Cortex Schefflerae Octophyllae
Aliases：Xī Jiā Pí (Western Addition Bark); Yā Jiǎo Pí (Duck Foot Bark); Yā Jiǎo Luó Sǎn (Duck Foot Umbrella); É Zhǎng Chái (Goose Foot Firewood); Sǎn Tuō Shù Pí (Umbrella Support Tree Bark); Jiǔ Jié Niú (Nine-Jointed Cattle); Xiǎo Yè Yā Jiǎo Mù (Small-Leaved Duck Foot Wood); Hàn Táo Shù (Chinese Peach Tree); Qī Yè Lián (Seven-Leaf Lotus); Jiāng Mù Mǔ (River Tree Mother); Jiǎo Mǔ Shù (Foot Mother Tree); Yā Má Guā (Duck Sesame Melon); Yā Mǔ Yǒu (Duck Mother Has); Wǔ Zhǐ Tōng (Five-Finger Unblock); Sǎn Tuō Mù (Umbrella Support Wood)
Yā Jiǎo Mù (Schefflera Bark) is a Chinese medicinal herb. It is the root bark, stem bark, root, and leaf of Schefflera octophylla (Lour.) Harms, a plant of the Araliaceae family. This herb is one of the raw materials used in Guangdong “Twenty-Four Flavors” herbal tea, and is also the botanical source for the Chinese patent medicine “Qi Ye Lian Tablets.”
Efficacy & Actions
Root Bark and Stem Bark: Clears heat and releases the exterior; dispels wind and eliminates dampness; relaxes tendons and unblocks collaterals. Induces sweating and releases the exterior; clears heat and detoxifies; disperses stasis and reduces swelling. Root: Dispels wind and clears heat; eliminates dampness and unblocks collaterals. Leaf: Dispels wind and resolves dampness; detoxifies; invigorates blood circulation.
Indications
Root Bark and Stem Bark: Used for colds with fever, sore throat, burns, unnamed toxic swellings, rheumatic arthralgia, traumatic injuries, and fractures. Recently, it has also been used for the prevention and treatment of influenza. Root: Used for colds, fever, febrile disease with intercurrent menstruation in women, rheumatic arthralgia, and traumatic injuries. Leaf: Used for wind-heat colds, sore throat, maculopapular rash with fever, rubella with itching, rheumatic pain, eczema, leg ulcers, sores and toxic swellings, burns, traumatic swelling and pain, fractures, and bleeding from knife wounds. Zhuang Medical Use: Used for headache, rheumatic bone pain, traumatic swelling and pain, traumatic bleeding, and fractures.
Modern Pharmacology
Analgesic and Anti-inflammatory Effects: The ethanol extract of Ya Jiao Mu (Schefflera octophylla) and its chloroform fraction show significant analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. The volatile oil from the leaves of Schefflera octophylla exhibits anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. Antitumor Effects: It exhibits antitumor activity. Antiviral Effects: It exhibits antiviral activity. Antifungal Effects: It exhibits antifungal effects. Hepatoprotective Effect: It is used in folk medicine for the treatment of liver diseases.
Ingredients
Triterpenoids (pentacyclic triterpenes and their glycosides): Major components of Schefflera plants, including 3-epi-betulinic acid-3-O-sulfate-28-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→4)-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside, asiatic acid, asiaticoside, 3α-hydroxyurs-12-en-23,28-dioic acid, wilforoside D, schefflautenoside A–F, scheffleraoleanoside B, D, E, F, etc. Other constituents: Betulinic acid-3-O-sulfate, etc.
Usage & Dosage
Oral Administration: Decoction, 9–15g. For the root, use 3–9g; double the amount for fresh material. For the leaf, use 6–15g. May also be steeped in wine; or juice extracted for drinking; or ground into powder and made into pills. Topical Application: Appropriate amount, decocted in water for washing; or mashed for application; or juice extracted for applying; or stir-fried with wine for application; or ground into powder and mixed for application.
Contraindications
Contraindicated in patients with deficiency-cold. Contraindicated during pregnancy. Patients with exterior patterns such as colds and fever should use it under the guidance of a physician.
Selected Formulas
For influenza (empirical formula) Take 500g each of Yajiaomu root (Schefflera octophylla) and Sanchaku root (Euodia lepta). Decoct in water to obtain 3000ml, then concentrate to 1000ml. Take 60ml each time, 1-2 times daily. For cold and fever (empirical formula) ① Take 1500–2000g of Yajiaomu leaves, boil in water and bathe to induce sweating. Alternatively, take 250g of Yajiaomu leaves, 500g of Jiubiying bark (Ilex rotunda), and 60g of Tuduhuo (Aralia cordata). Dry and grind into powder. Take 12g each time with boiled water. ② Take 15g of Yajiaomu leaves, 15g of Wuzhifeng (a local herb), 15g of Lubianju (a local herb), and 30g of Lugen (Phragmites rhizome). Decoct in water and drink. For bone fractures (empirical formula) Take 6 liang of fresh Yajiaomu bark, 4 liang of fresh Lipianmu leaves, 4 liang of fresh Guanrongmu leaves, and one rooster. Crush together, stir-fry with double wine until hot, and apply to the affected area. Remove after 24 hours, then reheat with wine and apply again. For rheumatic bone pain (empirical formula) Take 6 liang of Yajiaomu bark, soak in 1 jin of wine. Take twice daily, 5 qian to 1 liang each time. For dysentery with red and white stools (empirical formula) Take 4 liang of Yajiaomu bark (outer bark removed, washed, steamed and sun-dried once), decoct in water and drink. For urticaria and lacquer dermatitis (empirical formula) Take an appropriate amount of fresh Yajiaomu leaves, decoct in water and use for fumigation and washing. For hemiplegia and sprains (Hunan Materia Medica) Take 15–30g of Yajiaomu root, decoct in water and drink. A larger amount can be decocted for external washing. Continue for 1–3 months. For traumatic injuries (Guizhou Folk Medicines) Take 9g each of Yajiaomu root and bark, add an appropriate amount of Suanjiangcao (Oxalis), crush and apply to the injured area.
Daily Consumption
Ya Jiao Mu Decoction: Take 9–15g of Ya Jiao Mu bark (Cortex Schefflerae), add water, decoct, and drink the liquid. Suitable for colds with fever, sore throat, and other conditions. Ya Jiao Mu Wine: Take an appropriate amount of Ya Jiao Mu bark, steep it in white liquor, and drink in moderation. Suitable for rheumatic bone pain.
Medicinal Parts
Root bark, stem bark, root, and leaf.
Selection & Storage
Store in a dry container in a well-ventilated, dry place, protected from moisture.
