Sonchus oleraceus grows in most parts of China and is also known as bitter mushroom lettuce, lettuce, or Patrinia. As its name suggests, Sonchus oleraceus is bitter and cold in nature, clearing heat, cooling the blood, detoxifying, reducing swelling, and draining pus. Sonchus oleraceus also contains Vitamin C, a large amount of iron, protein, fat, carbohydrates, carotene, Vitamin B, calcium, phosphorus, and more. Eating it at this time clears heat and cools the blood, reduces internal heat, and decreases the incidence of diseases caused by external cold and wind due to internal heat.
Malaxis radiata, also known as Malaxis, crabgrass, or field chrysanthemum, grows on roadsides and fields in most parts of China and is also cultivated. It is rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, protein, fat, calcium, iron, etc. It is pungent and cool in nature, clearing heat and detoxifying, cooling the blood to stop bleeding. It has certain therapeutic effects for oral ulcers, sore throat, epistaxis, dysentery with blood, etc. When we cook Malaxis radiata and season it, it becomes delicious and is one of the favorite vegetables in many households, with certain medicinal value. Regular consumption can clear internal heat and brighten the eyes. For example, wash Malaxis radiata, blanch it, chop it, and mix it with shredded seasoned tofu; eat it regularly.
It is suitable for sore throat, blurred vision, excessive internal heat, as it can clear heat and cool the blood. Wash Malaxis radiata, pound it to extract the juice, and take it in portions. It is suitable for hematemesis, epistaxis, gingival bleeding, hypertension, subcutaneous bleeding, traumatic bleeding, and strangury, as it can cool the blood and stop bleeding.
Other Wild Vegetables: Shepherd's Purse, Cirsium setosum
Speaking of Shepherd's Purse, it is the whole plant with roots of the Brassicaceae family, possessing the antioxidant abilities of Brassicaceae plants. Eating it fresh during the peak season has health benefits, making it a two-for-one deal. Shepherd's Purse is also known as life-protecting herb, Jiqi, Qiancai, or chicken heart vegetable. Currently, besides being wild, it is cultivated in various parts of China. Traditional medical books all have records of it, such as in "Compendium of Materia Medica": "Brightens the eyes and benefits the stomach"; in "Ming Yi Bie Lu": "Sweet, warm, non-toxic. It harmonizes liver qi and is a top-grade for harmonizing the middle"; in "Ri Yong Ben Cao": "Cools the liver and brightens the eyes". And as it is the season for nourishing the liver in spring, eating some Shepherd's Purse is timely.
Shepherd's Purse is sweet and neutral in nature. It contains oxalic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, fumaric acid, protein, fat, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, iron, carotene, and various vitamins. Shepherd's Purse acid has a significant hemostatic effect. Therefore, Shepherd's Purse can cool the liver, stop bleeding, brighten the eyes, lower blood pressure, promote urination to relieve strangury, and is often used for dysentery, edema, strangury, hematemesis, hematochezia, red and painful eyes, etc.
When consuming it, to avoid affecting calcium absorption, it is advisable to blanch it first to remove oxalic acid. Also, choose tender leaves to eat; those with flat stems and small leaves are the best. The whole plant can be dried, and its flowers and leaves can be used as medicine. It is reported that decocting Shepherd's Purse can prevent measles and also has the effect of lowering blood pressure.
Therapeutic Recipe: Make fresh Shepherd's Purse juice for cooling blood and stopping bleeding. Use 250ml of juice from washed fresh Shepherd's Purse, pounded, and drink it slowly. It is suitable for hemoptysis, hematemesis, hematochezia, and uterine bleeding.
When we talk about Cirsium setosum, it is actually the whole plant or root of Cirsium setosum, a plant in the Asteraceae family. It grows in most parts of China, often seen on roadsides,沟岸, and in fields. People often call it Xiaoji, Jijicai. Cirsium setosum especially contains alkaloids, saponins, etc. It is sweet and bitter, slightly cold, and has the effects of cooling the blood to stop bleeding and clearing heat and detoxifying. As early as in "Compendium of Materia Medica", it was recorded: "Clears fire, dispels wind, resolves phlegm, relieves all injuries, metrorrhagia, and leukorrhea". In "Ben Shi Shi Yi", it says: "Breaks stagnant blood and stops new blood". "Shanghai Commonly Used Chinese Herbal Medicine" says: "Clears heat to stop bleeding, lowers blood pressure, dispels stasis and reduces swelling. Treats various bleeding conditions, hypertension, jaundice, hepatitis, nephritis". It is now clinically used for acute infectious hepatitis, hypertension, and all types of bleeding, but those with weak constitutions and weak stomachs should consume it with caution. So, during the rainy season, harvest it, wash it, and eat it raw with sauce. It is reported that Cirsium setosum has an inhibitory effect on hemolytic streptococcus, pneumococcus, and tuberculosis bacillus.
Here, two therapeutic recipes are introduced for convenience. First, 250 grams of fresh Cirsium setosum, pounded and applied externally. Its function is to detoxify and stop bleeding. Suitable for all carbuncles, sores, and toxicities, and external traumatic bleeding. Second, decoct 100 grams of Cirsium setosum in a soup, add honey and fresh lotus root juice. Its function is to cool the blood and stop bleeding. Suitable for dry mouth, hematemesis, epistaxis, hematuria, strangury with blood, hematochezia, and uterine bleeding.