Introduction of Jinɡ Jie: Fineleaf Schizonepeta Herb
✵The article records the herb Fineleaf Schizonepeta Herb, Fineleaf Schizonepeta Spike, and Carbonized Fineleaf Schizonepeta—including their English names, Latin names, Pinyin names, properties and flavors, and botanical sources: two plant species—(1) Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briq. and (2) Schizonepeta multifida (L.) Briq. It provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environments of these two species; the characteristics of the herb Fineleaf Schizonepeta Herb; its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Herba Schizonepetae (Fineleaf Schizonepeta Herb)
Pinyin Name: Jīnɡ Jiè
English Name: Fineleaf Schizonepeta Herb
Latin Name: Herba Schizonepetae
Property and Flavors: slightly warm, pungent, slightly bitter
Brief Introduction: Herba Schizonepetae is the dried aerial part of Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briq. It is used (1) to release the exterior and dispel wind in wind-cold syndromes, (2) to promote eruption in measles, and (3) to dispel wind in urticaria. It is commonly known as Herba Schizonepetae, Fineleaf Schizonepeta Herb, or Jīnɡ Jiè.
Botanical Source: Herba Schizonepetae (Fineleaf Schizonepeta Herb) is the dried aerial part of Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briq. It is also referred to as Fineleaf Schizonepeta Herb or Herb of Fineleaf Schizonepeta.
Herbal classic texts define Herba Schizonepetae as the dried aerial part of (1) Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briq. Other authoritative herbal classics define it as the dried aerial part of species within the same family: (1) Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briq. and (2) Schizonepaeta multifida (L.) Briq. These are plant species of the genus Schizonepeta (not Nepeta Linn.), family Lamiaceae (formerly Labiatae), order Lamiales. The two commonly used species are described below:
(1) Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briq.
Botanical Description: The plant is also known as Nepeta tenuifolia Bent. or Liè Yè Jīnɡ Jiè. It is an annual herb growing up to 60–100 cm tall, with a strong fragrant aroma. The stem is erect and quadrangular (prismatic), many branched in the upper part, and purplish-brown at the base. The whole plant is covered with grayish-white pubescence. Leaves are opposite: basal and lower stem leaves are sessile or subsessile, pinnately divided into 5 lobes; middle and upper stem leaves are sessile, pinnately divided into 3–5 lobes, 1–3.5 cm long and 1.5–2.5 cm wide; the apex is acute or lanceolate (willow-leaf shaped); the base is cuneate and attenuate, decurrent onto the petiole; lobes are lanceolate and entire; the upper surface is dark green; the lower surface is sage green (celadon or grayish-green); both surfaces are glabrous; veins are prominent and closely spaced near the margin; each lobe bears a glandular point.
Verticillasters are dense, many-flowered whorls borne terminally on branches, forming spikes 3–13 cm long; bracts are foliaceous (foliate, leaflike), 4–17 mm long; bractlets are linear and smaller; flowers are small; the calyx is funnelform-obconical, ~3 mm long and ~1.2 mm in diameter, covered with grayish pilose hairs and yellow-green glandular points, the apex is 5-split, lobes are ovate-triangular; the corolla is light reddish-violet, bilabiate, ~4 mm long; the upper lip is 2-lobed at the apex; the lower lip is 3-lobed, with the middle lobe largest; there are 4 didynamous stamens; the ovary is deeply 4-lobed; the style arises from the base of the ovary; the stigma is 2-lobed. Four nutlets are oblong-triangular, ~1.5 mm long and ~0.7 mm in diameter, chocolate brown, with smooth surfaces. Flowering occurs from July to September; fruiting occurs from September to November.
Ecological Environment: This species grows on hillsides, roadsides, valley bottoms, and along forest margins, at altitudes ranging from 540 to 2,700 meters above sea level.
Growth Characteristics: The plant prefers a warm and humid climate. Seedlings can tolerate temperatures near 0 °C (32 °F), but frost damage occurs below −2 °C (28.4 °F). It requires ample sunlight, is drought-sensitive, and intolerant of waterlogging. Cultivation is best carried out in loose, fertile, well-drained soils—such as sandy loam, oil-rich sandy soil, or sandy soil. Continuous cropping should be avoided.
Characteristics of the Herb: The stem is quadrangular, branched in the upper part, 50–80 cm long and 0.2–0.4 cm in diameter. The surface is yellowish-green or purplish-brown, covered with white pubescence. The herb is light and brittle; the fracture surface is fibrous and yellowish-white, with a white, spongy pith centrally located. Leaves are opposite and mostly detached; they are 3–5-pinnately divided, with slender, elongated lobes. Verticillaster spikes are terminal, 3–13 cm long and ~0.7 cm in diameter.The corolla is deciduous; the persistent calyx is campanulate (bell-shaped), yellow-green, fragile, and easily broken, enclosing brownish-black nutlets. The herb has an aromatic odor and and a slightly puckery, pungent and cool taste.
Pharmacological actions: (1) Antipyretic and analgesic effects; (2) Antiviral effect: antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Corynebacterium diphtheriae in vitro; inhibitory activity against Bacillus anthracis, Streptococcus pyogenes (Group B streptococcus), Salmonella typhi (Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi, S.Typhi), Shigella dysenteriae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis; (3) Hemostatic effect; (4) Anticancer effect.
Medicinal efficacy: Dispersing wind, relieving exterior syndrome, promoting eruption, and stopping bleeding. Indicated for wind-cold exterior syndrome with fever, headache, ocular itching (itching of the eye), cough, sore and swollen throat, measles, carbuncles, scabies, epistaxis, hematemesis, hematochezia, metrorrhagia and metrostaxis (uterine bleeding), and postpartum anemic syncope, etc.
Administration of Herba Schizonepetae (Jīnɡ Jiè):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Herba Schizonepetae (Jīnɡ Jiè)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 4.5–9 grams; (2) 1.5–3 qian (approximately 4.5–9 grams), administered as a water decoction; or prepared as a finely ground herb powder and made into pills or powders. Externally: apply an appropriate amount—either mashed fresh herb applied topically, finely ground herb powder applied topically, or washed with a water decoction; (3) Water decoction: 3–10 grams, or prepared as pills or powders. Externally: fumigation and wash with water decoction, crushed herb applied topically, or finely ground herb powder applied topically.
(2) Schizonepaeta multifida (L.) Briq.
Botanical description: The plant is also known as Nepeta multifida L. or Duo Lie Ye Jing Jie. It is a perennial herb growing up to 40–50 cm tall. The basal part of the stem is lignified, and the upper part is prismatic and covered with white pilose. Leaves are opposite; petioles are about 1.5 cm long; leaf blades are pinnately parted or divided, sometimes lobed to entire; lobes are oval (egg-shaped) or ovate-lanceolate, entire or sparsely serrated, 2–3.4 cm long and 1.5–2 cm wide; the apex is acute, the base is truncate to cordate; the upper surface is dark green and slightly pubescent, the lower surface is whitish-yellow and covered with short white bristles; veins and margins bear cilia and glandular points.
Many verticillasters form a terminal spike, 6–12 cm long. Bracts are foliaceous (leaf-like), partite or entire, oval (egg-shaped), about 1 cm long; bractlets are ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, purplish, slightly longer than or equal in length to the flowers; the calyx is purplish, about 5 mm long, with 15 veins, sparsely pubescent externally, the apex is 5-dentate, triangular; the corolla is bilabiate, bluish-violet (royal purple), turning light yellow upon drying, 8 mm long, pubescent; the upper lip is 2-lobed, the lower lip is 3-lobed, with the middle lobe largest; there are 4 stamens; anthers are mauve (lilac); the style is slender and elongated; the stigma is 2-lobed. There are 4 nutlets—flat-oblong, with the ventral surface slightly ribbed—about 1.6 mm long and 0.6 mm wide, brown in color. Flowering occurs from July to September; fruiting begins after September.
Ecological environment: The plant grows on the edges of pine forests, hillside grasslands, or moist grasslands, at altitudes of 1,300–2,000 meters above sea level.
Characteristics of the Herb: The herb of Schizonepaeta multifida consists of stems and branches; the surface is purplish-red and pubescent; it is light and brittle, easily broken, with a fibrous fracture surface. Leaf lobes are broader, ovate or ovate-lanceolate. Verticillasters are continuous and rarely interrupted; calyx teeth are acute. The herb has a fragrant aroma; the taste is slightly astringent yet spicy and cooling.
Spica Schizonepetae (Fineleaf Schizonepeta Spike)
Pinyin Name: Jīnɡ Jiè Suì
English Name: Fineleaf Schizonepeta Spike
Latin Name: Spica Schizonepetae
Property and Flavors: slightly warm, pungent, bitter
Brief introduction: Spica Schizonepetae is the flowering spike of Schizonepeta; it is used similarly to Herba Schizonepetae but exhibits stronger dispersing and wind-releasing actions.
Pinyin Name: Jīnɡ Jiè Tàn
English Name: Carbonized Fineleaf Schizonepeta
Latin Name: Herba Schizonepetae Carbonisata
Property and Flavors: slightly warm, pungent, slightly bitter
Brief introduction: Herba Schizonepetae Carbonisata is the carbonized processed herb; it is used primarily as a hemostatic agent for functional uterine bleeding and hematochezia.
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1. Introduction of Jinɡ Jie: Fineleaf Schizonepeta Herb
✵The article records the herb Fineleaf Schizonepeta Herb, Fineleaf Schizonepeta Spike, and Carbonized Fineleaf Schizonepeta—including their English names, Latin names, Pinyin names, properties and flavors, and botanical sources: two plant species—(1) Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briq. and (2) Schizonepeta multifida (L.) Briq. It provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features, growth characteristics, and ecological environments of these two species; the characteristics of the herb Fineleaf Schizonepeta Herb; its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Jīnɡ Jiè
Botanical Description: The plant is also known as Nepeta tenuifolia Bent. or Liè Yè Jīnɡ Jiè. It is an annual herb growing up to 60–100 cm tall, with a strong fragrant aroma. The stem is erect and quadrangular (prismatic), many branched in the upper part, and purplish-brown at the base. The whole plant is covered with grayish-white pubescence. Leaves are opposite: basal and lower stem leaves are sessile or subsessile, pinnately divided into 5 lobes; middle and upper stem leaves are sessile, pinnately divided into 3–5 lobes, 1–3.5 cm long and 1.5–2.5 cm wide; the apex is acute or lanceolate (willow-leaf shaped); the base is cuneate and attenuate, decurrent onto the petiole; lobes are lanceolate and entire; the upper surface is dark green; the lower surface is sage green (celadon or grayish-green); both surfaces are glabrous; veins are prominent and closely spaced near the margin; each lobe bears a glandular point.
Ecological Environment: This species grows on hillsides, roadsides, valley bottoms, and along forest margins, at altitudes ranging from 540 to 2,700 meters above sea level.
Botanical description: The plant is also known as Nepeta multifida L. or Duo Lie Ye Jing Jie. It is a perennial herb growing up to 40–50 cm tall. The basal part of the stem is lignified, and the upper part is prismatic and covered with white pilose. Leaves are opposite; petioles are about 1.5 cm long; leaf blades are pinnately parted or divided, sometimes lobed to entire; lobes are oval (egg-shaped) or ovate-lanceolate, entire or sparsely serrated, 2–3.4 cm long and 1.5–2 cm wide; the apex is acute, the base is truncate to cordate; the upper surface is dark green and slightly pubescent, the lower surface is whitish-yellow and covered with short white bristles; veins and margins bear cilia and glandular points.
Ecological environment: The plant grows on the edges of pine forests, hillside grasslands, or moist grasslands, at altitudes of 1,300–2,000 meters above sea level.
Pinyin Name: Jīnɡ Jiè Suì
Pinyin Name: Jīnɡ Jiè Tàn
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