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Polygonum orientale L.
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English Name |
Prince’s Feather, |
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Latin name |
Polygonum orientale L. |
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Family & Genus |
Polygonaceae, Polygonum |
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Description |
Annual herbs 1-3m tall. Stems erect, hollow, sectional, the upper multi-branched, dense long soft hair over the body. Leaves large, alternate, petioles 2-10cm long; Leaves broadly ovate or ovate, 10-20cm long, 5-12cm wide, apex acuminate, base rounded or nearly cordate, entire to wavy; sheath tubular, membranous, covered with soft long hair, the top often expands into a broadly spread or overturned small piece. Racemes spiky, apical or axillary 2-8cm long, flowers close, slightly drooping, covered with down; bracts broadly ovate, herbaceous and green, with 3-5 flowers per bud; flowers white or pink; perianth 5 lobed, oblong and glabrous; stamens 7-8, slightly extend out of flowers; ovary slightly rounded, flat, style two-partite. Achenes flat, nearly oval, double-concave, dark brown, shiny, wrapped in persistent perianth. Flowering: June to September. Fruiting: August to October. |
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Distribution |
Growing on roadsides and waterside wetlands. Can be cultivated. Except Tibet, distributed throughout the country. The medicinal materials are mainly produced in Hebei, Shanxi, Gansu, Shandong, Jiangsu and other provinces. |
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Part Used |
Medical parts: stem leaves and mature fruits. Chinese Name: Hongcao (stem and leaves); Shuihonghuazi (mature fruits). |
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Harvest & Processing |
Stems and leaves: dug together with the roots in late autumn after frost, washed, roots and stems are cut into small pieces and dried under the sun; leaves are dried in ventilated places, stored in dried places. Mature fruits: fruit cluster can be harvested in autumn when fruits mature. |
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Chemistry |
Seed contains 41.51% starch. |
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Pharmacology |
Myocardial-nutritional-blood-flow increasing, anti-acute myocardial ischemia, anti-hypoxia, cardiovascular-function enhancing, bronchus-expanding, and anti-bacterial. |
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Properties & Actions |
Stems and leaves: Pungent, normal, slightly toxic. Mature fruits: Salty, slightly cold.Leaves and stems: wind-dampness dispelling, heat-clearing and detoxifying, activating blood circulation and anti-malaria. Mature fruits: blood-breaking, mass-eliminating and removing accumulation to relieve pain. |
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Indications & Usage |
Stem leaves: used for rheumatic arthritis, malaria, hernia, beriberi, swelling sores. Mature Fruits: used for abdominal mass, insect gall, tumor and swelling pain, dyspepsia and indigestion, distending pain in the stomach.Stem leaves: oral administration: decocting, 15-30g. External application: powdered for dusting or decocted for washing. Mature fruits: oral administration: decocting, 3-10g; powdered, prepared ointment or made as medicinal liquor. External application: appropriate amount, prepared ointment; smashed for external compress. Use with caution in cases of deficient-cold in spleen and stomach and those without blood stasis. |
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Examples |
1. Rheumatic arthritis: whole herb of prince-feather herb with root 30g. Decoct in water and swallow.
2. Promote growth of muscle: prince-feather herb with root, decoct and wash, dry its leaves under the sun, grind into powder, and apply onto sores one time a day. |
| Link to |
 Chinese Medicinal Material Images Database
Phytochemical Image Database
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Permanent URL：https://sys01.lib.hkbu.edu.hk/cmed/mpid/detail.php?herb_id=D00009 |
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