Author: Jiang Shiyin Ye Gui Cun
(1. Affiliated Hospital of Jianghan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430015; 2. Huanggang Health School, Huanggang, Hubei 438000)

Garden balsam is a commonly used Chinese medicinal in Orthopedics and Traumatology of TCM, clinically used for treating traumatic injuries, often with significant efficacy [1]. The varieties of garden balsam are complex and usage is chaotic. Preliminary statistics show that in China, the plants used as garden balsam or referred to as garden balsam involve 14 families and 27 species. Among these numerous varieties, their efficacies are not entirely the same, some are even completely different, and some are toxic, which must be distinguished.

1 Garden balsam varieties

1.1 As genuine garden balsam

1.1.1 Tuberculate speranskia herb

This product is derived from the dried whole plant of Speranskia tuberculata (Bunge) Baill of the Euphorbiaceae family, first recorded in Bencao Yuanshi [1-3], and is the most commonly used variety in China today.

1.1.2 Garden balsam

This product is derived from the dried stems and leaves of Impatiens balsamina L. of the Balsaminaceae family [1-3]. Bencao Gangmu Shiyi quotes from "Lingmi Vermilion Pill Notes": "Fengxian is also known as garden balsam," and is also a relatively widely used variety.

1.2 Garden balsam varieties with similar efficacy

1.2.1 Iron garden balsam

This product is derived from the dried whole plant of Clematis intricata Bge and Clematis aethusaeta Bge of the Ranunculaceae family. First recorded in Yixue Zhinan, it is slightly toxic [2,3], and is used as garden balsam in some regions of China.

1.2.2 Northeast garden balsam

This product is derived from the dried whole plant of Vicia amoena Fisch, Vicia cracca L., Vicia pseudoorobus Fisch et Mey., Vicia sericea Kitag., and Vicia angusta Freyn of the Fabaceae family [2,3]. In most parts of Northeast China, this product (mainly Vicia amoena) is used as garden balsam.

This product is derived from the dried whole plant of Vaccinium dunalianum Wight var. urophyllum Rehd et Wils of the Ericaceae family [2]. It is used as garden balsam in some areas of Kunming.

1.2.4 Small garden balsam

This product is derived from the dried branches and leaves of Gaultheria yunnanensis (Franch) Rehd of the Ericaceae family. Diannan Bencao refers to this product as garden balsam [2-4]. It is used as garden balsam in some areas of Yunnan.

1.2.5 Large garden balsam

This product is derived from the dried whole plant of Gaultheria forrestii Diels of the Ericaceae family [2,3]. It is used as garden balsam in some areas of Yunnan.

1.2.6 Horn garden balsam

This product is derived from the dried whole plant of Incarvillea sinensis Lam of the Bignoniaceae family [1-3]. It is used as garden balsam in some areas of Shandong.

1.2.7 Horse hoof decumbent bugle herb

This product is derived from the dried whole plant of Glechoma longituba (Nakai) Kupr of the Lamiaceae family [3]. It is used as garden balsam in some areas of Guangdong.

1.2.8 Williams Elder Twig This product is derived from the dried stem branches of Sambucus williamsii Hance of the honeysuckle flower family [2,4]. The "Fujian Folk Herbal Medicine" refers to this product as garden balsam.

1.3 Garden Balsam Efficacy and Variants

1.3.1 Garden Balsam

This product is derived from the dried stems and leaves of Impatiens uliginosa Franch of the Balsaminaceae family, commonly known as Garden Balsam. It was first recorded in Diannan Bencao. This product has a spicy and numbing taste and is toxic [2]. In some regions of Xinjiang, this product is used as Garden Balsam.

1.3.2 Impatiens arguta

1.3.3 Clematis glauca

This product is derived from the dried whole plant of Clematis glauca Willd of the Ranunculaceae family [2]. In some regions of China, this product is mixed with Garden Balsam.

1.3.4 Incarvillea younghusbandii

This product is derived from the dried whole plant of Incarvillea younghusbandii Sprague of the Bignoniaceae family [2, 3]. It is used as Goat Horn Garden Balsam in some regions of Tibet.

1.3.5 Thesium chinense

This product is derived from the dried whole plant of Thesium chinense Turcz of the Santalaceae family [2]. In some regions of Shaanxi, this product is mixed with Garden Balsam.

1.3.6 Arenaria serpyllifolia

This product is derived from the dried whole plant of Arenaria serpyllifolia L. of the Caryophyllaceae family [5]. In some regions of Gansu, it is mistakenly used as Garden Balsam.

1.3.7 European Verbena Herb

This product is derived from the dried whole plant of Verbena officinalis L. of the Verbenaceae family [2, 3]. In some regions of Shaanxi, it is mistakenly used as Garden Balsam.

1.3.8 Phryma leptostachya (Garden Balsam)

This product is derived from the dried whole plant of Phryma leptostachya L. of the Phrymaceae family. It is toxic [2, 3, 6]. In some regions of Henan, Jiangxi, and Guizhou, it is mistakenly used as Tuberculate Speranskia Herb.

1.3.9 Agrimonia pilosa

This product is derived from the dried whole plant of Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb. of the Rosaceae family [2, 3]. It has been mistakenly used as Garden Balsam in Xixia, Henan, and Xiangyang, Hubei.

This product is derived from the dried whole plant of Medicago sativa L. of the Fabaceae family [2, 3, 5]. In some regions of central and southern China, it is mistakenly used as Garden Balsam or as an adulterant in Garden Balsam.

1.3.11 Cynanchum paniculatum

This product is derived from the dried whole plant of Cynanchum paniculatum (Bunge) Kitag of the Asclepiadaceae family [2, 7]. It has been mistakenly used as Garden Balsam in some regions of Heilongjiang, Shandong, and Gansu.

1.3.12 Leonurus heterophyllus

This product is derived from the dried whole plant of Leonurus heterophyllus Sweet of the Lamiaceae family. Jiuhuang Bencao records this product as Garden Balsam [2]. This product has been officially named and is used according to its efficacy, not as Garden Balsam.

2 Garden Balsam Varieties Key (Omitted)

3 Conclusion {|127|}Most sources indicate that Tuberculate Speranskia Herb and Garden Balsam are the authentic products of Garden Balsam. Some sources also record Clematis Garden Balsam as one of the authentic products of Garden Balsam, with its usage range being second only to the first two.

Originates from the garden balsam of the garden balsam family. Due to its lack of efficacy in treating injuries from falls or blows, except for a few regions where it is mistakenly used, it is generally not used as garden balsam.

The same family plants of Impatiens balsamina in the Balsaminaceae family, such as Impatiens noli-tangere and Impatiens arguta, the same family plants of Chinese incarvilla herb in the Chinese trumpetcreeper family, such as Tibetan Chinese incarvilla herb, the same family plants of Clematis intricata in the Japanese buttercup herb family, such as Clematis glauca, and the motherwort herb in the Lamiaceae family, these 5 species are not included in the retrieval table. Except for the motherwort herb which has been officially named, the other 4 species, although used in a small range, should not be used as garden balsam or its substitutes due to their significant differences in efficacy, and should be distinguished.

In order to standardize the names of Chinese medicinals and avoid or reduce confusion, garden balsam should have one name for one thing. The efficacy should not be changed, and tuberculate speranskia herb (or garden balsam) should be the authentic product, and other products with similar efficacy should be used as substitutes for garden balsam. Or change the habit of using garden balsam for treating injuries, and according to its source, garden balsam in the garden balsam family should be the official name, and other varieties should be officially named according to their efficacy. Due to years of medication habits, the former is easier to accept, while the latter may require a longer adaptation process, but the latter is beneficial for the standardization of names.

References:

[1] Yang Deren. Traumatology Prescription Collection [M]. Wuhan: Hubei People's Publishing House, 1987.
[2] Jiangsu New Medicine Institute. Comprehensive Dictionary of Chinese Medicine [M]. Shanghai: Shanghai People's Publishing House, 1979.
[3] Beijing Institute for Drug and Biological Product Control, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Chinese Medicinals Identification Manual, Volume 1 [M]. Beijing: Science and Technology Press, 1972.
[4] Ran Xiande. Chinese Medicine Sea [M]. Harbin: Harbin People's Publishing House, 1993.
[5] National Chinese Herbal Medicine Compilation Group. National Chinese Herbal Medicine Compilation, Volume 2 [M]. Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House, 1978.
[6] Hunan Chinese Medicine Research Institute. Hunan Medicinal Records [M]. Changsha: Hunan People's Publishing House, 1962.
[7] Huang Shengbai, Chen Chongming. Material Medica [M]. Nanjing: Nanjing Institute of Technology Press, 1988.