Cortex Fraxini
Source
Bark of Fraxmus rhynchophylla Hance and several species of the same genus,
family Okaceae.
Characteristics
Bark
reel or trough-shaped, unequal in length, 1.5-3.0 mm thick; outer cortex
grey-white to grey-brown-black, or striped, with dotted lenticels and
oblique wrinkles; inner sufface yellow-white to brown and smooth. Section
fibrous. The dried bark lamellate, 3-6 mm thick, with cracked grooves
and round or long transverse lenticels, red-brown. Prepared as pieces
or segments. Bitter and astringent in taste, cold in nature, and attributive
to liver, gallbladder and large intestine channels.
Indication
1. Clear away heat and toxic materials, cool the blood to treat dysentery:
For diarrhea and dysentery of intense heat type, especially for dysentery
with bloody stools, usually used together with Rhizoma Cbptidis and Radix
PLtlsatillae.
2. Clear away liver-fire to improve visual acuity: For liver-heat syndrome
with conjunctivitis and nebula.
3. Expectorant, antitussive and antiasthmatic: For lung-heat syndrome
with
cough and dyspnea.
Pharmacological
Action
1. Inhibiting the growth of dysentery bacillus and staphylococcuL
2. Antitussive and expectorant.
3. Aesculin, one of its active components, prolongs the hypnotic effect
of hexobarbital in mice.
4. Aescuktin, another active component, exerts an antihistaminic effect
and relaxes smooth muscles of guinea-pig's trachea in vitro.
5. Analgesic. The effect of aescuktin is stronger than that of aspirin
but weaker than codeine.
Administration Decoction: 6-12g.