What are the effects and functions of Veratrum?

Veratrum tastes bitter and poisonous, but its medicinal value is also relatively high. It can be used to induce vomiting and expectorant, and has a good insecticidal effect. It is also used to treat problems such as stroke, phlegm, epilepsy, jaundice, malaria, headache, etc., and to improve symptoms of vomiting caused by low blood pressure.

1. Veratrum is cold in nature, bitter and spicy in taste, and poisonous. Enters the liver, lung and stomach meridians. The earliest record of its medicinal use can be found in the "Shennong Bencao Jing" of the Han Dynasty, which states: "It is used to treat poison, cough, diarrhea, head ulcers, scabies, malignant sores, and kill all kinds of insect poison. It can remove dead flesh." The "Compendium of Materia Medica" says that "emetics are used to treat hiccups. Vomiting is also used to remove phlegm accumulation in the stomach. There are different emetics. Changshan is used to spit out malarial phlegm, Guadi is used to spit out hot phlegm, Aconitum is used to spit out wet phlegm, Radish Seed is used to spit out breath phlegm, and Veratrum is used to spit out wind phlegm."

2. Since Veratrum has the effects of inducing emesis, expectoration and killing insects, it is mainly used to treat phlegm congestion caused by stroke, epilepsy, jaundice, malaria, headache, throat paralysis, etc. It has a good effect in treating scabies, ulcers, and killing fly maggots when used externally. Because of its strong emetic effect, as an emergency measure, you can take Veratrum, Saposhnikovia divaricata and Cucurbitacin, grind them into fine powder, take a small amount and drink it with warm water.

3. Grind an appropriate amount of Veratrum into fine powder, add crude oil to make it into an ointment, and apply it externally to treat scabies, which is also effective.

4. Modern pharmacological research shows that Veratrum contains bioalkaloids such as ceramide, pseudoceramide, rubinaceous ceramide, and colchicine, which have emetic, antihypertensive, and antifungal effects. Veratrum has a strong local irritating effect on the mucous membranes and can cause sneezing and vomiting. After absorption, it has the effect of lowering blood pressure significantly.

5. However, it is worth noting that Veratrum has certain toxicity. The dosage is generally 0.3~0.9 grams and it is best to be made into powder. Common clinical adverse reactions include nausea, vomiting, hypotension, abdominal pain and diarrhea, salivation, sweating, and blurred vision.