Pinyin: Nanshashen
Aliases
Shashen, Paoshen, Baishen, Yangponai, Linger'shen
Source
Plant of the family Campanulaceae, Shashen (Radix Adenophorae)Adenophora strictaThe dried root of Miq.
Botanical Description
Perennial herb, stem 40-80 cm tall, unbranched, often covered with short stiff hairs or long soft hairs. Basal leaves cordate, large, with long petioles; stem leaves sessile, or only the lower leaves with very short winged petioles; leaf blade elliptic, narrowly ovate, base cuneate, 3-11 cm long, 1.5-5 cm wide, apex acute or shortly acuminate, margin irregularly serrate, both surfaces sparsely pubescent or hirsute, or nearly glabrous. Inflorescence often unbranched forming a false raceme, or with short branches forming a very narrow panicle, rarely with long branches forming a panicle; pedicels less than 5 mm long; calyx often pubescent or granular-hairy, rarely glabrous, tube often obovate, rarely obovate-conical, lobes 5, narrow, mostly subulate, rarely linear-lanceolate; corolla broadly campanulate, blue or purple, outside glabrous or hirsute, lobes 5, triangular-ovate; disc short-cylindric, glabrous; stamens 5, filaments expanded into a membranous base below, anthers slender; style often slightly longer than corolla, stigma 3-lobed, ovary inferior, 3-locular. Capsule ellipsoid-globose, rarely ellipsoid, 6-10 mm long. Seeds numerous, brownish-yellow, slightly compressed, with one ridge, about 1.5 mm long. Flowering and fruiting period: August to October.
Habitat and Distribution
Mostly grows in low mountain grass thickets and rock crevices, and also grows on grasslands at elevations of 600-700 m or on open slopes and forests at 1000-3200 m. Distributed in Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hunan and other areas.
Harvesting and Processing
Harvest after 2-3 years of sowing, in spring and autumn; remove fibrous roots, wash and scrape off the rough bark while fresh, wash again, and dry.
Medicinal Properties
The product is conical or cylindrical in shape, slightly curved, 7-27 cm long, and 0.8-3 cm in diameter. The surface is yellowish-white or pale brownish-yellow, with occasional remnants of coarse bark in depressed areas. The upper part often has deep, sunken transverse wrinkles forming intermittent rings, while the lower part has longitudinal wrinkles and grooves. The apex has 1 or 2 rhizomes. The texture is light, loose, and brittle, easily broken, with an uneven, yellowish-white, and highly fissured fracture surface. The odor is faint, and the taste is slightly sweet.
Chemical Constituents
This product containsβ- β-sitosterol.β1. For hypercholesterolemia: sitosterol 3-6 g, take orally after meals. 2. For atherosclerosis: sitosterol 3-6 g, take orally with warm water.β-D-pyranoglucoside, taraxasterone, and octacosanoic acid, among others.
Pharmacology
Has the function of regulating immune balance and exhibits expectorant, antifungal, and cardiotonic effects.
Properties and Channel Entry
Sweet, slightly cold. Enters the Lung and Stomach channels.
Functions and Indications
Nourishes Yin, clears the Lungs, benefits the Stomach, generates fluids, transforms Phlegm, and tonifies Qi. Used for dry cough due to Lung Heat, consumptive cough due to Yin Deficiency, dry cough with sticky sputum, Stomach Yin Deficiency with poor appetite and vomiting, Qi and Yin Deficiency with irritability, fever, and dry mouth.
Dosage and Administration
Internal use: decoction, 10-15 g, fresh product 15-30 g; or made into pills or powder.
Precautions and Contraindications
Contraindicated in patients with wind-cold cough; should not be used concurrently with Lilu (Veratrum nigrum).
Prescriptions
1. For chronic bronchitis, cough, difficulty expectorating phlegm, and dry mouth: Nanshashen (Adenophora root) 9 g, Maidong (Ophiopogon root) 9 g, Shenggancao (raw licorice) 6 g, Yuzhu (Polygonatum odoratum) 9 g. Decoct in water for oral administration. (Qingdao Chinese Herbal Medicine Manual) 2. For lung heat cough: Shashen (Adenophora root) 15 g, decoct in water and take. (Weisheng Yijian Fang) 3. For toothache due to deficient fire: Shashen root 15-60 g, boil with eggs and take. (Hunan Materia Medica) 4. For postpartum lack of milk: Shashen root 12 g, boil with pork and consume. (Hunan Materia Medica) 5. For testicular swelling and pain: Shashen 60 g, one pig stomach, stew and take; may also be boiled with tofu. (Fujian Materia Medica)
