True and false pictures of wild Gastrodia elata

Wild Gastrodia elata is smaller and uneven in size due to its own growth conditions. Artificially grown Gastrodia elata is relatively larger and firmer.

Wild Gastrodia elata contains more medicinal ingredients, such as gastrodia ether, vanillin, and gastrodin. Its unique aroma cannot be produced by artificial cultivation, and it has a long-lasting taste. However, the smell of ordinary Gastrodia elata will disappear immediately after being placed on the counter, which can also help us to identify it.

Most of the wild Gastrodia elata grow in soil with more humus, so their skin is relatively dark, and does not look as bright and beautiful as the artificial Gastrodia elata. There are at least ten up and down ring patterns on the surface of wild Gastrodia elata, and the bottom is relatively large, showing a circular shape, and the surface is transparent or white and yellow.

Although Gastrodia elata is small, it has many functions

1. Gastrodia elata has the effects of soothing the liver and calming wind, dispelling wind and relieving pain. Gastrodia elata is moist and fluid, and can replenish qi, nourish blood and calm wind, and can relieve headaches and dizziness caused by qi and blood deficiency and internal liver wind.

2. For patients with fluid depletion, deficiency of both Qi and blood, and deficiency of Yang, Gastrodia elata should be used with caution.

3. Although Gastrodia elata is not noisy, it is ultimately a wind agent. It should not be used carelessly for those with deficiency of Qi and blood, no wind entering the body, headache due to fire inflammation, dry mouth and tongue, and constipation.

4. Gastrodia elata is not suitable for long-term frying. The main component of Gastrodia elata is gastrodin, which is very easy to volatilize when heated. When Gastrodia elata is decocted together with other medicines, its sedative and analgesic properties will be lost due to the heat.

5. Gastrodia elata has certain toxic side effects. If poisoning occurs, the dosage should be more than 40 grams and the dangerous period of poisoning is 1 to 6 hours.

To identify the real Gastrodia elata, we must remember eight characteristics:

The formula for identifying Gastrodia elata is: "Parrot's mouth, concave belly button, with a ring of roasted ginger skin on the outside, remember the cross section of pine resin."

1. The underground tubers are oval or elliptical. After processing, boiling and drying, they are generally long oval, slightly flat, and some are curved. They are 5-12 cm long, 2-6 cm wide, and 0.5-5 cm thick.

2. Slightly transparent, the surface is yellowish white or light yellow dark brown.

3. There are withered buds at the top (also known as "parrot beak") or residual indented stem base.

4. There is a round umbilical scar below (also known as the "belly button") caused by the fall of the mother hemp.

5. There are longitudinal wrinkles and grooves all over the body, and ring patterns composed of accumulated black spots.

6. It is hard and not easy to break, with a flat cross section and is white-yellow or light brown.

7. Cuticle-like, non-fibrous, and without hair branches.

8. The taste is slightly bitter and sweet, and it becomes crispy and sticky when chewed.