Japanese Banana Root: Benefits, Actions, Medicinal Value and Side Effects Explained

       Japanese banana root belongs to the same family as the banana, looks similar, and has a certain medicinal value. What are the benefits and actions of Japanese banana root? What is the medicinal value of Japanese banana root? Does it have any side effects? Follow along with the editor below to find out!

I. Benefits and Actions of Japanese Banana Root

Clears heat, quenches thirst, promotes urination, and resolves toxins. It is used to treat epidemic febrile diseases, restlessness, consumptive thirst, jaundice, edema, beriberi, bloody strangury, flooding and spotting, carbuncles and swellings, nail-like sores, and erysipelas.

1. Dietary Materia Medica: “It mainly treats jaundice.”

2. Rihuazi Materia Medica: “It treats epidemic heat mania, restlessness, and consumptive thirst; for those suffering from carbuncle toxin along with metal-and-stone-induced outbreaks, heat, restlessness and dry mouth, the juice is squeezed and taken; for swelling toxin and wandering wind, rubella, and headache, it is ground and applied as a poultice.”

3. Materia Medica Renewed: “It drains heat and resolves toxins. It treats all swelling toxins, life-threatening back carbuncles, wandering wind rubella, wind-heat headache, postpartum blood distention, consumptive thirst with craving for water, epidemic heat mania, painful and rough bloody strangury, and non-healing sores.”

4. Modern Practical Chinese Materia Medica: “It promotes urination. It treats edema and beriberi.”

5. Guizhou Folk Prescription Collection: “It relieves constipation.”

II. Medicinal Value of Japanese Banana Root

1. To treat consumptive thirst, dry mouth and tongue, and restless heat in the joints: take fresh Japanese banana root, pound it, squeeze out the juice, and drink one or two ge from time to time. (Sheng Hui Fang)

2. To treat jaundice: Japanese banana root 3 qian, shancigu (cremastra rhizome) 2 qian, gentian root 3 qian. Pound them into a paste and take with water. (Hunan Materia Medica)

3. To treat bloody strangury with restlessness and rough, painful urination: dry lotus plumule 1 liang, Japanese banana root 1 liang. Finely chop the above, add 2 large cupfuls of water, decoct to 1 cupful and 3 fen, remove the dregs, and divide into three doses to be taken before meals. (Sheng Hui Fang)

4. To treat flooding and spotting and leukorrhea: Japanese banana root half a jin, lean pork 4 liang. Stew in water and take. (Jiangxi Herbal Medicine)

5. To treat restless fetal movement: Japanese banana root 2 to 3 liang. Boil with pork and eat. (Hunan Materia Medica)

6. To treat high blood pressure: decoct the juice of Japanese banana root and rhizome, or boil it with pork and eat. (Zhejiang Folk Herbal Medicine)

7. To treat a life-threatening back carbuncle: pound Japanese banana root and apply it. (Zhou Hou Fang)

8. To treat non-healing sores: take the juice of Japanese banana root and smear it on. (Renzhai Zhizhi Fang)

9. To treat nail-like sores with spreading toxin: pound Japanese banana root, squeeze out one bowl of juice, and administer it. (Lenglu Medical Talks)

10. To treat red migratory erysipelas in children that moves up and down and is fatal once it reaches the heart: pound Japanese banana root, squeeze out the juice, and apply it. (Zimu Milu)

III. Side Effects of Japanese Banana Root

Research on the Usage of Materia Medica: It is contraindicated for those with yang deficiency and weak spleen who have no true heat.

IV. Usage and Dosage of Japanese Banana Root

Internal use: decocted in water, 0.5 to 1 liang (1 to 2 liang if fresh); or pounded to obtain juice. External use: pounded and applied, pounded for juice and smeared on, or decocted in water for gargling.