The benefits and effects of Xiangfu
Xiangfu, also known as nutgrass, xiangfuzi, leigongtou and so on, is the dried rhizome of the sedge plant Cyperus rotundus of the Cyperaceae family, genus Cyperus. Used as medicine, it has the effects of soothing the liver and relieving depression, regulating qi and easing the middle, and regulating menstruation and relieving pain. It has therapeutic effects on liver qi stagnation, distending pain in the chest and hypochondrium, hernia pain, breast distension and pain, spleen-stomach qi stagnation, abdominal stuffiness, distension and pain, irregular menstruation, amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea, and so on. Now let us take a look at the benefits and effects of Xiangfu!
The medicinal effects of Xiangfu
[Nature and flavor] Pungent in flavor, slightly bitter, slightly sweet, neutral in nature.
[Meridians entered] Liver, spleen and triple burner meridians.
[Effects] Soothing the liver and relieving depression, regulating qi and easing the middle, regulating menstruation and relieving pain. It mainly treats liver qi stagnation, distending pain in the chest and hypochondrium, hernia pain, breast distension and pain, spleen-stomach qi stagnation, abdominal stuffiness, distension and pain, irregular menstruation, amenorrhea and dysmenorrhea.
Related discussions on Xiangfu
1. "Supplements to the Materia Medica Yanyi": Xiangfuzi must be soaked in boys' urine; it is invariably used in blood-qi medicines, guiding into the qi aspect and generating blood, which is the meaning of yang generating and yin growing.
2. "Compendium of Materia Medica": The qi of Xiangfu is neutral and not cold, fragrant and able to move, its flavor is mostly pungent and able to disperse, slightly bitter and able to descend, slightly sweet and able to harmonize.
3. "Bielu": Mainly removes heat in the chest, replenishes the skin and hair, taken over a long time it benefits people, boosts qi, and promotes growth of beard and eyebrows.
4. "Diannan Materia Medica": Regulates the qi within the blood, opens depression, eases the middle, dissolves food, and stops vomiting.
The pharmacological effects of Xiangfu
1. Analgesic effect: Using the mouse electric plate stimulation method, subcutaneous injection of 0.5 ml/20 g body weight of 20% alcohol extract of Xiangfuzi can significantly raise the pain threshold of mice.
2. Antibacterial effect: The tuberous root of Xiangfu has an antibacterial effect; its extract has an inhibitory effect on certain fungi, and the volatile oil has an inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus and is also effective against Shigella sonnei.
3. Anesthetic effect: Scientific research shows that Xiangfu has an anesthetic effect.
4. Antipyretic effect: The alcohol extract of Xiangfu has an antipyretic effect on fever.
5. Cooling effect: Experiments show that Xiangfu can lower rectal body temperature.
6. Anti-inflammatory effect: For symptoms such as foot swelling caused by inflammation, Xiangfu has a certain therapeutic effect.
7. Blood pressure-lowering effect: Taking Xiangfu can cause blood pressure to drop slowly, lasting 0.5 to 1 hour.
8. Cardiotonic effect: Xiangfu has cardiotonic and heart rate-slowing effects; its cardiotonic active ingredients are related to alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, phenols and so on.
Medicinal formulas of Xiangfu
1. To resolve various depressions: Atractylodes lancea, Xiangfu, Ligusticum chuanxiong, medicated leaven and gardenia in equal parts. Grind into powder and make into water pills the size of mung beans. Take one hundred pills each time.
2. To treat retained phlegm and old fluids, with wind qi attacking upward and the chest and diaphragm being uncomfortable: Xiangfu (soaked in honeylocust water) and Pinellia ternata one liang each, and alum powder half a liang. Make into pills with ginger juice and flour paste, the size of wutong seeds. Take thirty to forty pills each time, taken at any time with ginger decoction.
3. To treat migraine and general headache: Ligusticum chuanxiong two liang, Xiangfuzi (stir-fried) four liang. Grind the above into powder. Take it mixed with tea; it is especially good with clear preserved tea.
4. To treat vomiting of blood: Take Xiangfu powder or bai ji powder mixed with boys' urine.
5. To treat blood in the urine: Xiangfuzi and fresh Sanguisorba officinalis in equal parts, each decocted separately. First take three to five sips of Xiangfu decoction, then take the Sanguisorba decoction until finished; if ineffective, take again.
6. To treat incessant bleeding below or the formation of five-colored flooding and spotting: Xiangfuzi (peeled of skin and hair, lightly stir-fried) ground into powder. Take two qian each time, mixed with clear rice water.
7. To treat prolapse of the anus: Xiangfuzi and Schizonepeta spike in equal parts ground into powder. Use three spoonfuls each time, with one big bowl of water, decoct for more than ten boils, and use as a wash.