Rhizoma polygonati is the ideal tonic for the elderly

What is rhizoma polygonati(Polygonatum, Huang Jing)?
Its root is formerly used medicinally and it refers to the dried rhizomes of Polygonatum kingianum Coll. et Hemsl., Polygonatum sibiricum Red., or Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua. Hence, it is also commonly known as Siberian Solomon Seal Rhizome, Polygonati Rhizoma, Siberian Solomonseal Rhizome, Siberian Solomon’s Seal, etc. In China Polygonatum sibiricum is mainly produced in Hebei, Inner Mongolia, and Shaanxi; Polygonatum kingianum is in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi; and Polygonatum cyrtonema is in Guizhou, Hunan, Yunnan and other places. The best harvest time is in spring and autumn. After the digging, remove the fibrous roots, wash with water, put in boiling water to scald slightly or steam thoroughly, dry, and then cut into thick slices.

Polygonatum sibiricum is a perennial herb. Crosswise roots are fleshy, yellow-white, slightly flat round, and with several stem scars. Stems are erect, cylindrical, single, 50 to 80cm high, and glabrous. Leaves are sessile, and usually 4-5 arranged in whorls. Blade is linear-lanceolate to linear, 7 to 11cm, and 5 to 12mm wide. Flowers are axillary, pendulous, and with 1.5 to 2cm pedicels. Berry is spherical, 7 to 10mm in diameter, and black when ripe. It flowers from May to June and fruits from June to July.

Rhizoma polygonati benefits
At the mention of tonics for the elderly, ginseng, deer antler (lu rong) and other rare expensive herbs will come to mind for many people. In fact, rhizoma polygonati is the ideal tonic for the elderly who need to nurse and strengthen the body. This is simply because both insufficiency of yang-qi and consumption of yin-fluid are two typical patterns occurred in the old people. And this herb owns many health benefits that are especially beneficial to them. Shen Xian Zhi Cao Jing (Immortal Elixir Fairy Grass) ever gave it a very good review and believed that it could relieve the middle burner, tune five zang organs, build up muscle, strengthen bone marrow, double physical strength, stay young, make skin glow, reverse graying hair, and regrow lost teeth. Have you ever heard about the inedia, an important and popular practice method of Taoist priests who want to increase life expectancy? One of the vital characteristics of the inedia is refraining from eating any grains in order to clear out the feces, waste, toxics, excess fat, and cholesterol accumulated inside the body and thus make the body feels lighter and more agile. But don’t mistake it as eating nothing. Actually the fact is that no food or drink cooked with fire is allowed during the practice. That being said, the inedia practitioners can drink mountain spring water and natural foods, among which Polygonatum and mulberry are the most common two ones.