Jiu Bing Po

Category: Chinese Herbs

Jiupingpo is the name of a traditional Chinese medicine. It consists of the roots and leaves of Uvaria microcarpa Champ. ex Benth. [U. macrophylla Roxb. var. microcarpa (Champ. ex Benth.) Finetet Gagnep.], a plant in the Annonaceae family. It is distributed in Guangdong, Hainan, and Guangxi. It has the effects of dispelling wind and dampness, regulating qi and strengthening the stomach, relieving pain, and resolving phlegm to stop coughing.It is commonly used to treat rheumatic pain, lower back and leg pain, trauma, indigestion, abdominal distension and diarrhea, and coughs with excessive phlegm.

Chinese Name : 酒饼婆

Aliases : Jiu Bing Ye, You Zhui, Jiao Teng, Jiu Bing Zi, Niu Dao Shu, Niu Shao Zi, Niu Tou Luo, Jiu Bing Mu, Niu Nai Guo, Shi Long Ye, Tu Pi Pa, Shan Geng Zi, Xiao Shi Ba Feng Teng

Nature, Flavor & Meridian Tropism : Taste: pungent and bitter; Nature: slightly warm; Enters the Liver and Stomach meridians

Benefits & Efficacy

Benefits

Dispels wind and dampness; regulates qi and strengthens the stomach; relieves pain; resolves phlegm and suppresses cough.

Indications

Rheumatic arthralgia, lower back and leg pain, trauma, indigestion, abdominal distension and diarrhea, cough with excessive phlegm.

Usage and Dosage

Internal use: Decoct 15–30 g of the root and 10–15 g of the leaves; or extract the juice. External use: Apply an appropriate amount as a poultice or use the decoction for fumigation and washing.

Precautions

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 issue a herbal prescription.

Chemical Constituents

The stems and leaves contain apocarpine alkaloids: 4,5-dioxodehydroasimilobine and oxoanlobin. They also contain phthalic acid lactam compounds: uvarilactam, and aristolochic lactams AⅠ, AⅡ, BⅠ, and BⅡ.

Relevant Discussions

1. *Lu Chuan Bencao*: “Pungent, warm.”

2. *Selected Compendium of Guangxi Materia Medica*: “Root: pungent and bitter in taste, neutral in nature.” “Leaves: bland and astringent in taste, fragrant in aroma, neutral in nature.”

3. *Compendium of Chinese Herbal Medicines*: “Bitter, sweet; slightly warm.”

4. *Lu Chuan Materia Medica*: “Leaves: Dispels wind, resolves stagnation, and relieves pain; treats rheumatic bone pain.”

5. *Selected Compendium of Guangxi Materia Medica*: “Root: Dispels wind-dampness and strengthens tendons and bones. Leaves: Dispels blood stasis, reduces swelling, resolves phlegm, and relieves cough.”

6. *Compendium of Chinese Herbal Medicines*: “Stimulates digestion, regulates qi, dispels wind, and relieves pain. Primarily used to treat indigestion, abdominal distension, diarrhea, trauma, and pain in the lower back and legs.”

Applications

Related Prescriptions

1. For treating rheumatic joint pain: 30–60 g of Jiu Bing Po root; decoct in water, mix with wine, and drink; or soak in wine and drink, while also applying the medicinal wine externally; or decoct fresh roots and leaves in water for steam baths or washing. (*Selected Compendium of Guangxi Materia Medica*)

2. For swelling and pain caused by trauma: Pound fresh Jiu Bing Po leaves into a paste, stir-fry with wine, and apply externally. (*Selected Compendium of Guangxi Materia Medica*)

3. For cough with excessive phlegm: 6–10 g of Jiu Bing Po leaves. Decoct in water and drink. (*Selected Compendium of Guangxi Materia Medica*)

Notes

References for this entry: [1] Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine. *Encyclopedia of Chinese Materia Medica* [M]. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. Shanghai: Shanghai Science and Technology Press, 2006: 2708. [2] Editorial Committee of *Chinese Materia Medica*, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. *Chinese Materia Medica* [M]. Vol. 3. Shanghai: Shanghai Science and Technology Press, 1999: 11–12. [3] Cai Guangxian. *Hunan Materia Medica* [M]. Vol. 5. Changsha: Hunan Science and Technology Press, 2005: 3724–3725.

Processing & Preparation

Harvesting & Processing

Can be harvested year-round; wash thoroughly and use fresh or sun-dry.

Crude Drug Identification

Properties of Crude Drugs

The root is nearly cylindrical, slightly curved, with a diameter of 0.5–2.5 cm. The surface is dark brown, featuring fine, dense grain, irregular shallow grooves, and short transverse cracks; fine root scars appear as punctate protrusions. The texture is hard; the cross-section of the xylem is grayish-white with radial grain. It has a faintly fragrant odor and a bland taste.

Botanical Information

Botanical Classification

*Ziyupan*, a plant of the Annonaceae family.

Morphological Characteristics

An erect or trailing shrub, approximately 2 m tall. The entire plant is covered with yellow stellate hairs, which gradually fall off as the plant matures. Leaves are alternate; leaf blades are leathery, oblong-ovate or oblong-elliptic. They are 10–23 cm long and 5–11 cm wide, with an acute or obtuse apex and a rounded or nearly cordate base; lateral veins are sunken on the upper surface and raised on the lower surface.1–2 flowers are opposite the leaves; they are dark purplish-red or pale reddish-brown, 2.5–3.5 cm in diameter; the pedicel is less than 2.5 cm long; there are 3 sepals, broadly ovate; the petals are arranged in 6.2 whorls, with the inner and outer whorls similar and ovate; the stamens are numerous and linear, with the outermost ones often reduced to staminodes;Carpels are oblong or linear, each containing multiple ovules; the stigma is horseshoe-shaped, with the apex 2-lobed and incurved. The fruit is ovoid or short cylindrical, 1–2 cm long, dark purplish-brown, and clustered in heads. Seeds are spherical. Flowering occurs from March to August; fruiting occurs from July to March of the following year.

Distribution Area

Guangdong, Hainan, and Guangxi.