1. Description:
Buckwheat (scientific name: Fagopyrum esculentum, also known as common buckwheat, Japanese buckwheat and silverhull buckwheat, Chinese Pinyin: Qiao Mai, Simplified Chinese: 荞麦, 甜荞, 乌麦, 三角麦, 花荞, 荞子), is a species of a short season annual, erect, cultivated crop in genus Fagopyrum (buckwheat family, Polygonaceae). Originated in China, the plant can grow up to 90 cm tall. The fruit-spike of buckwheat is used as stomachic, aperitive and antihypertensive (reducing the symptoms of high blood pressure) in traditional Chinese medicine (CTM) and widely adopted in treating different diseases and health problems, such as high blood pressure.
2. Odour, Properties And Channels:
Buckwheat is considered to have sweet, neutral, cold and nontoxic properties and to be associated with the spleen, stomach and large intestine meridians.
3. Uses, Health Benefits of Buckwheat & Medical Formulas:
3.1 Cold, Flu, Fever And Coughing
A mixture of buckwheat flour, tea dust and unripe honey is taken orally to treat coughing.
3.2 Reducing Inflammation, Swelling And Relieving Pain
Cake made with root of Euphorbia pekinensis and buckwheat flour is taken on an empty stomach to treat edema (swelling caused by fluid retention).
3.3 Skin Health
Fine sulfur, buckwheat and water can be made into pies; the medicinal pies should be dried in the sun. Water solution of the sulfur pies can be used to treat various sores.
Powdered buckwheat (fried) mixed with water is applied externally to treat burns.
3.4 Gynecological Diseases and Disorders
Pills made with fried buckwheat and egg white is taken orally to treat red and white vaginal discharge.
3.5 The Digestive System
Fried buckwheat noodles is taken orally to treat cholera (an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium Vibrio cholerae).
Pills made with buckwheat, Fenugreek seeds, foeniculum vulgare and wine is taken orally on an empty stomach to treat hernia in small intestine.
The Ben Cao Medical Book (also known as Compendium of Materia Medica or Ben Cao Gang Mu; Chinese: 本草纲目) is the most famous and comprehensive medical book ever written in the history of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Compiled and written by Li Shi-zhen (1518~1593), a medical expert of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) over 27 years.
The Ben Cao Medical Book records and describes all the plants, animals, minerals, and other objects that were believed to have medicinal properties in TCM. The book reflects the pharmaceutical achievements and developments of East Asia before the 16th century. On the basis of his predecessors’ achievements in the pharmacological studies, Li contributed further by supplementing and rectifying many past mistakes and misconception in relate to nature of many medicinal substances and causes of various illnesses. Charles Darwin, originator of the biological theory of evolution, regards the book as the “ancient Chinese encyclopedia”.
Disclaimer: The Ben Cao Medical Book is translated by ChinaAbout.net . The information on this website is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. It is intended as a sharing of CTM knowledge and information from the research and experience from the author Li Shi-zhen. Kindly be alert that the CTM knowledge and ancient formulas given above are likely NOT medically proven and may contain misconceptions.