What is the difference between Desmodium styracifolium and Lysimachia christinae? A quick guide to telling them apart
The differences between Desmodium styracifolium and Lysimachia christinae lie in their appearance, leaves and medicinal properties. The leaves of Desmodium styracifolium are kidney-shaped to round, with a notch, resembling a horseshoe in shape, and it has anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and analgesic effects. The leaves of Lysimachia christinae are round and it is mostly grown for ornamental purposes; it has the effects of clearing heat and removing toxins, and promoting bile flow and expelling stones, and it can generally be drunk after being decocted.
Lysimachia christinae: also called Shenxian duizuo cao, or Sichuan large Lysimachia christinae. It is Lysimachia christinae of the family Primulaceae. Its effects: clearing heat and promoting diuresis, removing toxins and reducing swelling. It is also widely used for gallstones, bladder stones, kidney stones, jaundice, abdominal dropsy and distension, and nephritic edema. In Shanghai, among the general public it is used for traumatic injuries, and in Sichuan it is used externally for fractures.
Desmodium styracifolium: it is Dichondra repens of the family Convolvulaceae. It also has the effects of clearing heat, promoting diuresis, removing toxins and invigorating blood, and can likewise treat jaundice, painful urination with sandy stones, edema, and boils and swellings, and it is also used for dysentery.
As for the large-leaf and small-leaf claims, several kinds of herbs are confused with Lysimachia christinae by people, and among them the most widely confused at present is the small-leaf Lysimachia christinae, which is Desmodium styracifolium confused with Dichondra repens. Merchants fabricate the claim that these two herbs work for any kind of stone. In fact, it is not hard to find by consulting the literature that Desmodium styracifolium is actually a leguminous plant from the high mountains of Yunnan, and it enters the liver, kidney and bladder meridians, so its effects are to promote diuresis and reduce jaundice, and to promote urination and treat strangury. This means that it has a supportive effect on jaundice and liver disease, and a diuretic effect on the kidneys and bladder, which leads people to use it as a diuretic; for generally small stones that can be passed through exercise, drinking this Desmodium styracifolium together with chicken gizzard lining can also expel tiny stones. This has led people to believe that Desmodium styracifolium is a miracle drug for treating stones. It is ineffective against gallstones. If a stone is slightly larger, drinking it is useless and may even cause ureteral blockage.