Rhizoma Anemarrhenae
Source
Rhizome of Anemarrhena asphodeloides Bunge, family Liliaceae.
Characteristics
Rhizome
long-striped, 3-15 cm in length, 0.8-1.5 cm in diameter; the top bearing
residual yellowish leaf scars and stem scars; with a longitudinal groove
and densely arranged nodes, beneath the nodes densely growing yellow-brown
residual leaf bases. The end with fibrous roots or its scars; hard in
texture; section yellow-white. The surface of the rhizome without bark
appearing yellow-white, with twisted longitudinal grooves and fibrous
root scars. Bitter and sweet in taste, cold in nature, and attributive
to lung, stomach and kidney channels.
Indication
Clear away heat and purge fire, nourish yin and moisturize dryness: For
qifen sthenic heat syndrome with high fever and excessive thirst, usually
used together with Gypsum Fibrosum; for cough of lung-heat type or dry
cough of yin-deficiency type, usually used together with Bulbus Fritiliariae
Thunbergii and Fructus Trichosanthis; for yin-deficiency and fire hyperactivity
with hectic fever and night sweat, usually used together with Cortex Phellodendri;
for diabetes, usually used together with Rhizoma Dioscoreae and Fructus
Schisandiwe. Recently used for hyperthyroidism and hypertension with severe
heat-syndrome or yin-deficiency syndrome.
Pharmacological
Action
1.
Its extract can lower B. coli induced fever in rabbits.
2. Bacteriostatic and fungistatic.
3. Its infusion can lower the blood sugar level in normal rabbits, particularly
in rabbits suffering from alloxan diabetes, but its alcoholic extract
raises the blood sugar level in normal rabbit.
4. Retarding the metabolism of corticosteroid in liver, but protecting
the adrenal cortex from the inhibition of exogenous corticosteroid.
Administration Decoction: 6-12g.