Pyrrosia leaf is the leaf of various species of Pyrrosia from the Polypodiaceae family. This plant prefers to grow on rocks, and its leaves are flexible, resembling processed leather. The ancient character "韦" represents leather, hence the name. It is mainly produced in Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Hubei, Henan, and other regions. It can be harvested in all four seasons, dried, and then crushed. It is often used in its raw form.
I. Efficacy of Pyrrosia Leaf:
Pyrrosia leaf tastes bitter and sweet, slightly cold. It belongs to the lung and bladder meridians. Its effects includePromoting urination and relieving stranguria, clearing lung heat and relieving cough, cooling blood and stopping bleedingIt is particularly effective in treating heat strangury and blood strangury, and is known as the essential medicine for transforming qi, promoting water movement, draining dampness, and relieving strangury.
Commonly used forHeat strangury, blood strangury, stone strangury, inhibited urination, dribbling and painful urination, panting and cough due to lung heat, hematemesis, epistaxis, flooding and spottingtreatment of conditions such as
Abstracts of Famous Works by Renowned Authors:
"Ben Jing": "It primarily treats consumptive fever and evil qi, five types of urinary blockages and obstruction, and promotes urination and the water passageways."
Compendium of Materia Medica: "Indicated for metrorrhagia and metrostaxis, incised wounds, and clearing lung qi."
Changsha Materia Medica: "Pyrrosia leaf clears the lungs and alleviates irritability, promotes diuresis and drains dampness. It is specifically used to treat strangury and difficult urination, and also treats metrorrhagia, metal-inflicted wounds, and carbuncles and abscesses on the back."
Ben Cao Bei Yao:Clears lung metal to nourish the source of transformation, unblocks the bladder and promotes water passage. Benefits essence qi, replenishes the five fatigues. Treats strangury, flooding, and back abscesses.
II. Compatibility and Application of Pyrrosia Leaf:
1. Used for conditions such as heat strangury, stone strangury, and blood strangury. Pyrrosia leaf can promote diuresis and relieve strangury, especially effective in treating damp-heat strangury and stone strangury. It is often combined with talc, plantain seed, and lysimachia.
If treating damp-heat in the bladder, dysuria, frequent dribbling, fullness and urgency in the lower abdomen, pain in the navel and abdomen, it is often combined with Medulla Tetrapanacis, Semen Vaccariae, Talcum, Radix Glycyrrhizae, Herba Dianthi, etc., namelyShiwei Powder。
If treating women with painful and difficult urination, it is often combined with Scutellaria baicalensis, Akebia quinata, Malva verticillata, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis, namelyShiwei Decoction。
Nowadays, for treating symptoms such as dysuria, frequent urination, urgency, and pain during urination, as well as edema of the lower limbs, it is common to use Pyrrosia leaf in combination with Astragalus root, Sophora flavescens, and Polygonum aviculare.Compound Shiwei TabletsTogether, they achieve the effects of clearing heat, drying dampness, promoting urination, and relieving strangury.
Zhu Chenyu treats postpartum edema in women, often using Pyrrosia leaf combined with Hypoglaucous Collett Yam, Astragalus, Angelica, and other herbs to replenish qi and blood, promote diuresis, and reduce swelling.
In the Biejia Jian Pill from the "Jingui Yaolue," the use of Pyrrosia is based on its properties of draining water and dispersing stasis, which is worthy of reference.
Pyrrosia leaf can also stop bleeding, and is particularly effective in treating strangury with hematuria, often used together with cattail pollen. In addition, it can also be used for metrorrhagia and metrostaxis, hematemesis, and epistaxis.
Compendium of Materia Medica: "For the treatment of metrorrhagia and metrostaxis, grind Shiwei into powder. Take three qian each time with warm wine, which is highly effective."
2. For cough and asthma due to lung heat. Pyrrosia leaf can clear lung heat, resolve phlegm, and relieve cough. To treat cough due to lung heat, grind pyrrosia leaf and betel nut into equal parts as powder, and take with ginger decoction.Shiwei Powder。
Wang Ang said, "All medicines that promote water flow must first be able to clear lung fire."
III. Usage and Dosage of Pyrrosia Leaf:
Shiwei is often used in decoctions, as well as in pills and powders. The usual dosage in decoctions ranges from a few grams to over ten grams.
Wang Ang said: "It grows on shady rocks. It is soft and pliable like leather, with yellow hairs on the back. Remove the hairs and use after slight roasting. Those growing on ancient tiles are calledLepisorusIt also treats strangury.
IV. Application Notes for Pyrrosia:
Shiwei is cold in nature and promotes diuresis, henceContraindicated for those with yin deficiency and without damp-heat。
