Herba Artemisiae Anomalae
Aliases：Jīn Jì Nú (Golden Jì Nú), Wū Téng Cài (Black Vine Vegetable), Liù Yuè Xuě (June Snow), Liù Yuè Shuāng (June Frost), Jiǔ Lǐ Guāng (Nine-li Light), Jiǔ Niú Cǎo (Nine Ox Grass), Bái Huā Wěi (White Flower Tail), Tàn Bāo Bāo (Charcoal Bundle), Qiān Lì Mǐ (Thousand Grain Rice), Bān Zǎo Zǐ (Spotted Date), Xì Bái Huā Cǎo (Fine White Flower Grass), Kǔ Lián Pó (Bitter Lotus), Zhēn Zhū Hāo (Pearl Mugwort), Huà Shí Dān (Digestion-transforming Elixir), Yě Mǎ Lán Tóu (Wild Aster Head), Dà Yè Hāo (Large-leaf Mugwort), Tiě Gān Yīn Chén (Iron-stemmed Capillary Wormwood).
Liú Jì Nú is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb. It is the whole plant of Artemisia anomala S. Moore, a plant belonging to the genus Artemisia of the family Asteraceae. This plant is a perennial herb with an erect stem, often branching above the middle, growing 60–120 cm tall. The leaves are alternate, long-ovate, with densely serrate margins. The capitula are extremely numerous, densely arranged on the branches, yellowish-brown in color. It has an aromatic odor and a bland taste. This herb was first recorded in the Northern and Southern Dynasties text Leigong Paozhi Lun (Master Lei‘s Treatise on Preparation). Due to the complexity of its varieties, historically there has been a distinction between “Southern Liú Jì Nú” (Artemisia anomala) and “Northern Liú Jì Nú” (Siphonostegia chinensis from the Scrophulariaceae family). Today, the term mostly refers to the Southern type (Artemisia anomala).
Efficacy & Actions
Disperses stasis and alleviates pain; heals wounds and stops bleeding; breaks blood stasis and unblocks the meridians; promotes digestion and resolves food stagnation.
Indications
Primarily indicated for traumatic injuries, stasis swelling and pain, external bleeding, blood stasis with amenorrhea, postpartum stasis with abdominal pain, food stagnation with abdominal pain, and red and white dysentery. It may also be used for abdominal masses, carbuncles, and toxic swellings. It is also applicable to conditions diagnosed in Western medicine as soft tissue injury, amenorrhea, and other conditions pertaining to blood stasis obstruction; as well as bacillary dysentery and chronic enteritis pertaining to food stagnation with incomplete digestion.
Modern Pharmacology
Effects on the circulatory system: The decoction of Liú Jì Nú increases coronary perfusion, accelerates blood circulation, and exhibits significant anti-hypoxia effects in mouse models of hypoxia. Effects on the hepatobiliary system: Exhibits hepatoprotective effects against liver injury. Antimicrobial effects: The aqueous decoction shows inhibitory effects against Shigella sonnei, Shigella dysenteriae, and Shigella flexneri, among others. Antiplatelet aggregation and improvement of hemorheology: Northern Liú Jì Nú is rich in flavonoids, which effectively inhibit platelet aggregation, reduce blood viscosity, and lower plasma viscosity. Antitumor effects: Exhibits inhibitory effects on tumor cell proliferation. In addition, Liú Jì Nú also promotes bile excretion, reduces enzyme levels, and exhibits other pharmacological activities.
Ingredients
Coumarins: Coumarin, 7-methoxycoumarin, scopoletin, herniarin. Flavonoids: Arteanoflavone, eupatilin, tricin. Terpenoids: Arteamomalactone, simiarenol. Organic acids: Palmitic acid, trans-o-hydroxycinnamic acid. Others: Aurantiamide acetate, cineole, camphor, and others.
Usage & Dosage
For oral administration: decoct in water, 5–10 g; for resolving food stagnation, up to 15–30 g may be used alone; or take in powder form. The clinically common dosage range is 6–60 g. For external use: apply an appropriate amount, crushed and applied topically; or ground into powder and sprinkled.
Contraindications
Pregnant women should use with caution or avoid—as this herb is a blood-breaking agent. Contraindicated in patients with Qi-blood deficiency. Contraindicated in patients with Spleen deficiency with diarrhea.
Selected Formulas
For qi and blood distension (Weisheng Yijian Fang) Take the ears and fruits of Liu jinu (Siphonostegia chinensis), grind into powder. Take 3 qian each time, decoct with wine and drink. For postpartum lochiostasis (Shengji Zonglu, Liu jinu Tang) Take 1 liang each of Liu jinu and Zhimu (Anemarrhena), 2 liang each of Danggui (Angelica) and Guijianyu (Euonymus alatus), and 1.5 liang of Taoren (Peach kernel). Coarsely grind and sieve. Take 4 qian each time, decoct in water and drink. For postpartum blood disorders (Shengji Zonglu) Take equal parts of Liu jinu and Gancao (Licorice). For each dose, take 5 qian, decoct with equal parts of water and wine, and drink. For traumatic injuries with blood stasis and swelling (empirical formula, Liu jinu Wine) Take 60g each of Liu jinu, Gusuibu (Drynaria), and Yanhusuo (Corydalis). Cut into pieces, place in a container, add 500ml of white liquor, seal and steep for over 10 days, then filter and remove the residue. For pain due to blood stasis (empirical formula, Liu jinu Stewed Tofu) Take 60g of Liu jinu, 6g of Bohe (Mint), 200g of soft tofu, and 100g of white sugar. Stew together with water until cooked, and consume as a side dish.
Daily Consumption
Decoction for oral administration: Take 5–10 g of Liú Jì Nú, decoct in water, and drink. For resolving food stagnation, up to 15–30 g may be used. Wine infusion: Steep Liú Jì Nú with Drynaria (Gǔ Suì Bǔ) and Corydalis (Xuán Hú Suǒ) in white wine. Soak for at least 10 days before drinking. Stewing: Liú Jì Nú can be stewed with tofu, mint, and other ingredients. Powder for oral use: Grind Liú Jì Nú into fine powder. Take 3 g each time with tea.
Medicinal Parts
Dried whole plant (with flowers). Those with green leaves, yellow flower spikes, and a strong aroma are considered to be of the best quality.
Selection & Storage
Store in a cool, dry place, protected from insects. Harvest in summer and autumn when flowering, pull up with roots intact, wash, cut into sections, and dry in the sun. Protect from night dew and rain to prevent blackening. Store in a mold-proof environment.
