The Diseases of Solomon’s Seal
摘要
The genus Huang Jing (Solomon’s Seal), belonging to the Liliaceae family, encompasses over 60 species globally, with China as the primary center of diversity, hosting around 40 species. According to the 2020 edition of the Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China, three species are recognized as the source plants for Huang Jing herbal materials: Polygonatum kingianum Collett & Hemsl., P. sibiricum Red., and P. cyrtonema Hua. Utilized for its medicinal rhizomes, Huang Jing is considered both food and medicine. It is characterized by a sweet, neutral nature with benefits including nourishing qi, enriching yin, strengthening the spleen, moisturizing the lungs, benefiting the kidneys. It is used for treating conditions such as spleen and stomach qi deficiency, fatigue, insufficient stomach yin, dry mouth with little appetite, dry cough due to lung deficiency, coughing blood from overstrain, insufficient essence and blood, soreness of waist and knees, premature graying of hair, and internal heat with thirst.