What are the benefits and effects of Vaccaria (Caryophyllaceae), and can it be taken regularly with Tetrapanax papyrifer?
Vaccaria, also known as Nai Mi and Lao Tou Lan Zi, is the dried mature seed of the Caryophyllaceae plant Vaccaria hispanica (cowherb). Because it has diuretic, milk-promoting, and blood-activating and menstruation-regulating effects, it is widely used as a medicinal material. So what exactly are the benefits and effects of Vaccaria? Can it be eaten together with Tetrapanax papyrifer? Can it be eaten regularly?
1. What stories are associated with Vaccaria?
Story 1: According to a medical case recorded in the Jin Zhen Zi Ben Jing by the Song dynasty physician Wang Zhizhong: there was once a woman who suffered from strangury and had been bedridden for years. Her husband took her to doctors everywhere, but none of the treatments worked. One day, the husband told Wang Zhizhong about this, and Wang Zhizhong told him to make a soup with the leaves of Jian Jin Hua and drink it, and she would improve. Unexpectedly, after drinking it several times, she recovered. Later, it was named “Wang Bu Liu Xing.”
Story 2: In Huaibei, a newly married couple had a child, but because the wife, surnamed Wang, had no milk after giving birth, they had to give the child to a household that had milk. Because of this, Wang became depressed for a long time and eventually fell ill and died. Later, one day, her husband went to harvest wheat and saw a wild plant, cut it down, brought it home, and gave it to the pigs. Unexpectedly, after eating it, the pigs quickly produced milk. After learning of this effect, Wang's husband introduced it to women who had no milk, and he was praised by the villagers. Later, this plant was named “Wang Bu Liu Xing.”
Story 3: In the late Sui dynasty, Li Shimin and Yang Guang fought a decisive battle at the foot of the Taihang Mountains. Because both sides were quite strong, they lost many troops, and so the number of soldiers became the key to victory. Just when Li Shimin was deeply worried about treating the soldiers' injuries, Wu Xing came with a bundle of herbs to seek an audience and said that this medicine could heal the sword wounds of the injured. Li Shimin took a chance on it, and unexpectedly the effect was astonishing. Three days later, the injured soldiers' condition had recovered, and therefore the war was won decisively. Before the victory in the war, in order not to let the enemy know this secret formula, Li Shimin had to secretly kill Wu Xing to block the news. When Li Shimin ascended the throne, he named this wild plant Wang Bu Liu Xing, meaning that the king could not leave Wu Xing behind.
2. What are the benefits and effects of Vaccaria?
Effect 1. Activating blood and regulating menstruation: Vaccaria has a certain therapeutic effect on dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, and unsmooth menstruation. Regular use can activate blood and regulate menstruation.
Effect 2. Promoting milk secretion: Vaccaria has a certain therapeutic effect on postpartum women with little milk and qi-blood deficiency. Persistent use can stimulate uterine excitement and quickly promote milk secretion. In addition, it also has a certain auxiliary effect on acute mastitis.
Effect 3. Diuresis: Vaccaria has a certain therapeutic effect on difficult urination and strangury. Regular drinking can promote diuresis.
Effect 4. Anti-early pregnancy: Vaccaria has an anti-early pregnancy effect and a certain regulating effect on physiological function.
Effect 5. Anti-cancer: The water extract and ether extract of Vaccaria have anti-tumor effects. Regular use can have a certain therapeutic effect on cancer.
Effect 6. Improving blood circulation: The water decoction of Vaccaria has the effect of improving blood circulation. Regular use can significantly reduce blood viscosity.
3. Can Vaccaria and Tetrapanax papyrifer be eaten together?
Vaccaria and Tetrapanax papyrifer can be eaten together, and after consumption they have the effects of activating blood and regulating menstruation, promoting milk secretion, promoting diuresis, and regulating menstruation. Generally, they can be boiled in water and drunk directly, or stewed in soup with pig trotters and red dates, which can achieve very good results. The specific ways to eat them are as follows:
1. Vaccaria and Tetrapanax papyrifer soup
Ingredients: 6 g Vaccaria, 3 g Tetrapanax papyrifer
Method: Put the Vaccaria and Tetrapanax papyrifer into a cloth bag, tie it well, and soak it in clean water for 30 minutes. Then take out the cloth bag, put it into a clay pot, add water, and boil over high heat. Then turn to low heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Vaccaria, Tetrapanax papyrifer, and pig trotter soup
Ingredients: 10 g Vaccaria, 3 g Tetrapanax papyrifer, pig trotters, red dates, salt
Method:
(1) Wash the pig trotters and cut them into pieces. Wash the red dates and remove the pits, and set aside.
(2) Put the Vaccaria and Tetrapanax papyrifer into a cloth bag and tie it up.
(3) Put the cloth bag together with the pig trotters and red dates into a clay pot, then add an appropriate amount of clean water and boil over high heat. Then turn to medium heat and stew the soup for 2 hours, until the pig trotters are cooked soft, and then it is ready to eat.
For the above two ways of eating, people with dual deficiency of qi and yin or a cold constitution should try not to consume them, so as not to aggravate the cold in the body and worsen the condition.
4. Can Vaccaria be eaten regularly?
As the saying goes, “every medicine has some toxicity,” so Vaccaria should not be eaten regularly. Generally, taking 5-10 g at a time is best. If taken in excess, it will increase the burden on the kidneys and cause other diseases. Even if it is specifically used to treat a certain disease, it still needs to be taken under the guidance of a physician.
5. What is the market price of Vaccaria per jin?
The market price of Vaccaria is relatively cheap, generally 16 yuan per jin, but because demand is not high, it is rarely sold on the market.