Introduction of Tai Zi Shen:Hterophylly Flasestarwort Root or Radix Pseudostellariae.
✵The article gives records of the herb Hterophylly Flasestarwort Root, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Pseudostellaria heterophylla(Miq.)Pax ex Pax et Hoffm., 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 Hterophylly Flasestarwort Root, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Pin Yin Name: Tài Zǐ Shēn.
English Name: Hterophylly Flasestarwort Root.
Latin Name: Radix Pseudostellariae.
Property and flavor: neutral in nature,tastes sweet,slightly bitter.
Brief introduction: The herb Radix Pseudostellariae is the dried tuberous root of Pseudostellaria heterophylla(Miq.)Pax ex Pax et Hoffm., used similarly to Radix Codonopsis, Tangshen, less active as a tonic, but more active in promoting the production of body fluids. The herb is commonly known as Radix Pseudostellariae, Hterophylly Flasestarwort Root, Tài Zǐ Shēn.
Botanical source: Herbal classic book defined the herb Radix Pseudostellariae(Hterophylly Flasestarwort Root) as the dried tuberous root of the species (1). Pseudostellaria heterophylla(Miq.) Pax ex Pax et Hoffm. It is a plant of the Pseudostellaria Pax genus, the Caryophyllaceae family (carnation, pink family) of the Centrospermae order. This commonly used species is introduced:
(1).Pseudostellaria heterophylla(Miq.)Pax ex Pax et Hoffm.
Botanical description: The plant is commonly known as Tài Zǐ Shēn, or Hái ér Shēn (Literally it means baby ginseng). Perennial herb, 15~20 cm tall. Tuberous root is long spindle-shaped, white, slightly sallow. Stem is upright, solitary, covered with 2 rows of short hairs. Lower stem leaves are often 1~2 pair, leaf blade is oblanceolate, apex is obtuse, base attenuate long sessile, upper leaf blade is 2~3 pair, leaf blade is broadly ovate or rhomboid ovate, 3~6 cm long, 2~17~20 mm wide, apex is acuminate, base attenuate, upper part is glabrous, lower veins are sparsely pilose.
1~3 flowers, axillary or cymose; Pedicels are 1~2 cm long, sometimes 4 cm long, pubescent; 5 sepals, narrowly lanceolate, ca. 5 mm long, apex is acuminate, outer and margin are sparsely pilose; 5 petals, white, oblong or obovate, 7~8 mm long, apex is 2-lobed; 10 stamens, shorter than petals; Ovary is ovate, 3 styles, slightly longer than stamens; Stigma is capitate. Obturator fertilization flowers with short stalk; Sepals are sparsely multicellular hairy. Capsularfruit is broadly ovate, containing few seeds, apically undivided or 3-lobed; Seeds are brown, oblate, ca. 1.5 mm long, warty. Its flowering period is from April to July, fruiting from July to August.
Ecological Environment: the plant grows at an area with an altitude of 800~2,700 meters above sea level. It grows in forests and rocks on hillsides, in the dank valley under the forest. The plant is distributed in the north area, northwest, the lower reaches area of the Yangtze River, and other areas of China.
Growth characteristics: Pseudostellaria heterophylla grows in a warm and humid environment, afraid of high temperature, more than 30 °C (Celsius, or 86 degrees Fahrenheit) growth green stop. The plant is afraid of strong light exposure, easy to die in the sun, colder. It can safely pass the winter at -17 °C (Celsius, or 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit). It can germinate and take root at low temperatures. The plant grows well under dank and wet conditions. It likes fertile, loose and rich humus soil. The plant grows well in sandy soil. Low waterlogging, clay soil, solid soil, poor drainage, soil containing less humus.
Characters of herbs: The tuberous roots are slender spindle-shaped or slender strip-shaped, slightly curved, 2~8 cm or 3~10 cm long, a few up to 12 cm long, 2~6 mm in diameter, with extremely short stem base or bud marks left at the top part, gradually turning thinner and tail-shaped at the lower part. The surface is yellowish-white, grayish-yellow to khaki or yellowish-brown, smooth, with slightly irregular fine longitudinal wrinkles and lateral concave, with fibrous root marks in the concave. The texture of the herb is hard and brittle, easy to break, the fracture surface is flat, yellowish-brown on around part, light yellowish-white in the center, keratinous; The sun-dried roots are off-white and powdery. The herb has a slight odor, it tastes slightly sweet. The herb of better grade has thick stripes, yellow and white.
Pharmacological actions: ①.anti-fatigue; ②.anti-stress effect; ③.promoting immunity and prolonging life; ④.Pseudostellarinoside A has antiviral effect.
Medicinal efficacy: Replenishing Qi to invigorate the spleen, tonifying the lung, Replenishing Qi to promote the secretion of saliva or body fluid, promoting the production of body fluid and nourishing the lung. It is indicated for spleen deficient and tired, spleen and stomach weakness, mentally fatigued (spiritlessness), loss of appetite, lassitude, spleen deficiency and poor appetite, lung deficiency and cough, weakness after illness, insufficiency of Qi and Yin (deficiency of both vital energy and Yin), hurt of Qi and Yin, spontaneous perspiration and thirsty, palpitation and spontaneous perspiration, spontaneous perspiration and short breath, lung dryness and dry cough, dry cough and less phlegm, Qi deficiency and body fluid deficiency in the late stage of the warm disease, internal heat and thirst, neurasthenia (neurosism), palpitations and insomnia, dizziness and amnesia(vertigo and poor memory), forgetfulness, infantile summer fever (chronic fever in infants and young children characterized by chronic fever, thirst, polyuria, no or little sweating.), etc.
Administration of Radix Pseudostellariae (Tài Zǐ Shēn):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Radix Pseudostellariae (Tài Zǐ Shēn)