Commelinae Herba
Aliases：Jī Shé Cǎo (Chicken Tongue Herb); Bì Zhú Zǐ (Green Bamboo Seed); Zhú Yè Cǎo (Bamboo Leaf Herb); Zhú Yè Cài (Bamboo Leaf Vegetable); Yā Jiǎo Cǎo (Duck Foot Herb); Lán Huā Cǎo (Orchid Flower Herb); Yā Shí Cǎo (Duck Food Herb); Mào Zi Huā (Hat Flower); Zhú Guǎn Cǎo (Bamboo Tube Herb); Yě Diàn Qīng (Wild Indigo); Dì Dì Ǒu (Ground Lotus Root); Er Huán Cǎo (Ear Ring Herb); É Er Cài (Gosling Vegetable); Dàn Zhú Yè (Light Bamboo Leaf); Shuǐ Zhú Zǐ (Water Bamboo Seed); Bì Chán Huā (Green Cicada Flower); Zhú Jī Cǎo (Bamboo Chicken Herb); Lán Gū Cǎo (Blue Mushroom Herb), among others.
Yā Zhí Cǎo (Dayflower Herb) is a Chinese medicinal herb. It is the dried aerial part of Commelina communis L., a plant of the Commelinaceae family. Its appearance is characterized by stems and leaves that can grow up to 60 cm in length, yellowish-green in color, soft in texture, with a faint odor and a bland taste.
Efficacy & Actions
Clears heat and purges fire; detoxifies; promotes diuresis and reduces edema.
Indications
Used for colds with fever, febrile diseases with restlessness and thirst, sore throat, edema with scanty urine, painful strangury, and carbuncles and furuncles. In Western clinical practice, it may also be used for influenza, acute tonsillitis, functional low-grade fever, and chronic glomerulonephritis when presenting with heat patterns.
Modern Pharmacology
Antimicrobial effects: The decoction has inhibitory effects against Staphylococcus aureus and other bacteria. Antipyretic effect: Exhibits significant fever-reducing effects. Cardiovascular protection: Extracts can regulate relevant signaling pathways to inhibit myocardial cell injury induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation. Anticonvulsant effect: Network pharmacology studies suggest that it may treat febrile seizures through multi-component and multi-target mechanisms. Other effects: Also exhibits pharmacological actions such as blood sugar-lowering, antioxidant, lipid-regulating, anti-inflammatory and analgesic, antiviral, antihypertensive, and hepatoprotective effects.
Ingredients
Flavonoids: Such as isoorientin, orientin, vitexin, isovitexin, etc. Anthocyanins: Such as delphinidin, delphinidin glucoside, avobanin, etc. Others: Also contains alkaloids, organic acids, terpenoids, glycosides, as well as commelinin (a specific flavonoid pigment) and polypeptide glycosides, among others.
Usage & Dosage
Oral Administration: Decoction, 15–30g; fresh material may be used at 60–90g. May also be taken as juice extraction. Topical Application: Appropriate amount, mashed for external application, or decocted in water for washing.
Contraindications
Use with caution in patients with spleen-stomach deficiency-cold. Contraindicated during pregnancy.
Selected Formulas
For difficult urination (empirical formula) Take 1 liang of Yazhicao (Commelina communis) and 1 liang of Cheqiancao (Plantago asiatica). Crush to extract juice, add a little honey, and take on an empty stomach. For throat swelling and pain (empirical formula) Take an appropriate amount of fresh Yazhicao, wash and crush to extract juice, and hold in the mouth frequently. For jaundice hepatitis (empirical formula) Take 4 liang of Yazhicao and 2 liang of lean pork. Stew in water, drink the soup and eat the pork. For hypertension (empirical formula) Take 1 liang of Yazhicao and 3 qian of Candouhua (broad bean flower). Decoct in water and drink as tea. For dysentery with red and white stools (empirical formula) Take 15g of Yazhicao and 9g of Zhuye (bamboo leaf). Decoct in water and drink. Alternatively, use Yazhicao alone. For high fever with convulsions (empirical formula) Take 15g of Yazhicao and 6g of Gouteng (Uncaria). Decoct in water and drink.
Daily Consumption
Decoction for oral use: Take 15–30g of the dried product and decoct in water for oral administration. Juice extraction for oral use: Take 60–90g of the fresh product, wash, mash, and extract the juice for oral administration. Medicinal dietary use: It can be cooked into congee with rice, or stir-fried, blanched and served cold as a vegetable dish.
Medicinal Parts
Dried aerial part.
Selection & Storage
Store in a dry container in a well-ventilated, dry place, protected from mold.
