Bletilla

Bletilla

　　 1. Quality characteristics

　　Meet pharmacopoeia requirements, with moisture content, total ash, and acid-insoluble ash surpassing pharmacopoeia standards.

　　2. Historical origins and geographical-cultural context

　　Bletilla is a perennial medicinal plant of the genus Bletilla in the Orchidaceae family and is an indigenous medicinal herb in our county. It is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine known for functions such as nourishing the lungs, stopping bleeding, reducing swelling, and promoting tissue regeneration. It is mainly used to treat tuberculosis hemoptysis, bronchiectasis hemoptysis, gastric ulcer, hematemesis, hematuria, and bloody stools; externally it is used for treating traumatic bleeding, burns, scalds, and chapped hands and feet. Additionally, it is one of China’s economically valuable specialty plant-based gum sources. The “Supplement to the Zheng’an Prefecture Chronicles” records that the region produces magnolia bark… peony root, bletilla, and other Chinese herbal medicines; according to page 288 of the “Zheng’an County Health Chronicles”: “Our county’s Chinese herbal medicine resources include… bletilla, among others.”; according to pages 292–305 of the “Zheng’an County Health Chronicles”: “Since ancient times, the people of Zheng’an have accumulated a wealth of single prescriptions and empirical formulas in their struggle against disease, passed down through generations to benefit patients.” Among these numerous prescriptions, those involving bletilla include remedies for enteritis and duodenal ulcers, and for treating traumatic bleeding; among the empirical formulas, those involving bletilla include treatments for influenza, tuberculosis, and traumatic bleeding. These historical records clearly demonstrate that local folk use of wild bletilla to treat related diseases has a long history, and with the abundance of wild bletilla, it has become an indigenous herb in our county.

　　In October 1994, represented by Fan Jiuchun and Zhou Weijun, enthusiasts in medicinal herb cultivation began trial planting of bletilla on their own farmland to reduce medication purchasing costs during rural medical practice, continuing until 2004. However, yields were low and results poor. From October 2002 to the present, under the strong emphasis of the Zheng’an County Science and Technology Bureau, through extensive market research and surveys of wild resources, active efforts have been made in GAP research and the establishment of bletilla demonstration bases. Through the hard work of scientific professionals, the challenge of difficulty in tuber expansion during bletilla cultivation was effectively resolved.

　　3. Work carried out by the local government

　　From October 2002 to the present, under the strong emphasis of the Zheng’an County Science and Technology Bureau, by raising funds through various channels, support and guidance were provided to Zheng’an County Lüye Science and Technology Industry Co., Ltd. to actively carry out research on wild domestication cultivation techniques and GAP for bletilla. This effectively resolved the technical issue of difficulty in tuber expansion in artificial cultivation, achieving six technical indicators not previously reported in China. At the same time, the fingerprinting study of bletilla and tissue culture propagation technology were completed. A globally largest GAP demonstration base for bletilla has now been established.

　　During the construction of the bletilla GAP demonstration base, in accordance with GAP requirements, a total of 12 production management procedures and systems were formulated and implemented, yielding significant results.

　　During the construction of the bletilla GAP demonstration base, in accordance with GAP requirements, a total of 48 quality management procedures and systems were formulated and implemented, yielding significant results, ensuring the final bletilla product meets GAP quality standards.

　　During the construction of the bletilla GAP demonstration base, in accordance with GAP requirements, a total of 3 document and archive management systems were formulated and managed by designated personnel, and implemented, yielding significant results, with the document and archive management meeting GAP requirements.