Bletilla, Bai Ji 白芨

Hardy Orchid, Bletilla
Bai Ji (TCM)
Pa To La  པ་ཏོ་ལ  (Tibetan)
Curtis’s Botanical Magazine, vol. 36 (1812)

Bletilla striata
(Photo by Sten Porse) (Wikimedia)

Botanical name:

Bletilla striata (syn. B. hyacinthina, Cymbidium hyacinthinum, Limodorum striatum) (Official species)
Bletilla ochracea and B. formosanare are also used, and are often considered substitutes.

Parts used:

Tuber

Temperature & Taste:

Cool, dry. Bitter, Sweet
Neutral/Cool in Tibet

Classifications:

L. Stop Bleeding

Uses:

1. Clears Heat, Stops Bleeding:
-Bleeding, especially of the Lungs or Stomach
-Bleeding from Trauma (internally and topically)
-Trauma, Sprains, Fractures, taken with wine (Ben Cao Gang Mu)
-recently, it has been used for Gastric Hyperplasia

2. Tonifies the Lungs:
-auxiliary herb for Lung deficiency and Tuberculosis
-has shown benefit in Silicosis

3. Clears Heat and Poison, Resolves Swellings:
-Cirrhosis of the Liver, Liver Tumors, Liver Cancer
-Epidemic Fever (Tibet)
-Dysentery

4. Externally:
-clears Heat, reduces Swelling, promotes growth of healthy flesh
-topically to deep-rooted Boils, Acne, Ringworm
-chronic Sores (suppurating) and Ulcers
-especially useful Chronic, non-healing Ulcers
-Wounds, Burns
-Cracked and bleeding skin
-recently used as a cosmetic to whiten the skin, remove wrinkles and to remove scars
-Uterine Prolapse

Dose:

Decoction: 3–15 grams (up to 30 grams).
Powder: 1500mg–3 grams (up to 6 grams)

Comment:

1. Tibetan Medicine used Bletilla for Worms and Parasites, and to improve Appetite.
2. Bletilla striata is listed on CITES and its trade is restricted. However, it is widely grown as an ornamental.

Main Combinations:

1. Bleeding:
i. Coughing of Blood from Lung Yin deficiency, Bletilla Bai Ji with Stemona Bai Bu
ii. Coughing of Blood-streaked Sputum, Bletilla Bai Ji with Loquat Leaf (Pi Pa Ye)
iii. Coughing Blood from Consumption or Lung abscess, Bletilla Bai Ji with Fritillaria Chuan Bei Mu
iv. Coughing of Blood, Bletilla Bai Ji with Loquat Leaf (Pi Pa Ye), Lotus root (Ou Jie), Donkey-Hide Glue (E Jiao), Clam shell (Ge Ke), Rehmannia (Sheng Di Huang) (as in Bai Ji Pi Pa Wan)
v. Vomiting Blood from gastric Ulcer, Bletilla Bai Ji with Cuttlefish Bone (Hai Piao Xiao)
2. Lung deficiency:
i. Bletilla Bai Ji with Donkey-Hide Glue (E Jiao), Coltsfoot (Kuan Dong Hua), Aster Zi Wan
ii. boil Bletilla Bai Ji with Pig Lungs and a little wine, and take the decoction
3. Chest Pain, decoction of Bletilla Bai Ji and Pomegranate peel
4. Gastric Hyperplasia and Intestinal Metaplasia, Bletilla Bai Ji with Smilax Tu Fu Ling, Hedyotis Bai Hua She She Cao, Dandelion (Pu Gong Ying), Paeonia Bai Shao, Cyperus rotundus (Xiang Fu), Licorice (as in Xiao Wei Yan San). In clinical trials it was found to have an effective rate of 92%.
5. Cracked, Bleeding skin, Bletilla Bai Ji topically with calcined Gypsum (Duan Shi Gao)
6. Erysipelas, Bletilla Bai Ji topically with Phellodendron Huang Bai
7. Sores of the skin or mouth, Bletilla Bai Ji topically with Lonicera Jin Yi Hua, Frankincense (Ru Xiang)
8. Chronic, pustular or erupted Scrofula, Bletilla Bai Ji topically with Coptis Huang Lian, Gall (Wu Bei Zi)
9. Burns, Bletilla Bai Ji powder with oil applied topically

Cautions:

1. Caution in spitting Blood due to early stage Lung Abscess or excessive Heat

Drug Interactions:

1. Traditionally regarded Incompatible with the Aconites. However, animal experiments have not shown in adverse effects or increased toxicity when Bletilla is given concurrently with Aconites.

Main Preparations used:

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• Extra Info

• Research

GENERAL / REVIEW –A Review of Isolation, Chemical Properties, and Bioactivities of Polysaccharides from Bletilla striata. –Chemical Constituents, Pharmacologic Properties, and Clinical Applications of Bletilla striata. –Bletilla striata: Medicinal uses, phytochemistry and pharmacological activities. ANTIBACTERIAL –Investigation into the physical properties, antioxidant and antibacterial activity of Bletilla striata polysaccharide/chitosan membranes. –Antibacterial stilbenes from the tubers of Bletilla striata. –Antibacterial bibenzyl derivatives from the tubers of Bletilla striata. –[Antibacterial Activity of Chemical Constituents Isolated from Fibrous Roots of Bletilla striata]. ANTI-VIRAL –Antiviral activity of phenanthrenes from the medicinal plant Bletilla striata against influenza A virus. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY –Anti-Inflammatory Effect Fraction of Bletilla striata and Its Protective Effect on LPS-Induced Acute Lung Injury. ANTIOXIDANT –Structural characterization and antioxidant activities of Bletilla striata polysaccharide extracted by different methods. –Investigation into the physical properties, antioxidant and antibacterial activity of Bletilla striata polysaccharide/chitosan membranes. –In vivo wound healing and in vitro antioxidant activities of Bletilla striata phenolic extracts. –Antioxidant, antityrosinase and antitumor activity comparison: the potential utilization of fibrous root part of Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb.f. PULMONARY FIBROSIS –[Research on the Anti-Pulmonary Fibrosis Effect of the Bletilla striata Polysaccharide in Rat Silicosis Model]. ANTI-FIBROSIS –A new glucomannan from Bletilla striata: structural and anti-fibrosis effects. GASTROPROTECTIVE –Extraction, purification, and determination of the gastroprotective activity of glucomannan from Bletilla striata. –Chemical characterization and gastroprotective effect of an isolated polysaccharide fraction from Bletilla striata against ethanol-induced acute gastric ulcer. IMMUNOMODULATORY –Characterization and Evaluation of the Pro-Coagulant and Immunomodulatory Activities of Polysaccharides from Bletilla striata. –Structural characterization and immunological activity of polysaccharides from the tuber of Bletilla striata.

ANTI-AGEING –Anti-aging effect of polysaccharide from Bletilla striata on nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. ANTI-TYROSINASE –Antioxidant, antityrosinase and antitumor activity comparison: the potential utilization of fibrous root part of Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb.f. ANTI-NEUROINFLAMMATORY –Stilbenes from the tubers of Bletilla striata with potential anti-neuroinflammatory activity. ACUTE LUNG INJURY –Anti-Inflammatory Effect Fraction of Bletilla striata and Its Protective Effect on LPS-Induced Acute Lung Injury. ULCERATIVE COLITIS –Bletilla striata Oligosaccharides Improve Ulcerative Colitis by Regulating Gut Microbiota and Intestinal Metabolites in Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Mice. CYSTITIS –Beneficial effect of Bletilla striata extract solution on zymosan-induced interstitial cystitis in rat. DIABETIC WOUNDS & ULCERS –Bletilla striata Polysaccharide Promotes Diabetic Wound Healing Through Inhibition of the NLRP3 Inflammasome. –[Diabetes mellitus ulcers treatment with Bletilla striata polysaccharide]. ANTI-MELANOGENIC –Comprehensive evaluation of Bletilla striata and its substitutes by combining phenotypic characteristic, chemical composition, and anti-melanogenic activity. –Discovery and identification of potential anti-melanogenic active constituents of Bletilla striata by zebrafish model and molecular docking. ANTI-TUMOR –Structural characterization of a low molecular weight Bletilla striata polysaccharide and antitumor activity on H22 tumor-bearing mice –Antioxidant, antityrosinase and antitumor activity comparison: the potential utilization of fibrous root part of Bletilla striata (Thunb.) Reichb.f. CANCER –Two novel phenanthraquinones with anti-cancer activity isolated from Bletilla striata. WOUNDS –Effect of Polysaccharides from Bletilla striata on the Healing of Dermal Wounds in Mice. –In vivo wound healing and in vitro antioxidant activities of Bletilla striata phenolic extracts.