Introduction of Hong Qi:Sweetvetch Root or Radix Hedysari.
✵The article gives records of the herb Sweetvetch Root, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz., 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 Sweetvetch Root, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Radix Hedysari(Sweetvetch Root).
Pin Yin Name: Hónɡ Qí.
English Name: Sweetvetch Root, Manyinflorescaned sweetvetch root.
Latin Name: Radix Hedysari.
Property and flavor: warm or neutral in nature, pungent, sweet.
Brief introduction: The herb Radix Hedysari is the dried root of Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz., used as a substitute for Radix Astragali, Milkvetch Root. The herb is commonly known as Radix Hedysari, Sweetvetch Root, Hónɡ Qí.
Botanical source: Herbal classic book defined the herb Radix Hedysari (Sweetvetch Root) as the dried root of the species (1).Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz. It is a plant of the Hedysarum Linn. Genus, the Fabaceae family (Leguminosae, Papilionaceae, legume, pea family) of the Rosales order. This commonly used species is introduced:
(1).Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz.
Botanical description: The plant, Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz is commonly known as Duō Xù Yán Huáng Qí, or Hónɡ Qí, Yán Huáng Qí, Hēi Qí. A perennial herb, the plant grows up to 100–120 cm tall, or up to 1.5 meters tall. The taproot (main root) is thick and long, straight, about 1–2 cm in diameter, the outer bark is reddish brown to dark red-brown, 10–50 cm long. Stems are upright, tufted, and many-branched; branches are hard, glabrous, and slightly tortuous. Leaves are alternate; petioles are long; Stipules (peraphyllum) are lanceolate, base connate; odd-pinnate leaves (imparipinnate leaves), up to 15 cm long; 7–25 lobules (leaflets), the base of the petiole is very short; leaf blades are oblong-ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 1.8–2.4 cm long or 1–3.5 cm long, 4–6 mm wide or 5–11 mm wide, the front end is nearly truncated or emarginate (slightly concave), the base is broadly cuneate, entire, the upper surface is glabrous, the midvein on the under surface is covered with long pilose.
Racemes are axillary, 5-8 cm long, and have 20–25 flowers, the peduncle is filiform (threadlike), 2-3 mm long, covered with long pilose; the calyx is oblique campanulate, pubescent, the lowest calyx tooth is longer and bigger than the other 4 calyx teeth; corolla is papilionaceous, faint yellow (pale yellow), about 1 cm long; 10 stamens, 9 connate and 1 separate, ovary is leptosomatic (narrow and long), petiolate.
Legumes (pods) are flat and beaded, have 3–5 nodes, the edge has narrow wings, the surface has sparse reticulated patterns and pubescence, and each segment has 1 elliptic seed. Its flowering period is from June to August, and the fruiting period is from July to September.
Ecological Environment: The plant grows in cracks of stones on hillsides and mountain slopes, bushes, and forest edges. It is distributed in Gansu (liupan mountain and Southern Mountain), Ningxia, and other northwest areas of China.
Characters of herbs: The root of the herb is cylindrical, few-branched, slightly thicker at the upper end, 10–50 cm long, and the diameter is 0.8–2 cm or 0.6–2 cm. The surface is grayish-red brown, and has vertical wrinkles, a few rootlet marks, and elongated lenticels, the color is slightly shallow, and slightly raised. The cork bark is easy to fall off, exposing the yellowish cortex and fibers. The texture of the herb is firm and hard, not easy to break, the fracture surface is fibrous, light color, and mealiness. The cortex of the fracture surface is light brown, accounting for about 1/2-1/3 of the radius (semidiameter); the cambium (cambium layer) is ring-shaped, light brown or brown, the xylem (wood part) is dense and compact, light yellow-brown, and the lines are radial. The herb has a slight and specific odor, it tastes slightly sweet and has a beany flavor when chewed. The herb of a better grade is mealiness with a sweet taste.
Pharmacological actions: ①.effect on immune function; ②.anti-aging effect; ③.effects on the heart; ④.enhance hypoxia tolerance; ⑤.resistance to pathogenic microorganisms: Radix hedysari has a certain resistance to pathogenic microorganisms, and its antibacterial effect is stronger than Astragalus membranacus, etc.
Medicinal efficacy: Tonifying Qi and elevating Yang, strengthening exterior and reducing sweat, tonifying Qi and prompt diuresis, prompt diuresis and reduce swelling, promote the secretion of saliva or body fluid and nourishing blood, free stagnation and obstruction, pusdraining and toxin-expelling, healing sore and promoting granulation (promote tissue regeneration). It is indicated for deficiency of Qi and feeble (Qi deficiency, weak or lacking in strength), poor appetite and loose stool, sinking of Qi of the middle energizer, chronic diarrhea and archoptosis (prolapse of rectum due to chronic diarrhea), hemafecia (hematochezia, passing blood in one's stool), metrorrhagia and metrostaxis, exterior deficiency and spontaneous sweating, Qi deficiency edema, Qi deficiency and puffiness, endogenous heat and wasting thirst (internal heat, consumptive thirst), blood deficiency and sallow complexion(blood deficiency, looks yellowing), hemiplegia (paralysis of half of one's body), numbness and pain, carbuncle-abscess difficult to break or ruptured carbuncle resistant to healing, etc.
Administration of Radix Hedysari (Hónɡ Qí):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Radix Hedysari (Hónɡ Qí)
TCM Books:
①.Internally: 9~30 grams; ②.Internally:water decoction, 9~30 grams;to invigorate Qi and replenish the middle, better use honey fry prepared herb.
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References:
1.Introduction of Hong Qi:Sweetvetch Root or Radix Hedysari.
✵The article gives records of the herb Sweetvetch Root, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz., 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 Sweetvetch Root, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Pin Yin Name: Hónɡ Qí.
Botanical description: The plant, Hedysarum polybotrys Hand.-Mazz is commonly known as Duō Xù Yán Huáng Qí, or Hónɡ Qí, Yán Huáng Qí, Hēi Qí. A perennial herb, the plant grows up to 100–120 cm tall, or up to 1.5 meters tall. The taproot (main root) is thick and long, straight, about 1–2 cm in diameter, the outer bark is reddish brown to dark red-brown, 10–50 cm long. Stems are upright, tufted, and many-branched; branches are hard, glabrous, and slightly tortuous. Leaves are alternate; petioles are long; Stipules (peraphyllum) are lanceolate, base connate; odd-pinnate leaves (imparipinnate leaves), up to 15 cm long; 7–25 lobules (leaflets), the base of the petiole is very short; leaf blades are oblong-ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 1.8–2.4 cm long or 1–3.5 cm long, 4–6 mm wide or 5–11 mm wide, the front end is nearly truncated or emarginate (slightly concave), the base is broadly cuneate, entire, the upper surface is glabrous, the midvein on the under surface is covered with long pilose.
Racemes are axillary, 5-8 cm long, and have 20–25 flowers, the peduncle is filiform (threadlike), 2-3 mm long, covered with long pilose; the calyx is oblique campanulate, pubescent, the lowest calyx tooth is longer and bigger than the other 4 calyx teeth; corolla is papilionaceous, faint yellow (pale yellow), about 1 cm long; 10 stamens, 9 connate and 1 separate, ovary is leptosomatic (narrow and long), petiolate.
Characters of herbs: The root of the herb is cylindrical, few-branched, slightly thicker at the upper end, 10–50 cm long, and the diameter is 0.8–2 cm or 0.6–2 cm. The surface is grayish-red brown, and has vertical wrinkles, a few rootlet marks, and elongated lenticels, the color is slightly shallow, and slightly raised. The cork bark is easy to fall off, exposing the yellowish cortex and fibers. The texture of the herb is firm and hard, not easy to break, the fracture surface is fibrous, light color, and mealiness. The cortex of the fracture surface is light brown, accounting for about 1/2-1/3 of the radius (semidiameter); the cambium (cambium layer) is ring-shaped, light brown or brown, the xylem (wood part) is dense and compact, light yellow-brown, and the lines are radial. The herb has a slight and specific odor, it tastes slightly sweet and has a beany flavor when chewed. The herb of a better grade is mealiness with a sweet taste.
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