Introduction of Guang Huo Xiang:Cablin Patchouli Herb or Herba Pogostemonis.
✵The article gives records of the herb Cablin Patchouli Herb, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth., 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 Cablin Patchouli Herb, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Herba Pogostemonis(Cablin Patchouli Herb).
Pin Yin Name: Guǎnɡ Huò Xiānɡ.
English Name: Cablin Patchouli Herb.
Latin Name: Herba Pogostemonis.
Property and flavor: slightly warm, pungent.
Brief introduction: The herb Herba Pogostemonis is the dried aerial part of Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth., used to resolve damp for treating nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, especially in cases of summer afflictions. The herb is commonly known as Herba Pogostemosis, Guǎnɡ Huò Xiānɡ.
Botanical source: Herbal classic book defined the herb Herba Pogostemonis (Cablin Patchouli Herb) as the dried aerial part of (1).Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth. It is a plant of the Pogostemon genus, the Lamiaceae family (Labiatae, mint family), Tubiflorae order. This commonly used species is introduced:
(1).Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth.
Botanical description: Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth is commonly known as Mentha cablin Blanco or Guǎnɡ Huò Xiānɡ, Xiānɡ Zhī. An annual aromatic herb or subshrub, the plant grows up to 30~60 cm high. The stem is upright, the branches are tomentose, and the surface of old stems is suberized. Leaves are opposite; petioles are 2~4 cm long, tomentose, it has a light special fragrance when it is kneaded; leaf blades are oval (egg-shaped) or oblong oval, 5~10 cm long, 4~7.5 cm wide, the apex is mucronate or obtuse, the base is broad and blunt, or cuneate and slightly asymmetrical, the margin is irregular coarsely crenate, both surfaces are covered with trichomes, denser on the undersurface, leaf veins are raised on the undersurface, slight concave on the upper surface, some leaf veins are prunus (violet red); mesophyll (leaf pulp) is slightly protuberant on the upper surface, thus leaf surface is not flat.
Verticillasters are dense, sometimes the base is disconnected, compose apical and axillary spike, 2~6 cm long, 1~1.5 cm in diameter, has peduncles; flower bracts are about 13 mm long; the calyx is terete (tube-shape); corolla tube stretch outside the calyx, limbus is nearly bilabiate, the upper lip is 3-lobed, the lower lip is entire; 4 stamens stretch outside, filaments are covered with beard hairs. Its flowering period is in April.
Ecological environment: The plant grows on hillsides, mountain slopes, or roadsides. The plant prefers a high-temperature, wet, sunny environment. The plant grows slowly when the temperature is below 17 °C (Celsius, or 62.6 degrees Fahrenheit), but it can withstand a short period of low temperature at 0 °C (Celsius, or 32 degrees Fahrenheit) . It is not tolerant of dryness, and it should also avoid waterlogging. It is suitable to grow in loose, fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic sandy loam. The plant was native to tropical Asia, and it is distributed in Sri Lanka and some other regions of Southeast Asia. In China, it is distributed in the Zhujiang River area, Hainan, and Taiwan.
Growth characteristics: The plant Pogostemon cablin prefers a high temperature and humid climate and is most suitable for growth in an area with an average annual temperature of 24~25 °C (Celsius, or 75.2~77 degrees Fahrenheit). When the temperature is below 17 °C (Celsius, or 62.6 degrees Fahrenheit), the plant grows slowly. The plant can withstand a short, low temperature of 0 °C (Celsius, or 32 degrees Fahrenheit). Rainfall should be abundant and evenly distributed, requiring annual rainfall of 1,600~2,400 mm. The plant is fond of the sunshine, but must be shaded moderately at the seedling stage and the initial stage of planting. After a certain number of new roots and leaves grow, the shading is removed. Branches and leaves break easily in a typhoon. It is appropriate to choose a field with loose, fertile, well-drained, and slightly acidic sandy loam soil for cultivation.
Characters of herbs: The whole plant is 30~60 cm long, many-branched, and branches are slightly curved. The stem is blunt and square, about 2~7 mm in diameter, and the internode length is 3~13 cm. The cortex is taupe (dust color, grayish brown), sallow (grayish yellow), or reddish-brown; the texture of the herb is crisp, easily broken, and has pith in the center of the fracture surface; the old basal stem is cylindrical-like. 1~1.2 cm in diameter, has brown cork bark. The leaves are opposite, shriveled and agglomerate to a lump, and after flattening, the leaf blades are oval (egg-shaped) or elliptic, 4~9 cm long, and 3~7 cm wide; both surfaces are covered with ash gray (grayish white) fuzz; the apex is mucronate or blunt, the base is cuneate or obtuse, and the edge has blunt teeth of irregular size; petioles are 2~4 cm long, pubescent. The herb has a special fragrance and a slightly bitter taste. The herb of a better grade has many leaves and a strong fragrance.
Pharmacological actions: ①.bacteriostatic effect. Patchoulenone in vitro has an obvious inhibitory effect on fungi such as Leucidium albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans and Rhizopus nigricans, and also has a certain inhibitory effect on bacteria such as alpha-hemolytic streptococcus. The fresh juice of Pogostemon cablin leaves also has a certain inhibitory effect on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus alba, and Bacillus subtilis. Its fresh juice ear drops can treat acute experimental guinea pig external otitis caused by staphylococcus aureus. Patchoulenone can inhibit the growth of penicillium and other molds and can be used in oral liquid anticorrosive. ②.Calcium antagonism.
Medicinal efficacy: Aromatics and eliminating turbidness, aromatic and eliminate dampness, appetizing and preventing vomiting, relieving exterior syndrome and relieving summer-heat. It is indicated for turbid dampness obstructing in the middle-energizer, vomiting of epigulosis, loss of appetite, heat dampness and tiredness, chest tightness and uncomfortable, chest tightness and nausea, cold dampness and heat stroke, abdominal pain and diarrhea, vomiting, diarrhea, nasosinusitis (acute and chronic sinusitis), headache, cold and heat headache caused by exogenous heat dampness, fever and drowsiness at the onset of damp-warm syndrome, tinea of hand and foot, etc.
Administration of Herba Pogostemonis (Guǎnɡ Huò Xiānɡ):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Herba Pogostemonis (Guǎnɡ Huò Xiānɡ)
TCM Books:
①.Internally:3~9 grams; ②.Internally:water decoction, 5~10 grams, double dosage for fresh herb, better not decoct for long time, or prepared to pill, powder. Externally:proper amount, mouthwash with water decoction, or soaking the affected area, or prepare to finely ground herb powder and apply stick.
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1.Introduction of Guang Huo Xiang:Cablin Patchouli Herb or Herba Pogostemonis.
✵The article gives records of the herb Cablin Patchouli Herb, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth., 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 Cablin Patchouli Herb, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Pin Yin Name: Guǎnɡ Huò Xiānɡ.
Botanical description: Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth is commonly known as Mentha cablin Blanco or Guǎnɡ Huò Xiānɡ, Xiānɡ Zhī. An annual aromatic herb or subshrub, the plant grows up to 30~60 cm high. The stem is upright, the branches are tomentose, and the surface of old stems is suberized. Leaves are opposite; petioles are 2~4 cm long, tomentose, it has a light special fragrance when it is kneaded; leaf blades are oval (egg-shaped) or oblong oval, 5~10 cm long, 4~7.5 cm wide, the apex is mucronate or obtuse, the base is broad and blunt, or cuneate and slightly asymmetrical, the margin is irregular coarsely crenate, both surfaces are covered with trichomes, denser on the undersurface, leaf veins are raised on the undersurface, slight concave on the upper surface, some leaf veins are prunus (violet red); mesophyll (leaf pulp) is slightly protuberant on the upper surface, thus leaf surface is not flat.
Verticillasters are dense, sometimes the base is disconnected, compose apical and axillary spike, 2~6 cm long, 1~1.5 cm in diameter, has peduncles; flower bracts are about 13 mm long; the calyx is terete (tube-shape); corolla tube stretch outside the calyx, limbus is nearly bilabiate, the upper lip is 3-lobed, the lower lip is entire; 4 stamens stretch outside, filaments are covered with beard hairs. Its flowering period is in April.
Ecological environment: The plant grows on hillsides, mountain slopes, or roadsides. The plant prefers a high-temperature, wet, sunny environment. The plant grows slowly when the temperature is below 17 °C (Celsius, or 62.6 degrees Fahrenheit), but it can withstand a short period of low temperature at 0 °C (Celsius, or 32 degrees Fahrenheit) . It is not tolerant of dryness, and it should also avoid waterlogging. It is suitable to grow in loose, fertile, well-drained, slightly acidic sandy loam. The plant was native to tropical Asia, and it is distributed in Sri Lanka and some other regions of Southeast Asia. In China, it is distributed in the Zhujiang River area, Hainan, and Taiwan.
Characters of herbs: The whole plant is 30~60 cm long, many-branched, and branches are slightly curved. The stem is blunt and square, about 2~7 mm in diameter, and the internode length is 3~13 cm. The cortex is taupe (dust color, grayish brown), sallow (grayish yellow), or reddish-brown; the texture of the herb is crisp, easily broken, and has pith in the center of the fracture surface; the old basal stem is cylindrical-like. 1~1.2 cm in diameter, has brown cork bark. The leaves are opposite, shriveled and agglomerate to a lump, and after flattening, the leaf blades are oval (egg-shaped) or elliptic, 4~9 cm long, and 3~7 cm wide; both surfaces are covered with ash gray (grayish white) fuzz; the apex is mucronate or blunt, the base is cuneate or obtuse, and the edge has blunt teeth of irregular size; petioles are 2~4 cm long, pubescent. The herb has a special fragrance and a slightly bitter taste. The herb of a better grade has many leaves and a strong fragrance.
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