Polygonum multiflorum is good for men with erectile dysfunction.

Men with weak physiology and difficulty conceiving, use 20g of fo-ti, 16g of mistletoe, wolfberry, and achyranthes each, decoct and drink.

Red Polygonum multiflorum. Photo: thaoduocducthinh.

Vietnam has two types of Polygonum multiflorum: red and white. The type commonly used as medicine is red Polygonum multiflorum. According to Dr. Vo Van Chi, author of the Dictionary of Vietnamese Medicinal Plants, red Polygonum multiflorum's scientific name is Fallopia multiflora (Thunb.) Haradson (Polygonum multiflorum Thunb.), belonging to the Polugonaceae family.

This is a perennial climbing herb. The stem is 5-7 m long, grows twisted together, purple-green, hairless. The roots swell into tubers, brown on the outside, red on the inside. The leaves grow alternately with long petioles, the leaf blade resembles water spinach, has a narrow heart-shaped base, long pointed tip, and entire edge. The flowers are small, white, growing in clusters of many panicles in the leaf axils or at the top. The fruit is a 3-sided, black achene.

Fo-ti grows wild in shady places, along streams, rocky ravines, bush forests, in valleys, at the foot of mountains from 500 to 1,600 m high, distributed widely in Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Son La, Ha Giang, Cao Bang, Lang Son, Hanoi, Hoa Binh, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh. Some countries also have this plant such as China, Japan.

Oriental medicine uses the roots to make medicine called Polygonum multiflorum. Harvest in winter when the plant has withered. Wash the roots, remove the small roots, leave the small roots intact, cut the large roots into pieces and dry them for medicine. Can be used fresh, unprocessed or cooked with black beans. The stems are also used. The leaves can be used as vegetables, and the leaf vines can also be used as medicine.

Fo-ti has a bitter, slightly sweet taste, neutral properties, and has the effect of nourishing blood and preserving essence, harmonizing qi and blood, nourishing the liver and kidneys, strengthening tendons and bones, and laxative properties. Some books record: The root has a bitter, slightly astringent taste, cool properties, the stem has a sweet, astringent taste, neutral properties, and has the effect of clearing heat, detoxifying, relieving pain, stopping bleeding, regulating menstruation, nourishing the liver, benefiting the kidneys, nourishing blood, and dispelling wind.

People often use fo-ti to treat kidney failure, weak liver, nervous breakdown, poor sleep, chronic malaria, anemia, back pain, weak knees, spermatorrhea, vaginal discharge, blood in urine and stool, dryness, constipation, and skin diseases. Long-term use helps darken beards and hair for people with premature gray hair, and prevents hair dryness and loss.

Sketch of red polygonum multiflorum plant and tuber.

Analysis of pharmacological composition shows that the tuber of Polygonum multiflorum contains 1.7% anthraglucoside, including emodin, chuysophanol, rhein, physcion. It also contains lecithin, rhaponticin, 2,3,5,4' tetrahydroxystibene-2-o-β-D-glucoside. Before processing, Polygonum multiflorum contains 7.68% tannin, 0.25% free anthraquinone derivatives, 0.8058% total anthraquinone derivatives. After processing, there are 3.82% tannin, 0.1127% total anthraquinone derivatives.

Polygonum multiflorum decoction helps reduce blood sugar levels, has a beneficial effect on cases of nervous breakdown and neurological diseases. In addition, it helps increase heart activity, blood production, increase intestinal contractions, is good for the digestive system, and is anti-inflammatory.

Dr. Vo Van Chi introduces some medicinal recipes using the plant Polygonum multiflorum as follows:

- Elderly people with arteriosclerosis, high blood pressure or weak men who have difficulty conceiving: Use 20g of fo-ti, 16g of mistletoe, wolfberry, and achyranthes each, decoct and drink.

- High blood cholesterol: 900g fresh Fo-ti, roasted until crispy, ground into powder. Take 15g each time, drink with warm boiled water. Twice a day. Continuously for 30 days.

According to VNE