Jin Qiao Mai (Rhizoma Fagopyri Cymosi)

Jin Qiao Mai (Rhizoma Fagopyri Cymosi)

What Is Jin Qiao Mai

Jin Qiao Mai commonly known as Rhizoma Fagopyri Cymosi or Wild Buckwheat Rhizome is the rhizome of Fagopyrum dibotrys, which is a perennial herb belonging to the family Polygonaceae. It is a relatively practical Chinese herbal medicine, which first appeared in <Tang Ben Cao> in 659 AD.

This plant is cold-resistant and drought-tolerant and likes a warm climate. It often grows in valley wetlands or hillside shrubs at an altitude of 250-3,200 meters. It is distributed in China, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Vietnam, and Thailand.

In the winter of every year, people gather the rhizomes of Fagopyrum dibotrys, remove their fibrous roots and impurities, wash them with water, dry them in the sun, cut them into thick slices, and make them into Chinese herbal medicines.

Fagopyrum dibotrys

Jin Qiao Mai contains epicatechin, catechin, procyanidins, dimeric procyanidin, rutin, luteolin, quercetin, rhamnetin, isorhamnetin, eriodictyol, hesperetin, chrysoeriol, hecogenin, β-sitosterol, β-daucosterol, 3，4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, gallic acid, Protocatechuic acid, monopalmitin, benzoic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, succinic acid, syringic acid, ferulic acid, terpenes, and volatile oils.

Generally, Jin Qiao Mai with brown outer epidermis and yellowish-white or light brownish-red cross-section is the best.

According to <Ben Cao Gang Mu Shi Yi>, the medicinal nature of Jin Qiao Mai is relatively cool, with a slightly pungent and astringent taste. It has a certain therapeutic effect on the pathological changes of the lung meridian.

In traditional Chinese medicine, it is often used to clear heat and remove toxins, expel pus and blood stasis, treat pneumonia, bronchitis, lung abscess, pleurisy, skin trauma infection, acute mastitis, cellulitis, deep abscess, and other suppurative infectious diseases. It is an important component of Ji Zhi Tang Jiang.

Benefits

  • Anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and analgesic effects.
  • Anti-oxidation, scavenging DPPH radicals, ABTS radicals, and hydroxyl radicals.
  • Increasing the thymus coefficient, spleen coefficient, and phagocytic capacity of macrophages, improving immunity.
  • Lowering blood sugar, total cholesterol, and triglycerides, treating type 2 diabetes.
  • Improving appetite, relieving abdominal distension, and treating infantile malnutrition and emaciation.
  • Eliminating thick and smelly sputum, treating expectoration of bloody pus and lung abscess.
  • Clearing lung heat and treating cough caused by lung heat.
  • Dissipating nodulation and treating scrofula and subcutaneous nodules.
  • Removing heat toxins, treating furuncles and carbuncles caused by heat toxins.
  • Inhibiting Staphylococcus aureus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Bacillus subtilis, E. coli, and pseudomonas aeruginosa.
  • The study confirmed that it has strong anticancer activity and can treat lung cancer, melanoma, and fibromyoma.

Combinations

Side Effects

  • Animal experiments show that it is slightly toxic.
  • During the period of taking it, you should avoid sun exposure. It may cause photosensitivity reactions, leading to skin itching, erythema, edema, and blisters.

Precautions and Warnings

  • The dosage of Jin Qiao Mai should be controlled at 15-45g.
  • It can be decocted with water or steamed in a container with water or rice wine to make decoction.
  • People who are allergic to Jin Qiao Mai should not take it.
  • Pregnant and breastfeeding women should not take it.
  • Children, the elderly, and the infirm should not take it.