Cuscuta

　　Cuscuta is the mature seed of Cuscuta chinensis Lam. or C. japonica Choisy of the Convolvulaceae plant. It is distributed in most parts of our country. When the fruits mature in autumn, the above-ground parts are cut, dried and the seeds are laid. Use raw, or cooked and mashed into cakes.

　　[Medical Properties] Pungent, sweet, and flat. Returns to the kidney, liver and spleen meridians.

　　[Efficacy] Tonify the kidneys and essence, nourish the liver and improve eyesight, stop diarrhea and relieve miscarriage.

　　【application】

　　1. Kidney deficiency, low back pain, impotence and spermatorrhea, frequent urination and cold uterus, infertility. This product is pungent to moisten dryness and sweet to replenish deficiency. It is a product that tonifies yin and yang. It has the functions of tonifying kidney yang and replenishing kidney essence to consolidate essence and reduce urination. For example, dodder seeds and fried Eucommia ulmoides are divided into equal parts, and combined with yam into pills to treat low back pain ("One Hundred and One Prescriptions"); used with wolfberry, raspberry, and plantain to treat impotence and spermatorrhea, such as Wuzi Yanzong Pills ("Danxi Xinfa"); combined with mulberry octopus , Cistanche deserticola, and velvet antler are used together to treat excessive urination or incontinence, such as Cuscuta Pills ("Shiyi Dexiao Prescription"); used together with Poria and Echeveria seeds to treat spermatorrhea, white turbidity, and residual urine, such as Poria Pills ("Heji Bureau Prescription").

　　2. Insufficiency of liver and kidney, blurred vision. This product nourishes the liver and kidneys, nourishes essence and blood, and improves eyesight. It is often used together with Rehmannia glutinosa and Plantain Seed, such as Zhujing Pills ("Hejiju Prescription"); and "Qianjin Prescription" improves eyesight, nourishes essence, and strengthens mind and power. It is a long-term prescription that can be used with Polygala, Poria, ginseng, angelica, etc.

　　3. Deficiency of spleen and kidney yang, loose stools and diarrhea. This product can nourish the kidneys, nourish the spleen and stop diarrhea. For example, it can be used to treat spleen deficiency and loose stools. It can be taken as a pill with ginseng, atractylodes, and psoralen ("Fangmai Zhengzong").

　　4. Used for kidney deficiency and fetal restlessness. This product can tonify the liver and kidneys and calm the fetus. It is often used together with Dipsacus Dipsacus, Sangjisheng, and Donkey-hide Jiao to treat kidney deficiency, unsteady fetus, restless fetal movement, and miscarriage, such as Shoutai Pills ("Zhongzhongshenxilu").

　　In addition, this product can also treat kidney deficiency and thirst. For example, in "Quansheng Zhimifang", this product can be ground into powder and taken in honey pills to treat thirst.

　　[Usage and Dosage] Decoction and take, 10~20g.

　　[Precautions for use] This product is a tonic medicine, but it is not suitable for people with yin deficiency, strong fire, dry stools, short and red urine.

　　[Abstract from ancient books]

　　1. "Shen Nong's Materia Medica": "It is mainly responsible for repairing injuries, replenishing deficiencies, and replenishing qi, strength, and health. ”“Taking it for a long time can improve your eyesight, lighten your body and prolong your life. ”

　　2. "Compendium of Materia Medica": "Among the five flavors, pungent is the only one that regulates the four qi and combines the four flavors. "The Classic" says that the kidneys are bitter and dry, so eat pungent foods quickly to moisten them. Cuscuta belongs to this category, and is quite different from the pungent, dry and hot pungent. Scholars should not use the words to harm the meaning. ”

　　3. "Ben Jing Feng Yuan": "Cuscutae dispels wind, improves eyesight, and separates liver and kidney qi. Its nature and flavor are pungent, warm and sticky, which is the same as that of Eucommia ulmoides, which strengthens the muscles and warms the waist and knees. Its function is specifically to replenish the essence, strengthen muscles and bones, stop diarrhea, remove cold essence from the main stem, and remove residual drainage from drowning, and remove soreness and softness in the knees and shins, liver and kidney qi deficiency in the elderly, low back pain and cold knees. It can be used in combination with Psoralen and Eucommia ulmoides, and all fascia belong to the liver. For those with weak qi and dull eyes, take Ophiopogon japonicus and honey pills as a supplement, and it will be effective. Do not use it if the yang is strong but not impotence, the stool is dry and constipated, and the water is red and astringent, as its nature is biased towards yang. ”

　　【Modern Research】

　　1. Chemical composition: Cuscuta contains cortin, cholesterol, soap, and starch.

　　2. Pharmacological effects: Cuscuta decoction can significantly increase the number of matings of Drosophila melanogaster; Cuscuta decoction has a therapeutic effect on galactose cataract in rats; Cuscuta decoction administered continuously for 1 month can significantly enhance the activity of lactate dehydrogenase in mouse myocardial tissue homogenate, and has a tendency to increase the activity of myocardial catalase and lactate dehydrogenase and catalase in brain tissue.

　　3. Clinical research: Wuziqingchun Pills are used to treat male infertility, and the effect is significant (Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1995, (5): 20); Cuscuta chinensis and Angelica sinensis are the main prescriptions, and they are effective in treating infertility (Hebei Traditional Chinese Medicine Magazine, 1988, (5): 16); Pounding the whole Cuscuta plant and grinding it with vinegar and applying it externally is effective in treating vitiligo (Selected Anhui Single Prescriptions. Hefei: Anhui People's Publishing House, 1972, 300).