Niu Xi
Achyranthes bidentata
Family: Amaranthaceae
What it is like
Achyranthes bidentata is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.8 m (2ft 7in) by 0.4 m (1ft 4in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 8. It is in flower from August to September, and the seeds ripen from September to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 0.8
Where it is found
Forest edges, the sides of streams and shrubberies. Moist shady places at elevations of 1200 - 3000 metres in Nepal.
E. Asia - China, Japan, India.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Seed - cooked. A good substitute for cereal grains in bread-making, they have often been used for this purpose in famine years. The light brown oblong seed is about 1mm long. Leaves - cooked. Used as a vegetable in the same manner as spinach.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Medicine
Rating: 3
The roots, leaves and stems are widely used in Chinese herbal medicine. The roots contain triterpenoid saponins, sitosterol and sigmasterol. They are anodyne, antiinflammatory, antirheumatic, bitter, digestive, diuretic, emmenagogue and vasodilator. They act predominantly on the lower half of the body and are used in the treatment of aching back and knees and asthenia of the lower limbs. Research suggests that they can cause dilation of the cervix and so this herb should not be used when pregnant. The herb is taken internally to treat hypertension, back pains, urine in the blood, menstrual pain, bleeding etc. It lowers blood cholesterol levrels and so is used in the treatment of atherosclerosis. The root juice is used in Nepal in the treatment of toothache. This juice is also used in the treatment of indigestion and is considered to be a good treatment for asthma. The stem of the plant is used as a toothbrush that is said to be good for the teeth and is also a treatment for pyorrhoea. The plant can be used fresh or dried. The leaves and stems are harvested in the summer and are usually crushed for their juice or used in tinctures. The roots are harvested from 1 or 2 year old plants in the autumn or winter and usually dried and ground into a powder or used in decoctions.
Anodyne: Relieves pain, it is milder than an analgesic.
Antiasthmatic: Treats asthma.
Antiinflammatory: Reduces inflammation of joints, injuries etc.
Antirheumatic: Treats rheumatism.
Bitter: Increases the appetite and stimulates digestion by acting on the mucous membranes of the mouth. Also increases the flow of bile, stimulates repair of the gut wall lining and regulates the secretion of insulin and glucogen.
Digestive: Aids digestion.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Emmenagogue: Promotes or increases the menstrual flow. In early stages of pregnancy it can induce an abortion.
Odontalgic: Treats toothache (temporary measure only) and other problems of the teeth and gums.
Vasodilator: Widens the blood vessels, thereby reducing blood pressure.
Other
Rating:
Two insect-moulting hormones are found in the roots. Can this have a practical application as an insecticide? The stem of the plant is used as a toothbrush that is said to be good for the teeth and is also a treatment for pyorrhoea.
Insecticide: Kills insects.
Teeth: Plants used to clean and care for the teeth.
How it is grown
Prefers a rich, sandy, slightly acid soil in partial shade. This species is probably not hardy in the colder areas of the country, it tolerates temperatures down to at least -5°c. When grown in a rich soil the roots can be up to 1.2 metres long. Widely cultivated in China, especially in Henan Province, as a medicinal plant and as a food plant.
Propagating it: Seed - sow late spring in a greenhouse. Germination should be fairly rapid, prick out the seedlings into individual pots of fairly rich soil when they are large enough to handle. It is probably wise to grow this plant on in the greenhouse for its first winter, planting it out into its permanent position in late spring after the last expected frosts.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 7-10
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
One report suggests that the root is poisonous.