Introduction of Ba Ji Tian:Morinda Root or Radix Morindae Officinalis.
✵The article gives records of the herb Morinda Root, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Morinda officinalis How., 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 Morinda Root, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Radix Morindae Officinalis(Morinda Root).
Pin Yin Name: Bā Jǐ Tiān.
English Name: Morinda Root.
Latin Name: Radix Morindae Officinalis.
Property and flavor: slightly warm nature, tastes pungent, sweet.
Brief introduction: The herb Radix Morindae Officinalis is the dried root of Morinda officinalis How, used to reinforce kidney Yang for the treatment of impotence and premature ejaculation in men, and frigidity in women. The herb is commonly known as Radix Morindae Officinalis, Morinda Root, Bā Jǐ Tiān.
Botanical source: Herbal classic book defined the herb Radix Morindae Officinalis(Bā Jǐ Tiān) as the dry root of the Rubiaceae family plant species (1). Morinda officinalis How. It is a plant of the Morinda genus, the Rubiaceae family (madder family) of the Gentianales order. This commonly used species is introduced:
(1).Morinda officinalis How.
Botanical description: The Morinda officinalis How., is a plant of the Rubiaceae family (madder family) and Morinda genus, it is commonly known as "Bā Jǐ Tiān", and other names "Ji Chang Feng, Mao Chang Jing, Tu Zi Chang, etc.". vine, fleshy root did not locate the intestinal constriction, the root flesh is slightly purplish red, purplish-blue. Young shoots are covered with coarse hairs of varying lengths, glabrescent after becoming coarse, old shoots are glabrous, arrayed, brown, or blue-black. Leaves are slightly thick or thin papery, dry brown, oblong, long oval round or oval oblong, 6 to 13 cm long, 3~6 cm wide, apex is pointed or with a little short, pointed, base pure, rounded or cuneate, margin is entire, sometimes with sparse short Tricholoma, sparse, close to long hirsute, became glabrous, midrib linear uplift, how many stabbed bristles or curved hair, glabrous or midrib below is hydrophobic short hairs; The lateral veins are 4~7 on each side, curved upward, connected at the edge or near the edge, and the reticular veins are obvious or not obvious. The petiole is 4~11 mm long, densely covered with short coarse hairs below; Stipules are 3~5 mm long, flat top, dry membranous, fragile.
Inflorescences 3~7 arranged in umbel; Inflorescence stalk is 5~10 mm long, pubescent, base is often with ovate or 1 linear involucre; Flower heads are with 4~10 flowers; 2~4 radix, no pedicels; Calyx is oblong conical, lower and adjacent calyx connate, top with undulate teeth 2~3, 1 lateral tooth outsize, triangular lanceolate, apex or obtuse, other teeth are very small; Corolla is white, nearly campanulate, slightly fleshy, 6~7 mm long, crown tube is 3~4 mm long, apex is narrow and kettle shaped, cornice is usually 3-lobed, sometimes 4-or 2-lobed, lobes are ovate or oblong, top upward and inward hooked, outside is covered with short bristles, down to throat densely bearded. Stamens are equal to corolla lobes, inserted at base of lobes, filaments are very short, anthers are recessed, ca. 2 mm long; Style is extended, stigma is oblong or intradural, stigma is not swollen, 2-diaplasia or 2-diaplasia, ovary 2~4, 1 each ovule, inserted below the septum.
Polychaetes are developed from multiple or single flowers, red when ripe, oblate, or nearly spherical, 5~11 mm in diameter. Karyocarp (2~4); Nucleus is triangular-shaped, lateral camber, hairy, 1 inner mask seed, the fruiting stalk is very short; Seeds are black when ripe, slightly triangular, glabrous. The flowering period is from May to July, fruit ripens from October to November.
Ecological Environment: The Morinda officinalis How., grows in mountain sparse, dense forests and shrubs, often climbing on shrubs or tree trunks, also introduced for cultivation. Geographical distribution: This species is mainly distributed in regions of the tropical and subtropical regions, in China, it is distributed in the Zhujiang river area, Hainan, and other provinces and regions of the tropical and subtropical regions.
Characters of herbs: The root is a flat cylinder or cylindrical, slightly curved, with different lengths, the diameter is 1~2 cm or 0.5~2 cm, and its surface is grayish-yellow or grayish yellow-brown, or dark gray, some are slightly purple, with longitudinal wrinkles and deep horizontal stripes, and some of which are constricted, or the cortex is laterally broken to expose the wood part, shaped like chicken intestines. The texture of the herb is firm and flexible, the fracture surface is uneven, the thickness of cortex is 5-7 mm, lavender or lilac, easy to peel off from wood part, the wood part is hard, yellowish-brown or yellowish-white, the diameter of wood part is 2~4 mm. The herb has a mild taste, it tastes bitter and slightly puckery, or sweet and slightly puckery. The herb of better grade is big, fat, beaded, thick, and purple. The herb of inferior grade has thin strips, gray.
Pharmacological actions: ①.invigorates the kidney and to strengthen yang; ②.anti-fatigue effect; ③.enhance the immune function and the number of white blood cells in the blood; ④.high concentration of iron, iron join in the synthesis of hemoglobin, has strong stimulation hemopoietic function; ⑤.promoting effect of corticosterone secretion; ⑥.short time antihypertensive effect; ⑦.short time sedative and diuretic effect; ⑧.anti-inflammatory effect; ⑨.adrenocortical hormone-like effect.
Medicinal efficacy: Invigorating kidney Yang, strengthen muscles tendons and bones, expelling wind-damp. It is indicated for asynodia and spermatorrhea (impotence and seminal emission), kidney deficiency and asynodia, spermatorrhea and prospermia (seminal emission and premature ejaculation), cold pain in lower abdomen, deficiency cold in uterus, cold in uterus and infertility, irregular menses, incontinence of urine, rheumatic arthralgia pain, anemofrigid-damp arthralgia (wind-cold-wetness bype of arthralgia), aching pain of waist and knees, flaccidity of muscle tendon and bones, etc.
Administration of Radix Morindae Officinalis (Bā Jǐ Tiān):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Radix Morindae Officinalis (Bā Jǐ Tiān)
TCM Books:
①.Internally:3~10 grams; ②.Internally:water decoction, 1.5~3 qian (about 4.5~9 grams), or prepare to pill, powder, infusing in wine or prepare an ointment; ③.Internally:water decoction,6~15 grams, or prepared to pill, powder;also could infuse in wine or prepare an ointment.
Contraindications,Precautions and Adverse Reactions: The herb Radix Morindae Officinalis should not be combined with Omphalia, Danshen Root.
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References:
1.Introduction of Ba Ji Tian:Morinda Root or Radix Morindae Officinalis.