Introduction of Xi Xian Cao:Siegesbeckia Herb or Herba Siegesbeckiae.
✵The article gives records of the herb Siegesbeckia Herb, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source three plant species, ①.Siegesbeckia orientalis L., ②.Siegesbeckia pubescens Makino., ③.Siegesbeckia glabrescens Makino., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of these three plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of these three plant species, the features of the herb Siegesbeckia Herb, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Herba Siegesbeckiae(Siegesbeckia Herb).
Pin Yin Name: Xī Xiān Cǎo.
English Name: Siegesbeckia Herb.
Latin Name: Herba Siegesbeckiae.
Property and flavor: cold, pungent, bitter.
Brief introduction: The Herb Herba Siegesbeckiae is the dried aerial part of Siegesbeckia orientalis L., Siegesbeckia pubescens Makino or Siegesbeckia glabrescens Makino, used (1).to dispel wind-damp and unblock collateral meridians for treating wind-damp (rheumatic or rheumatoid) arthralgia, and (2).to clear heat and counteract toxins for treating boils, sores, abscesses, and ulcers. The herb is commonly known as Herba Siegesbeckiae, Siegesbeckia Herb, Xī Xiān Cǎo.
Botanical source: Herbal classic book defined the herb Herba Siegesbeckiae (Siegesbeckia Herb) as the dried aerial part of (1). Siegesbeckia orientalis L., (2). Siegesbeckia pubescens Makino., (3). Siegesbeckia glabrescens Makino. They are plants of the Siegesbeckia L genus, Asteraceae family (Compositae, daisy family), Campanulales order. These commonly used species are introduced:
(1).Siegesbeckia orientalis L.
Botanical description: The plant, Siegesbeckia orientalis L is commonly known as Xī Xiān Cǎo. Annual herbs, the plant grows up to 30~100 cm tall. The stem is upright, the branches are obtuse, upper branches are often dichotomous; all branches are covered with ash-gray pubescence. Leaves are opposite, basal leaves wither in the flowering phase; leaves in the middle part are triangular-ovoid or ovate-lanceolate, 4~10 cm long, 1.8~6.5 cm wide, the apex is acuminate, the base is broadly cuneate and decurrent to an aliform stalk, the margin is regularly lobed or coarsely serrate, the upper surface is green, the undersurface is pale green, glandular, both surfaces are piliferous, ternate basal veins, lateral veins, and reticulated veins are conspicuous; leaves on upper part turning smaller, ovate-oblong, margin is sinuolate or entire, subsessile.
Capitula (flower heads) are many, grow in a cluster, and form apical panicle; pedicels are 1.5~4 cm long, densely pubescent; involucre is broadly campanulate; involucral bracts are in 2 layers, leafy, the back surface is covered with puce (purple brown) capitate stipitate-glandular hairs; 5~6 outer bracts, linear spatulate or spatulate, unfold, 8~11 mm long, about 1.2 mm wide; inner bracts are ovoid oblong or ovoid, about 5 mm long, 1.5~2.2 mm wide; outer bracts are oblong, recurved (inwardly curved), inner bracts are obovate-oblong. Flowers are yellow; the corolla tube of female flowers is 0.7 mm long; the upper part of hermaphroditic tubular flowers is campanulate, and the upper tip has 4~5 ovoid lobes.
Achenes are obovate, 4-ribbed, the tip has taupe (dust color) annular projections, 3~3.5 mm long, 1~1.5 mm wide. Its flowering period is from April to September, and the fruiting period is from June to November.
Ecological environment: The plant Siegesbeckia orientalis grows in mountains, wild grass ground, bushes, and forests, in areas at altitudes of 110~2,700 meters above sea level. It is also commonly found in cultivated land. The plant is widely distributed in China, Southeast Asia, and North American tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions, Europe, Armenia (Caucasus); it is distributed in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the Zhujiang river area, southwest area, the Hanjiang river area and other regions in China.
Growth characteristics: The plant Siegesbeckia orientalis grows wild on the hillside, roadside and wasteland, with strong adaptability. It prefers a warm and humid environment, grows well in humus-rich fertile clay and sandy loam soil, and has a high yield. Soil moisture should not be high, otherwise easy to cause root rot. A low-lying, waterlogging area is not suitable for its cultivation.
Characters of herbs: The stem is cylindrical, the surface is celadon (sage green), yellow-brown or purple brown, longitudinal grooves and fine longitudinal striations, branches are opposite, nodes are slightly enlarged, densely covered with white pubescence; the texture of the herb is light and crisp, easily broken and there is conspicuous white pith on the fracture surface. Leaves are opposite, mostly shed off or broken; the intact leaves are triangular-ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 4~10 cm long, and 1.8~6.5 cm wide, the apex is blunt pointed, the base is broadly cuneate and decurrent to wing stalk, and the edge is irregularly lobed or coarsely serrate; both surfaces are piliferous, the undersurface has glandular spots. Sometimes yellow capitulum (flower head) is visible at the stem top or leaf axils. The herb has a slight odor, and it tastes slightly bitter. The herb of a better grade has tender branches, foliose (many leaves), and dark green.
Pharmacological actions: ①.anti-inflammatory effect; ②.antihypertensive effect; ③.vasodilation effect; ④.inhibitory effect on cellular immunity and humoral immunity; ⑤.inhibitory effect on non-specific immunity; ⑥.inhibitory effect on thrombosis; ⑦.antibacterial and antimalarial effect; ⑧.antioxidant effect.
Medicinal efficacy: Dispel wind and dampness, strengthen muscles and bones, free meridians and channels, lower blood pressure, clear heat and detoxify. It is indicated for the treatment of quadriplegia, rheumatic arthralgia, aching muscles and bones, weakness in waist and knees, malaria, acute hepatitis, jaundice, hypertension, malignant boils, carbuncle, sore, urticaria wet sores, traumatic bleeding, insect and beast bites.
Administration of Herba Siegesbeckiae (Xī Xiān Cǎo):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Herba Siegesbeckiae (Xī Xiān Cǎo)
TCM Books:
①.Internally:9~12 grams;②.Internally:water decoction, 3~4 qian (about 9~12 grams),big dosage 1~2 liang (about 30~60 grams), extract juice or prepare to pill,powder.Externally:mashed and apply stick, prepare to finely ground herb powder and apply,or fumigation wash with water decoction;③.Internally:water decoction, 9~12 grams, big dosage could be 30~60 grams, extract juice or prepare to pill,powder. Externally:proper amount,mashed and apply stick,or prepare to finely ground herb powder and apply,or fumigation wash with water decoction.
(2).Siegesbeckia pubescens Makino.
Botanical description: The plant, Siegesbeckia pubescens Makino is also known as Siegesbeckia orientalis L.f.pubescens Makino., commonly known as Xiàn Gěng Xī Xiān Cǎo. An annual herb. The stem is upright, and stout, the plant grows up to 30~110 cm tall, and the upper part is many-branched, covered with explanate ash gray (grayish white) pilose and coarse hairs. Basal leaves are ovate-lanceolate, wither in flowering phase; leaves on the middle part are ovoid or ovate, explanate, 3.5~12 cm long, 1.8~6 cm wide, the base is broadly cuneate, decurrent and form an aliform (winglike) stalk, 1~3 cm long, the apex is acuminate, the margin has pointed regular or irregular coarse teeth; upper leaves gradually become smaller, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate; the upper surface of all leaves is dark green, undersurface is pea green (pale green), 3 basal veins, lateral veins and reticulated veins are conspicuous, both surfaces are covered with procumbent pubescence, villous along veins.
Capitula (flower heads) are 18~22 mm in diameter, and mostly grows on the tip of branches, arranged in loose panicles; pedicels are longer, densely covered with puce (purple brown) capitate stipitate-glandular hairs and pilose; involucre is broadly campanulate; involucral bracts are in 2 layers, foliaceous, the back surface is densely covered with puce (purple brown) capitate stipitate-glandular hairs, the outer layer is linear spatulate or broadly linear, 7~14 mm long, inner layer is ovate-oblong, 3.5 mm long. The corolla tube of the ligulate flower is 1~1.2 mm long, the ligulate apex is 2-3 lobed, sometimes 5 lobed; hermaphroditic tubular flowers are about 2.5 mm long, and limbus is campanulate (bell-shaped), the apex is 4~5 lobed.
Achenes are obovate-ovoid, 4-ribbed, and the tip has taupe (dust color) annular protrusions. Its flowering period is from May to August, and the fruiting period is from June to October.
Ecological environment: The plant grows on hillsides or mountain slopes, valleys, forest edges, the lawn in bushes and forests, river valleys, streamside, damp fields of the river channel, weald, the cultivated land side, in areas at altitudes of 160~3,400 meters above sea level. It is mainly distributed in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the Zhujiang river area, the southwest area, the Hanjiang river area, and other areas of China.
Characters of herbs: The upper part of the branches is covered with pilose and puce (purple brown) glandular spots, the leaf is ovoid or oval (egg-shaped), and the edge is irregularly serrulate. The herb of a better grade has tender ranches, foliose (many leaves), and dark green.
(3).Siegesbeckia glabrescens Makino.
Botanical description: The plant, Siegesbeckia glabrescens Makino is also known as Siegesbeckia orientalis f.glabrescens Makino., is commonly known as Máo Gěng Xī Xiān Cǎo, Guāng Xī Xiān or Shǎo Máo Xī Xiān. An annual herb. The stem is upright, thin and delicate, 30~80 cm tall, usually the upper part is branched, covered with procumbent pubescence, and sometimes the pubescence on the upper part is dense. Basal leaves are withered in the flowering phase; leaves of the middle part are ovoid, triangular-ovoid, or ovate-lanceolate, 2.5~11 cm long, 1.5~7 cm wide, the base is broadly cuneate or blunt, sometimes are decurrent into aliferous stalks, 0.5~6 cm long, the apex is acuminate, the margin is regularly serrate; leaves on upper part gradually turning smaller, ovate-lanceolate, 1 cm long, 0.5 cm wide, the margin is sparsely toothed or entire, short stipitate or sessile; both surfaces of all leaves are covered with pilose, basal 3 veins, leaf veins are slightly protuberant on the undersurface of leaves.
Capitula (flower heads) are 10~18 mm in diameter, and most of the capitulum are arranged on the tip of branches into sparse panicles; pedicels are slender, and sparsely covered with procumbent pubescence. Involucre is campanulate (bell-shaped); involucral bracts are in 2 layers, foliaceous, the back surface is densely covered with puce (purple brown) capitate stipitate-glandular hairs; 5 bracts in the out layer, linear spatulate, 6-9 mm long, inner bracts are obovate-oblong, 3 mm long. Stipules are obovate-oblong, and the back is sparsely covered with capitate stipitate-glandular hairs. The corolla tube of the female flower is about 0.8 mm long, and the upper corolla part of the hermaphroditic flower is campanulate, the apex is 4~5 dentate lobed.
Achenes are obovate, 4-ridges, is about 2.5 mm long, and has taupe (grayish-brown) annular protrusions. Its flowering period is from April to September, and the fruiting period is from June to November.
Ecological environment: The plant grows on roadsides, in weald and open fields, in wild grass ground, and bushes on hillsides and mountain slopes, and in areas at altitudes of 300~1,000 meters above sea level. It is distributed in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the Zhujiang river area, the southwest area, and other areas of China. It also distributes in some other areas of East Asia.
Characters of herbs: The upper part of the branch is sparsely covered with procumbent pubescence, and leaf blades are small, and the leaf edge is regularly serrated. The herb of a better grade has tender branches, foliose (many leaves), and dark green.
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References:
1.Introduction of Xi Xian Cao:Siegesbeckia Herb or Herba Siegesbeckiae.
✵The article gives records of the herb Siegesbeckia Herb, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source three plant species, ①.Siegesbeckia orientalis L., ②.Siegesbeckia pubescens Makino., ③.Siegesbeckia glabrescens Makino., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of these three plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of these three plant species, the features of the herb Siegesbeckia Herb, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Pin Yin Name: Xī Xiān Cǎo.
Botanical description: The plant, Siegesbeckia orientalis L is commonly known as Xī Xiān Cǎo. Annual herbs, the plant grows up to 30~100 cm tall. The stem is upright, the branches are obtuse, upper branches are often dichotomous; all branches are covered with ash-gray pubescence. Leaves are opposite, basal leaves wither in the flowering phase; leaves in the middle part are triangular-ovoid or ovate-lanceolate, 4~10 cm long, 1.8~6.5 cm wide, the apex is acuminate, the base is broadly cuneate and decurrent to an aliform stalk, the margin is regularly lobed or coarsely serrate, the upper surface is green, the undersurface is pale green, glandular, both surfaces are piliferous, ternate basal veins, lateral veins, and reticulated veins are conspicuous; leaves on upper part turning smaller, ovate-oblong, margin is sinuolate or entire, subsessile.
Ecological environment: The plant Siegesbeckia orientalis grows in mountains, wild grass ground, bushes, and forests, in areas at altitudes of 110~2,700 meters above sea level. It is also commonly found in cultivated land. The plant is widely distributed in China, Southeast Asia, and North American tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions, Europe, Armenia (Caucasus); it is distributed in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the Zhujiang river area, southwest area, the Hanjiang river area and other regions in China.
Characters of herbs: The stem is cylindrical, the surface is celadon (sage green), yellow-brown or purple brown, longitudinal grooves and fine longitudinal striations, branches are opposite, nodes are slightly enlarged, densely covered with white pubescence; the texture of the herb is light and crisp, easily broken and there is conspicuous white pith on the fracture surface. Leaves are opposite, mostly shed off or broken; the intact leaves are triangular-ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 4~10 cm long, and 1.8~6.5 cm wide, the apex is blunt pointed, the base is broadly cuneate and decurrent to wing stalk, and the edge is irregularly lobed or coarsely serrate; both surfaces are piliferous, the undersurface has glandular spots. Sometimes yellow capitulum (flower head) is visible at the stem top or leaf axils. The herb has a slight odor, and it tastes slightly bitter. The herb of a better grade has tender branches, foliose (many leaves), and dark green.
Botanical description: The plant, Siegesbeckia pubescens Makino is also known as Siegesbeckia orientalis L.f.pubescens Makino., commonly known as Xiàn Gěng Xī Xiān Cǎo. An annual herb. The stem is upright, and stout, the plant grows up to 30~110 cm tall, and the upper part is many-branched, covered with explanate ash gray (grayish white) pilose and coarse hairs. Basal leaves are ovate-lanceolate, wither in flowering phase; leaves on the middle part are ovoid or ovate, explanate, 3.5~12 cm long, 1.8~6 cm wide, the base is broadly cuneate, decurrent and form an aliform (winglike) stalk, 1~3 cm long, the apex is acuminate, the margin has pointed regular or irregular coarse teeth; upper leaves gradually become smaller, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate; the upper surface of all leaves is dark green, undersurface is pea green (pale green), 3 basal veins, lateral veins and reticulated veins are conspicuous, both surfaces are covered with procumbent pubescence, villous along veins.
Ecological environment: The plant grows on hillsides or mountain slopes, valleys, forest edges, the lawn in bushes and forests, river valleys, streamside, damp fields of the river channel, weald, the cultivated land side, in areas at altitudes of 160~3,400 meters above sea level. It is mainly distributed in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the Zhujiang river area, the southwest area, the Hanjiang river area, and other areas of China.
Botanical description: The plant, Siegesbeckia glabrescens Makino is also known as Siegesbeckia orientalis f.glabrescens Makino., is commonly known as Máo Gěng Xī Xiān Cǎo, Guāng Xī Xiān or Shǎo Máo Xī Xiān. An annual herb. The stem is upright, thin and delicate, 30~80 cm tall, usually the upper part is branched, covered with procumbent pubescence, and sometimes the pubescence on the upper part is dense. Basal leaves are withered in the flowering phase; leaves of the middle part are ovoid, triangular-ovoid, or ovate-lanceolate, 2.5~11 cm long, 1.5~7 cm wide, the base is broadly cuneate or blunt, sometimes are decurrent into aliferous stalks, 0.5~6 cm long, the apex is acuminate, the margin is regularly serrate; leaves on upper part gradually turning smaller, ovate-lanceolate, 1 cm long, 0.5 cm wide, the margin is sparsely toothed or entire, short stipitate or sessile; both surfaces of all leaves are covered with pilose, basal 3 veins, leaf veins are slightly protuberant on the undersurface of leaves.
Capitula (flower heads) are 10~18 mm in diameter, and most of the capitulum are arranged on the tip of branches into sparse panicles; pedicels are slender, and sparsely covered with procumbent pubescence. Involucre is campanulate (bell-shaped); involucral bracts are in 2 layers, foliaceous, the back surface is densely covered with puce (purple brown) capitate stipitate-glandular hairs; 5 bracts in the out layer, linear spatulate, 6-9 mm long, inner bracts are obovate-oblong, 3 mm long. Stipules are obovate-oblong, and the back is sparsely covered with capitate stipitate-glandular hairs. The corolla tube of the female flower is about 0.8 mm long, and the upper corolla part of the hermaphroditic flower is campanulate, the apex is 4~5 dentate lobed.
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