Hypericum

Hypericum

(Hunan medical records)

[synonyms] Forsythia suspense and five heart flower (Hunan medical records), golden Begonia and woody yellow mouth (Zhejiang folk herbs).

[source] it is the whole plant of Hypericum chinense.

[plant morphology] Hypericum

Semi evergreen shrub, height about 70 cm. Branchlets cylindrical, glabrous. Leaves opposite, sessile, papery, oblong, 4-9 cm long, 1.5-2.5 cm wide, apex obtuse, base cuneate, amplexicaul, entire, upper green smooth, lower slightly grayish green. Cyme terminal; flowers bright yellow, 3-5 cm in diameter; sepals 5, ovate long elliptic, about 8 mm long; petals 5, broadly obovate, 1.5-2.5 cm long; stamens numerous, as long as petals or slightly long; style slender, apex 5-lobed. Capsule ovate, ca. 8 mm, apex 5-lobed, style and sepals persistent. The flowering and fruiting period is from June to August.

It is distributed in the north and south of China.

The fruit of this plant (Hypericum fruit) is also used for medicine. Please refer to the special section for details.

[collection] the leaves were collected in summer and autumn for fresh use. The roots can be harvested all year round, fresh or dried, sliced and ground.

[flavor] bitter and astringent, warm.

Functions and indications: clearing away heat and toxin, expelling wind and dampness, and detumescence.

[selection] ① for rheumatic low back pain: one or two Hypericum roots, two eggs, fried for two hours. Eat eggs and soup twice a day.

② Treatment of Agkistrodon halys and Bungarus multicinctus bite: fresh Hypericum root with appropriate amount of salt, mash, external application. Once a day.

③ Treatment of furuncle: fresh golden peach leaves with salt, mashed, external application of the affected area.

④ Cure lacquer sores and bee stings: grind the root of Hypericum and apply it locally with sesame oil and residual liquor. (the following is the common folk herbal medicine of Zhejing)