Allium tuberosum (Jiucai)

Distribution:
whole China.

Properties (characteristics):
Seed: acrid, sweet, warm

Channels (meridians) entered:
Seed: kidney, liver.
Leaves: stomach, liver, kidney.
Roots: liver.

Medical functions:
The sulfur compound in jiu cai can help absorb vitamin A and B. Effect on cardiovascular system: its sulfur containing substance and ascorbic acid can improve the activities of endotthelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOs) thus  promoting vasodilation and lowering blood pressure, improving capillary circulation, and anti arterio-sclerosis. May inhibit stomach and asophagus cancer. jiu cai extract inhibited cancer cell growth and induced apoptosis in vitro. Oral administration of jiu cai extract significantly reduced lung metastases.

Actions & Indications:
Jiu cai is used as stimulating tonic. It possesses the effects of improving digestion, enhancing mental alertness, warming. Roots and leaves and be juiced and can be used for anti inflammation, arresting bleeding and pain. It is suitable for gan shen yin xu (liver-kidney yin deficient) with sweating during sleep, bed wetting, frequent urination, Impotence, priapism, spermatorrhea, esophagus cancer, nausea, dysentery, abdomen pain, menses sickness, pain during menses, Painful Menstruation, vagina discharge, injuries from impact, vomiting blood, Nasal Bleeding.  Being use inyinxu (yin deficient), Premature Ejaculation and Nocturnal Emission.
 
Dosage:
100 g to 200 g per meal.
Seed used in decoction: 6~12 g; or make into powder or pills.

Cautions:
It is not suitable for those who are yinxu (yin deficient). Because of its abundance of coarse fiber, it is not easy to be digested. Easting too much can irritate the the wall of the intestines and cause diarrhea.