Thorn crow

Thorn crow

(Heilongjiang traditional Chinese Medicine)

[source] it is the root bark or bark of Aralia elata.

[plant morphology] Aralia elata, also known as Longya Meimu, cilongya and huyangci.

Small trees, 1.5-3 m high. The bark is gray, dense and spiny, gradually falling off when old; the branchlets are light yellow, sparsely spiny. The leaves are large, alternate, 2-3 times odd pinnate compound leaves, up to 1 meter long, often gathered at the end of the branch; the petiole is spiny; the leaflets are mostly ovate or elliptic ovate, 5-15 cm long and 2.5-8 cm wide, the apex is acuminate, the base is round, broad cuneate or microcordate, the edge is large teeth or sharp small serrate, the top is dark green, the bottom is pink green with gray blue. It is composed of many small umbels and panicles, large and dense, with short main axis, 2-5 cm long, densely pubescent on rachis and pedicel; bracts lanceolate; calyx cup-shaped, apex 5-lobed; petals 5, yellowish white; stamens 5; ovary inferior, 5-locular, style 5, free. Berry shaped drupe, globose, black, ca. 4 mm in diam., style persistent. The flowering period is from July to August. The fruiting period is September.

In broad-leaved forest, or near forest edge. Distributed in Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang and other places.

[collection] harvest in spring and dry in the sun.

Root bark

It is in the shape of tube, single roll or double roll, or divergent below the middle, slightly bent or irregularly twisted. It is generally 15-36 cm long and 1.5-3.0 mm thick. The surface is light grayish brown to dark grayish brown, some of the outer layer of the embolus is exfoliated scale like, and longitudinal wrinkles can be seen at the exfoliated part of the embolus. The lenticels are round to elliptic, punctate or transverse. The inner surface is dark brown yellow to yellow white. Brittle, easy to break, uneven section, light yellow white to white, light blue fluorescence under ultraviolet light. Almost odorless, taste first slightly astringent and then bitter, chewing without fiber residue feeling.

② The bark (including rhizome) in the lower part of the stem is mostly in the form of single roll or double roll, straight and a few curved. Most of them are 10-15 cm long and 1.5-2.0 mm thick. The surface is crisped and rough. The inner surface is similar to the root bark. It is hard and brittle, easy to break, fibrous in section, and light blue fluorescence under ultraviolet light. The smell is the same as above, and the chewing is rough.

It is produced in Heilongjiang Province.

[chemical constituents] it contains cardiac glycosides, saponins, volatile oil and trace alkaloids. The root contains Aralia saponin A, Aralia saponin B, Aralia saponin C and so on, which are oleanolic acid glycosides.

The leaves contain saponins, and the aglycone is Ivy aglycone.

[pharmacological action] Acanthopanax senticosus, similar to ginseng, has an "adaptogen" like effect (see "acanthopanax bark" strip), but its toxicity is about 10 times greater than ginseng and acanthopanax senticosus. The results of swimming test in mice showed that 2 g / kg of alcohol extract of Corydalis spinosa could improve the activity ability and prevent the development of fatigue; it could also significantly enhance the effects of central stimulants (caffeine and tetrandrine), but the effects on central inhibitors (barbiturates) were inconsistent. Once or for a long time, it can improve the efficiency of physical and intellectual activities. Injection of triterpenoid saponins from crow can improve the excitatory process and flexibility of cerebral cortex and subcortical. The results showed that the water alcohol extract of Corydalis spinosa had cardiotonic effect on isolated frog heart or in situ rabbit heart, but excessive dose could inhibit in situ rabbit heart. The effect on respiration and blood pressure was not obvious. It can excite the intestines of rabbits (in situ or in vitro), excite the uterus of rabbits in vitro, and inhibit the uterus in situ. The tincture of leaf or root of Aralia elata can cause hypotension. The former can also accelerate the hypotension (normalization) of dogs with "pituitrin induced hypertension". Both of them can reduce the tension of isolated rabbit intestines and relax the increase of intestinal tension caused by barium chloride, but can not eliminate the spasm caused by acetylcholine. The results showed that the blood glucose level of the rabbits increased. It has no hypoglycemic effect on adrenaline hyperglycemia and alloxan diabetes. However, subcutaneous injection of Aralia elata bark water extract can reduce alloxan induced hyperglycemia in rats, and slightly inhibit the hyperglycemia induced by adrenaline or a large amount of glucose. The samples collected in spring had strong hypoglycemic effect, but those collected in autumn had no effect. Aralia also has anti radiation effect. The median lethal dose of the aqueous extract of Aralia elata root bark was 28.2 g / kg. Rats were killed by intraperitoneal injection of 2 g / kg water extract. 5 g / kg, the rabbits will die after more than 10 hours. Gancao, Gancao Xiexin Decoction and Buzhong Yiqi Decoction can reduce its toxicity and reduce its diarrhea effect. If licorice is combined with tangerine peel and Aucklandia, its toxicity will be increased. The toxicity of leaf is twice as strong as that of root in mice.

[nature and taste] Handbook of commonly used Chinese herbal medicines in Northeast China: "pungent, flat, with little poison. "

Functions and indications: tonifying qi and calming nerves, strengthening essence and nourishing kidney, dispelling wind and activating blood circulation. It is used to treat neurasthenia, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, deficiency of Yang Qi and deficiency of kidney yang.

① "Northeast commonly used Chinese herbal medicine manual": "Qufeng dehumidification, Huoxue Zhitong. Treatment of hepatitis, diabetes, gastrospasm, constipation, rheumatoid arthritis, traumatic bleeding. "

② "Identification of main wild medicinal plants in Heilongjiang Province and new preparations of Chinese herbal medicine": "Invigorating Qi and calming nerves, strengthening essence and nourishing kidney. "

[usage and dosage] oral administration: decoction, 0.5-1 Liang (fresh 1-2 Liang). External use: tamping.

Chinese PinYin : Ci Lao Ya