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Camellia japonica Linn.
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English Name |
Elecampane, Japanese Camellia, Camellia Flower, Japan Camellia, Common Camellia |
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Latin name |
Camellia japonica Linn. |
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Family & Genus |
Theaceae, Camellia |
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Description |
Trees, up to 13m tall, or shrub-shaped. Bark grey brown, young branches brown, glabrous. Single leaves alternate, coriaceous, obovate or elliptic, 5-10cm long, 2.5-6cm wide, apex obtuse-pointed or suddenly short-pointed, base broadly cuneate, both sides glabrous, lateral veins 7-8 pairs, with blunt teeth, upper part deep green, glossy, lower part pale green; petioles 0.8-1.5cm long. Flowers bisexual, single flower acrogenous and axillary, red, 5-8cm in diameter, sessile; bracts and sepals 10, semi-circular or circular, 0.4-2cm long, with silky hairs, deciduous; petals 6-7, outer 2 pieces nearly round, distinct, 2cm long, hairy, the remaining 5 pieces obovate, 3-4.5cm long, base joint 8mm, glabrous; stamens 3 layers, 2.5-3cm long, outer filament tubes 1.5cm long; ovary superior, glabrous, style 2.5cm long, top 3 lobed. Capsules spherical, 3-5cm in diameter, peel thick, dehiscent in 3 valves, carpel woody, 6-8mm thick, each chamber with 1-2 seeds. Seeds nearly spherical, with angles and edges, 1.8-2.5cm long, dark brown, seeds glabrous. Flowering: April to May; fruiting: September to October. |
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Distribution |
Cultivated in North China. Distributed in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hubei, Taiwan, Guangdong and Yunnan. The medicinal materials are mainly produced in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Yunnan and etc. |
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Part Used |
Medical part: flower. Chinese name: Shanchahua. |
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Harvest & Processing |
Collected in batches from April to May when in full bloom, sun-dried, or baked to dry. Better not stirred when dried, not broken or scattered. |
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Chemistry |
Flower contains glycosides, quercetin, kaempfero l, 3, 4, 5, 7-tetahydroxy-8-sexangularetin, camellendionol, camellenodiol, geminD, pedunculagin, tellimagrandin, camelliin A and B, and glucosides. Recently camellidin Ⅰ、Ⅱ, theobromine is found. |
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Pharmacology |
Flower: anti-cancer. Leaf, petal: make the conidium of fungal produce abnormal buds. |
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Properties & Actions |
Taste sweet, bitter, pungent, and cool in nature.Cooling blood, arresting bleeding, dissipating stasis and dispersing swelling. |
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Indications & Usage |
Used for hematemesis, non-traumatic hemorrhage, coughing up blood, hemafecia, mole hemorrhage, dysentery with red and white feces, bloody stranguria, leukorrhea, scalding injuries, injuries caused by falls.Internal: decocting, 5-10g; or powdered. External: appropriate amount, powdered and mixed with sesmeoil for applying. Raw used for dispersing stasis, or stir-heated for arresting bleeding. |
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Examples |
1. Hematemesis: elecampane, solanum melongena linnaeus 15g each, an appropriate amount of white sugar. Decoct in water and swallow.
2. Discharging fresh blood stool: elecampane, parched cape jasmine fruit, Chinese arborvitae leaves, rehmannia dride rhizome 6-9g each. Decoct in water and swallow.
3. Hemorrhage due to hemorrhoids: elecampane, grind into powder and swallow with water.
4. Hematodiarrhoea: elecampane dried at a place away from light, grind into powder, add white sugar and mix evenly, steam for 3-4 times in a rice cooker.
5. Profuse uterine bleeding: elecampane 12g, Chinese arborvitae leaves 12g, Artemisia leaf coal 12g, water cattail 10g, garden burnet coal 10g. Decoct in water and swallow. |
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