Introduction of Yi Zhi Ren:Sharpleaf Galangal Seed or Semen Alpiniae Oxyphyllae.
✵The article gives records of the herb Sharpleaf Galangal Seed, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Alpinia oxyphylla Miq., 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 Sharpleaf Galangal Seed, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Pin Yin Name: Yì Zhì Rén, or Yì Zhì.
English Name: Sharpleaf Galangal Seed.
Latin Name: Semen Alpiniae Oxyphyllae.
Property and flavor: warm nature, tastes pungent.
Brief introduction: The herb Semen Alpiniae Oxyphyllae is the dried ripe seed of Alpinia oxyphylla Miq., used to warm the spleen and kidney for the treatment of (1).chronic diarrhea with cold and pain in the abdomen, and (2).enuresis, frequent micturition, and seminal emission. The herb is commonly known as Semen Alpiniae Oxyphyllae, Sharpleaf Galangal Seed, Yì Zhì Rén.
Botanical source: Common herbal classics and other famous herbal classics defined the herb Sharpleaf Galangal Fruit(Yi Zhi Ren) as the fruit of the Zingiberaceae family plant species (1).Alpinia oxyphylla Miq. It is a plant of the Alpinia genus, the Zingiberaceae family (ginger family) of the Scitamineae order. This commonly used species is introduced:
(1).Alpinia oxyphylla Miq.
Botanical description: The Alpinia oxyphylla Miq., is a plant of the Zingiberaceae family (ginger family) and Alpinia Roxb genus, it is commonly known as Yì Zhì (literally it means benefit wisdom). Plant height is 1~3 meters; stems are thick; short rhizomes, 3~5 cm long.
Leaf blade is lanceolate, 25~35 cm long, 3~6 cm wide, apex is narrowed, apical, base is suborbicular, margin deciduous bristly; petiole is short; ligule is membranous, 2-lobed; 1~2 cm, dilute longer, pale brownish puberulous.
When the flower buds are in the bud, they are all contained in a cap-like sepal. The flowers are completely shed during flowering. The inflorescence axis is very short. The pedicels are 1~2 mm long. The sepals are very short, membranous, and brown. The calyx is tube-shaped, 1.2 cm long, one side is dehiscent to the middle, apex is 3-lobed, externally pubescent; corolla tube is 8~10 mm long, corolla lobes are oblong, ca. 1.8 cm long, 1 posterior slightly large, white, externally puberulous; lateral staminodes are subulate, ca. 2 mm; the lip is oblong, ca. 2 cm, pink and white with red veins, apex margin is crinkly; filaments are 1.2 cm long, anthers are about 7 mm long; ovary is densely tomentose.
Follicles are fresh when spherical, spindle-shaped when dry, 1.5~2 cm long, about 1 cm wide, pubescent, there is a raised vascular line on the pericarp, the top of the remnant of the calyx tube; the seed is irregular round, aril is light yellow. Its flowering period is from March to May, the fruiting period is from April to September.
Herb Character identification: dried fruit shape is fusiform or oval, length is 1.5~2 cm, diameter is 1~1.2 cm. The sheath is reddish-brown to gray-brown, with longitudinal ridge-like intermittent line 13~18 bars. Thin and a little tough, and close to the seed. Seed is assembled into a group, three points, in the film apart, each petal seed contains 6~11 grains. Seeds are irregular flat round, slightly blunt edge, a diameter of about 3 mm, thickness is 1.5 mm, the surface is grayish brown or grayish-yellow; hilum central ventral, slightly recessed from the hilum to the bonding point on the back, there is a trench raphe; after breaking, the inside is white, pink. Special smelly, spicy, and slightly bitter.
Ecological Environment: The Alpinia oxyphylla Miq., grows in the shade under the forest or cultivated. Geographical distribution: This species is mainly distributed in the Zhujiang river area, and Hainan of China, in recent years, it is also cultivated in Yunnan, etc. It prefers a warm and humid climate, the average annual temperature requires 23~25 °C (Celsius, or 73.4~77 degrees Fahrenheit), annual rainfall of 1,500~2,500 mm. Air relative humidity above 80%, soil moisture content 25% to 30% for optimum growth.
Growth characteristics: The plant Alpinia oxyphylla Miq prefers a warm, humid climate. Soil with loose, fertile, well-drained sandy loam is the best for cultivation.
Characters of herbs: The dried fruit is spindle-shaped or oval with slightly pointed ends, the length is 1.2~2 cm or 1.5~2 cm, the diameter is 1~1.2 cm or 1~1.3 cm. The coat is reddish-brown to grayish brown, with 13~18 or 13~20 longitudinal intermittent protuberant ridges, there are perianth residues at the top, and remained fruit stalks at the base. The coat is thin and slightly tough, close to the seed. Seeds are grouped into three petals, separated by a thin membrane, with 6~11 seeds in each petal. Seeds are irregularly oblate, slightly blunt, about 3 mm in diameter and 1.5 mm in thickness, the surface is grayish brown or grayish-yellow, and there is light brown membranous aril outside. The hilum is located in the center of the ventral surface, slightly concave, and there is a groove-shaped ridge from the hilum to the junction of the dorsal surface. After being broken, the inside is white and powdery. The herb has a special aromatic fragrance, it tastes spicy and slightly bitter.
Pharmacological actions: ①.cardiotonic effect; ②.calcium antagonistic activity on the rabbit aorta; ③.anti-gastric damage effect; ④.inhibiting prostagland; ⑤.increase the white blood cell count in the peripheral blood of mice.
Medicinal efficacy: Warming the kidney, controlling nocturnal emission, stopping polyuria, warming the spleen relieving diarrhea and collecting saliva, consolidate Qi, stopping seminal emission, etc. It is indicated for enuresis with renal asthenia, frequent urination, spermatorrhea and white tubidity, spermatorrhea, deficient cold of spleen and stomach, spleen coldness and diarrhea, cold pain in abdomen, abdominal pain due to cold pathogen, emesia (vomiting), syncope due to pathogenic cold and vomiting diarrhea (vomiting and diarrhea due to pathogenic cold syncope), diarrhea and loose bowels, profuse spittle, dripping urine, kidney deficiency and enuresis, frequent micturition, frequent urination at night.
Administration of Semen Alpiniae Oxyphyllae (Yì Zhì Rén):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Semen Alpiniae Oxyphyllae (Yì Zhì Rén)
TCM Books:
①.Internally:3~10 grams; ②.Internally:water decoction, 1~3 qian (about 3~9 grams), or prepare to pill, powder; ③.Internally:water decoction,3~9 grams;or prepared to pill, powder.
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1.Introduction of Yi Zhi Ren:Sharpleaf Galangal Seed or Semen Alpiniae Oxyphyllae.