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Rumex crispus (Yangti)

Bitter, cold, non-toxic. Mainly treats head baldness, scabies and itching, removes heat, treats female genital erosion and ulceration, impetiginous abscesses and hemorrhoids, kills parasites. Also known as Dongfangsu, Lianchonglu, Gui mu, and Xu. Grows in the rivers and marshes of Chenliu.

Tao Hongjing says: Nowadays people call it Tuccai (Bald Vegetable), which is an erroneous pronunciation of "Xu". The Book of Songs says "Gathering its Xu". There is another variety extremely similar but with a sour taste, called Suanmo Gen (Root of Rumex acetosa), which also treats scabies. Tang Ben Zhu says: The fruit is bitter and astringent, neutral, non-toxic. Treats mixed red and white dysentery. The root is acrid and bitter, slightly toxic. Wanbi Fang says: Treats insect toxins. Now found everywhere in mountains, wilds, plains, and marshes. Ministers Yuxi et al. according to Shu Ben Tu Jing say: Grows in damp lowlands, up to three or four chi high. Leaves are narrow and long, stem nodes are purple-red. Flowers are blue-white, fruits are triangular, wither in mid-summer. Another variety has thin stems and leaves, fruits resembling seeds of Leonurus artemisia, excellent for treating dysentery. Found everywhere today. Ri Hua Zi says: Yangti root treats tinea, kills all insects, swelling and toxins; rub with vinegar and apply. Leaves treat pediatric malnutrition worms, kill toxins from Huyi fish, [missing character] fish, and Tanhu fish; can also be eaten as vegetables. Chen Cangqi says: Suanmo, leaves are sour and delicious. Children break them to eat the young shoots. Root mainly treats sudden fever and abdominal distension. Crush fresh and squeeze juice to drink, induces diarrhea to expel pathogens, kills small skin insects. Leaves resemble Yangti, is a type of Dahuang (Rhubarb). Also called Dangyao. Erya says: Xu, [missing character] Wu. Annotation says: Resembles Yangti but finer, sour taste edible. Ri Hua Zi says: Suanmo, sour, cool, non-toxic. Treats pediatric high fever. Grows on hills. Shape resembles Yangti, leaves small and yellow.

Tu Jing says: Yangti is Tuccai. Grows in rivers and marshes of Chenliu, now found everywhere. Grows in damp lowlands. Sprouts in spring, three to four chi high. Leaves narrow and long, somewhat like lettuce but darker in color. Stem nodes purple-red. Flowers blue-white in spikes, fruits triangular, resembling Leonurus seeds, wither in summer. Roots resemble Arctii Fructus (Niu Bang) but firm. Nowadays people harvest fresh roots, rub with vinegar to apply for tinea with rapid effect. Also decocted into pills. Formula: Take newly harvested Yangti root, any amount, crush, grind, and squeeze out one sheng of juice, half jin of white honey, boil together until thick like syrup, add six liang of Fangfeng powder, mix to form pills size of Wuzi (Cocculus orbicularis seeds). Take 30-20 pills with Gualou Gancao wine, two to three times daily, best. According to Shi Jing Xiao Ya: "Yan Meng Qi Qu". Lu Ji says: Qu is now called Yangti, resembles radish with red stem, edible when cooked, smooth and delicious. Eating too much causes qi descent. People in Youzhou call it Qu, character sometimes written as Xu (pronunciation bing chi liu qie). Another variety very similar, but yellow leaves and sour taste, named Suanmo. What Erya calls Xu, [missing character] (sun sound) Wu. Guo Pu's Food Therapy mainly treats itching. Not suitable for excessive consumption. Shenghui Fang: Treats Fengyang (Wind Ulcer). Use Yangti vegetable root, on raw iron, grind with good vinegar, scrape off as needed, apply to affected area. If not healed, add a little sulfur, grind together and apply. Another formula: Treats sudden constipation and blockage. Use one liang of Yangti root, chopped, one large cup of water, decoct to obtain six parts, remove dregs, take warm in one dose. Waitai Miyao: Treats Scabies formula: Crush Yangti root and mix with lard to apply, or add a little salt, good. Qianjin Fang: Sudden aphonia due to Hou Bi (Throat obstruction). Single-root Yangti, avoid wind, sun, women, chickens, dogs; grind with three-year-old vinegar into mud, wipe throat with raw cloth until red, then apply. Qianjin Yi treats Lou Liu Chuang (Fistula/Tumor sores), wet tinea itching. Impetigo spreading daily, unbearable itching, scratching yields yellow fluid, heals but recurs. Take Yangti, clean soil, finely chop and crush, mix with strong vinegar, wash lesion, apply, after one shichen wash with cold water, apply once daily, heals. If powdered and applied, excellent. Doumen Fang treats Changfeng Zhixie Xue (Intestinal Wind Hemorrhoidal Bleeding). Steam Yangti root and leaves until soft, one bowl, eat immediately heals. Jianyao Jizhong treats chronic tinea not healing. Crush Yangti root, squeeze juice, mix with a little Nifen (Calomel) into paste, apply to tinea, three to five applications heal. If dry, mix with lard and apply.

Yanyi says: Yangti, Jing does not mention root, Tu Jing adds root character. Found everywhere. Leaves like spinach in vegetables, but without lobes, and color slightly greener to control lead and mercury. Chop root, grind, squeeze juice to get three or two spoons, half cup of water, boil one or two boils, take warm on empty stomach. Treats postpartum wind constipation, particularly effective...