Pinyin: Banxia
Aliases
Shuiyu, Mayuguo, Dibadou.
Source
Plant of the Araceae family, Pinellia ternataPinellia ternataDried tuber of (Thunb.) Breit.
Botanical Description
Perennial herb, 15-30 cm tall. Tuber spherical, 0.5-1.5 cm in diameter. Leaves 2-5, simple when young, becoming ternate compound after 2-3 years; petiole up to 20 cm long, with bulbils near the base on the inner side and at the base of the compound leaf; leaflets ovate to narrowly lanceolate, the central leaflet larger, 5-8 cm long, the lateral leaflets smaller, apex acute, both surfaces glabrous and entire. Inflorescence peduncle nearly as long as or longer than the petiole; spathe rolled into an arcuate tubular shape, green, the upper inner surface often deep purplish-red; spadix terminal; female inflorescence axis adnate to the spathe, green, 6-7 cm long; male inflorescence 2-5 cm long; appendix long whip-like. Berry ovoid, greenish-white. Flowering May-July, fruiting August. In southern regions, the plant may emerge 2-3 times a year, so flowers and fruits can still be seen in September-October.
Habitat and Distribution
Grows in mountainous areas, farmlands, stream banks, or under forests. Distributed throughout most regions of China.
Harvesting and Processing
Harvested in summer and autumn, washed clean, remove the outer skin and fibrous roots, then sun-dried.
Medicinal Properties
Tubers are subglobose, some slightly oblique, diameter 1-1.5 cm. Surface white or pale yellow, apex center with a depressed stem scar, surrounded by dense brown punctate root scars; lower end obtuse and rounded, relatively smooth. Texture firm and solid, fracture white, starchy. Odor faint, taste pungent, numbing to the tongue and irritating to the throat.
Chemical Constituents
This product contains succinic acid, 3-acetamido-5-methylisoxazole, butyl vinyl ether, benzaldehyde, pinellia protein, gingerol, trypsin inhibitor, and others.
Pharmacology
It has antiemetic, emetic, antitussive, expectorant, anticancer, anti-fertility, anti-early pregnancy, anti-arrhythmic, anti-experimental ulcer, and peripheral lymphocyte division-promoting effects. It is toxic.
Properties and Channel Entry
Acrid, warm; toxic. Enters the Spleen, Stomach, and Lung channels.
Functions and Indications
Dries Dampness and transforms Phlegm, descends rebellious Qi and stops vomiting, disperses masses and dissipates nodules. Used for Damp-Phlegm and Cold-Phlegm, cough and wheezing with copious phlegm, phlegm-fluid retention causing dizziness and palpitations, Wind-Phlegm vertigo, phlegm-induced headache, vomiting and regurgitation, chest and epigastric stuffiness and distension, plum pit Qi (globus hystericus); externally used for carbuncles, swellings, and phlegm nodules.
Dosage and Administration
Internal: decoct 3-9 g in water for oral administration, or prepare as pills or powder
Precautions and Contraindications
Contraindicated in cases of Yin deficiency with dry cough, body fluid damage with thirst, blood disorders, and dry-phlegm conditions; use with caution during pregnancy. It should not be used together with Chuanwu, processed Chuanwu, Caowu, processed Caowu, or Fuzi; raw products should be used with caution for internal administration.
Prescriptions
1. For damp phlegm with wheezing and urgency, to stop heart pain: Banxia (Pinellia) in an unspecified amount, stir-fried with sesame oil, ground into powder, and made into pills the size of wutong seeds with congee. Take 30-50 pills each time with ginger decoction. (Danxi's Heart Method) 2. For all types of vomiting where food cannot be taken down: Banxia (Pinellia) 1 sheng, Shengjiang (fresh ginger) 240 g. Decoct the two ingredients in 7 sheng of water until 1.5 sheng remain, and take warm in two divided doses. (Synopsis of the Golden Chamber, Minor Pinellia Decoction) 3. For headache: Banxia (Pinellia, washed seven times in hot water) and Baijiangcan (white stiff silkworm) 15 g each, Quanxie (whole scorpion) one piece. Grind the above into a fine powder, mix with mung bean flour to form a paste, apply to the temples, and replace when dry. (Ye's Tested Formulas, Wind-Drawing Paste) 4. For promoting lactation: Banxia (Pinellia, processed) three pieces. Grind into powder, take with wine, and milk will flow. (Lu's Forbidden Formulas) 5. For scorpion stings: Banxia (Pinellia) and Baifan (alum) in equal parts, ground into powder, mixed with vinegar, and applied to the affected area. (Jingyue's Complete Compendium)
