Pilose Asiabell Root

Primarily produced in the Chinese provinces of Gansu, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan.

Long cylindrical, slightly curved, 10~35cm long, 0.4~2cm diameter. 1~3cm position of the upper portion of root head has striations, slightly soft texture; fractured surface has few cracks. Slightly sour taste. Root head has numerous raised wart-like scars of stem apex, presents with indented spots; below root head area are dense round transverse striations, gradually fewer downwards, sometimes on the whole root, cultivated has few or no striations; whole body has longitudinal wrinkles and scattered horizontal long lenticels; a thick black-brown substance is often present where lateral roots have broken off. Slightly hard or pliable texture; fractured surface is slightly smooth with cracks or radial striations; cortex is pale yellowish-white to pale brown; xylem is pale yellow. Distinctive aromatic odor; slightly sweet taste.

Superior medicinal material is thick and long, with a soft and moist texture, a potent aroma and taste, and ‘leaves little residue after chewing’.

Sweet, slightly sour, neutral.

Supplements the center, boosts qi, fortifies the lung, boosts the spleen. Apply to weakness of spleen and lung, short breath and palpitations, anorexia and loose stool, dyspnea and cough due to deficiency of the lung, feverish dysphoria and diabetes.

Chao dang shen: Fry rice with middle fire till smoking, put dang shen into the pot and stir, till turns yellow, take out and sift out the rice and cool. Every 100kg dang shen slices with 20kg rice. Externally old-yellow with fragrant odor, other properties same as non-processed dang shen slices. Jiu dang shen: Dilute refined honey with boiled water, then stir evenly with dang shen slices, and moistens with cover, fry with slow fire, keep stir fry till turn into yellowish-brown, take out till not sticky when touched, cool. Every 100kg dang shen slices need 20kg refined honey. Processed dang shen externally shaped similar to dang shen slices, yellowish-brown, with luster; taste sweet.

‘Lion head (shi zi pan tou)’: This refers to the root head of dang shen, which has numerous raised cauliflower-shaped stem scars and sprouts; at the apex of stem scar there is an indented round spot, giving a shape similar to a lion’s head. ‘Chrysanthemum center’: this refers to radial lines seen on the fractured surface of the medicinal material, which appear similar to an open chrysanthemum flower; also called ‘chrysanthemum lines (ju hua wen)’. ‘Loose skin and tight flesh’: This refers to a loose cortex layer but a relatively full woody portion seen on the fractured surface of some root medicinal. ‘Leaves little residue after chewing (hua zha, literally ‘transforming dregs’)’: this refers to medicinal material that leaves little residue in the mouth after being chewed.