Revealing the miraculous medicinal properties of azalea flowers

For hives, use fresh rhododendron flowers with horsetail and asparagus, boil all in water and wash the skin.

According to Dr. Vo Van Chi, author of the Dictionary of Vietnamese Medicinal Plants, rhododendron is also known as red rhododendron. The scientific name is Rhododendron simsii Planch, belonging to the rhododendron family Ericaceae.

Rhododendron is a deciduous shrub, about 2 m high, with many branches, small branches growing upright, with dark gray bark. The leaves are thin, oval or inverted egg-shaped, shorter in spring than in summer. The average size of the leaves is about 3 to 5 cm long, 2 to 3 cm wide, pointed tip with segments, wedge-shaped base, sparsely hairy on the upper surface, densely hairy on the lower surface. The petiole is 3 to 5 mm long, hairy.

Rhododendron flowers. Photo: hoahong.

Rhododendron flowers are arranged in umbels of 2 to 6 on the top branches. The calyx is 4 mm long, with 5 lobes, and is pubescent. The corolla is pink or bright red, deep red, wide funnel-shaped, 4 to 5 cm long, with 5 lobes. There are 10 stamens, the ovary is coarsely hairy. The style is glabrous. The capsule is ovoid, about 8 mm long, and covered with coarse hairs.

This tree grows in the forest. It flowers from February to April and bears fruit from August to October. Rhododendrons are found in abundance in Lao Cai, Ha Tinh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien - Hue, Kon Tum. Some other countries such as China and Laos also have them.

Oriental medicine uses flowers, leaves, roots, and seeds of rhododendron as medicine. Flowers are harvested in spring, leaves in summer and autumn, and roots are available year-round. Used fresh or dried.

Rhododendron flowers have a sour, sweet taste, warm properties, and the effect of harmonizing blood, regulating menstruation, and dispelling rheumatism. The roots have a sour, sweet taste, warm properties, and the effect of harmonizing blood and stopping bleeding, dispelling rheumatism and relieving pain. The leaves have a sour taste, neutral properties, and the effect of clearing heat, detoxifying, and stopping bleeding.

People use the flowers, fruits, and roots of rhododendron to treat gynecological diseases. Such as irregular menstruation, amenorrhea, and gonorrhea. In addition, it also treats rheumatism, swelling, and pain, hemorrhoids, injuries from falls, hemoptysis, and nosebleeds. The leaves treat boils, bleeding from external injuries, and hives.

Pharmacological analysis shows that rhododendron leaves contain flavonoids, rhodotoxin and sparassol. Flowers contain rhodomollin III, carotene-5,6-epoxide, lutein, gossypetin-6-galactoside, lycopene and 2 toxic substances andromedotoxin, ericolin. Fruits contain rhododendrotoxin I, II, rhodojaponin I, andromedotoxin, ericolin, sparassol. The whole plant contains 3 diterpenes: rhodomolein I, II, III.

Rhododendron helps relieve pain, has an effect on the cardiovascular system, reduces heart rate, and lowers blood pressure. The flowers are very toxic to insects and are also toxic to humans. Therefore, to treat diseases, you need to use the correct recommended dosage. The roots and leaves have no insecticidal effect.

Dr. Vo Van Chi introduces some good remedies from rhododendron as follows:

The fall was painful.

Take 10g of roasted rhododendron seeds, grind into powder. Take 1.5g each time with rice water or white wine.

Red and swollen eye wound

Use a sufficient amount of young rhododendron flowers and leaves. Wash, crush, add a little human milk, and apply to the painful area.

External hemorrhage

Take a sufficient amount of fresh rhododendron flowers and leaves, crush and apply to the wound.

Urticaria (hives)

Use a sufficient amount of fresh rhododendron flowers and leaves along with the herbs horsetail and asparagus. Boil all of them to get the water to wash the skin area with hives.

Irregular menstruation, clear and thick menstrual fluid, back and abdominal pain

Rhododendron root, sea gold sand, each 30g. Achyranthes 15g. Boil all in water and drink 5 days before menstruation. Drink continuously for 3 to 5 days. Use only one dose per day.

Leukorrhea

Rhododendron root, frog's jaw root, each 15 grams. Boil all in water, discard the residue and drink. Use boiled pork water to drink with the medicine. Use one dose per day, continuously for 3 to 5 days.

According to VNE