Red Euphorbia

Euphorbia officinalis

[Pinyin name] hongdaji

Radixknoxia

[source] this product is the dried tuber of Knoxia valerianoides thorelet Pitard.

Pick and dig in autumn and winter, remove the fibrous roots, wash them, heat them in boiling water and dry them.

[character] the product is slightly spindle shaped, occasionally branched, slightly curved, 3-10cm long, 0.6-1.2cm in diameter. The surface is reddish brown or reddish brown, rough, with twisted longitudinal wrinkles. The upper end often has tiny stem mark. The quality is solid, the skin of the section is reddish brown, and the wood is brownish yellow. Odorless, sweet and slightly pungent.

[identification] (1) cross section of the product: cork cell sequence. Phloem is broad. The cambium forms a ring. The vessel bundles of xylem are arranged in radial direction intermittently. The vessels near the cambium are composed of a series of vessels, which are gradually distributed in a single row or scattered in a single direction. The rays are wider. In parenchyma, there were mucus cells containing calcium oxalate needle bundles and secretory cells containing reddish brown substance.

(2) Take 1g powder of this product, put it in test tube, add 10ml water, boil it for 10min, filter it, add 1 drop of sodium hydroxide test solution to the filtrate, show cherry red, then add hydrochloric acid to acidify it, turn orange yellow.

[processing] remove impurities, wash, moisten, cut thick slices and dry.

It is bitter and cold; it has little poison. It belongs to the lung, spleen and kidney meridians.

[function and indications] Xie Shui Zhu Yin, Gong Du Xiao Zhong San Jie. For hydrothorax and abdomen, two adverse, carbuncle swelling, sore poison, scrofula sputum nuclear.

[usage and dosage] 1.5-3g.

Store in a cool and dry place.