Polygonum multiflorum, a common Chinese medicinal material, is also a magical plant. Its tubers resemble human hair, the color is black and bright, shiny, hence the name He Shou Wu. Its effect is also related to hair, which can nourish the liver and kidneys, benefit sperm and blood, black hair, strengthen muscles and bones, moisten the intestines and laxative, detoxify and eliminate carbuncles. However, in order to give full play to the best effect of Polygonum multiflori, it is not enough to eat it raw, and it also needs to go through a certain processing process to transform and improve its medicinal ingredients. So, what is the method of concocting He Shou Wu? What is the scientific basis for it? Let's explore the mystery of He Shou Wu together!
The method of preparation of He Shou Wu.
The processing method of He Shou Wu can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty, when there were various methods such as black bean steaming, vinegar boiling, water boiling and black bean wine boiling. In the Song Dynasty, methods such as single steaming, nine steaming and nine storms after rice swill immersion, ginger licorice, and ox knee were added. During the Jin and Yuan dynasties, there was the same system of rice swill, black bean dried dates. In the Ming Dynasty, there were methods such as black bean human milk, black bean hyssop human milk, human milk mixed steaming, and wine immersion steaming. In the Qing Dynasty, there were also black mutton and milk methods. It can be said that there are more than 30 kinds of processing methods of He Shou Wu, forming a complete processing system.
In modern times, with the development of science and technology, the processing methods of He Shou Wu have also paid more attention to efficiency and standardization. There are two main modern processing methods: one is Polygonum multiflori, that is, taking the original medicinal materials, removing impurities, washing, soaking, moistening, cutting thick slices or blocks, drying, and sieving off debris. This method retains the original characteristics of Polygonum multiflorum and is suitable for situations that need to be used raw, such as scrofula, rubella itching, intestinal dryness, constipation, etc. The second is to make Shou Wu, that is, take raw Shou Wu slices or pieces, mix well with black bean juice, moisten, put them in a non-ferrous steaming container, seal, steam or stew until the juice is absorbed, and when the drug is brown, take it out and dry it. Through the effect of black bean juice, this method enhances the function of He Shou Wu to nourish yin and kidney, nourish liver and blood, black hair, and strengthen muscles and bones, and is suitable for blood deficiency and chlorosis, dizziness and tinnitus, premature whitening of beard, soreness of waist and knees, numbness of limbs, collapse and leakage, and long-term malaria body deficiency. At the same time, it eliminates the diarrhea caused by the slippery intestines of Shengshou Wu, so that chronic patients can take it for a long time without diarrhea.
The principle of He Shou Wu's concoction.
The processing principle of Polygonum multiflorum is mainly through heating, adding excipients and other methods to transform and improve its medicinal ingredients. Polygonum multiflorum mainly contains anthraquinones, but also stilbene glycosides, lecithin, fats, starches, minerals, etc. Among them, lecithin is the main component of the cerebrospinal cord, and is also an essential raw material for blood cells and other cell membranes, and can promote the new development of blood cells, with a good tonic effect. Free anthraquinones can promote cholesterol metabolism and inhibit intestinal reabsorption of cholesterol. Stilbene glycoside derivatives also have the effect of lowering serum cholesterol and have hepatoprotective effects. Conjugated anthraquinone can promote intestinal peristalsis and has a laxative effect.