Pinyin: Danzhuye
Aliases
Zhuyemendongqing, Jinzhuye, Dizhu.
Source
1. For pneumonia: Renshen 6 g, decoct in water and take orally.Lophatherum gracileBrongn., dried stem and leaf.
Botanical Description
Perennial herb, 40-90 cm tall. Rhizome short, thick, and hard. Fibrous roots sparse, often thickened into fusiform tubers near the apex or middle. Culms slender, somewhat woody. Leaves alternate, broadly lanceolate, 5-20 cm long, 1.5-3 cm wide, apex acuminate or shortly pointed, margin entire, with numerous parallel veins and distinct transverse veins forming small squares, both surfaces glabrous or with small prickly hairs; leaf sheath margin glabrous or ciliate; ligule short, hard, 0.5-1 mm long, ciliate. Panicle terminal, 10-30 cm long, with few branches, loose, ascending or spreading; spikelets linear-lanceolate, 6-7 mm long, about 3 mm wide, with stout pedicels; glumes oblong, 5-veined, apex obtuse, margin membranous, first glume shorter than second; lemma longer than glumes, lanceolate, apex shortly pointed, 5-7-veined; palea shorter than lemma, membranous and transparent. Caryopsis fusiform, dark brown. Flowering period June to September, fruiting period August to October.
Habitat and Distribution
Wildly growing on mountain slopes under forests or in damp areas by ditches, distributed in regions south of the Yangtze River basin and in the southwest.
Harvesting and Processing
Harvest and dry in the sun before the flower spikes emerge in summer.
Chemical Constituents
This product contains arundoin, cylindrin, friedelin, and taraxerol among other constituents.
Pharmacology
Has antipyretic and diuretic effects, and exhibits inhibitory effects on Staphylococcus aureus and hemolytic streptococcus. It also has a hyperglycemic effect.
Properties and Channel Entry
Sweet and bland, cold. Enters the Heart, Stomach, and Small Intestine channels.
Functions and Indications
Clears Heat and drains Fire, relieves restlessness and stops thirst, promotes urination and treats painful urinary dribbling. Used for febrile disease with vexation and thirst, short, red, and painful urination, and mouth and tongue sores.
Dosage and Administration
Internal use: decoct in water, 9-15 g.
Precautions and Contraindications
Use with caution in those without excess Fire or Damp-Heat; contraindicated in those with deficiency Cold.
Prescriptions
1. For lingering heat after febrile disease with restlessness and thirst: Lophatherum gracile, Pseudostellaria heterophylla, Ophiopogon japonicus, and Glehnia littoralis 9 g each, Gypsum fibrosum 12 g (decoct first), and Glycyrrhiza uralensis 4.5 g. Decoct for oral administration. (Anhui Chinese Herbal Medicine) 2. For oral and lingual ulceration: Fresh Lophatherum gracile 30 g, Akebia quinata 9 g, and Rehmannia glutinosa 9 g. Decoct in water for oral administration. (Fujian Chinese Herbal Medicine) 3. For stomatitis, periodontitis, and tonsillitis: Lophatherum gracile 30-60 g, Viola yedoensis and Prunella vulgaris 15 g each, and Mentha haplocalyx 9 g. Decoct in water for oral administration. (Zhejiang Folk Commonly Used Chinese Herbal Medicine Manual) 4. For sore throat: Lophatherum gracile 30 g and Gardenia jasminoides root 15 g. Decoct for oral administration. (Huizhou Region Chinese Herbal Medicine, Guangdong) 5. For pneumonia: Fresh Lophatherum gracile 30 g, Evodia lepta 9 g, and Ophiopogon japonicus 15 g. Decoct in water for oral administration. (Fuzhou Chinese Herbal Medicine Clinical Handbook) 6. For acute conjunctivitis: Lophatherum gracile 9-15 g. Boil with white sugar and tofu for consumption. (Jiangxi Herbal Medicine Manual)
