Pinyin: Xiaobogu
Aliases
Bogudan, Jiegucao, Xiaohaihun, Xiaoye Jinbuhuan
Source
Dried aerial parts of *Gendarussa vulgaris* Nees, a plant of the Acanthaceae family.
Botanical Description
Subshrub, erect and glabrous (hairless), approximately 1 m tall. Stem cylindrical, nodes swollen, many branches, young branches often deep purple. Leaves opposite; papery; petiole less than 1 cm long; leaf blade narrowly lanceolate to lanceolate-linear, 5-10 cm long, 5-15 mm wide, apex acuminate, base attenuate, margin entire; lateral veins 6-8 on each side, deep purple. Spike terminal, dense at apex, interrupted below; bracts opposite, each bract containing 2 to several flowers; calyx nearly equally 5-lobed, lobes triangular-lanceolate, about 4 mm long; corolla white or pink, about 1.3 mm long, corolla tube cylindrical, throat slightly expanded, limb 2-lipped, upper lip oblong-ovate, lower lip shallowly 3-lobed; stamens 2, filaments slightly flattened, anthers with broad oblique connective, anther cells 2, one with a tail-like appendage at base; ovary with 2 ovules per locule, style linear. Capsule club-shaped, 1.2 cm long, glabrous (hairless). Flowering in spring.
Habitat and Distribution
It grows in thickets near villages or along roadsides, and is also cultivated. It is distributed in Taiwan, Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, and other regions.
Harvesting and Processing
It can be harvested year-round, remove impurities, and dry in the sun.
Chemical Constituents
This product containsβ- β-sitosterol, justicidin, and volatile oil components.
Pharmacology
Small doses can raise body temperature in mice, while excessive doses can lower body temperature, cause severe diarrhea, and may lead to death.
Properties and Channel Entry
Acrid, warm. Enters the Liver and Kidney channels.
Functions and Indications
Disperses stasis, alleviates pain, rejoins sinews and bones
Dosage and Administration
Internal: decoct in water, 15-30 g; or grind into powder; or steep in wine
Precautions and Contraindications
Use with caution during pregnancy.
Prescriptions
1. For rheumatic pain: *Gendarussa vulgaris*, *Blumea balsamifera*, *Clausena excavata*, *Acorus calamus*, and *Rubus* species, appropriate amounts each. Decoction for fumigation and washing of the affected area. ("Guangxi Folk Commonly Used Herbal Medicine") 2. For limb neuralgia: *Gendarussa vulgaris*, *Viscum orientale*, *Clerodendrum* species, *Solanum verbascifolium*, *Solanum* species, and *Desmodium* species, 20 g each. Decoction in water for oral administration. ("Taiwan Plant Medicinal Materials Journal") 3. For dysmenorrhea: *Gendarussa vulgaris* 40 g. Decoction in water for oral administration. ("Taiwan Plant Medicinal Materials Journal") 4. For traumatic injury: *Gendarussa vulgaris* stem and root 40-75 g, decoction in water for oral administration; or the whole plant mashed, stir-fried with wine, and applied hot to the area of fracture or injury. ("Taiwan Plant Medicinal Materials Journal") 5. For fracture: *Gendarussa vulgaris* whole plant 250 g, *Eriobotrya japonica* leaf 500 g, *Phyllanthus* species 60 g, and one young rooster. Mash together, after reduction (setting the bone), apply to the affected area, and remove after 1.5 hours. ("Guangdong Huiyang District Chinese Herbal Medicine")
