A Detailed Guide to the Benefits and Effects of Bletilla striata: Getting to Know This Traditional Chinese Medicine for Stopping Bleeding and Reducing Swelling

Bletilla striata is a perennial herb in the genus Bletilla of the orchid family (Orchidaceae). Its dried tubers are used as medicine, and among the general public it is also known as lianjicao, baigen and other names. It is widely distributed in the mountainous areas of the Yangtze River basin and to the south in China, and is a traditional Chinese medicinal material with a long history of use.

From the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine, Bletilla striata is bitter, sweet and astringent in taste, slightly cold in nature, and enters the Lung, Liver and Stomach meridians. Its main effects are to astringe and stop bleeding and to reduce swelling and promote tissue regeneration. It is mostly used for hemoptysis, hematemesis and traumatic bleeding, as well as for sores, swellings and toxic lesions, and cracked hands and feet. Its tubers are rich in mucilage, and after being ground with water they can form a thick, glue-like substance, which is one of the important material bases for its bleeding-stopping and wound-healing effects.

It should be noted that although Bletilla striata is fairly common, it is a medicinal material rather than an ordinary food. Whether it is suitable to take and how much to use must be determined by a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner based on syndrome differentiation, and there are also differences between internal use and external application. Long-term use on one's own is not recommended. In addition, in traditional medicinal use there has long been a saying that Bletilla striata has compatibility contraindications. If it needs to be used together with other drugs, a professional physician or pharmacist should be consulted in advance.

Besides its medicinal value, Bletilla striata also has good ornamental value. It generally blooms between spring and summer, with flowers that are mostly purplish red, and its plant form is neat, making it suitable for courtyard flower borders or as ground cover under trees. The gelatinous substance rich in its tubers could also be used in the past as a natural adhesive material. It can be said to be a plant with medicinal, ornamental and practical value all at once.