Podocarpus leaves, a name for a traditional Chinese medicinal material. These are the branches and leaves of Podocarpus macrophyllus (Thunb.) D. Don or Podocarpus macrophyllus var. maki Endl., plants belonging to the genus Podocarpus in the family Podocarpaceae.Podocarpus macrophyllus is distributed in southwestern China as well as in Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Hunan, Guangdong, and Guangxi; Podocarpus macrophyllus var. maki is cultivated in southwestern China as well as in Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, and Guangxi, and is grown in pots in Beijing. Podocarpus macrophyllus leaves have hemostatic properties. They are primarily used to treat hemoptysis and coughing up blood.
Podocarpus Leaves
Podocarpus leaves, a name for a traditional Chinese medicinal material. These are the branches and leaves of Podocarpus macrophyllus (Thunb.) D. Don or Podocarpus macrophyllus var. maki Endl., plants belonging to the genus Podocarpus in the family Podocarpaceae.Podocarpus macrophyllus is distributed in southwestern China as well as in Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Hunan, Guangdong, and Guangxi; Podocarpus macrophyllus var. maki is cultivated in southwestern China as well as in Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, and Guangxi, and is grown in pots in Beijing. Podocarpus macrophyllus leaves have hemostatic properties. They are primarily used to treat hemoptysis and coughing up blood.
Chinese Name : 罗汉松叶
Latin Name : Folium Podocarpi
Aliases : Jiangnan Cypress Leaves, Jiangnan Arborvitae Leaves
Authentic Producing Area : Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Sichuan, and other regions
Nature, Flavor & Meridian Tropism : Mild in taste, neutral in nature; enters the Lung and Stomach meridians
Benefits & Efficacy
Benefits
Hemostatic.
Indications
Hemoptysis, hemoptysis.
Usage and Dosage
Internal use: Decoction, 10–30 g.
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
Podocarpus leaves contain ecdysterone, Acanthopodium acuminatum sterone A, Podocarpus sterones A, B, C, and D, Platycladus biflavone, Chamaecyparis biflavone, Pinus koraiensis biflavone, Chamaecyparis biflavone A, Chamaecyparis biflavone B,Chamaecyparis diflavone, and essential oils.
Pharmacological Actions
This product possesses antiviral and free radical scavenging properties.
Applications
Clinical Applications
For the treatment of hematemesis and hemoptysis: 30 g of (Podocarpus macrophyllus leaves), add 2 honey dates. Decoct and take orally. (Guangdong Traditional Chinese Medicine)
Related Compatibility
Podocarpus Leaf Combined with Platycladus Leaf: Both herbs have the effects of cooling the blood and arresting bleeding. Podocarpus Leaf also clears and regulates lung qi, while Platycladus Leaf additionally relieves cough and resolves phlegm. When combined, the cooling and hemostatic effects are enhanced, and the formula also clears lung heat, relieves cough, and resolves phlegm. It is used for conditions such as excessive heat in the Lung Meridian, hemoptysis, epistaxis, as well as cough, counterflow of qi, and yellow phlegm.
Notes
References: [1] Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine. *Encyclopedia of Chinese Materia Medica* (2nd ed.) [M]. Shanghai: Shanghai Science and Technology Press, 2006: 1912. [2] Chen Yuchun. Illustrated Atlas of Wild Herb Identification and Application [M]. Beijing: China Medical Science and Technology Press, 2020: 526. [3] Editorial Committee of *Chinese Materia Medica*, State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. *Chinese Materia Medica* Vol. 2 [M]. Shanghai: Shanghai Science and Technology Press, 1999: 332–334.
Processing & Preparation
Harvesting & Processing
Harvest throughout the year or in summer and fall; wash thoroughly and use fresh or sun-dry.
Crude Drug Identification
Properties of Crude Drugs
In addition to the leaves, some commercial preparations may include small twigs with attached leaves. The twigs are 2–5 mm in diameter, with a pale yellowish-brown, rough surface and triangular-shaped scars where the leaf bases were attached. The leaves are linear-lanceolate, 7–12 cm long and 4–7 mm wide. The apex is short-acuminate or obtuse; the upper surface is grayish-green to dark brown, while the lower surface is yellowish-green to pale brown.The texture is brittle and breaks easily. It has a faint odor and a bland taste.
Botanical Information
Botanical Classification
Podocarpus or short-leaved Podocarpus, a plant of the genus Podocarpus in the family Podocarpaceae.
Morphological Characteristics
1. Podocarpus: An evergreen tree reaching up to 20 m in height. The bark is gray or grayish-brown, with shallow longitudinal fissures, and peels off in thin flakes; the branches are spreading or obliquely spreading, with dense foliage.Leaves are spirally arranged, linear-lanceolate, slightly curved, 7–12 cm long, 7–10 mm wide, with an acuminate or obtuse apex, a cuneate base, and a short petiole; the upper surface is dark green and glossy, with a prominently raised midrib, while the lower surface is whitish to pale green, with a slightly raised midrib.The plant is dioecious; male cones are spike-like, usually clustered in groups of 3–5 (rarely 7) on very short peduncles, 3–5 cm long; female cones are solitary in leaf axils and stalked.Seeds are ovoid-globose, 1–1.2 cm in diameter; when ripe, the fleshy aril is purple or purplish-red, covered with a white powdery coating, and attached to a thick, fleshy seed receptacle that is red or purplish-red; the pedicel is 1–1.5 cm long. Flowering occurs from April to May, and seeds mature from August to September.
2. Short-leaved Podocarpus: This species differs from Podocarpus in that it is a small tree or shrub with branches that spread upward and outward. The leaves are short and densely arranged, 2.5–7 cm long and 3–7 mm wide, with blunt or rounded tips.
Distribution Area
1. Podocarpus: Distributed in southwestern China, as well as in Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Hunan, Guangdong, and Guangxi. 2. Short-leaved Podocarpus: Native to Japan. It is cultivated in southwestern China, as well as in Shaanxi, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian, Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong, and Guangxi; potted specimens are found in Beijing.
