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Currently, there are two types of Coastal Glehnia Root, north and south. Fourleaf Ladybell Root is the dried root of the Platycodon Root family plant, Adenophora tetraphylla (Thunb.) Fisch. or Adenophora stricta Miq. Glehnia is the dried root of the Apiaceae family plant, Glehnia littoralis Fr. Schmidt ex Miq. Fourleaf Ladybell Root is both cultivated and wild, with Adenophora tetraphylla mainly produced in Guizhou, Henan, Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Jiangsu. Guizhou has a large output, while Anhui, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang are known for their quality, supplying the entire country. Coastal Glehnia Root is distributed in Shanxi, Shaanxi, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Sichuan, and Guizhou provinces. Glehnia is mainly cultivated, produced in Laiyang, Shanping, Penglai, Laoshan, Yantai, and Wendeng in Shandong; Changli, Guoting, Dingxian, and Anguo in Hebei; Lianyungang in Jiangsu; as well as Guangdong, Fujian, and Liaoning. The most famous is the Coastal Glehnia Root from Hucheng Village in Laiyang, Shandong.

Materia medica research suggests that Coastal Glehnia Root was first recorded in the Bencao Jing, but in early literature, plants of the Adenophora genus in the Platycodon Root family were often mistaken for Ginseng by materia medica scholars, leading to confusion about what the genuine Coastal Glehnia Root actually was. By the Song Dynasty, the Adenophora genus became the mainstream medicinal plant, and the genuine Adenophora tetraphylla appeared in the "Zheng Lei" medicinal illustrations. From the Song Dynasty to the Qianlong and Jiaqing periods of the Qing Dynasty, Coastal Glehnia Root from the north was considered superior. However, in the late stage of the Qing Dynasty, the Apiaceae plant Glehnia littoralis, known as "Glehnia," almost replaced the authentic status of the northern Platycodon Root family's Coastal Glehnia Root. The production of Adenophora genus Coastal Glehnia Root was forced to move south and became known as "Fourleaf Ladybell Root."

bubble_chart Varietal Examination

The Bencao Jing records six types of Ginseng, excluding Purple Ginseng, the other five belong to the five elements, each corresponding to the five zang-organs according to the Wuse. Tao Hongjing stated: "This Coastal Glehnia Root and Ginseng are among the five Ginsengs, their forms are not entirely similar, but their therapeutic effects are quite similar, hence they all bear the name Ginseng." Coastal Glehnia Root is also known as "White Ginseng" in "Wu Pu" and "Bielu." According to the "Guang Ya," "bitter heart, Coastal Glehnia Root is also," Wang Niansun's commentary explains: "The word 'sha' means white. The annotation of 'The Book of Songs·Xiaoya·Hu Ye' says: 'Si' means white. In modern vernacular, the word for white is 'xian,' in the Qi and Lu regions, the pronunciation is close to 'si.' 'Si' and 'sha' have similar ancient pronunciations, both the fruit and root are white, hence it is called White Ginseng, also known as Coastal Glehnia Root." Thus, it is understood that Coastal Glehnia Root is named for its white root color. Li Shizhen explained: "Coastal Glehnia Root is white, suitable for sandy soil, hence the name." This is not accurate.

Early literature descriptions of Coastal Glehnia Root's morphology are somewhat vague, such as in "Wu Pu": "White Coastal Glehnia Root, grows in March, resembles sunflower, leaves are green, fruit is white like mustard, root is large and white like turnip, harvested in March." "Ji Zhu" states: "Now found near roads, grows in clusters, leaves resemble Barbary Wolfberry Fruit, roots are white and solid, the best." "Shu Bencao·Tu Jing" says: "Flowers are white, roots resemble sunflower roots."

Based on the above description, it is almost certain that it does not refer to the Adenophora genus of the Platycodon Root family. The Ginseng described by Tao Hong-jing resembles this genus. The Ginseng entry by Tao notes: "Ginseng grows with a single stem straight up, with four or five leaves opposite each other, and purple flowers." The Apricotleaf Ladybell Root entry by Tao states: "The root and stem are similar to Ginseng, but the leaves are slightly different." The Platycodon Root entry mentions: "Now there is another Apricotleaf Ladybell Root, which can treat dermatitis medicamentosa. The so-called 'confused Ginseng' refers to this, not the Platycodon Root. However, the leaves are very similar, but the Apricotleaf Ladybell Root leaves are smooth and hairless below the Guangming (GB37) point, which is different. Also, the leaves do not grow opposite each other like Ginseng." Clearly, as criticized in the "Xin Xiu": "Tao's description of Ginseng's seedling is actually Apricotleaf Ladybell Root and Platycodon Root, failing to recognize the Korean tribute." According to Tao Hong-jing's description, both Ginseng and Apricotleaf Ladybell Root belong to the Adenophora genus, possibly Apricotleaf Ladybell Root Adenophora trachelioides Maxim. This plant is likely what the "Tu Jing" refers to: "In Jianghuai, there is a type of panicled fameflower root, with leaves like a spoon but smaller, similar to Platycodon Root. The seedling grows one to two feet tall, with opposite leaves, five to seven nodes, and roots like Platycodon Root but softer, with an extremely sweet taste. It produces purple flowers in autumn, tinged with blue. The roots are harvested in spring and autumn but are not used in medicine." The "Zheng Lei" illustrates "Yanzhou Ginseng" and "Chuzhou Ginseng," both belonging to the Adenophora genus. The "Gangmu" states: "The Chuzhou variety is the seedling and leaves of Coastal Glehnia Root, while the Qinzhou and Yanzhou varieties are the seedlings and leaves of Apricotleaf Ladybell Root. The panicled fameflower root from Jianghuai is also Apricotleaf Ladybell Root." This observation is quite accurate.

The three medicinal illustrations of Coastal Glehnia Root in the "Zheng Lei" depict Coastal Glehnia Root from Zizhou and Suizhou, both of which are plants from the Adenophora genus of the Platycodon Root family. Among them, the Coastal Glehnia Root from Zizhou can be identified as the currently used genuine Adenophora tetraphylla (Figure 1), while the Coastal Glehnia Root from Guizhou is likely a plant from the Apiaceae family. Based on its origin and illustrations, it might be the later-used Chuanminshen viloaceum Sheh et Shan. Interestingly, the descriptive text in the "Tu Jing" already categorizes Coastal Glehnia Root into northern and southern types. Su Song stated: "Now it is produced in Zizhou, Qizhou, Luzhou, and Suizhou, and it may also be found in the Jianghuai, Jing, and Hu regions. The plant grows one to two feet tall, clustering on cliffs, with leaves resembling Barbary Wolfberry Fruit but with serrated edges. It blooms with purple flowers in July, and the root resembles a sunflower root, about the size of a chopstick, reddish-yellow with a white core, and the solid ones are of good quality. The roots are harvested in February and August, then dried in the sun. Those grown in the south have leaves that are either fine or large, with white flowers and petals covered in white sticky glue, which is a minor difference." Unlike the later differentiation of southern Glehnia, Su Song implied that the northern varieties were superior, and based on the medicinal illustrations, the plants from Zizhou and Suizhou were both from the Adenophora genus.

The discussion of Coastal Glehnia Root in the Ming Dynasty's "Jiuhuang Bencao" further supports Su Song's claim that the northern regions (Henan) produced genuine Adenophora Coastal Glehnia Root. The "Jiuhuang" records three types of Coastal Glehnia Root: Coastal Glehnia Root, Fine-leaf Coastal Glehnia Root, and Apricot-leaf Coastal Glehnia Root. Regarding Coastal Glehnia Root, Zhu Xiao stated: "Now it is also found near the Taihang Mountains in Huixian... There are also Apricot-leaf Coastal Glehnia Root and Fine-leaf Coastal Glehnia Root, which have similar properties, but the 'Tu Jing' does not describe the leaves and seedlings of these two types, so I dare not include them in this entry. They are now listed separately." Based on the medicinal illustrations, the genuine Coastal Glehnia Root is Adenophora stricta (Figure 2), while the Fine-leaf Coastal Glehnia Root is likely the same genus's Adenophora paniculata Nannf., and according to Xie Zongwan's opinion, the Apricot-leaf Coastal Glehnia Root is the same genus's Adenophora hunanensis Nannf. Even in the Qing Dynasty, most literature still emphasized that northern Coastal Glehnia Root was superior to the southern varieties. The "Benjing Fengyuan" states: "Coastal Glehnia Root has northern and southern varieties; the northern ones are firm and cold in nature, while the southern ones are weaker in potency." The "Bencao Congxin" has similar text. The "Zhiwu Mingshi Tukao," Volume 7, Coastal Glehnia Root entry, also states: "It is found everywhere, but the northern varieties and those from the Taihang Mountains are the best." Therefore, in medical texts from the Yongzheng and Qianlong eras, slightly earlier than Wu Qijun, such as "Jiangxueyuan Gufang Xuanzhu" and "Xu Mingyi Lei'an," the term "Glehnia" likely referred to the Adenophora plants from the north.

As for the term "Fourleaf Ladybell Root" appearing in materia medica literature during this period, it still referred to Adenophora plants from the Zhinan region. For example, the "Bencao Gangmu Shiyi" has a separate entry for Fourleaf Ladybell Root, stating: "Its efficacy is similar to Glehnia but slightly weaker." A note following the text adds: "Many mistakenly use Fourleaf Ladybell Root. The Fourleaf Ladybell Root produced in Zhejiang, when fresh, resembles a radish. Locals peel and cook it, similar to cooked Chinese Yam, and dry it in the sun, resembling smallpox powder but without the powdery texture. It is originally called 'Powder Coastal Glehnia Root' and is specifically used for detoxifying and reducing swelling by expelling pus, not as Fourleaf Ladybell Root. The true Fourleaf Ladybell Root resembles Platycodon Root but is hollow and loose inside, with a mild, slightly sweet taste. Platycodon Root has a pungent taste, while Fourleaf Ladybell Root does not. The best variety is produced in the Bo region, commonly known as 'Male Platycodon Root.'" Upon careful consideration of this text, it becomes clear that "Powder Coastal Glehnia Root" was also mistakenly referred to as "Fourleaf Ladybell Root." Its original plant is the Apiaceae's medicinal changium root, Changium smyrnioides Wolff. However, Zhao Xuemin's recognized "Fourleaf Ladybell Root" remains the Adenophora genus plant from the Platycodon Root family.

Evidently, this classification of southern Glehnia does not entirely align with its current medicinal usage. According to Cao Bingzhang's "Revised Weiyao Tiaobian" from the Republic of China era, it states: "Glehnia is produced in Rizhao County, Gudun County, Laiyang County, and Hainan County of Shandong. The best quality comes from Hainan, characterized by thin, firm strips, smooth and clean skin, white color, and a fresh, moist appearance. The Glehnia from Laiyang is slightly looser in texture, with somewhat rough skin and a white-yellow color, also of good quality. The Glehnia from Rizhao and Gudun has thicker, looser strips, rough skin, and a yellow color, which is of lesser quality. The Glehnia from Guandong is coarse, loose, hard in texture, with rough skin and a dull yellow color, which is even less desirable. The Glehnia from other regions such as Taiwan, Fujian, and Huguang is large, loose, and rough, considered the least suitable and not used for medicinal purposes." In the 29th year of the Republic of China (1940), the "Medicinal Materials Regulations" of the Xi'an City Traditional Chinese Medicine Business Association in Shaanxi Province mentions under the Glehnia entry: "See Coastal Glehnia Root entry," and the Coastal Glehnia Root entry notes: "Produced in northern sandy areas," implying that prescriptions directly using Glehnia should refer to Coastal Glehnia Root. Additionally, a ticket from the Republic of China era for "Liao Coastal Glehnia Root" in Chinese medicinals shows a medicinal image that faintly resembles what is now known as the Apiaceae plant coral vegetable Glehnia littoralis. (Figure 3) However, based on existing literature, it is indeed difficult to determine why, from the mid-Qing Dynasty to the late Qing Dynasty, the Adenophora genus Coastal Glehnia Root, originally native to the north, ceded its production advantage to southern provinces and was renamed "Fourleaf Ladybell Root," while the Coastal Glehnia Root produced in the north was replaced by Glehnia littoralis and referred to as "Glehnia."

Mr. Huang Shengbai and Mr. Chen Chongming proposed a hypothesis in "Material Medica," which serves as a plausible explanation for this question. The plant Glehnia littoralis, originally cultivated in Laiyang, Shandong to impersonate Ginseng, hence the name "Laiyang Ginseng," primarily grows in coastal sandy areas, coinciding with Li Shi-zhen's description of Coastal Glehnia Root as "suitable for sandy land." With the increase in production, it gradually took over the name "Coastal Glehnia Root." To distinguish it from the Adenophora genus Coastal Glehnia Root, it was referred to as "Glehnia." Normally, the Adenophora genus Coastal Glehnia Root should retain the name "Coastal Glehnia Root," but the situation is clearly not so. As mentioned in the "Pharmaceutical Regulations," "Glehnia" has become the prescription name for "Coastal Glehnia Root," thus necessitating the renaming of Coastal Glehnia Root to "Fourleaf Ladybell Root." After all, the Adenophora genus plants are distributed both in the north and south, and after being called "Fourleaf Ladybell Root," the south naturally became the authentic production area for Adenophora genus Fourleaf Ladybell Root.

bubble_chart Authentic Evolution

Before the Song Dynasty, the variety of Coastal Glehnia Root was difficult to determine, and its origin could only serve as a reference. "Fan Zi Ji Ran" states: "From Luoyang, the white ones are good." Bielu: "Grows in the valleys of Henei and Yuanju, and on the mountains of Banyang and Xushan." "Wu Pu" agrees, with "Xushan" written as "Dushan." "Xin Xiu" states: "Now, the Coastal Glehnia Root from Huazhou is good," as does "Qianjin Yifang."

Starting from the Song Dynasty, Coastal Glehnia Root mainly came from the Adenophora genus plants. According to Su Song: "Now it comes from Zi, Qi, Lu, and Suizhou, and may also be found in the prefectures of Jiang, Huai, Jing, and Hu." The medicinal illustration of Zi Coastal Glehnia Root is closest to the current authentic Adenophora tetraphylla, with Zi being today's Zichuan in Shandong. "Jiu Huang" says, "Now it is also found near the Taihang Mountains in Huixian," and "Tu Kao" states: "Coastal Glehnia Root is a top-grade product in Benjing, found everywhere, with the northern and Taihang Mountain products being the best."

Considering the examination of varieties and the evolution of authenticity, maintaining the current status, conducting GAP research on Fourleaf Ladybell Root in the eastern and southwestern provinces is not inappropriate. However, given that from the Song Dynasty to the Qianlong and Jiaqing periods of the Qing Dynasty, the Adenophora genus Coastal Glehnia Root was always superior in the north, and the loss of the northern production advantage does not seem to be due to the quality of the medicinal materials, respecting history, GAP research on this variety could also be conducted in Shandong and Henan. As for Glehnia being a new variety, it should be considered authentic in Laizhou, Shandong.