Shuiwengpi is the name of a traditional Chinese medicine. It is the bark of the plant *Cleistocalyxoperculatus* (Roxb.) Merr. et Perry, belonging to the Myrtaceae family. It is distributed in Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, and other regions. It has the therapeutic effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, drying dampness, and killing parasites. It is used to treat damp-heat foot sores, eczema, scabies, skin ulcers caused by malnutrition, abscesses of the scrotum, and burns and scalds.
Shuiwengpi
Shuiwengpi is the name of a traditional Chinese medicine. It is the bark of the plant *Cleistocalyxoperculatus* (Roxb.) Merr. et Perry, belonging to the Myrtaceae family. It is distributed in Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, and other regions. It has the therapeutic effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, drying dampness, and killing parasites. It is used to treat damp-heat foot sores, eczema, scabies, skin ulcers caused by malnutrition, abscesses of the scrotum, and burns and scalds.
Chinese Name : 水翁皮
Nature, Flavor & Meridian Tropism : Taste: bitter and pungent; nature: cool. Enters the Liver and Lung meridians
Benefits & Efficacy
Benefits
Clears heat and detoxifies; dries dampness; kills parasites.
Indications
Used for athlete’s foot with moist, oozing lesions, eczema, scabies, malnutrition-related skin sores, scrotal abscesses, and burns and scalds.
Usage and Dosage
External use: Apply an appropriate amount, pounded into a paste; decoct for fumigation and washing; or apply the decocted liquid topically.
Precautions
Use with caution during pregnancy.
Relevant Discussions
*Manual of Common Chinese Herbs on Hainan Island*: “Kills parasites and relieves itching. Treats scabies, athlete’s foot, and erythema nodosum; also used for burns and scalds.”
Applications
Related Compatibility
1. For leprosy, scrotal itching, and athlete’s foot: Use an appropriate amount of Shuoweng bark, decoct in water, and use the decoction for external washing. (Guangzhou Air Force *Manual of Common Chinese Herbal Medicines*)
2. For scrotal abscess: Decoct the inner layer of Shuiweng bark and use the decoction for external washing more than ten times; if the abscess has already ruptured, add 5 qian of licorice nodes and decoct together. (*Record of Medicinal Plant Collection in Lingnan*)
3. For eczema, tinea, and itchy skin: Decoct Shuiweng bark in water and use the decoction for external washing. (*Selected Compendium of Guangxi Materia Medica*)
Processing & Preparation
Harvesting & Processing
Harvest the bark in summer or fall and sun-dry it.
Crude Drug Identification
Properties of Crude Drugs
The dried bark is approximately 1 cm thick and covered with cork. After removing the cork, the surface appears yellowish-white, while the inner bark is brownish-red and fibrous, densely interspersed with white, powdery particles. It tears easily lengthwise into strips, and when flicked, powdery particles fly out.
Botanical Information
Botanical Classification
Shuiweng, a plant of the Myrtaceae family.
Morphological Characteristics
Shuiweng, also known as: Shuixiang, Jiuweng, or Shuirong. A tree reaching a height of 15 meters; the bark is grayish-brown and quite thick, with a highly branched trunk; young branches are flattened and grooved.Leaves are thin and leathery, oblong to elliptical, 11–17 cm long and 4.5–7 cm wide, with an acute or acuminate apex and a broadly cuneate or slightly rounded base; both surfaces bear numerous transparent glandular dots; there are 9–13 pairs of lateral veins, spaced 8–9 mm apart, angulated at 45°–65° and slanting upward; reticulate venation is distinct, and the marginal veins are 2 mm from the margin;Petiole 1–2 cm long. Panicles borne on leafless old branches, 6–12 cm long; flowers sessile, clustered in groups of 2–3; flower buds ovate, 5 mm long, 3.5 mm wide; calyx tube hemispherical, 3 mm long, cap-like structure 2–3 mm long, with a short beak at the apex; stamens 5–8 mm long;the style is 3–5 mm long. The berry is broadly ovate, 10–12 mm long and 10–14 mm in diameter, turning purplish-black when ripe. Flowering occurs from May to June.
Distribution Area
It is distributed in Guangdong, Hainan, Guangxi, Yunnan, and other regions.
