Introduction of Gao Ben:Rhizoma Ligustici or Chinese Lovage.

TCM Herbalism:Medicinals and Classifications. ✵The article gives records of the herb Chinese Lovage, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source 2 plant species, ①.Ligusticum sinense Oliv., ②.Ligusticum jeholense (Nakai et Kitag.) Nakai et Kitag., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of these two plants, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of these two plants, the features of the herb Chinese Lovage, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.

Rhizoma Ligustici(Chinese Lovage).

flowering plants of Ligustrum sinense Oliver Pin Yin Name: Gǎo Běn.
 English Name: Chinese Lovage,or Chinese Ligusticum Rhizome.
 Latin Name: Rhizoma Ligustici.
 Property and flavor: warm, pungent.

 Brief introduction: The herb Rhizoma Ligustici is the dried rhizome and root of Ligustrum sinense Oliver, or Ligusticum jeholense (Nakai et Kitag.) Nakai et Kitag., used to relieve pain in the vertex of the head in cases of wind-cold affliction, and rheumatic arthralgia. The herb is commonly known as Rhizoma Ligustici, Chinese Lovage, Gǎo Běn.

 Botanical source: The herb Rhizoma Ligustici (Chinese Lovage) is the dried rhizome and root of the Ligusticum sinense Oliv., or Ligusticum jeholense (Nakai et Kitag.) Nakai et Kitag., it is a plant of the Ligusticum L. Genus, the Apiaceae family (Umbelliferae, parsley family) of the Apiales (Umbellales) order. It is also known as Ligusticum sinense Oliv., Chinese Ligusticum, Jehol Ligusticum, Chinese Ligusticum Rhizome, Jehol Ligusticum Rhizome.

 Herbal classic book defined the herb Rhizoma Ligustici (Chinese Lovage) as the dried herb of (1). Ligusticum sinense Oliv., (2). Ligusticum jeholense (Nakai et Kitag.) Nakai et Kitag. These 2 commonly used species are introduced:

(1).Ligusticum sinense Oliv.


 flowering plants of Ligusticum sinense Oliv.:with white flowers Botanical description: The plant is also known as Gao Ben. A perennial herb, the plant grows up to 1 meter. The rhizome is well-developed with swollen nodules. The stem is upright, cylindrical, and hollow, has vertical straight grooves. Basal leaves have a long petiole (stalk), the stalk is up to 20 cm long; leaf blade outline is broadly triangular, 10~15 cm long, 15~18 cm wide, biternate pinnatisect, pinnae leaflets outline is oblong-ovate, 6~10 cm long, 5~7 cm wide, lower pinnule is petiolate, the petiole is 3~5 cm long, the base is slightly enlarged. Terminal lobes are oval, about 3 cm long, and about 2 cm wide, the apex is taper-pointed, the margin is dentate lobed, has a small pointed end, both surfaces are glabrous, pubescent only on veins, the terminal pinnule is tapering at the front end to caudate; the middle part of the stem has larger leaves; leaves on the upper stem are subsessile, the base is swollen to amplexicaular (stem-clasping) ovate sheath.

 Compound umbels are terminal or lateral; 6~10 involucral bracts, linear to pinnatilobate, about 6 mm long; 14~30 umbrella spokes, up to 5 cm long, prismatic, pubescent; Umbellule has about 10 involucel bracts, linear or narrowly lanceolate, 3~4 mm long; flowers are small, without calyx teeth; petals are white, obovate, the apex is slightly concave, with an inflexed small tip; 5 stamens; stylopodium is raised, style is long, recurvate outwards.

 Cremocarp is oblong-ovate, about 4 mm long, 2~2.5 mm wide, the apex is narrow, schizocarp dorsal rims are protuberant, lateral rims are enlarged into wings, 1~3 tubings (oil duct) in grooves of dorsal rims, 3 tubings (oil duct) in grooves of lateral rims, 4~6 tubings (oil duct) on commissure, endosperm ventral surface is flat. Its flowering period is from July to September, and the fruiting period is from September to October.

 Ecological environment: The plant grows in forests, meadows, on forest edges, wet gravel slopes, water beach side, and gullies, in areas at altitudes of 1,000~2,700 meters above sea level. Resources distribution: this plant is mainly distributed in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the middle reaches of the Yellow River, the area of the Hanjiang River, and other areas of China.

 Growth characteristics: The plant prefers a cool and moist climate, is cold-resistant, and fears waterlogging. It is not strict to the soil requirement, but it is best to plant and grow in sandy soil with deep soil layers, loose and fertile, and good drainage. It is not suitable to plant in clay, barren and dry field. Avoid continuous cropping.

 Characters of herbs: The rhizome is irregularly nodular and cylindrical, slightly twisted and branched, 3~10 cm long, and 1~2 cm in diameter. The surface is yellow-brown or dark brown, rough and coarse, with vertical wrinkles, cork easily falls off, with one to several circular hole shape stems based on the upper end, and many punctate protuberant root marks and residual roots on the underside. The herb is light, its texture is hard, and easy to break, and the fracture surface is yellow or yellowish-white, fibrous. The herb has a strong fragrant aroma, and it tastes pungent, bitter and has slight numbness. The herb of a better grade is big and thick, quality is firm, and has a strong fragrance.

 Pharmacological actions: ①.Central inhibitory effects: significant effects of sedation, analgesic, antipyretic, and cooling effects; ②.Anti-inflammatory and anti-diarrheal effects; ③.Effects on smooth muscle.

 Medicinal efficacy: Dissipate wind-cold and dampness pathogens, dissipate cold and relieve pain, indicated for wind-cold headache, parietal headache, cold-dampness abdominal pain, hernia and mass, scabies, etc.

 Administration of Rhizoma Ligustici (Gǎo Běn): 
 
Reference: Administration Guide of Rhizoma Ligustici (Gǎo Běn)
TCM Books: ①.Internally: 3~9 grams; ②.water decoction, 1~3 qian (about 3~9 grams), Externally:wash with water decoction or prepare to finely ground herb powder and apply; ③. 3~10 grams, water decoction; prepare to finely ground herb powder and prepared to pill, powder.Externally:proper amount,wash with water decoction, or prepare to finely ground herb powder and apply.

(2).Ligusticum jeholense (Nakai et Kitag.) Nakai et Kitag.


 a picture drawing of Ligusticum jeholense:drawing of plant,root and rhizome,leaves and stems,flowers and seeds Botanical description: The plant is also known as Cnidium jeholense Nakai et Kitag, or Liao Gao Ben. A perennial herb, the plant grows up to 30~80 cm tall. The rhizome is short; the root is conical and bifurcated, and the surface is dark brown. The stem is upright, cylindrical, and hollow, with vertical stripes on the surface, often purplish. Leaves are stipitate, basal leaf petiole is 19 cm long, gradually shorter upward; the outline of the leaf blade is broad-ovate, 10~20 cm long, 8~16 cm wide, 2-3-ternate pinnatisect, first lobes are 4~6 pairs, the lowest pair lobes are with longer stipitate, stipitate is 2~5 cm long. Bipinnatisect lobes are often sessile; terminal lobes are oval (egg-shaped) to prism oval, 2~3 cm long, 1~2 cm wide, base is cordate to cuneate, margin is often 3-5 lobed, lobes are dentate, the apex of teeth has a small pointed end, there are coarse hairs along the main vein on the upper surface, the undersurface is smooth; the leaves on the upper stem are smaller, the petiole is sheath-like.

 Compound umbel is terminal or lateral, 3~7 cm in diameter; 2 involucral bracts, linear, about 1 cm long, covered with coarse hispid, the margin is narrowly membranous, caducous (early fallout); 8~16 umbrella spoke, 2~3 cm long; 8~10 involucel bracts, subulate (diamond shape), 3~5 mm long, covered with coarse hispid; umbellule has 15~20 flowers; calyx teeth are not conspicuous; petals are white, oblong-obovate, with an inflexed strap; stylopodium is raised, hemispherical, style is long, downward reflexed during fruiting.

 Cremocarps are elliptic, 3~4 mm long, 2~2.5 mm wide, schizocarp dorsal ridge protruding, lateral ribs are narrowly aliform (narrowly winglike), there is 1 vitta (oil duct) in edge groove, less than 2, 2~4 on commissure, endosperm ventral surface is flat and straight. Its flowering period is from July to September, and the fruiting period is from September to October.

 Ecological environment: The plant grows in forests, meadows, on forest edges, wet gravel slopes, water beach sides, and gullies, in areas at altitudes of 1,250~2,500 meters above sea level. Resources distribution: this plant is mainly distributed in the northern area, the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River, and other areas of China.

 Characters of herbs: The rhizome of Ligusticum jeholense is an irregular lump or column, 2~10 cm long, and 0.5~1.5 cm in diameter. The surface is brown, with tufted leaf bases and raised nodes at the upper end, and many slender and curved roots at the lower end. The herb of a better grade is big and thick, its texture is firm and has a strong fragrance.
 

 
  

 

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References:
  • 1.Introduction of Gao Ben:Rhizoma Ligustici or Chinese Lovage.

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