in the temperate zone. It fears drought. The plant can be cultivated in general soil, but sandy loam with good water drainage is better.
Characters of herbs: The aerial part of the herb (over ground part) is 30~90 cm long, which is often folded in half or cut off and tied into bundles. The stem is square column-shaped, many-branched, its diameter is 0.2~1 cm, ridged at four corners, the four sides are flat or recessed to a wide groove; the surface is dark green (sap green), with longitudinal wrinkles and rarely has trichomes; nodes are conspicuous, often have scars where petioles fall off, and the internodes are 3~10 cm long; old stems are firm and hard, crisp, easily broken, the fracture surface is white, and the pith part is hollow. Leaves are opposite; the leaf blades are dark green, and mostly wizzled or broken. After flattening, the intact leaves are oval (egg-shaped), 2~8 cm long, and 1~6 cm wide, the apex is pointed or short acuminate, the leaf base is round or cordate, the edges are crenature, the upper surface is dark green, the undersurface is pale green, and both surfaces slightly have fuzz. The stems sometimes have spicate verticillaster on the top, which is russet (earthy brown). The herb has an aromatic fragrance, and it tastes mild and slightly cool. The herb of a better grade has green stems and branches, foliose (many leaves), and a strong fragrance.
Pharmacological actions: ①.inhibit the growth of staphylococcus aureus, staphylococcus alba, and Bacillus subtilis; ②.strong inhibitory effect on the common pathogenic dermatomycetes; ③.mildew-resistant; ④.antagonistic calcium ions; ⑤.aid digestion, etc.
Medicinal efficacy: Regulating the middle energizer, dispel dirty, eliminating dampness, drive away summer heat, relieving exterior syndrome, reduce dampness and harmonize the stomach. It is indicated for the treatment of cold, summer-heat and damp, summer cold, cephalalgia (headache), chest and epigastric distension puffiness, vomiting and diarrhea, vomitus gravidarum (pregnancy vomiting), malaria, dysentery, nasosinusitis (acute and chronic sinusitis), halitosis (bad breath), tinea of hand and foot.
Administration of Herba Agastaches (Huò Xiānɡ):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Herba Agastaches (Huò Xiānɡ)
TCM Books:
①.Internally:water decoction, 1.5~3 qian (about 4.5~9 grams), or prepare to pill,powder.Externally:mouthwash with water,or charred the herb with its property retained,prepare to finely ground herb powder and apply stick; ②.Internally:water decoction, 6~10 grams, or prepared to pill, powder.Externally:proper amount,wash with water decoction,or prepare to finely ground herb powder and smear.
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1.Introduction of Huo Xiang:Agastache, Wrinkles Gianthyssop Herb or Herba Agastachis.
✵The article gives records of the herb Agastache, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source two plant species, ①.Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth., ②.Agastache rugosa (Fisch.et Mey.) O.Kuntze., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of the second plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of the second plant species, the features of the herb Agastache, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Pin Yin Name: Huò Xiānɡ.
Botanical description: Agastache rugosa (Fisch.et Mey.) O.Kuntze is commonly known as Huò Xiānɡ. Annual or perennial herbs, the plant grows up to 40~110 cm tall. Stem is upright, prismatic, slightly reddish, sparsely puberulent (puberulose) and glandular. Leaves are opposite; petioles are 1~4 cm long; leaf blades are elliptic-ovate or oval (egg-shaped), 2~8 cm long, 1~5 cm wide, the apex is sharp pointed or shortly acuminate, the base is rotundate (circular) or slightly cordate, the margin is irregularly crenature, teeth are rounded; the upper surface is glabrous or glabrate, scattered with transparent glandular dots, the undersurface is pubescent.
Inflorescences grow in a cluster and form apical racemes; flower bracts are large, strip (strip-shaped) or lanceolate, puberulent; calyx is 5-lobed, lobes are triangular, with longitudinal veins and glandular dots; corolla is labiate, purple or white, about 8 mm long, the upper lip is quadrate or oval (egg-shaped), the apex is emarginate (slightly concave), the lower lip is 3-lobed, lobes are short on both sides, middle lobes are fan (fan-shaped), margin is undulated and serrulate; the corolla outside is covered with fine pilose; 4 stamens, didynamous, stretching outside corolla tube; the ovary is deeply 4-parted, style insert at the bottom center of the ovary, stretch out of the flower, stigma is 2-lobed.
Ecological environment: The plant grows on hillsides, mountain slopes, or roadsides; it is mostly cultivated. It is distributed in the northern, eastern, northwest, and southwest areas, and the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, the Zhujiang River area and other areas of China.
Characters of herbs: The aerial part of the herb (over ground part) is 30~90 cm long, which is often folded in half or cut off and tied into bundles. The stem is square column-shaped, many-branched, its diameter is 0.2~1 cm, ridged at four corners, the four sides are flat or recessed to a wide groove; the surface is dark green (sap green), with longitudinal wrinkles and rarely has trichomes; nodes are conspicuous, often have scars where petioles fall off, and the internodes are 3~10 cm long; old stems are firm and hard, crisp, easily broken, the fracture surface is white, and the pith part is hollow. Leaves are opposite; the leaf blades are dark green, and mostly wizzled or broken. After flattening, the intact leaves are oval (egg-shaped), 2~8 cm long, and 1~6 cm wide, the apex is pointed or short acuminate, the leaf base is round or cordate, the edges are crenature, the upper surface is dark green, the undersurface is pale green, and both surfaces slightly have fuzz. The stems sometimes have spicate verticillaster on the top, which is russet (earthy brown). The herb has an aromatic fragrance, and it tastes mild and slightly cool. The herb of a better grade has green stems and branches, foliose (many leaves), and a strong fragrance.
Pharmacological actions: ①.inhibit the growth of staphylococcus aureus, staphylococcus alba, and Bacillus subtilis; ②.strong inhibitory effect on the common pathogenic dermatomycetes; ③.mildew-resistant; ④.antagonistic calcium ions; ⑤.aid digestion, etc.
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