Bai-niu-xi, name of Chinese Medicinal Material. the root or whole plant of Brachystemma calycinum D.Don, a plant in the Caryophyllaceae family, has the functions of promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, promoting urination to relieve edema, detoxification, and reducing swelling. It is mainly used for gynecological disorders such as dysmenorrhea due to blood stasis, amenorrhea, irregular menstruation, and mass formation, as well as for conditions such as hot painful urinary dysfunction, bloody urine, leukorrhea, arthralgia, spasm of meridians, traumatic injury, carbuncle, sore, and diphtheria.

Efficacy and Functions

Promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis, promoting urination to clear turbidity, detoxifying and reducing swelling.

Indications

Blood stasis causing painful menstruation, amenorrhea, irregular menstruation, masses and lumps, hot dysuria, hematuria, leukorrhea, leukorrhea, obstruction syndrome, meridian spasm, trauma, carbuncle and sores, mastitis, and diphtheria.

Dosage and Administration

Internal use: Decoction, 15-30g, can be used in high doses up to 60g. External use: Boil the whole herb in water for washing; or grind and apply as a poultice.

Precautions

"Dian Nan Ben Cao": "Pregnant women should avoid taking it, as it may cause miscarriage due to its properties."

Chemical Components

BrachysteminA is isolated from the root.

Relevant Discussion

2、《广西本草选编》：“清热解毒，舒筋活络。根：治白喉，风湿痹痛，跌打损伤，月经不调，病后虚弱；茎、叶：外用治手足痉挛，骨折。”

1. "Dian Nan Ben Cao": "Tonify the liver, promote blood circulation, break up blood stasis, and cool blood heat. Used for treating menstrual irregularities, abdominal pain, postpartum fever, deficiency heat exhaustion, retrograde menstruation in virgins, bleeding, vomiting, hematemesis, hemorrhage, leukorrhea, and frequent urination. Also effective for treating cold and dampness with joint and bone pain, strengthening tendons, dispersing abscesses, and reducing redness and swelling caused by toxic heat. Can be used for treating mumps, mastitis, hematuria in men, turbid stools with blood, and abnormal vaginal discharge in women."
2. "Selected Compilation of Guangxi Materia Medica": "Clears heat, detoxifies, relaxes tendons, and activates collaterals. The roots are used to treat diphtheria, rheumatic pain, bruises, irregular menstruation, and post-illness weakness. The stems and leaves are externally applied to treat spasms in the hands and feet, as well as fractures."

Clinical Applications

2、治妇人肝肾虚损，任督二脉亏伤，不能孕育，白带淋沥等症：白牛膝三钱，小公鸡一只（去肠），将药入鸡内，亦可入盐，煨烂。空心服之，每月经行后服一次，即有孕矣。若不食鸡者，单用白牛膝三钱煎汤，点水酒服，亦可也。（1、2方出自《滇南本草》）

1. For treating liver deficiency heat, or heat in the tendons and bones, feeling cold in the afternoon, fever at night, soreness and weakness in the limbs, loss of appetite, and continuous sweating due to deficiency: Take two qian of Achyranthes bidentata and two qian of Dipsacus asperoides. Decoct in water, and take with children's feces and watered wine.
2. For treating liver and kidney deficiency in women, damage to the Ren and Du meridians, infertility, excessive leukorrhea, and other symptoms: Take three qian of Achyranthes bidentata and one small rooster (remove the intestines). Put the herbs into the rooster, or mix with salt and simmer until soft. Take on an empty stomach, once after each menstrual cycle, and pregnancy will be achieved. If not consuming chicken, simply decoct three qian of Achyranthes bidentata in water and wine for consumption. (The first and second prescriptions are from "Yunnan Materia Medica.")
3. For treating bruises and injuries: Decoct the whole plant of Achyranthes bidentata with pig bones for consumption, and also apply a wine-soaked compress to the affected area. (From "Compilation of Guangxi National Medicine.")
4. For treating diphtheria: Take 60g of the roots of Hedyotis diffusa. Decoct in water for consumption. (From "Selected Compilation of Guangxi Materia Medica.")

Processing and Preparation

Harvest from July to October and dry in the sun.

Botanical Information

The plant species is Hedyotis brevipedunculata, belonging to the Rubiaceae family.

Morphological Characteristics

An annual spreading herb. The stem climbs on shrubs, reaching up to 2 meters in height, often with 4 ridges, occasionally 6, shiny, sparsely soft-hairy in the upper part, and hairless in the lower part. Leaves are opposite; petioles are 2–6 cm long; leaf blades are ovate-lanceolate to broadly lanceolate, 3.5–7.5 cm long, acute at the apex, rounded or gradually narrowed to a petiole at the base, with entire margins. The cymose inflorescence is terminal, arranged in a panicle-like shape; sepals are 5, narrowly ovate, nearly membranous, semi-transparent, with 5 veins; petals are 5, white, lanceolate, entire; stamens are 10, with 5 opposite the petals being rudimentary, filaments broad and fused at the base; ovary is globose, glabrous, styles 2, filiform, with long stigmas. Capsule is globose, shorter than the persistent calyx, dehiscing into 4 valves, containing 1 seed. Seed is large, reniform-spherical, with protuberances.

Distribution Area

Distributed in Guangxi, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, and Tibet.

Growing Environment

Found on the edges of mountain forests at altitudes below 2700 meters.