Rhizoma Menispermi

Rhizoma Menispermi

Asiatic Moonseed Rhizome

[alias] huangtiaoxiang, yedougen, bataria.

[source] it is the rhizome of Menispermum dauricum DC.

[plant morphology] twining deciduous woody vines. Branchlets with fine longitudinal stripes. Leaves alternate, reniform or ovoid, apex pointed, base shallowly cordate or nearly truncate, margin subentire or 3-7-lobed, palmate veins 5-7; petioles peltate. Flowers small, unisexual, inflorescence short panicle; male sepals 6, petals 6-9, yellow green, smaller than sepals; stamens 10-20, anthers spherical; female carpels 3. The fruit is drupe shaped and dark purple when ripe. The flowering period is from June to July and the fruiting period is from July to August.

Growing in mountain shrubs or climbing on rocks. It is mainly produced in Northeast, North China and Shaanxi.

[harvesting] in spring and autumn, remove fibrous roots and sediment, and dry them.

[character] the rhizome is cylindrical, curved, branched, up to 50cm in length and 0.3-0.8cm in diameter. The surface is yellowish brown to dark brown, with curved fine roots and longitudinal wrinkles, and the skin is easy to peel off. Tough, not easy to break, irregular section, fibrous, light yellow wood, radial arrangement, with pith in the center. It tastes bitter.

[chemical constituents] it contains Dauricine, menisperine and daurinoline.

Cold in nature and bitter in taste.

[indications] clearing away heat and toxin, dispelling wind and relieving pain. For sore throat, enteritis and dysentery, rheumatic arthralgia.

Chinese PinYin : Bei Dou Gen