Lagotidis Herba
Aliases：Zàng Huáng Lián (literally "Tibetan Coptis") and Tù'ěr Cǎo (literally "Rabbit Ear Herb"). (These are alternative names for Hóng Lián, i.e., Lagotis brevituba.)
Honglian is a traditional Chinese medicinal material. It is a Tibetan medicinal herb and consists of the dried whole herb of Lagotis brevituba Maxim., a plant belonging to the family Scrophulariaceae. It was first recorded in the Tibetan medical classic Yue Wang Yao Zhen (Moon King's Medical Treatise).
Efficacy & Actions
Clears heat, removes toxicity, promotes diuresis, calms the liver, activates blood circulation, and regulates menstruation.
Indications
Fever with thirst and restlessness, lung‑heat cough, headache and dizziness, damp‑heat jaundice, irregular menstruation, poisoning from food or drugs, acute and chronic hepatitis, nephritis, hypertension, and breast cancer.
Modern Pharmacology
Anti‑inflammatory effects. Anti‑ulcer effects: The water extract can significantly promote the healing of chronic gastric ulcers in rats. Sedative effects. Antiviral effects.
Ingredients
Honglian contains phenylethanoid glycosides and flavonoid glycosides. Fifty compounds have been isolated and identified from Lagotis brevituba. The main active components include echinacoside and verbascoside.
Usage & Dosage
For oral administration: decoct in water, 1–6 g; or 5–10 g; or grind into powder; or steep in wine.
Contraindications
Use with caution in patients with Spleen‑Stomach deficiency‑cold.
Selected Formulas
For kidney-deficiency low back pain, impotence, seminal emission, and spermatorrhea (empirical formula) ① Take 15g of Honglian (a local herb), 15g of Jishencan (a local herb), and 6g of Yinyanghuo (Epimedium). Grind together into powder, mix with an appropriate amount of lard and brown sugar, and steam to eat (avoid salt). ② Take 15g of Honglian, and 9g each of Yinyanghuo and Xianmao (Curculigo orchioides). Soak in wine and drink. ③ Take 9g of Buguzhi (Psoralea corylifolia), 15g of Honglian, 15g of Gouqizi (Lycium barbarum), and one pair of pig kidneys (sinew removed). Dry-roast the first three herbs until crispy, grind into powder, and steam with the pig kidneys to eat. For cold hernia (empirical formula) Take 15g of Honglian, 9g of Xiaoguo Shangye (a local herb), and 9g of Suzhu Guo Gen (a local herb). Decoct in water and drink, with brown sugar as a guide, and take with 7 crushed Litchi seeds (Lizhi he).
Medicinal Parts
Dried whole herb.
Selection & Storage
Store in a well‑ventilated, dry place.
