Cortex Lycii
Radicis
Source
The root cortex of Lycium chinensis Mill. and L barbarum L, family Solanaceae.
Characteristics
The
root cortex quilled or groove-shaped, unequal in length, 0.5-1.5 cm broad,
0.1-0.3 cm thick; epidermis grey-yellow, easily exfoliating; endodermis
yellow-white to grey-white, with fine longitudinal striae. Light in weight
and fragile. Section unsmooth, yellow at the surface and white inside.
Bitter and bland in taste, cold in nature, and attributive to lung and
kidney channels.
Indication
1. Lower asthenic fever: For fever due to yin-deficiency and the late
stage of febrile disease with Yin-consumption, manifested as fever high
at night and subsided in the morning, hectic fever, night sweat, red and
dry tongue without fur, etc., and for infantile malnutrition with fever,
usually used together with Rhizoma Anemarrhenae, Carapax Trionycis, etc.
2. Clear away heat and cool the blood: For hematemesis, epistaxis, hemoptysis
and hematuria due to blood-heat.
3. Clear away lung-heat: For cough and dyspnea due to lung-heat, usually
used together with Cortex Mori Radicis, Radix Glycyrrhizae, Fructus Oryzae
Sativae (Powder for Expelling Lung-Heat).
4.
Lower blood pressure: For hypertension. In addition, also for tuberculous
lymphadenitis, urticaria, allergic purpura, drug rash, allergy to insect
bite, etc.
Pharmacological
Action
1. Its decoction, infusion, tincture and injection exert a hypotensive
effect on anesthetized or unanesthetized animals.
2. Antipyretic. Reducing vaccine-induced fever in rabbits.
3. Its extract lowers serum cholesterol level in rabbits.
4. Its decoction reduces blood sugar level in rabbits.
5. An active component, betaine, possesses a lipocaic effect.
Administration Decoction: 6-12g