Codonopsis (dangshen)

Codonopsis (dangshen) Codonopsis pilosula, Campanulaceae.

Morphological characteristics: a herbaceous twining vine with white milky sap. The root is carrot-shaped and cylindrical, about 30 cm long, often branching in the middle. The stem is about 1.5 cm long, much branched, hairless; leaves alternate; leaf blades ovate or narrowly ovate, 1.2-6.5 cm long, 0.6-5 cm wide, margins wavy and bluntly toothed, both surfaces with dense or sparse short appressed hairs; petioles 0.6-2.5 cm long, often sparsely covered with spreading short hairs. Flowers 1-3 borne at the tips of branches; calyx hairless, with 5 lobes, narrowly oblong or oblong-lanceolate, 1.6-1.8 cm long; corolla pale yellow-green, broadly campanulate, 1.8-2.4 cm long, hairless, shallowly 5-lobed, the lobes equilateral-triangular, acute; stamens 5; ovary half-inferior, 3-locular. The capsule dehisces with 3 valves and bears a persistent calyx.

Functions and effects: used to treat neurasthenia, weakness due to tuberculosis, listlessness, chronic anemia, leukemia, weakness after illness, and other conditions. It has tonic and strengthening effects. For gastrointestinal weakness, indigestion, chronic diarrhea and other conditions, it has stomachic and intestinal-regulating effects; it is also used to treat cough in weakened individuals, nephritis, diabetes, and other asthenic conditions.

Habitat: grows at forest edges or under shrubs and along streams. It prefers soil with a deep humus layer.

Collection and processing: the root is used medicinally. Dug in autumn, cleaned of soil and washed, then sun-dried for later use.