Radix Indigoferae Mengtzeanae
Aliases：Da Tie Sao Ba (Large Iron Broom); Tie Ma Dou (Iron Horse Bean); Bai Dou (White Bean); Duo Hua Mu Lan (Many-Flowered Indigo) (Yunnan Chinese Herbal Medicine); Ge Du Ga Duo (Yi Ethnic Medicine Records).
Mengtzu Indigo is the name of a traditional Chinese medicine. It is the root of Indigofera mengtzeana Craib, a plant in the genus Indigofera of the family Fabaceae (Leguminosae). It grows under open forests in wild mountains and is distributed in Yunnan and southwestern Sichuan. It is an authenticated variety of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine's Terminology Standardization and Promotion Project, and is recorded in Chinese Materia Medica, Yunnan Chinese Herbal Medicine, Yi Ethnic Medicine Records, and other herbal works.
Efficacy & Actions
Clears Heat and removes toxin; activates Blood circulation and unblocks collaterals.
Indications
Pneumonia; whooping cough (pertussis); acute gastroenteritis; nephritis; gingivitis; otitis media; angiitis; osteomyelitis; sores, ulcers, and toxic swellings; traumatic injuries; Wind-Dampness arthralgia.
Modern Pharmacology
Dedicated pharmacological research on Mengtzu Indigo remains insufficient. The following findings are mainly derived from preliminary studies on related species of the same genus and on the chemical constituents of Mengtzu Indigo, and are provided for reference: Anticancer effect (related species): Pharmacological experiments indicate that the ethanol extract of the rhizome of Indigofera tinctoria (a related species of the same genus) possesses anticancer activity. Mengtzu Indigo has been used in traditional practice for the “trial treatment of tumors,” providing a folk medicinal basis for further research into its antitumor activity. Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects (inferred): Mengtzu Indigo is rich in flavonoids and diphenylheptenes, and these constituents commonly possess antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities in related plants, consistent with its traditional effects of clearing Heat, removing toxin, and treating pneumonia and sores with toxic swellings. Note: The above pharmacological findings are largely derived from preliminary experiments on related species of the same genus. Dedicated systematic pharmacological research on Mengtzu Indigo (the root of I. mengtzeana) is extremely limited, and the modern scientific basis for its traditional effects remains to be further explored. Traditional actions and indications should remain the primary basis for use.
Ingredients
The rhizome of Mengtzu Indigo mainly contains the following active constituents: Flavonoids (principal active constituents): Fourteen compounds were isolated and identified from the ethanol extract of the rhizome, of which nine are flavonoids, including 4′,4′-dihydroxy-7-methoxydihydroflavone. Diphenylheptenes: Three diphenylheptene compounds. Steroids: Two steroidal compounds. Note: All the above compounds were isolated from this plant for the first time. Plants of the genus Indigofera have been reported to contain flavonoids and coumarins, among other compounds.
Usage & Dosage
Oral use: Decocted in water, 9–30 g; or ground into powder, 1–3 g each time, three times daily; or steeped in alcohol. External use: Appropriate amount, ground into powder and sprinkled.
Contraindications
Avoid scallions, garlic, sour and cold foods, beef, mutton, and glutinous rice. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should use this product under the guidance of a physician. This product is slightly toxic and should not be taken in excessive doses. During medication, avoid scallions, garlic, beef, and mutton (as recorded in the “Jila Mulan” entry).
Selected Formulas
For pneumonia (Yunnan Chinese Herbal Medicine) Take 3–6g of Mengzi Mudan powder three times daily with boiled water; or 9–15g, decocted in water and taken. For abdominal pain, stomach pain, and acute gastroenteritis (Yi Materia Medica) Take Gedugaduo (Mengzi Mudan), grind into powder. Take 1–2g each time, every 4–6 hours. For vasculitis, osteomyelitis, traumatic injuries; trial treatment of tumors (Yunnan Chinese Herbal Medicine) Take 15–30g of Mengzi Mudan and soak in 500g of wine. Take 5–10ml three times daily; or 9–15g, decocted in cold water and taken. For sores and ulcers (Yunnan Chinese Herbal Medicine) Take Mengzi Mudan powder and sprinkle externally over the affected area. For rheumatic paralysis (Yi Materia Medica) Take 30g of Gedugaduo, 30g of Wuzhao Jinlong, and 30g of Dikudan. Stew with chicken and consume.
Medicinal Parts
Root.
Selection & Storage
After sun-drying, store in a well-ventilated, dry place. Protect from moisture and insect damage. Airtight storage is recommended. Avoid direct sunlight. Special note: Mengtzu Indigo is slightly toxic. It should be stored separately from other medicinal materials and clearly labeled with a toxicity warning to prevent accidental misuse.
