Scirpus fluviatilis is good at removing blood stasis

What is scirpus fluviatilis (River Bulrush, San Leng)?
Medicinally it refers to the tubers of Scirpus fluviatilis (Torr.) A.Gray, which is a member in the sedge family. Hence, this herb is also called Scirpus Rhizome. And synonyms of this aquatic plant include Schoenoplectus fluviatilis and Bolboschoenus fluviatilis. It is usually dug in autumn. After that, it still needs to remove stems and leaves, clean with water, cut off the fibrous roots, and dry them in the sun or by the fire.

Scirpus fluviatilis is a perennial herb. Rhizome develops horizontally and it is often inflated and with single or occasionally more than one branch. At the end of the rhizome comes a tuber that is 2 to 4cm long, 1.5 to 3cm in diameter, dark brown, sharp at both ends, and light and bubble-like in texture. Tall and stout stalk is upright, smooth, from 70 to 150cm in height, and in the shape of prism with sharp edges. Alternative leaves are 20 to 30cm long, 6 to 10mm wide, in the shape of narrow strip, and with entire margin, acuminate apex, and sheath-like clasping base. It blooms in summer and inflorescence is complex spikes. Most spikes gather at the top of stem and form sessile-umbrella-like clusters; long, round spikelets are about 1cm; awn-like glume is oblong, slightly membranous, and with cute apex; stamens are 3 in number and with linear or oblong anthers; pistil is with long 2-lobed style. Achenes are triangular obovate and brown. Habitat is swamp. In China, it is distributed in Northeast, Hebei, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Taiwan, Guangdong, Guizhou, and Sichuan.

Scirpus health benefits
As mentioned above, scirpus is frequently paired with White Turmeric Root in a clinical context. This is simply because ancient physicians in China have found that these two herbs could supplement each other. That’s to say, on the basis of the common healing properties, scirpus is particularly good at removing blood stasis while White Turmeric Root is better at relieving stagnant Qi. And here are some clinical cesearch records for your reference as follows:

a) 35 cases of Coronary Heart Disease were ever treated with compound scirpus injection, 2ml each time, twice a day. And the results showed a 82.8% efficacy;

b) 22 cases of hemiplegia after stroke were ever treated with the herbal formula that contains ingredients of scirpus, zedoary, Danshen (Salvia Miltiorrhiza), Chuan Xiong (Lovage Root), Di Long (Lumbricus), etc. Generally the patients could began to move the limbs affected by stroke 7 days after the oral administration and get out of bed and walk for the first time with the help of a stick within 2 to 4 weeks and meanwhile the upper limb function will be also restored;

c) 100 cases of urinary tract stones were ever treated with Hua Yu Niao Shi Tang, which consists of scirpus, zedoary, Chi Shao (Red Peonies), Tao Ren (Peach Seed), and so on, 1 days a course, interval of 3 days required after each medication. And 73 cases were cured and 14 cases were improved.