✵The article records the herb Sweetvetch Root—its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavors, and its botanical source: one plant species, Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz. It provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this species, its growth characteristics and ecological environment, as well as the characteristics of the herb Sweetvetch Root, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Radix Hedysari (Sweetvetch Root)
Pinyin Name: Hóng Qí
English Name: Sweetvetch Root; Manyinflorescaned sweetvetch root
Latin Name:Radix Hedysari Property and Flavors: Warm or neutral in nature; pungent and sweet
Brief Introduction:Radix Hedysari is the dried root of Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz., used as a substitute for Radix Astragali (Astragalus Root). It is commonly known as Radix Hedysari, Sweetvetch Root, or Hóng Qí.
Botanical Source: Herbal classical texts define Radix Hedysari (Sweetvetch Root) as the dried root of Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz. It is a perennial plant belonging to the genus Hedysarum L., family Fabaceae (also known as Leguminosae or Papilionaceae—the legume or pea family), order Rosales. This commonly used species is described below:
Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz.
Botanical Description: The plant, Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz., is commonly known as Duō Xù Yán Huáng Qí, Hóng Qí, Yán Huáng Qí, or Hēi Qí. It is a perennial herb growing up to 100–120 cm tall—or occasionally up to 1.5 meters. The taproot is thick, long, and straight, with a diameter of about 1–2 cm; its outer bark is reddish-brown to dark reddish-brown, and the root is 10–50 cm long. Stems are erect, tufted, and much-branched; branches are rigid, glabrous, and slightly tortuous. Leaves are alternate; petioles are long; stipules are lanceolate with connate bases; leaves are odd-pinnate (imparipinnate), up to 15 cm long, with 7–25 leaflets; the petiole base is very short; leaf blades are oblong-ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 1.8–2.4 cm (or 1–3.5 cm) long and 4–6 mm (or 5–11 mm) wide; the apex is nearly truncate or emarginate (slightly concave); the base is broadly cuneate; margins are entire; the upper surface is glabrous; the midvein on the lower surface is covered with long pilose hairs.
Racemes are axillary, 5–8 cm long, bearing 20–25 flowers; the peduncle is filiform, 2–3 mm long, and covered with long pilose hairs; the calyx is obliquely campanulate and pubescent, with the lowest calyx tooth longer and larger than the other four; the corolla is papilionaceous, pale yellow, approximately 1 cm long; there are 10 stamens—9 fused and 1 free; the ovary is leptosomatic (narrow and elongated) and petiolate.
Legumes (pods) are flat and beaded, with 3–5 segments; the margin bears narrow wings; the surface exhibits sparse reticulate patterns and pubescence; each segment contains one elliptic seed. Flowering occurs from June to August; fruiting occurs from July to September.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows in rock crevices on hillsides and mountain slopes, in shrublands, and at forest edges. It is distributed in China.
Characteristics of the Herb: The root is cylindrical, rarely branched, slightly thicker at the upper end, 10–50 cm long, with a diameter of 0.8–2 cm (or 0.6–2 cm). The surface is grayish reddish-brown, bearing vertical wrinkles, a few rootlet scars, and elongated lenticels—lighter in color and slightly raised. The cork layer peels off easily, exposing the yellowish cortex and fibrous tissue. The texture is firm and hard, not easily broken; the fracture surface is fibrous, light-colored, and mealy. The cortical portion of the fracture surface is light brown, accounting for about one-half to one-third of the radius; the cambium ring is circular, light brown or brown; the xylem (wood part) is dense and compact, light yellowish-brown, with radial lines. The herb has a mild, characteristic odor and tastes slightly sweet with a beany flavor when chewed.
Pharmacological Actions: (1) Effects on immune function; (2) Anti-aging effects; (3) Effects on the heart; (4) Enhancement of hypoxia tolerance; (5) Resistance to pathogenic microorganisms: Radix Hedysari exhibits certain antimicrobial activity, and its antibacterial effect is stronger than that of Astragalus membranaceus.
Medicinal Efficacy: Tonifying Qi and elevating Yang; strengthening the exterior and reducing spontaneous sweating; tonifying Qi to promote diuresis; promoting diuresis and alleviating edema; promoting the secretion of saliva and body fluids and nourishing Blood; resolving stagnation and obstruction; draining pus and expelling toxins; healing sores and promoting granulation (i.e., tissue regeneration). It is indicated for Qi deficiency (manifesting as general weakness or lack of strength), poor appetite and loose stools, sinking of the middle-Qi, chronic diarrhea and rectal prolapse, hematochezia (passing blood in stool), metrorrhagia and metrostaxis, exterior deficiency with spontaneous sweating, Qi-deficiency edema, Qi-deficiency puffiness, internal heat with wasting thirst, Blood deficiency with sallow complexion, hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of the body), numbness and pain, carbuncles and abscesses that are slow to rupture or fail to heal after rupture, etc.
Administration of Radix Hedysari (Hónɡ Qí):
Reference:
Administration Guide for Radix Hedysari (Hónɡ Qí)
TCM Books:
(1) Internally: 9–30 grams; (2) Internally: Water decoction, 9–30 grams; for tonifying Qi and replenishing the middle energizer, the honey-fried preparation is preferred.
✵The article records the herb Sweetvetch Root—its English name, Latin name, Pinyin name, properties and flavors, and its botanical source: one plant species, Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz. It provides a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this species, its growth characteristics and ecological environment, as well as the characteristics of the herb Sweetvetch Root, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guidelines.
Pinyin Name: Hóng Qí
Botanical Description: The plant, Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz., is commonly known as Duō Xù Yán Huáng Qí, Hóng Qí, Yán Huáng Qí, or Hēi Qí. It is a perennial herb growing up to 100–120 cm tall—or occasionally up to 1.5 meters. The taproot is thick, long, and straight, with a diameter of about 1–2 cm; its outer bark is reddish-brown to dark reddish-brown, and the root is 10–50 cm long. Stems are erect, tufted, and much-branched; branches are rigid, glabrous, and slightly tortuous. Leaves are alternate; petioles are long; stipules are lanceolate with connate bases; leaves are odd-pinnate (imparipinnate), up to 15 cm long, with 7–25 leaflets; the petiole base is very short; leaf blades are oblong-ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 1.8–2.4 cm (or 1–3.5 cm) long and 4–6 mm (or 5–11 mm) wide; the apex is nearly truncate or emarginate (slightly concave); the base is broadly cuneate; margins are entire; the upper surface is glabrous; the midvein on the lower surface is covered with long pilose hairs.
Racemes are axillary, 5–8 cm long, bearing 20–25 flowers; the peduncle is filiform, 2–3 mm long, and covered with long pilose hairs; the calyx is obliquely campanulate and pubescent, with the lowest calyx tooth longer and larger than the other four; the corolla is papilionaceous, pale yellow, approximately 1 cm long; there are 10 stamens—9 fused and 1 free; the ovary is leptosomatic (narrow and elongated) and petiolate.
Characteristics of the Herb: The root is cylindrical, rarely branched, slightly thicker at the upper end, 10–50 cm long, with a diameter of 0.8–2 cm (or 0.6–2 cm). The surface is grayish reddish-brown, bearing vertical wrinkles, a few rootlet scars, and elongated lenticels—lighter in color and slightly raised. The cork layer peels off easily, exposing the yellowish cortex and fibrous tissue. The texture is firm and hard, not easily broken; the fracture surface is fibrous, light-colored, and mealy. The cortical portion of the fracture surface is light brown, accounting for about one-half to one-third of the radius; the cambium ring is circular, light brown or brown; the xylem (wood part) is dense and compact, light yellowish-brown, with radial lines. The herb has a mild, characteristic odor and tastes slightly sweet with a beany flavor when chewed.
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