Plateau Salvia

Plateau Salvia

　　 Plateau Salvia, also known as "Gansu Salvia," "Ganqing Salvia," "Purple Salvia," or "Red Gentian," is referred to in Tibetan as "Jizinaobao," "Zhiyanggeqing," "Aludalu," and other names. It is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Lamiaceae family, characterized by a fleshy, red root. The stem is square-shaped with shallow grooves on the surface, approximately 60 centimeters tall, densely covered with long soft hairs. The stems and leaves have long petioles, while the stem leaves are opposite with short petioles. The inflorescence is a false raceme, terminal in position. The bracts are ovate or elliptic, the calyx is bell-shaped, the corolla is purplish-red, and the nutlets are obovate.

　　Plateau Salvia is mainly distributed in the Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and counties such as Ledu, Tongde, and Banma. It grows at altitudes of 2,100 to 4,500 meters, in forest edge thickets, mountain slopes, and along ditches. According to surveys, the province's wild resources amount to approximately 400 tons.

　　The dried roots of Plateau Salvia are used medicinally and contain high levels of effective medicinal compounds. It has expectorant, analgesic, blood-activating, and menstruation-regulating properties. It is used to treat irregular menstruation, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, hepatosplenomegaly, and angina pectoris, among other conditions.