Pinyin: Hancai
Aliases
Ye Youcai, Ye Jiecao, Dugencai.
Source
Brassicaceae plant Rorippa indica (L.) Hiern.Rorippa indicaDried whole herb of (L.) Hiern.
Botanical Description
Annual or biennial herb. Plant relatively robust, 20-50 cm tall, glabrous or sparsely hairy. Stem solitary or branched, erect or ascending. Leaves variable in shape; basal leaves and lower stem leaves with long petioles; leaf blade usually lyrate-pinnately divided, 4-10 cm long, 1.5-2 cm wide, terminal lobe large, margin with irregular teeth, lateral lobes 1-3 pairs; upper leaves broadly lanceolate or spatulate, with short petioles or auriculate-clasping, margin sparsely toothed. Racemes terminal or axillary; during flowering, rachis gradually elongating; flowers small, numerous; sepals 4, erect, pale yellow with slight yellow-green tint, glabrous, broadly lanceolate or ovate-oblong, 2-4 mm long, apex concave; petals 4, bright yellow, broadly spatulate or long-obovate, 2.5-4 mm long, entire, base with short, slender claw; stamens 6, 4 long and 2 short; pistil 1, ovary cylindrical, style short and thick, stigma slightly enlarged, apex flat. Siliques linear-cylindrical, relatively short and thick, 1-2 cm long, erect or slightly curved, valves convex at maturity. Seeds 2 rows per locule, numerous, pale brown, broadly elliptic, nearly triangular or irregularly polygonal, 0.5-0.7 mm long, surface with depressed large reticulations. Flowering period April to May (occasionally August to September), fruits gradually maturing after flowering.
Habitat and Distribution
Grows in moist areas along roadsides, field edges, gardens, ditches, riverbanks, forest margins, near houses at the base of walls, and on damp mountain slopes beside paths. Distributed in Shaanxi, Gansu, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Taiwan, Henan, Hunan, Guangdong, Sichuan, Yunnan, and other regions.
Harvesting and Processing
Harvest the whole plant from May to July. Use fresh or sun-dry.
Chemical Constituents
This product primarily contains rorippa element, organic acids, flavonoid compounds, and trace amounts of alkaloids.
Pharmacology
Has antitussive, expectorant, and antibacterial effects.
Properties and Channel Entry
Pungent and bitter, slightly warm. Enters the Lung and Liver channels.
Functions and Indications
Expels Phlegm and stops cough, releases the exterior and disperses Cold, activates Blood and resolves toxicity, promotes urination and reduces Jaundice. Mainly treats cough with phlegm and wheezing, common cold with fever, incomplete measles eruption, Wind-Damp Bi pain, sore throat, furuncles and carbuncles, lacquer sores, amenorrhea, traumatic injury, Jaundice, and edema.
Dosage and Administration
Oral administration: decoct in water, 10-30 g, double the amount for fresh herb; or crush and extract juice for consumption. External application: appropriate amount, crush and apply topically.
Precautions and Contraindications
Excessive dosage may cause mild dry mouth, stomach discomfort, and other symptoms, but these do not affect continued treatment.
Prescriptions
1. For colds and fevers: Han Cai 15 g, Sang Ye 9 g, Ju Hua 15 g, decoct in water and take orally. (Qingdao Chinese Herbal Medicine Manual) 2. For rheumatic arthritis: Han Cai 30 g, stew with pig trotters and take orally. (Compendium of Guangxi Ethnic Medicines) 3. For difficult urination: Han Cai 15 g, tea leaves 6 g, steep in boiling water and drink as tea. (Qingdao Chinese Herbal Medicine Manual) 4. For sinusitis: fresh Han Cai in appropriate amount, mix with a small amount of realgar, mash, and stuff into the nasal cavity. (Fujian Chinese Herbal Medicine) 5. For snake-head furuncle: mash fresh Han Cai, mix with duck egg white, and apply externally. (Fujian Chinese Herbal Medicine)
