Top 5 types of vegetables that grow everywhere and are used as medicine by traditional medicine practitioners

Purslane, pennywort, and amaranth… do not need much fertilization but still grow green and lush, serving as both food and medicine.

The book Vietnamese medicinal plants and herbs by Professor Do Tat Loi provides a lot of interesting information about the effects of plants around us. Below are 5 types of wild vegetables or very easy to grow that can be used as medicine. Note that you need to consult a doctor of Oriental medicine before using:

Purslane is also known as purslane, belongs to the purslane family, grows wild in humid places in both Europe and Asia, and is rarely grown at home. The plant has a sour taste, cold properties, is non-toxic, and affects three meridians: heart, liver, and spleen. Warning: People with weak spleen and stomach, cold, and diarrhea should not use it.

Purslane often grows wild in damp places. Illustration: Indiabiodiversity

Purslane contains many vitamins A, B, C and a variety of micronutrients that are good for health. This vegetable has the effect of constricting blood vessels, inhibiting the growth of dysentery bacteria, typhoid bacteria, E. coli bacteria. Vietnamese people also crush purslane to apply on boils, as a diuretic, and to expel pinworms.

Fish mint is also called giếp ​​lá giếp, ngư tinh thảo, belongs to the giếp ​​family. This plant likes humid places, has heart-shaped leaves, people often pick them to eat with fish. The plant can be used fresh or dried. Fish mint has a diuretic effect due to the quercetin and inorganic substances it contains.

According to Oriental medicine, the plant has a spicy, slightly cold, slightly toxic taste; has the effect of dispersing heat, eliminating perforations, and is used to treat lung cancer, hemorrhoids, and ulcers. People use fish mint in cases of blood clots (crushing the leaves, pressing them on paper and applying) or hemorrhoids (boiling the water to drink, boiling the water to steam and then washing). In addition, fish mint also has the effect of promoting urination, treating acne, and irregular menstruation.

Amaranth contains many nutrients, such as vitamin C, B1, B2, vitamin PP, carotene, ethylcholesterol compounds, dehydrocholesterol... Amaranth leaves and young branches cooked in soup have anti-inflammatory and detoxifying effects; treat acne and dysentery. Amaranth seeds have a sweet taste, cold properties, and have the effect of cooling the liver, clearing heat, benefiting qi, and brightening the eyes. Medicines often use amaranth seeds to make a drink.

The bark of the amaranth tree is used to make a decoction to treat irregular menstruation and anemia. The leaves are used to treat aches and pains and rheumatism. The amaranth bark can be ground into powder or soaked in alcohol to be used as a tonic to treat malaria.

Gotu kola is also known as tich tuyet thao, lien tien thao, belonging to the Apiaceae family. The plant grows wild in tropical countries including Vietnam. When fresh, the plant has a bitter, slightly unpleasant taste, and can be harvested year-round. According to Oriental medicine, gotu kola is neutral, non-toxic, cooling, detoxifying, diuretic, used to treat hemoptysis, diarrhea, vaginal discharge, and lactation. It can be used in combination with Eclipta prostrata to stop bleeding. Medicines often use fresh leaves crushed to get the juice to drink.

Mugwort is also known as moxibustion, ointment, mugwort, and belongs to the daisy family. The plant grows wild in many places.

Mugwort contains essential oils, tannins, adenine, and choline. According to Oriental medicine, this is a warm, spicy medicine used to warm blood and regulate menstruation, stabilize pregnancy, treat abdominal pain due to cold, irregular menstruation, restless fetus, hemoptysis, and nosebleeds. In addition, mugwort is also used to treat digestive disorders, abdominal pain, vomiting, worms, and malaria. People can boil mugwort with water, steep it in boiling water, or drink it in powder or concentrated medicine.

Source: https://giadinh.suckhoedoisong.vn/top-5-loai-rau-moc-dau-cung-tot-duoc-luong-y-dung-lam-thuoc-172241106205837663.htm