Notopterygium

Notopterygium

　　This product consists of the dried rhizome and roots of Notopterygium incisum Ting ex H. T. Chang or Notopterygium forbesii Boiss., plants of the Umbelliferae family. It is harvested in spring and autumn, with fibrous roots and dirt removed, then dried.

【Characteristics】Notopterygium is a slightly curved, cylindrical rhizome, 4–13 cm long and 0.6–2.5 cm in diameter, with stem scars at the top. The surface is brownish to dark brown, turning yellow where the outer skin has peeled off. The internodes are shortened, forming tightly raised rings resembling a silkworm; or the internodes are elongated, resembling bamboo joints. The nodes bear numerous dot-like or tumor-like protuberances of root scars and brown, broken scales. It is lightweight, brittle, and easily broken. The fracture surface is uneven, with many fissures; the cortex is yellowish-brown to dark brown, oily, with brown oil spots, while the xylem is yellowish-white, with distinct rays and a yellow to yellowish-brown pith. It has an aromatic scent and a slightly bitter, pungent taste.

Notopterygium forbesii is composed of rhizomes and roots. The rhizome is cylindrical in shape, with remnants of stems and leaf sheaths at the top; the roots are conical with longitudinal wrinkles and lenticels; the surface is brownish, with dense rings near the rhizome, measuring 8–15 cm long and 1–3 cm in diameter. Some rhizomes are large and irregularly nodular, with several stem bases at the top and thinner roots. It is soft and brittle, and easily broken. The fracture surface is relatively flat, with a light brown cortex and yellowish-white xylem. The odor is relatively faint.

【Properties, Flavor and Meridians】Pungent, bitter, warm. Enters the bladder and kidney meridians.

【Functions and Indications】Disperses cold, expels wind, removes dampness, and relieves pain. Used for headache due to wind-cold common cold, rheumatic pain, and soreness in the shoulders and back.

【Dosage and Administration】3–9 g.

【Storage】Store in a cool, dry place; protect from insects.