What are the benefits and effects of Stemona root? A detailed explanation

Stemona root, also known as Nao Shi, Yu Xiao, Jian Gan and other names, is the dried tuberous root of the Stemonaceae plants Stemona sessilifolia, Stemona japonica, or Stemona tuberosa. It has the effects of moistening the lungs, directing qi downward and stopping cough, killing insects and eliminating lice. It has therapeutic effects on recent and chronic cough, cough due to pulmonary tuberculosis, and whooping cough, and is applied externally for head lice, body lice, pinworm disease, and genital itching. Now let us take a look at the benefits and effects of Stemona root!

The medicinal effects of Stemona root

[Nature and flavor] Sweet and bitter in taste, slightly warm in nature.

[Meridian entry] Lung meridian.

[Effects] Moistens the lungs, directs qi downward and stops cough, kills insects and eliminates lice. It mainly treats recent and chronic cough, cough due to pulmonary tuberculosis, and whooping cough, and is applied externally for head lice, body lice, pinworm disease, and genital itching.

Related discussions on Stemona root

1. "Bencao Shiyi": Roast over fire, soak in wine, and drink on an empty stomach; it removes insect and silkworm bites, as well as scabies, ringworm, and sores.

2. "Rihua Zi Bencao": Treats malnutrition with roundworms and consumptive bone-steaming fever, kills roundworms, tapeworms, and pinworms.

3. "Diannan Bencao": Moistens the lungs, treats cough due to lung heat; dissolves phlegm and calms panting, stops cough due to deficiency consumption, and kills insects.

4. "Zhongguo Yaozhi": Boiled with pig trotters and taken, it can treat rheumatism.

The pharmacological effects of Stemona root

1. Antibacterial effect: In in vitro tests, the decoction of Stemona root and the alcoholic infusion of Stemona tuberosa have varying degrees of inhibitory effects on many pathogenic bacteria such as pneumococcus, beta-hemolytic streptococcus, meningococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus albus, and Shigella, Salmonella typhi, Salmonella paratyphi, Escherichia coli, Proteus, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Yersinia pestis, Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus subtilis, as well as Vibrio cholerae and human-type Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

2. Insecticidal effect: The water infusion and ethanol infusion of Stemona japonica and other Stemona species (species unidentified) all have killing effects on mosquito and fly larvae, head lice, body lice, and bedbugs. High-concentration Stemona root (species unknown) can also kill mouse pinworms in vitro.

3. Antiviral effect: Stemona root can reduce the pathogenicity of Asian influenza A virus in mice, has a certain preventive effect on mice not infected with influenza virus, and also has a therapeutic effect on mice already infected with the virus.

4. Antispasmodic effect: 0.2 ml of 100% Stemona root alkaloid extract has a relaxing effect on histamine-induced spasms of isolated guinea pig bronchial smooth muscle. Its strength is similar to aminophylline, but it acts more slowly and lasts longer.

5. Antitussive effect: Animal experiments prove that Stemona root has an antitussive effect and can reduce the excitability of the respiratory center.

Medicinal formulations of Stemona root

1. To treat cough due to lung cold with slight phlegm: Stemona root 3 liang (stir-fried), Ephedra, and 40 apricot kernels. Grind the above into powder, mix with refined honey and form pills the size of Gordon euryale seeds, dissolve in hot water and take. Add 50 pine nut kernels, form into pills with sugar, and hold in the mouth to dissolve for excellent results.

2. To treat cough caused by cold evil invading the skin and hair and spreading to the lungs: Platycodon root 1 qian 5 fen, licorice (honey-fried) 5 fen, Baiqian 1 qian 5 fen, dried tangerine peel 1 qian, Stemona root 1 qian 5 fen, Aster 1 qian 5 fen. Decoct in water and take.

3. To treat sudden cough: Fresh ginger juice and Stemona root juice. Mix together, decoct, and take 2 ge.

4. To treat violent cough: Pound the root of Stemona vine to obtain natural juice, mix with an equal part of honey, decoct in boiling water into a paste, and swallow it.

5. To treat violent cough: Soak Stemona root in wine, take 1 sheng warm each time, 3 times a day.

6. To treat a cough of thirty years: Stemona root 20 jin, pound to extract the juice, decoct until it becomes like syrup, take 1 square-inch spoonful, 3 times a day.

7. To treat a centipede entering the ear: Stemona root (cut and roasted), pound and sift into powder, take one zi, mix with raw oil and apply to the ear opening.

Contraindications for the use of Stemona root

1. Use Stemona root with caution in those with heat in the spleen and stomach.

2. Stemona root is prohibited for heat cough and for those with water depletion and fire hyperactivity.

Drug combinations of Stemona root

1. Baiqian: One directs downward and the other moistens, mutually reinforcing and assisting each other, suitable in both cold and warm cases. Within transforming phlegm there is the power to moisten the lungs, and moistening the lungs does not hinder the removal of phlegm, so it has a relatively strong phlegm-transforming and cough-stopping effect. Therefore, it can be selected for cough whether recent or chronic, deficiency or excess.

2. Plantain seed: One moistens and the other promotes urination, transforms phlegm and stops cough, and is suitable for cough with phlegm due to damp-heat.

3. Glehnia root: Moistens lung qi, nourishes lung yin, and has relatively good effects in stopping cough and removing phlegm. It can be used for cough due to lung heat with damage to both qi and fluid, and chronic cough due to pulmonary tuberculosis.

4. Fritillary bulb: One warms and the other disperses, and it can moisten the lungs and transform phlegm, disperse nodules and stop cough.

5. Sophora flavescens: The insect-killing power is enhanced.