Learn About Chinese Herbs -Ze Xie (Rhizoma Alismatis)-
Ze Xie （Rhizoma Alismatis）
This product is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine, and "Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing" is listed as the top grade. Li Shizhen said: "laxative causes losing water, the herb causes one to have loose stool like choosing which water to lose, hence named Ze Xie (Meaning Picking the water to lose)", hence the name.
Alias: Ze Xi.
Source: Alisma orietnale (Sam.) JuzeP. of dried rhizomes, all cultivated.
Origin: · Jian Ze Xie: Mainly produced in Jian'ou, Fujian.
· Sichuan Ze Xie: Mainly produced in Guan County, Sichuan.
· Guang Ze Xie: Mainly produced in Zhanjiang, Guangdong.
Trait identification
· Jian Ze Xie: spherical or obovate. It is about 4~7cm long. The diameter is about 3~5cm. The outer skin is yellowish-white. There are stem marks at the tip. There are irregular annular bulges (commonly known as gang lines) and most of the scattered protrusions and small dot-like fibrous root marks. Solid quality. The section is pale yellowish-white, powdery and granular when observed by the naked eye, and it is like a sponge under the microscope, but it is relatively tight. The taste is sweet and slightly bitter. It is better to have a large single stem, yellow and white color, and relatively durable.
· Chuan Ze Xie: oval-shaped, slightly smaller than Jian Ze Xie. The appearance is light yellowish-brown, the top stem marks are slightly smaller, some have 2~3 stem base marks, forms slight deformities, the skin is slightly thicker, the annular bulge is not obvious, and most of them are scattered in the fibrous root marks. The lower end is pointed, and most of them are wart-like bumps with protrusions, and there are remnants of unfinished fibrous roots around the pimples. The quality is also firm, the section is dark milky yellow, and the sponge-like structure is slightly loose under the microscope, and the smell is the same as that of Jianze. It is customary to think that the quality is not as good as Jian Ze Xie.
· Guang Ze Xie: oblong, about 4~7cm long, 2.5~4cm in diameter. The skin is yellowish-white, and there are no bulges. The lower end also has many protruding verrucous bumps or white dents after falling off the pimples, they are lighter and looser and have different bitter and sweet tastes.
Main components: (1) volatile oil, containing furfural, (2) its ethanol extract contains bioalkali, phytosterols and aspartin, (3) its water and benzene extract have anti-lipid liver components.
Pharmachologic effect
（1） Diuretic: It has a significant effect and can increase urine output, urea and chloride excretion.
（2） Cholesterol lowering: Animal experiments have found that Ze Xie has a mild inhibitory effect on the blood cholesterol content of rabbits, which can reduce the development of pulsatile atherosclerosis, but it has not been clinically used to treat arteriosclerosis.
Preparation: Slice raw or stir-fry in salted water.
Taste: sweet and cold.
Meridian Flow: into the kidney and bladder meridians.
Function: dilution of water infiltration and diarrhoea heat.
Used to treat: poor urination, gonorrhea blood in the urine, damp and hot phlegm drinking, swollen water, athlete's foot.
Clinical application
（1） It is used for nephritis edema or beriberi edema, and its diuretic and swelling reduction effect is taken. It is often equipped with Fu Ling and Bai Zhu, such as used in Si Ling San formula. It can be based on this formula, and it can be added or subtracted based on situation.
（2） It is used for the treatment of excessive wet dreams, sperm leakage, dizziness and other symptoms caused by kidney yin deficiency (kidney yin deficiency) and excessive kidney fire, and it has the effect of clearing kidney fire (may be related to diuresis and heat clearing), but it must be combined with other herbs that nourish kidney yin, such as Shu Di, Shan Yu Rou, etc., such as used in Liu Wei Di Huang pills formula. Liu Wei Di Duang Pill has both the tonic effect of Shu Di, Shan Zhu Yu, Shan Yao, and the laxative of Ze Xie, which expels the kidney fire and makes the tonic more effectively. However, it should be noted that slippery sperm caused by kidney yang deficiency and those without dampness and heat one should not be using heat clearing herbs.
[Attached] The predecessors have said that Ze Xie can cure thirst (diabetes belongs to the category of thirst quenching), and modern experiments have also preliminarily confirmed that Ze Xie has a hypoglycemic effect, but modern clinical practice rarely uses Ze Xie as the main drug to treat diabetes. As for Liu Wei Di Huang Pill, although it can be used to treat diabetes, its main effect is not in Ze Xie.
Dosage: 6~15g, the dosage should not be too large.
Prescription list: Si Ling San (from "Ming Yi Zhi Zhang"): Fu Ling 12g, Ze Xie 6g, Zhu Ling 9g, Bai Zhu 9g, decoction in water.
Annotations:
Ze Xie commodities were originally divided into two categories: Jian Ze Xie (including Jiang Xi Guang Chang) and Sichuan Ze Xie. Due to the use of autumn and winter paddy fields idle period planting, and can use the leaves of Ze Xie to press a green manure, so there are many provinces in the south of the Yangtze River to introduce seeds, and has been successful. Due to the different sources of introduction, the form of commodities is different, but basically there is little difference. For example, Guang Ze Xie, in the Zhanjiang area, is mostly cultivated in winter and harvested in early spring. The stems and leaves are turned into soil and pressed into green manure. In this way, it kills two birds with one stone, which not only produces Ze Xie, but also presses green manure. However, the growth date is shorter, and the body is smaller and less mature, so the smell is different. Generally the higher the degree of ripeness, the sweeter the taste; Lower maturity is more bitter.
Because Ze Xie in the processing and drying, more use of fire kang drying, the inner and outer color ballast will be affected to a certain extent, such as when the fire is large, the color is heavy brown; when the fire is small, color is light, yellow and white, so the outer color and inner ballast may not be uniform.
Case Study: Cirrhosis of the Liver
Mr. Wang, male, 54 years old. First consultation on September 21, 2000.
Patient has been suffering from liver cirrhosis for more than four years. A recent test showed that two and a half of the hepatitis B tests showed the "big three positives", and the liver function showed TLT: 16U/L, ALT: 70U/L, and the rest were normal. B-ultrasound showed cirrhosis of the liver. Symptoms include occasional pain and discomfort under the right hypochondrium, weakness in the lower limbs, edema in the front of both lower limbs, liver palms, fat and tender tongue, red spots on the edges of the tongue, thin white coating, weak pulse, plump body, and no other discomfort. According to the symptoms of tongue coating and pulse, the syndrome is gallbladder heat, spleen cold, and internal water-dampness. Modification of Chai Hu Gui Zhi Gan Jiang Tang formula is given.
TCM Prescription: Cu Chai Hu 10g, Huang Qin 6g, Fa Ban Xia 12g, Gui Zhi 10g, Fu Ling 30g, Sheng Mu Li (cooked first) 30g, Bai Zhu 12g, Zhu Ling 15g, Ze Lan 15g, Ze Xie 15g, Xiang Fu 10g, Yan Hu Suo 15g, Tai Zi Shen 15g. It is recommended to take 7 to 10 doses first. If the edema improves, then consider changing the prescription.
Second consultation: October 31, 2000. According to the prescription for the initial diagnosis on September 22, the dosage of each medicine was increased in proportion to make 90 honey pills, each pill is about 9g, one pill each time, three times a day.
After taking the medicine for one month, the swelling and pain under the flanks basically disappeared. Recently, due to the rainy weather, the abdominal distension began again. Patient still has weakness in the lower limbs and aversion to cold. Bowel movements are normal. The Coating is thin and white. The tongue is slightly red, with red spots on the tip, teeth marks on the edges, and tongue body. The body of the tongue is fat and tender, veins are slightly stringy and slippery. From the above formula, increase Gui Zhi to 12g, reduce Huang Qin to 5g, and add Da Fu Pi 10g, and continue taking the formula.
Quote from "Deng Tietao's Medical Records and Research"
Disclaimer: All above articles are for reference only. If patients are interested, please consult a professional practitioner Traditional Chinese Medicine for a consultation.