Pinyin: Ebushicao
Aliases
Jichangcao, Yeyuansui, Tongtianqiao
Source
1. For pneumonia: Renshen 6 g, decoct in water and take orally.Centipeda minimaDried whole plant of (L.) A. Br. et Aschers.
Botanical Description
Annual small herb, 5-20 cm tall. Stem slender, much branched, base prostrate, rooting easily when in contact with ground, glabrous or slightly pubescent. Leaves alternate; sessile; blade cuneate-obovate, 7-20 mm long, 3-5 mm wide, apex obtuse, margin irregularly sparsely toothed, glabrous or slightly pubescent beneath. Capitulum small, globose, about 3 mm in diameter, solitary in leaf axils, peduncle absent or nearly so; involucre hemispherical; phyllaries 2-seriate, elliptic-lanceolate, green, margin membranous, outer series larger than inner; receptacle flat, without paleae; flowers polygamous, pale yellow or yellowish green, all tubular; outer female flowers many-seriate, corolla slender, with indistinct lobes; central bisexual flowers, corolla distinctly 4-lobed. Achene elliptic, about 1 mm long, 4-angled, margin with long hairs; pappus absent. Flowering period September to November.
Habitat and Distribution
Growing along roadsides, in wild fields, on field ridges, and in damp, shady grasslands. Distributed in Northeast, North, Central, East, South, and Southwest China.
Harvesting and Processing
Harvested when in bloom in summer and autumn, washed to remove sand and mud, and dried in the sun.
Chemical Constituents
This product contains components such as palmitic acid taraxasteryl ester, taraxasteryl acetate, taraxasterol, and melissyl nonadecanoate.
Pharmacology
Has anti-allergic, anti-mutation, and anti-tumor effects; has certain antitussive, expectorant, and antiasthmatic effects; has some inhibitory effect on Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and also has an inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus.
Properties and Channel Entry
Acrid, warm. Enters the Lung channel.
Functions and Indications
Disperses Wind-Cold, unblocks the nasal passages, and stops coughing. Used for Wind-Cold headache, excessive coughing with phlegm, nasal congestion, and sinusitis with nasal discharge.
Dosage and Administration
Internal use: decoction, 5-9 g; or extracted juice. External use: appropriate amount, crushed for application; or crushed and stuffed into the nose; or ground into powder for nasal insufflation.
Prescriptions
1. For common cold headache and nasal congestion: 3 g of Centipeda minima (fresh or dried), rub to release aroma, inhale the scent to induce sneezing, twice daily. ("Guiyang Folk Medicinal Herbs") 2. For rhinitis, sinusitis, nasal polyps, and epistaxis: Centipeda minima and Magnolia biondii flower buds, 3 g each. Grind into powder and insufflate into nostrils, twice daily; or mix with 20 g of Vaseline to form an ointment for nasal application. ("Qingdao Chinese Herbal Medicine Manual") 3. For amebic dysentery: Centipeda minima and Odontosoria chinensis root, 15 g each. Decoct in water for oral administration, one dose daily; for patients with heavy bleeding, add Agrimonia pilosa 15 g. ("Jiangxi Herbal Medicine") 4. For bladder stones: Centipeda minima 60 g. Wash, crush to extract juice, add a little white sugar, and take the entire amount at once. ("Guiyang Folk Herbal Medicine") 5. For hemorrhoids: Centipeda minima 50 g and Ficus carica leaf 15-18 g. Decoct in water, first fumigate then wash the affected area. ("Guiyang Folk Medicinal Herbs") 6. For icteric hepatitis: Centipeda minima 9 g and Artemisia capillaris 24 g. Decoct in water for oral administration. ("Hebei Chinese Herbal Medicine") 7. For bronchial asthma: Centipeda minima, Trichosanthes kirilowii fruit, and Raphanus sativus seed, 9 g each. Decoct and take orally. ("Anhui Chinese Herbal Medicine")
