Swertia mussotii

Swertia mussotii

(Inner Mongolia Chinese herbal medicine)

[synonym] dangyao (Inner Mongolia Chinese herbal medicine).

[source] it is the whole herb of Swertia mussotii, a Gentianaceae plant.

[plant morphology] Swertia mussotii

Annual herb, 10-40 cm high. Stem simple or branched, tetragonal, purplish. Leaves opposite, sessile, linear lanceolate, 2-4 cm long, apex acuminate, base narrow, entire. Panicle cyme terminal or axillary; sepals 5, linear lanceolate; corolla blue purple, 2 cm in diameter, 5-lobed, spreading, lobes narrowly ovate, inner base with 2 glandular pits, glandular pit margin hair tuberculate; stamens 5, anthers dark purple. Capsule elliptic. It blooms in autumn.

It grows on hillside, grassland and forest edge. Distributed in Northeast, North China, Henan, Shandong and other places.

In addition, the whole grass of the following two plants can also be used as Swertia mussotii medicine:

① Swertia bimaculata

One or two years old herb, height 60 ~ 100 cm. Stem erect, branched. Leaves opposite, elliptic or oblong, apex pointed, base decurrent. Corolla yellowish white, 5-lobed, lobes obovate, with many dark green spots on the upper part, and 2 yellowish green glands on the middle part, round, naked, about 0.1-0.2 cm in diameter.

② Dryopteris glandularis

Annual short herb, ca. 10 cm tall. Stem slender, branched from base. Root leaves obovate; stem leaves narrowly ovate, acute. Flowers axillary, 1-3, corolla radial, whitish, drooping after anthesis.

[collection] harvest in summer and autumn, cut into sections and dry in the shade.

[chemical constituents] it contains about 2-4% of Sophora flavescens, as well as Angelin, yellow gentianin, yellow gentianin glucoside, etc.

Swertia bifasciatus contains isovitexin, isoorientin, 1,3-dihydroxy-4,5-dimethoxyxanthone, 1-O - β - d-glucopyranoside and 3-O - β - d-glucopyranoside of the xanthone, as well as dangyaopicroside and dangyaoside.

[pharmacological action] the bitter glycosides isolated from Chinese angelica are easy to be absorbed on the skin surface. After absorption, they are decomposed to form erythrocentaurin, which can dilate capillaries, activate or promote the enzyme system of skin cells, and improve the biochemical function of skin tissue. Intravenous injection of dangyao solution can increase skin temperature, which is similar to parasympathetic drugs. So we think it can treat alopecia.

In addition, the methanol extract from Japanese herbal medicine can protect the liver damage of mice caused by carbon tetrachloride and promote the redox function of skin. It has radiation like effect.

Bitter, cold.

Functions and indications: clearing away heat, strengthening stomach and promoting diuresis. Treatment of dyspepsia, gastritis, jaundice, burning eye, toothache, aphthous ulcer.

[usage and dosage] oral administration: decoction, 1-3 yuan; or grinding, 5 minutes each time.

[selected formula] treating acute and chronic bacillary dysentery, abdominal pain: three money as medicine. Take it in water. (the following is the Inner Mongolia Chinese herbal medicine)

Chinese PinYin : Zhang Ya Cai