This product is the whole herb of the plant Speranskia tuberculata (Speranskia tuberculata (Bunge) Baill) from the Euphorbiaceae family. It is distributed in Northeast China, North China, and regions such as Shaanxi, Ningxia, Gansu, Shandong, Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, Hunan, and Sichuan. It grows on slopes and grasslands. The herb is harvested during the flowering and fruiting period from May to June, with impurities removed, and used fresh or dried for later use.

It is derived from the "Lingmi Vermilion Pill Manuscript". Garden balsam first appeared in the "Jiuhuang Bencao", and according to the described illustration, it refers to Leonurus heterophyllus Sweet from the Lamiaceae family, not this product. The "Bencao Gangmu" mentions garden balsam but does not provide detailed morphological descriptions. The garden balsam in "Bencao Yuanshi" refers to Speranskia tuberculata (Bge.) Baill. from the Euphorbiaceae family. The "Bencao Gangmu Shiyi" cites the "Lingmi Vermilion Pill Manuscript" stating that garden balsam is also known as Impatiens balsamina L. from the Balsaminaceae family. The iron-thread garden balsam mentioned in "Yixue Zhinan" refers to a plant from the Ranunculaceae family, Clematis spp., indicating that the garden balsam used in ancient medicine was not limited to a single species.

bubble_chart Morphological Characteristics

Tuberculate Speranskia Herb: A perennial herb, 15-50 cm tall. Rhizome creeping, pale yellowish-brown; stems erect, tufted, covered with grayish-white curly pubescence. Leaves alternate or opposite at the base; sessile or shortly petiolate; leaf blades thick papery, lanceolate to elliptic-lanceolate, 1.5-7 cm long, 0.5-2 cm wide, apex obtuse or acuminate, base broadly cuneate or nearly rounded, upper margin entire, lower margin toothed, both surfaces covered with white pubescence, denser along the veins. Racemes terminal; flowers unisexual, monoecious; male flowers located in the upper part of the inflorescence, with 2 long ovate-elliptic or lanceolate leaf-like bracts, 1-3 flowers within the bracts; sepals 5, rarely 4, petals 5, rarely 4, scale-like, yellow glandular disc-shaped, alternating with the petals, stamens 10-15, disc glands 5, yellow; flowers in the lower part of the inflorescence slightly larger, the central one female, the lateral ones male; bracts 2; female flowers with longer pedicels, sepals 5-6, petals 6, ovary superior, styles 3, all 2-lobed. Capsule triangular-oblate, covered with pubescence and warty protuberances, apex dehiscent; 1 seed per chamber, triangular-obovate, green. Flowering April-May, fruiting May-June.

Acrid, warm. Act on lung and liver meridians.

bubble_chart Efficacy

Dispelling wind, eliminating dampness, relaxing tendons and activating blood circulation, breaking stasis and dispersing swelling, removing toxins, and relieving eye pain.

bubble_chart Indications

Wind-dampness arthralgia, muscle and bone contracture, cold-dampness beriberi, lumbar sprain, paralysis, amenorrhea, scrotal eczema, sores and abscesses.

bubble_chart Documentation

1. Gangmu: "Treats all wind-dampness pain, cramps, and cold-dampness beriberi."
2. 《Lingmi Vermilion Pill Notes》: "Treats heat toxin."
3. 《Shandong Chinese Herbal Medicine Handbook》: "Dispels wind-dampness, promotes blood circulation, relieves pain."

bubble_chart Usage and Dosage

For internal use: decoct in water, 9-15g. For external use: appropriate amount, decoct in water for fumigation and washing; or pound and apply topically.

bubble_chart Processing and Storage

Remove impurities and cut into sections.

bubble_chart Selected Prescriptions

1. To treat wind qi pain, regardless of how long it has been: garden balsam two taels, Pangolin Scales two taels, Saposhnikovia Root two taels, Chinese Angelica three taels, Puncturevine Caltrop Fruit four taels, Peony Root three taels, Xixian four taels (remove stems and use leaves, steam and sun-dry nine times), Haifengteng two taels, Unprocessed Rehmannia Root four taels, Guangpi one tael, Liquorice Root one tael. Grind the above into powder, use one jin of lard, refine with honey to make pills the size of phoenix tree seeds. Take five qian each morning and evening, with wine. ("Zhou Yisheng's Family Treasure Prescriptions")
2. To treat wind-dampness arthritis, muscle and bone stiffness: garden balsam three qian, prepared Aconite Mother Root, prepared kusnezoff monkshood root each one qian, Common Clubmoss Herb two qian. Decoct with water and take. ("Selected Chinese Herbal Medicine from Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, and Qinghai")
3. To treat initial swelling and toxicity: garden balsam, fistula disease reed, Saposhnikovia Root, Sanguisorba in equal parts. Boil into a decoction, dip cotton in it, and continuously apply while hot. ("Yang Cheng's Experiential Prescriptions")
4. To treat scrotal eczema, sores and ulcer swelling and toxicity: garden balsam, Cnidium Fruit, densefruit pittany root-bark, Mugwort. Boil in water for external washing. ("Selected Chinese Herbal Medicine from Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, and Qinghai")