Solomon's Seal: Benefits, Uses, Contraindications, and Dietary Therapy Methods
Solomon's seal is also called Di Guan Zi, Wei Shen, and Ling Dang Cai. It grows under forests or on shady mountain slopes, at an altitude of 500-3000 m. It is widely distributed in the temperate regions of Eurasia. Solomon's seal is a blood-nourishing tonic that nourishes yin and qi. So what are the benefits and effects of Solomon's seal? Today I have compiled some knowledge about the benefits and uses of Solomon's seal to share with everyone.
Benefits of Solomon's Seal:
Sweet, slightly cold. Nourishes yin and moistens dryness, promotes fluid production and quenches thirst. Used for damage to lung and stomach yin, dry-heat cough, dry throat and thirst, and internal heat with wasting-thirst.
Pharmacological Effects of Solomon's Seal
1. Effect of Solomon's Seal on the Heart
Solomon's seal can rapidly strengthen cardiac contraction; large doses weaken the heartbeat and may even stop it.; It has a certain protective effect on acute myocardial ischemia in rabbits caused by pituitrin.
2. Effect of Solomon's Seal on Blood Pressure
It can cause blood pressure to rise slowly, and at larger doses it can cause blood pressure to drop temporarily.
3. Effect of Solomon's Seal on Blood Sugar
It can raise blood sugar. Oral administration of Solomon's seal extract has a significant inhibitory effect on hyperglycemia.
4. Effect of Solomon's Seal on Blood Vessels
It can significantly reduce vascular perfusion flow. It has a dilating effect on blood vessels.
5. Effect of Solomon's Seal on Plaques
Solomon's seal injection has a certain therapeutic effect on hypertriglyceridemia. It has a certain alleviating effect on the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in animals (by visual observation).
6. Effect of Solomon's Seal on Function
Solomon's seal may be an immune enhancer mainly acting by strengthening humoral immunity and phagocytic function.
7. Effect of Solomon's Seal on Smooth Muscle
A 20% Solomon's seal decoction can first excite and then inhibit isolated mouse intestinal segments. It has only a mild stimulatory effect on the isolated mouse uterus.
Contraindications of Solomon's Seal
Solomon's seal is suitable for people with weak constitution, reduced immunity, yin deficiency with dry heat, poor appetite, and obesity. It is not suitable for those with spleen deficiency and loose stools, or those with internal accumulation of phlegm-dampness. Those with internal cold and diarrhea, abdominal distension, dislike of drinking water, excessive phlegm, and thick greasy tongue coating due to excessive damp-phlegm should avoid eating it.
Solomon's Seal Dietary Therapy Recipes
1. Solomon's Seal and Cattail Pollen Soup
Ingredients: 500 g fresh Solomon's seal, 50 g honey, 6 g raw cattail pollen, 10 g white sugar, 6 g sesame oil, 1 drop essence, a little starch.
Method: Remove the fibrous roots from the fresh Solomon's seal, wash clean, and cut into 3 cm long sections. Place a wok on the heat, add sesame oil and white sugar and stir-fry until yellow, add an appropriate amount of boiling water, add the honey and cattail pollen, then add the Solomon's seal sections, bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat until tender, and remove the Solomon's seal sections. Add one drop of essence to the liquid in the wok, thicken with a little starch, and pour over the Solomon's seal sections.
Benefits: Clears and moistens the lungs and stomach. Solomon's seal is sweet and neutral in nature, and has effects such as nourishing yin and moistening the lungs, nourishing the stomach and promoting fluid production. It has a very good therapeutic effect on conditions such as sore throat, dry mouth and tongue, and oral ulcers. Cattail pollen has effects such as invigorating blood and dispersing stasis, and relieving pain, and is also very effective for oral ulcers.
2. Steamed Duck with Glehnia Root and Solomon's Seal
Ingredients: 1 old duck, 50 g Solomon's seal, 50 g northern glehnia root, appropriate amounts of ginger, Sichuan pepper, yellow wine, and salt.
Method: Slaughter the old duck, remove the feathers and internal organs; remove impurities from the Solomon's seal and northern glehnia root, wash and set aside. Put the old duck, Solomon's seal, and northern glehnia root together into a clay pot, add clear water and appropriate amounts of ginger, Sichuan pepper, yellow wine, and salt, and simmer over low heat for two hours.
Benefits: The duck meat is fragrant, delicious, and slightly bitter. It nourishes yin and clears heat, moistens the intestines and moves the bowels, and is suitable for those with consumptive disease with steaming bone syndrome, chronic cough due to lung heat, and dry bound stools.
3. Solomon's Seal and Ginseng Chicken
Ingredients: 1 chicken leg, 8 g Solomon's seal, 4 g ginseng slices
Method: Chop the chicken leg into large pieces and wash clean. Quickly rinse the Solomon's seal with clear water, put it into a stewing pot together with the chicken pieces and ginseng slices, add seasonings and 4 bowls of water, and cover the pot opening with plastic wrap. Steam over water (or steam in an electric pot) for about 30 minutes, and eat once the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Benefits: Tonifies the middle and boosts qi, moistens the heart and lungs, delays aging, soothes emotions, inhibits blood sugar, and regulates blood pressure; taken over time it removes dark facial spots. It is most suitable for people under high work pressure and those with a tense and sensitive personality.