Tian Nan Xing (Arisaema Tuber)
Raw Tian Nan Xing (Tiger Palm) (Flattened sphere, yellowish-white, concave top, surrounding rootlet scars, irritates the throat)
Raw Ghost Face Tian Nan Xing (Concave marks, small lateral buds)
Tian Nan Xing (Brown eyes)
Tian Nan Xing Slices
Dan Nan Xing (Arisaema with Bile) (Dark brown, fishy aroma)
Dan Nan Xing Slices (Arisaema with Bile)
Dan Xing (Arisaema with Bile) (Inferior quality)
【Naming】
【Source】
Ben Jing Xia Pin‧Tiger Palm, Song Kai Bao‧Tian Nan Xing
【Common Usage Level】
B
【Botanical Origin】
The globular tuber of Araceae Arisaema consanguineum Schott, Northeast Arisaema amurense Maxim., or Heterophyllous Arisaema heterophyllum B1., etc. Dan Nan Xing is made from cow bile, fine powder of Tian Nan Xing, and fermentation processing.
【Characteristics】
It presents as a round, flattened lump. Diameter 2~7㎝, thickness 1~2㎝. The surface is milky white or brown, wrinkled or relatively smooth, with concave marks at the base of the stem, surrounded by 2~3 circles of hemp-like rootlet scars. Sometimes, the tuber is surrounded by slightly protruding small lateral buds. It is hard in texture, not easy to break, the fracture surface is uneven, white in color, powdery, slightly pungent, and tastes spicy and numbing.
Dan Nan Xing: Cylindrical or irregular round lumps, varying in size, dark brown in color, solid in texture, powdery, with a peculiar odor, bitter and spicy in taste.
Prepared Tian Nan Xing slices are circular thin slices, about 1~2㎝ in diameter and about 1㎜ thick, yellowish-white, with grayish-black edges, semi-transparent, with scattered dotted or linear vascular bundles visible, brittle, easy to break, slightly scented, and slightly spicy.
Dan Nan Xing slices: Dark brown circular slices, about 2~3㎝ in diameter and 2~3m thick, with many small pores on the surface.
【Processing】
1. Raw Tian Nan Xing 2. Prepared Tian Nan Xing 3. Ginger-Prepared Nan Xing 4. Dan Nan Xing
【Identification】
«Puji Fang»: “Tian Nan Xing…It is good to take the yellow gallbladder of a yellow cow on the Waxing Day.” «Yi Fang Lei Ju»: “Large Tian Nan Xing weighing eight or nine coins or more is good.” «Compendium of Materia Medica»: “(Ben Jing Xia Pin) Tian Nan Xing“:”[Shi Zhen says] All Tian Nan Xing must be used one tael or more is better.” «Renshu Bianlan»: “Nan Xing that is round, large, and white is better.” «Compilation of Empirical Prescriptions»: “Dan Xing must have the urinary odor of a cow, be exceptionally bitter, yellow-black and bright, and solid to be genuine.” «Ben Cao Cong Xin»: “Those produced in Sichuan are of good quality.” «Ben Cao Qiu Zhen»: “The root is like Ban Xia (Pinellia Tuber), and those that look like tiger palms are good.” «Discrimination of Good and Bad»: “Those that are round and fat, with a white interior, are the best.”
Those with a large body, white color, sufficient powderiness, and lateral buds are preferred. Those with the outer skin not removed should not be used.
【Identification Terminology】
1. Nodules: Generally refers to the protruding parts on the surface of medicinal materials. Due to the different medicinal materials, the nodules refer to different things in botany. Some refer to protruding round buds, such as Tian Nan Xing; some refer to the tiny protrusions of stem marks, bud marks, and rootlet scars, such as the stem marks of Bai Ji, the bud marks of Fang Feng (Saposhnikovia Root), and the rootlet scars of Shan Yao (Chinese Yam), Ze Xie (Alisma Rhizome), Dang Gui (Angelica Sinensis Root), etc.; the protruding part of the root head is often called “nodule head”, such as Bai Zhu (Atractylodes Macrocephala Rhizome), etc. The caruncle of Bi Ma Zi (Castor Seed) is sometimes called “nodule”, and the skin-like transverse protruding “nodule” of Hang Bai Zhi (Angelica Dahurica Root). 2. Tiger Palm Nan Xing: The tuber of Tiger Palm (palmate Ban Xia (Pinellia Tuber)), with 4~6 flattened spherical lateral buds around it, the whole shape resembling a tiger’s palm.
【Chapter】
Rhizomes