Duanchangcao is the name of a traditional Chinese medicinal herb. It refers to *Hupentheca*, a plant in the genus *Hupentheca* of the family Loganiaceae; the roots, leaves, and whole plant are used medicinally.Duanchangcao has a bitter and pungent taste and a warm nature. It is effective in expelling toxins, dispersing blood stasis, relieving pain, killing parasites, and alleviating itching. When used externally, it can treat skin eczema, tinea corporis, tinea pedis, contusions, fractures, hemorrhoids, boils, and leprosy. In addition, Duanchangcao can be used to control the “Four Pests,” kill maggots, and eliminate mosquito larvae.
Duanchangcao
Duanchangcao is the name of a traditional Chinese medicinal herb. It refers to *Hupentheca*, a plant in the genus *Hupentheca* of the family Loganiaceae; the roots, leaves, and whole plant are used medicinally.Duanchangcao has a bitter and pungent taste and a warm nature. It is effective in expelling toxins, dispersing blood stasis, relieving pain, killing parasites, and alleviating itching. When used externally, it can treat skin eczema, tinea corporis, tinea pedis, contusions, fractures, hemorrhoids, boils, and leprosy. In addition, Duanchangcao can be used to control the “Four Pests,” kill maggots, and eliminate mosquito larvae.
Chinese Name : 断肠草
Aliases : Dapaoye, Dachaoyao, Gouwen, Huanghuakuman, Huangmengcai
Nature, Flavor & Meridian Tropism : Bitter and pungent in taste; warm in nature
Benefits & Efficacy
Benefits
Duanchangcao has the effects of expelling toxins, dispersing blood stasis, relieving pain, killing parasites, and relieving itching.
Indications
When used externally, Duanchangcao can treat skin eczema, tinea corporis, tinea pedis, contusions and sprains, fractures, hemorrhoids, boils, and leprosy. In addition, Duanchangcao can be used to control the “Four Pests,” kill maggots, and eliminate mosquito larvae.
Usage and Dosage
For external use, apply an appropriate amount of the fresh herb, pounded into a paste, to the affected area, or decoct it in water for washing.
Precautions
Duanchangcao is for external use only; internal use is strictly prohibited.
Applications
Notes
Patients requiring treatment with Chinese herbal medicine should first consult a licensed Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) hospital, where a TCM practitioner will conduct a professional pattern differentiation and prescribe an herbal formula.
Processing & Preparation
Harvesting & Processing
The roots can be harvested year-round; simply wash and sun-dry them. The leaves and whole plant are collected in summer and fall and sun-dried.
Storage Methods
Store in a well-ventilated, dry place.
Crude Drug Identification
Properties of Crude Drugs
The stem is cylindrical, 0.5–5 cm in diameter, with grayish-yellow to yellowish-brown outer bark featuring deep longitudinal grooves and transverse fissures; young stems are relatively smooth, yellowish-green or yellowish-brown, with fine longitudinal striations and punctate lenticels that are longitudinally oval and raised.The nodes are slightly swollen, with visible petiole scars. The stem is firm and difficult to break; the fracture surface is irregular. The phloem is yellowish-brown, the xylem is pale yellow with a radiating grain and densely covered with fine pores, and the pith is brown or hollow. It has a faint odor, a slightly bitter taste, and is toxic.
Properties of Processed Slices
See “Characteristics of Medicinal Materials.”
Botanical Information
Botanical Classification
A plant of the genus *Hupea* in the family Loganiaceae.
Morphological Characteristics
An evergreen twining vine, glabrous throughout, with young branches bearing fine longitudinal ridges. Simple leaves are opposite and short-petiolate; leaf blades are ovate-oblong to ovate-lanceolate, 5–12 cm long and 2–6 cm wide, with an acuminate apex, a cuneate or nearly rounded base, and entire margins.Yellow flowers bloom in summer; the cymose inflorescences are mostly terminal, trifurcated, with each branch forming a cymose panicle; each branching point bears two short, triangular bracts; the corolla is funnel-shaped with paler red spots inside and five short lobes; there are five exposed stamens; the ovary is superior, and the stigma is four-lobed.The capsules have slender stalks, hang downward, are oblong, and bear a persistent calyx at the base; the pericarp is thin and leathery. The seeds are oblong, with spiny projections and winged margins.
Distribution Area
It is distributed in Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangxi, Guangdong, Guizhou, and Yunnan, among other provinces and regions.