''Codonopsis pilosula'', also known as ''Dangshen'' (), is a
perennial
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also widel ...
species of
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants t ...
in the
bellflower family. It is native to Asia, where it grows in forests, meadows, and
scrub.
[''Codonopsis pilosula''.]
Flora of China.
Description
The plant produces twining stems up to long. It has lateral branches with alternately arranged leaves and small branchlets with oppositely arranged leaves. The ovate leaves are up to centimeters long and are usually coated with short hairs. Solitary flowers occur at the branch tips. The bell-shaped flower is about long and wide and is yellow-green with purple spots inside. The fruit capsule is up to long.
[
]
Uses
Traditional
The roots of ''C. pilosula'' are used in traditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China. It has been described as "fraught with pseudoscience", with the majority of its treatments having no logical mechanism of acti ...
. They are carrot-shaped or cylindrical, sometimes branched, and up to long by wide.[ They are a constituent of Radix Codonopsis, a mixture used in herbal medicine.]
Medicinal
The traditional medicinal use of ''Dangshen'' has inspired medical studies investigating the root's capabilities to treat cardiovascular, pulmonary and digestive conditions. Research into the effect of Condonopsis pilosula extract on gastric ulcers in rats showed a reduction in gastric acid production and severity of stress induced ulcers.
Subspecies
There are 3 subspecies:[
* ''Codonopsis pilosula'' subsp. ''handeliana'' ()
* ''Codonopsis pilosula'' subsp. ''pilosula'' ()
* ''Codonopsis pilosula'' subsp. ''tangshen'' () - widely cultivated
]
References
External links
*
Codonopsis Plants
National Council for The Conservation of Plants and Gardens
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1076269
Campanuloideae
Flora of Northeast Asia
Plants used in traditional Chinese medicine
Medicinal plants of Asia
Taxa named by Adrien René Franchet