Striga, Du Jiao Jin, 独脚金

Asiatic Witchweed, Indian Witchweed
Du Jiao Jin (TCM)
Talakh, Taukla (Ayurveda)
Picture Striga asiatica
(Photo by Nativeplants garden) (Wikimedia)

Picture Dried Striga Du Jiao Jin in bunches as sold in the market
(Adam, 2024)

Botanical name:


Striga asiatica

Parts used:


Whole herb
Collected in Summer or Autumn, washed, and dried.

Temperature & Taste:


Neutral. Sweet

Classification:




Uses:


1. Strengthens the Spleen, Benefits Digestion:
Spleen weakness with fatigue, poor appetite and diarrhea
Infantile Malnutrition (widely used in Canton)
-Nightblindness in Children

2. Clears Heat, Promotes Urine:
Summer Fever in Children
Diarrhea in Children
-Rheumatism
-significant inhibition of various bacteria including Staph. aureus

3. Clears Heat, Soothes the Liver:
mild Liver heat with restlessness in Children
Icteric Hepatitis
Jaundice
Hypertension


Dose:


915 grams in decoction daily
39 grams for Infants

Comment:


An unusual plant as it is a parasitic member of Scrophulariaceae, commonly infecting Rice, Maize and Sorgham crops.

Main Combinations:


1. Malnutrition in Children:
i. Can be cooked with Lean Pork or Liver into a soup. Astragalus Huang Qi, Lycium Gou Qi (etc.) can be added
ii. Striga Du Jiao Jin with Cynomorium Suo Yang, Glehnia Sha Shen and peanuts (equal parts) are coarsely ground. Prepare a soup with 69 grams daily.

Major Formulas:



Cautions:


1. Not used in Cold conditions or Coldness of the Stomach.
2. Antifertility effect has been noted.

Main Preparations used:



Nothing at Present
Nothing at Present