Birch bark

Birch bark

(Xinjiang Chinese herbal medicine manual)

[synonym] keintos.

[source] it is the bark of Betula verruca.

[plant morphology] Betula verruca, also known as Betula verruca.

Deciduous trees. The bark is grayish white, composed of several thin layers, easy to peel, and the endodermis is orange. Branches often droop, reddish brown, shiny. The leaves are alternate, usually 2-lobed in one place, triangular ovate or rhomboid ovate, 3-7.5 cm long, apex acuminate or caudate acuminate, base cuneate or broadly cuneate to truncate, margin doubly serrate, glabrous, 6-8 pairs of lateral veins. Spikes axillary or terminal. Inflorescence cylindrical, 1-3 cm long, pendulous; bract 3-lobed, middle lobe triangular, lateral lobes bent down, longer than middle lobe; nutlets ovate, membranous wing 2 times wider than fruit.

It is found on the edge of river bank, valley or coniferous forest. It is distributed in the north of Xinjiang.

[collection] when cutting trees, they are peeled, dried in the sun, used as raw materials or charcoal.

[chemical composition] the wood contains many fatty acid esters of pentosan, terpenoids and sterols. The reaction of anthocyanin was also observed.

Functions and indications: clearing away heat and toxin, relieving cough. Treatment of acute and chronic dysentery, cough, asthma, mastitis.

[usage and dosage] take orally: roasted and ground, 0.5-1 yuan; or take fresh juice from the skin.

[formula selection] ① for acute bacillary dysentery and chronic dysentery: three pairs of birch bark and one or two pairs of jujube bark are baked respectively, and they are fine powder. Five to one cents a time, three or four times a day. Take it with boiled water on an empty stomach.

② Treatment of cough and asthma: split the bark of birch in spring, take the juice, 20 ml each time, twice a day.

③ Treatment of breast carbuncle: birch skin fried charcoal, research, one money each time, twice a day, yellow rice wine sent. (the function indications are listed in the Handbook of Chinese herbal medicine in Xinjiang)