Why did the magic drug Isatis root become so fiery?

Since the Ebola epidemic raged in West Africa, 1,779 people have been reported to be confirmed or suspected to be infected with the virus, and 961 of them have died.

There is no cure for the Ebola epidemic that has plunged African brothers into dire straits. Its early symptoms are similar to those of a cold, including loss of appetite, headache, sore throat and fever. In this regard, some netizens have expressed the need to "take precautions", and the way to prevent it is of course - the "universal miracle drug" Isatis root.

In the recent influenza epidemics in China, the important position of isatis root in the minds of the people has become unshakable. Today we will talk about how Banlangen became a "male god" like Yidujun who is popular among boys, girls and aunts.

The literary Isatis root that you may not know

Isatis fanatics have made up legends about Shennong, saying that the old man always carried Isatis root with him when he went out to work for detoxification. need. One day he accidentally tasted a kind of gallbladder, and as a result, he just finished eating the isatis root, so he was pronounced dead after resuscitation failed. In memory of him, portraits of Shennong were hung in drug stores in the old days. He was "wrapped with leaves around his waist and holding isatis root in his hand."

Of course, this is just a joke. "Shen Nong's Materia Medica" does have an entry for "Lan Shi", which is the seed of Polygonum indica and is not used as medicine now. The book ranked it as a top-quality product, saying it was "bitter, cold, non-toxic and mainly used for detoxification".

The efficacy of isatis root in clearing away heat and detoxifying has been discovered very early. This poison does not refer to "poisoning", nor is it a "virus", but what is called "evil energy" in the body in traditional Chinese medicine. "Tang Materia Medica" divides "blue" into categories. By the Song Dynasty, "blue was available everywhere" and was a medicinal material cultivated by ordinary people.

As for the method of preparing isatis root, various places in ancient times seemed to be highly consistent. At first, it was fried until golden brown. Later, "Sanyin Prescription", "Jingyue Complete Book", "Compendium of Medicine", etc. all said that it can be washed and dried in the sun.

However, there seem to be more records about isatis root as a dye than for medicinal use. The history of plant dyes in China can be traced back to the Zhou Dynasty, and the "green" color is derived from various indigo plants. "Tang Materia Medica" says that wooden baskets are "good enough to be dyed green and come out of Lingnan", while polygonum indigo is "not worthy of being used as a lake, but can only be used as a blue color". All the "blues" mentioned in this book can be used to dye blue and green.

Plant-based dyes are bright in color, easy to use, and the dyed colors do not fade. It is said that the main raw material of Bai tie-dying is indispensable. However, some scholars say that the Bai people actually use the leaves of plants such as horse blue or woad, commonly known as Daqingye, when they tie-dye. Isatis tie-dye is just a folk saying.

In short, before the popularity of "It rains heavily during the Qingming Festival, please use Banlangen for colds" and "Why repay your kindness this year? The doctor opened a box of Banlangen", Banlangen has always followed a literary route.

Since the Cultural Revolution, Isatis root has been making rapid progress

In the 1960s and 1970s, China launched a vigorous mass movement on Chinese herbal medicine. A large number of Chinese herbal medicines, including Isatis root, began to counterattack and became star drugs.

The reason is that in the eyes of Chairman Mao, the Ministry of Health at that time was a proper "urban master's Ministry of Health", and the majority of farmers did not receive effective medical care. There is no way, the cost of western medicine is quite high and farmers cannot afford it. In 1965, Chairman Mao issued a call to "put the focus of medical and health care in rural areas", and the whole country focused on Chinese herbal medicine. Compared with Western medicine, Chinese herbal medicine resources are widely available in rural areas and are extremely cost-effective.

With the promotion of several major national ministries and commissions, the Chinese herbal medicine movement has continued to gain momentum, and public opinion across the country has also given support. From August 30, 1969 to January 9, 1970, in less than five months, "People's Daily" published seven full-page articles dedicated to discussing issues related to Chinese herbal medicine.

The status of Chinese herbal medicines across the country instantly surpassed that of Western medicines. Barefoot doctors and villagers discovered local Chinese herbal medicines and processed them. Since the 1970s and 1980s, more than 20 provinces and regions, including Anhui, Hebei, Henan, Jiangsu, and Shaanxi, have begun to develop isatis root production, and the planting area has expanded rapidly.

Using homemade equipment such as tablet presses and capping machines made by rural doctors, isatis root began to be made into granules, tablets, and injections on a large scale. It is low-priced and simple to prepare. It quickly spread across the country in an era when medical treatment was scarce and it became a popular medicine like dozens of other Chinese herbal medicine partners.

When the hepatitis A epidemic occurred in Shanghai in 1988, Isatis root became famous. In 1995, when pinkeye broke out in North China, people also widely used isatis root to prevent viral infection.

After the new century, Isatis root reached the "peak of life"

After 2000, the reputation of Isatis root jumped above the vast majority of fellow Chinese herbal medicine practitioners. It was favored by the government and loved by the people. For more than ten years, every time SARS, bird flu, new H1NI, H7N9, and now the Ebola virus that everyone is afraid of, Banlangen has always appeared on the major hot topic lists on time, and it seems to have become a special food for human beings. An all-purpose miracle drug created.

In people’s eyes, isatis root seems to be more likely to bring blessings than other medicines.

In recent years, every time there is an outbreak of infectious diseases, isatis root will become a hot commodity.

According to incomplete statistics on the main producing areas of isatis root, its planting area expanded from 20,000 to 30,000 acres in 2005 to about 200,000 to 300,000 acres in 2008. In four years, whether Both the area and output have increased tenfold.

With the help of various viruses in the past ten times, Isatis root’s anti-viral market and reputation have been greatly improved, and it has become a rich and handsome drug. When hepatitis A was prevalent in Shanghai, the price of isatis root reached a peak of 20 yuan per kilogram, which was definitely not a small amount at the time. During the SARS epidemic in 2003, the price of Isatis increased again, reaching a high price of 30 to 60 yuan per kilogram. The avian flu has remained true to its true nature, and the market has surged from the bottom of 2.5 yuan per kilogram to 7 yuan. When the crisis comes, no medicine can stop it.

During the epidemic period, when everyone is in danger, people will always think of isatis root first. It is included in the official anti-influenza documents, Chinese medicine experts will mention it, and people will rush to pharmacies to buy it. During the H7N9 epidemic, pharmacies in many cities even ran out of stock of isatis root. In Wuxi, Weifang and other places, there were even "purchase restrictions" targeting isatis root. In public health emergencies, Banlangen is the eternal spiritual leader.

In addition to isatis root, which is expected to become popular again, there are also rumors on the Internet that mixing raw onions with coffee and taking it three times a day can cure the Ebola virus. Yidujun said that the scene of coffee with onions, autumn water and a long sky is beautiful, but West African brothers should not be short of onions.