Cortex Fraxini
April 8, 2009 by Jack
Name: Cortex Fraxini
Resource: Bark of Fraxinus rhynchophylla Hance and several species of the same genus,family Oleaceae.
Characteristic: Bark reel or trough-shaped,unequal in length,1.5-3.0 mm thick;outer cortex grey-white to grey-brown-black,or striped,with dotted lenticels and oblique wrinkles;inner surface yellow-white to brown and smooth.Section fibrous.Then dried bark lamellate,3-6 mm thick,with cracked grooves and round or long transverse lenticels,red-brown.Prepared as pieces or segments.Bitter and astringent in taste,cold in nature,and attributive to liver,gallbladder and large intestine channels.
Pharmacodynamics:
1.Clear away heat and toxic materials,cool the blood to treat dysentery:For diarrhea and dysentery of intense heat type,especially for dysentery with bloody stools,usually used together with Rhizoma Coptidis and Radix Pulsatillae.
2.Clear away liver-fire to improve visual acuity:For liver-heat syndrome with conjumctivitis and nebula.
3.Expectorant,antitussive and antiasthmatic:For lung-heat syndrome with cough and dyspnea.
Pharmacological:
1.Inhibiting the growth of dysentery bacillus and staphylococcus.
2.Antitussive and expectorant.
3.Aesculin,one of its active components,prolongs the hypnotic effect of hexobarbital in mice.
4.Aescuktin,another active component,exerts an antihistaminic effect and relaxes smooth muscles of guinea-pig’s trachea in vitro.
5.Analgesic.The effect of aescuktin is stronger than that of aspirin but weaker than codeine.
Usage: Decoction:6-12g.
Caution:
