Introduction of Wu Yao:Combined Spicebush Root or Radix Linderae.
✵The article gives records of the herb Combined Spicebush Root, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Lindera aggregata (Sims.) Kosterm., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Combined Spicebush Root, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Radix Linderae(Combined Spicebush Root).
Pin Yin Name: Wū Yào.
English Name: Combined Spicebush Root.
Latin Name: Radix Linderae.
Property and flavor: warm, pungent.
Brief introduction: The herb Radix Linderae is the dried tuberous root of Lindera aggregata (Sims.) Kosterm., used to move Qi, alleviate pain, warm the kidney and dispel cold for relieving distension and pain in the lower abdomen, frequent micturition, and enuresis. The herb is commonly known as Radix Linderae, Combined Spicebush Root, Wū Yào.
Botanical source: Herbal classic book defined the herb Radix Linderae (Combined Spicebush Root) as the dried tuberous root of the species (1).Lindera aggregata (Sims.) Kosterm. It is a plant of the Lindera Thunb. Genus, the Lauraceae family (laurel family) of the Ranales order. This commonly used species is introduced:
(1).Lindera aggregata (Sims.) Kosterm.
Botanical description: Lindera aggregata (Sims.) Kosterm is also known as Lindera strychnifolia (Sieb.et Zucc.) F.-Vill., is commonly known as Wū Yào, or Dú Jiǎo Zhāng. An evergreen shrub or small tree, it grows up to 4~5 meters high. The root is ligneous (woody), swollen, and stout, slightly bead-like. The bark is celadon (grayish-green). Branchlets are densely rust-colored pubescent when young, and turn glabrescent when growing old; Stem and branch are tough, and not easy to break. Leaves are alternate, coriaceous; petioles are 5~10 mm long, piliferous; leaf blades are elliptic or oval (egg-shaped), 3~7.5 cm long, 1.5~4 cm wide, the apex is acuminate or shortly caudate, the base is rounded or broadly cuneate, entire, the upper surface is green, glossy, only mid vein is piliferous, glabrous except midrib, the under surface is covered with ash gray or pale brown pubescence, later turns glabrate, ternate veins, the mid vein grows through to leaf tip.
Flowers are unisexual, dioecious; umbels are axillary, peduncles are very short; 6 tapels (perianth lobes), yellowish green; male flowers have 9 stamens, in 3 whorls, anther is 2-loculed, introverted valves cleft. The female inflorescence has a staminode, the ovary is superior, spheric shape (globular), 1 loculus, 1 ovule, stigma is capitate.
Drupes (drupe fruits) are spheroidic or globular, 0.6~1 cm long, 4~7 mm in diameter, green in the initial period, and turn atropurpureus (purple black) at maturity. Its flowering period is from March to April, the fruiting period is from September to October.
Ecological environment: The plant grows in the shrubbery on sunny hillsides or mountain slopes, forest edges and the piedmont (foot of mountain), weald (open fields), and so on. It is distributed in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the west of Zhujiang River area, southwest, and northwest areas, Taiwan, and other areas of China.
Growth characteristics: The plant Lindera aggregata prefers subtropical climates, and strong adaptability. It is appropriate to choose a field with sufficient sunshine, and loose and fertile acid soil for cultivation.
Characters of herbs: The lindera root is fusiform (spindle-shaped) or cylindrical, slightly curved, and some middle parts shrink into a beaded shape, which is commonly called a "Lindera root bead", 5~15 cm long, and 1~3 cm in diameter. The surface is yellowish-brown or taupe brown (grayish-brown), with thin longitudinal wrinkles and sparse fine root marks. The texture of the herb is very firm and hard, not easy to break, the fracture surface is yellowish-white. The herb has an aroma, it tastes slightly bitter, and pungent, and has a cool sensation. The herb of a better grade is big, hypertrophic, tender, the fracture surface has a strong aroma; The old herb with straight roots and not fusiform (spindle-shaped) is not suitable for medicinal use.
The lindera root slice is a crosscut slice, 1~5 mm thick, or thinner. The fracture surface is yellowish-white to pale brown and reddish, with radial veins, there are visible yearly rings, and the color of the center part is darker. The texture of the herb is crisp.
Pharmacological actions: ①.stimulate and inhibit (the bidirectional regulation) gastrointestinal smooth muscle and promote the secretion of digestive juice; ②.accelerate blood circulation; ③.hepatoprotective; ④.anti-inflammatory; ⑤.antibacterial; ⑥.hemostasis (stanch bleeding); ⑦.anticoagulation; ⑧.antihistamine; ⑨.anti-tumor, and other effects.
Medicinal efficacy: Guiding Qi downward and relieve pain, expelling stagnation, warm the kidney, and disperse cold. It is indicated for distention and pain of chest and abdomen due to reversed flow of Qi, distension and fullness in chest and hypochondrium, epigastric distended pain, abdominal distention and pain, dyspnea due to reverse flow of Qi, urinary bladder deficiency and cold, dyspepsia and indigestion, nausea and vomiting, headache, hernia, cold hernia, cold hernia and pain, dysmenorrhea (abdominal pain after menstruation), postpartum abdominal pain, beriberi, frequent urination, enuresis, etc.
Administration of Radix Linderae (Wū Yào):
Reference:
Administration Guide of Radix Linderae (Wū Yào)
TCM Books:
①.Internally:3~9 grams; ②.Internally:water decoction,1.5~3 qian (about 4.5~9 grams), extract juice, or prepare to pill,powder; ③.Internally:water decoction, 5~10 grams, or prepared to pill, powder. Externally:proper amount, prepare to ground herb powder and apply stick.
Contraindications, Precautions and Adverse Reactions: The old root and straight root not in shape of cambiform could not be used as herb. The herb Radix Linderae should be used cautiously during pregnancy and physical weakness. Should better not use the herb in conditons advanced menstruation.
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1.Introduction of Wu Yao:Combined Spicebush Root or Radix Linderae.
✵The article gives records of the herb Combined Spicebush Root, its English name, Latin name, property and flavor, its botanical source one plant species, ①.Lindera aggregata (Sims.) Kosterm., with a detailed introduction to the botanical features of this plant species, the growth characteristics, and ecological environment of this plant species, the features of the herb Combined Spicebush Root, its pharmacological actions, medicinal efficacy, and administration guide.
Pin Yin Name: Wū Yào.
Botanical description: Lindera aggregata (Sims.) Kosterm is also known as Lindera strychnifolia (Sieb.et Zucc.) F.-Vill., is commonly known as Wū Yào, or Dú Jiǎo Zhāng. An evergreen shrub or small tree, it grows up to 4~5 meters high. The root is ligneous (woody), swollen, and stout, slightly bead-like. The bark is celadon (grayish-green). Branchlets are densely rust-colored pubescent when young, and turn glabrescent when growing old; Stem and branch are tough, and not easy to break. Leaves are alternate, coriaceous; petioles are 5~10 mm long, piliferous; leaf blades are elliptic or oval (egg-shaped), 3~7.5 cm long, 1.5~4 cm wide, the apex is acuminate or shortly caudate, the base is rounded or broadly cuneate, entire, the upper surface is green, glossy, only mid vein is piliferous, glabrous except midrib, the under surface is covered with ash gray or pale brown pubescence, later turns glabrate, ternate veins, the mid vein grows through to leaf tip.
Flowers are unisexual, dioecious; umbels are axillary, peduncles are very short; 6 tapels (perianth lobes), yellowish green; male flowers have 9 stamens, in 3 whorls, anther is 2-loculed, introverted valves cleft. The female inflorescence has a staminode, the ovary is superior, spheric shape (globular), 1 loculus, 1 ovule, stigma is capitate.
Ecological environment: The plant grows in the shrubbery on sunny hillsides or mountain slopes, forest edges and the piedmont (foot of mountain), weald (open fields), and so on. It is distributed in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the west of Zhujiang River area, southwest, and northwest areas, Taiwan, and other areas of China.
Characters of herbs: The lindera root is fusiform (spindle-shaped) or cylindrical, slightly curved, and some middle parts shrink into a beaded shape, which is commonly called a "Lindera root bead", 5~15 cm long, and 1~3 cm in diameter. The surface is yellowish-brown or taupe brown (grayish-brown), with thin longitudinal wrinkles and sparse fine root marks. The texture of the herb is very firm and hard, not easy to break, the fracture surface is yellowish-white. The herb has an aroma, it tastes slightly bitter, and pungent, and has a cool sensation. The herb of a better grade is big, hypertrophic, tender, the fracture surface has a strong aroma; The old herb with straight roots and not fusiform (spindle-shaped) is not suitable for medicinal use.
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