Medicinal and Edible Purslane: How to Treat Skin Diseases, How to Eat It Fresh and Dried, and Contraindications for Pregnant Women

Purslane, also known as longevity vegetable, long-life vegetable, purslane vegetable, horse-step vegetable, etc., is a wild vegetable that also has certain medicinal value. Purslane can also be applied externally to treat skin diseases, did you know? So how does purslane treat skin diseases? How do you eat fresh and dried purslane? Can pregnant women eat it?

Purslane can be found everywhere across the country, whether in the south or the north; you can pick it in any garden or at the edge of a field. It does not grow tall, its leaves are small and round, its stems are red and round with thick, fleshy texture, and in summer it bears small yellow flowers.

How does purslane treat skin diseases?

Modern research has found that purslane is rich in vitamin A-like substances, so it can promote the physiological function of epithelial cells to return to normal and can promote the healing of ulcers. In fact, no research is needed; our ancestors discovered this secret long ago. You see, thousands of years ago, people were already using it.

From <Qianjin Fang> for treating chronic non-healing carbuncles: wash fresh purslane, pound it into a paste, boil it, and apply externally.

From <Diannan Bencao> for treating malignant sores of many years: pound purslane into a paste and apply externally.

From <Haishang Fang> for treating ecthyma: grind dried purslane into powder, mix with honey, and apply overnight.

From <Shenghui Fang> for treating fanhua sores: burn purslane to ash, grind it finely, and apply mixed with lard.

From <Shenghui Fang> for treating malignant sores in the ear: 30 grams of purslane and 15 grams of phellodendron. Grind both into fine powder, take a small amount each time, wrap it in cotton, and place it in the ear.

From <Binhu Jijian Fang> for treating swelling and pain of the anus: equal parts purslane leaves and oxalis, decoct in water for fumigation and washing, 2 times daily.

From <Jiuji Fang> for treating scrofula: dry purslane in the shade and burn it to ash, mix with lard into an ointment; first clean the sore opening with warm rice water, then apply the medicine, 3 times daily.

In modern therapies, how to treat skin diseases:

1. Herpes zoster:

Pound fresh purslane into a paste and apply externally, 6 times daily, with a course of treatment of 3 to 12 days, generally using it for 7 days.

2. Acute urticaria:

Take 200 to 300 grams of fresh purslane, add 1500 milliliters of water, decoct to obtain about 1000 milliliters of liquid; take 100 milliliters orally (reduce as appropriate for children), 2 times daily; add an appropriate amount of water to the remaining residue and bring to a boil again, remove and discard the leftover herb, and while slightly warm, rub and wash the affected area.

3. Skin ulcers:

Take 1000 grams of fresh purslane, add 500 milliliters each of white liquor and water, decoct to 400 milliliters; adults eat about 120 grams of cooked purslane each morning and evening, and after eating drink 50 milliliters of the decoction, with the amount reduced as appropriate for children

If one dose is finished and the condition is not cured, you may additionally use 250 grams of fresh purslane (or adjust according to the size of the ulcer), wash off the soil, place it in a mortar and pound it into a paste, put it in a gauze bag, press it evenly by hand into a cake shape, apply it to the affected area, and change it once daily; external application is especially quick and reliable compared with internal use.

4. Flat warts:

Wash 100 grams of fresh purslane and pound it into a paste, wrap it well with gauze, and rub the affected area for 3 to 5 minutes until the skin turns red; rub once each morning and evening, with 10 days as one course of treatment. If the warts in the affected area have not disappeared, another course of rubbing may be done.

5. Eczema:

200 grams of purslane, 7 doses; after decocting, while warm, soak both hands for 15 to 20 minutes, 2 to 3 times daily.

6. Athlete's foot

100 grams of fresh purslane (chopped) and 20 grams of alum; after decocting in water, soak and wash the affected area for about 20 minutes, 4 times a day. Generally, one week of treatment is enough to cure it.

Benefits of drinking purslane steeped in water

First: Sterilizing and reducing inflammation

Experiments have found that the extract in purslane has a very good inhibitory effect on many kinds of bacteria, such as typhoid, Proteus, E. coli, and Shigella, among others. At the same time, it also has varying degrees of inhibitory effect on fungi, Staphylococcus aureus, and so on. Therefore, purslane has a good auxiliary therapeutic effect on various inflammations and is also called a natural antibiotic.

Second: Reducing swelling and promoting urination

Purslane contains a very rich potassium salt content; after this substance enters the body, it can effectively excrete excess water and have a swelling-reducing effect.

Third: Lowering blood pressure

Regularly drinking purslane steeped in water, in addition to the above effects, can also lower blood pressure and help the body return to health. This is because purslane contains a large amount of potassium ions, and potassium ions can act directly on the blood vessel walls, enhancing their ability to dilate and reducing thickening of the arterial wall. If you persist in taking purslane for a long time, then blood pressure will naturally become lower and lower, and the body will become healthier and healthier. Therefore, purslane is very suitable for patients with high blood pressure to take.

Fourth: Preventing and treating heart disease

Experts tell us that purslane contains a substance called Y-3 fatty acid, which can effectively inhibit the production of serum cholesterol and the like in the body, while promoting the synthesis rate of prostaglandins and effectively inhibiting the synthesis of thromboxane. In this way, blood viscosity will decrease, blood vessels will also dilate, and thrombosis and arterial spasms, among other things, will be effectively controlled, thus achieving the effect of preventing and treating heart disease.

Fifth: Eliminating viruses

It is reported that after entering the body, purslane can effectively prevent problems with phagocytes, can inhibit degeneration and necrosis, and can also prevent inflammation and fibrous changes. In particular, it has quite good therapeutic effects on the formation of silicotic nodules and diseases such as vitiligo.

How to eat fresh purslane

Purslane can be blanched and eaten as a cold dish, or stir-fried, and the tender shoots can also be eaten directly as a raw salad. From a health care perspective, gathering some purslane in spring and summer to eat as a cold dish at home can help regulate constipation and clear out retained stool, so it can become a regular on the dining table.

Cold dressed purslane

Ingredients: one handful of purslane, salt, MSG, sesame oil, vinegar, chili oil

Method:

1. Remove the old roots and old leaves of the purslane and break it into sections, soak it in clean water with salt for ten minutes, and wash it clean;

2. Put the purslane sections into a pot of boiling water and blanch until the color changes; when it turns emerald green, remove it, put it into cold water to cool, and set aside;

3. Take a bowl, add MSG, vinegar, chili oil, salt, and sesame oil, and mix evenly for later use;

4. Remove the cooled purslane, drain the water, put it into a container, add the prepared seasoning sauce, and stir evenly.

Note: When blanching in the pot, do not take too long, otherwise it will become too soft and mushy and lose the original fresh vegetable flavor; purslane is a wild vegetable of summer and autumn, so it should only be picked in season, and once out of season it should not be eaten fresh; those who do not eat spicy food can omit the chili oil.

Stir-fried purslane

Ingredients: purslane, salad oil, salt, MSG, onion, sesame oil

Method:

1. Remove the roots and old leaves of the purslane and wash it clean, cut it into sections 3 centimeters long, blanch it in a pot of boiling water, then remove it and drain the water; cut the onion into small cubes.

2. Place the pot over high heat, add salad oil, heat until 60 percent hot, add the diced onion and stir-fry, then add the purslane, add refined salt and MSG and stir-fry evenly, drizzle with sesame oil, and serve on a plate.

How to eat dried purslane

1. Steam with meat

Soak the dried purslane in clean water for one or two days, then cut it into small sections and set aside; then chop the meat into large pieces and set aside; then prepare some seasonings, such as chopped scallions and ginger slices; finally, when the meat is stir-fried to about 70 to 80 percent cooked, add the purslane.

2. Use as bun filling

Using dried purslane as filling for steamed buns or dumplings is also very good; however, because purslane likes oil, it is best to make the filling with purslane and meat together. The method is: soak the dried purslane in advance, chop it together with the meat, and mix evenly.

3. Stir-fry and eat

The simplest method is to directly stir-fry the dried purslane; likewise, first soak the purslane until softened and wash it clean, then add a small amount of meat slices and cook it; generally it can be stir-fried until done in 5 to 6 minutes.

Three kinds of people should avoid eating purslane

1. People with diarrhea caused by cold in the abdomen;

2. Pregnant women. Purslane is slippery and has the effect of inducing abortion;

3. If you are taking Chinese medicine and the prescription contains turtle shell, note that purslane and turtle shell are incompatible; do not take purslane together as a dietary therapy for blood heat to prevent hand, foot, and mouth disease.