Chinese Medical Herbs

Shanglu

Phytolacca acinosa Roxb. or Phytolacca americana L.

In the language of Chinese medical herbs Shanglu are written as 商陆, and read as "Shang-lu" from left to right.

It's common English name is Pokeberry Root. It can help you to pee and it can also help you to poo. It's common name is pokeberry and, it is a weed from North America.

Oh...a "Chinese herb" of American origin.

Folks from southern U.S. might start thinking one of their traditional dish "poke salad", made from fresh young greens of this pokeberry. Then they might start humming "Poke Salad Annie", a popular song in the sixties.

While humans enjoy the young greens, pigeons feed on the berries.

Then people eat these pigeons and they become ill. Young children have died from consuming the berries. Other deaths are result of eating the greens undercooked, or accidentally mixed with the roots or even when the greens are properly cooked!

Ancient Hawaiians prefer to use the berries as tatto dyes rather than food while American Indians use the powdered roots to make a salve for skin ailment.

The Chinese has a similar remedy as the American Indians but for a different purpose. According to cnhan.com, pokeberry root is made into a paste to apply to the top part of the anus as a constipation relief for elderly people.

I bought one packet enough for me to make a bowl of soup for less than USD0.20.

The helpful medicine man told me that I need to simmer it for at least one hour. This traditional way of serving the herbs is not to my liking. I would prefer to use another recipe - boil a very small quantity 3 g of the herbs with 60 grams of lean pork and 400 ml water. This quantity is to be drunk thrice in a day. The pork would make the herb taste nicer...

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