Ezhu (Rhizoma Curcumae)
Ezhu (Rhizoma Curcumae) (Long oval, grayish-yellow, apex gradually pointed, base blunt, with ring-like raised nodes, heavy and firm in texture)
Ezhu (Rhizoma Curcumae) slices (Glossy, with fissures)
Ezhu (Rhizoma Curcumae) (Top) San Leng (Rhizoma Sparganii) slices (Bottom)
【Naming】
【Source】
Yaoxing Lun (Treatise on the Nature of Herbs)
【Common Usage Level】
C
【Botanical Origin】
The rhizome of Curcuma kwangsiensis S. G. Lee et C. F. Liang (Guangxi Ezhu), C. wenyujin Y. H. Chen et C. Ling (Wen Yujin), or C. aeruginosa Roxb. (Ezhu) (C. zedoaria non Rosc.) of the Zingiberaceae family.
【Characteristics】
The whole form is thick and pear-shaped, 1-4 cm in diameter and 4-6 cm in length. The outer surface is grayish-yellowish-brown, rough, with ring-like raised nodes. The internodes are 5-8 mm long, with residual root bases or traces after removal. The commercial product is hard and firm in texture, with an aromatic odor slightly similar to camphor, and a warm, bitter, and spicy taste.
The prepared slices are transverse cut pieces, about 2-8 mm thick, with a circular or oval cross-section, light grayish-brown color, yellowish-gray outer skin with slight wrinkles. The cut surface is brownish-brown to yellowish-green, horn-like, and glossy, often with fissures in the middle. The inner cortex layer shows a dark ring pattern, and the stele occupies the majority of the rhizome. Vinegar-processed Ezhu (Rhizoma Curcumae): yellowish-brown in color.
【Processing】
1. Raw Ezhu (Rhizoma Curcumae) 2. Vinegar-processed Ezhu (Rhizoma Curcumae)
【Identification】
《Differentiation between Good and Bad》: “Large and plump, with a good interior and newness are considered good; small, thin, and stale ones are useless.”
【Identification Terminology】
1. Bao Guang (Gem-like luster): Commonly refers to the gemstone-like luster possessed by certain medicinal materials with a hard texture and a horn-like cross-section.
【Category】
Rhizomes