For friends in rural areas, you must have seen the plant known as Milkvine. It has unique properties and can be used for both food and medicinal purposes, making it quite versatile. Some people may be curious about the effects and edible methods of Milkvine. The white hairs inside have a hemostatic effect, and its stems and leaves can be used to treat diseases such as abscess and childhood malnutrition with good results. However, it is not recommended to consume Milkvine blindly to avoid unnecessary risks.

Effects of Milkvine

The reason why it is called Milkvine is mainly because when its green fruits rupture, they will secrete a substance similar to milk, which can be consumed. When we were young, children often picked these fruits and sucked the juice from them. The juice of Milkvine has certain medicinal properties and can bring certain benefits when consumed. In fact, the whole plant of Milkvine can be used as a medicinal herb. Its roots and stems can be used to treat injuries, snake bites, abscesses, scrofula, and impotence, while its stems and leaves can be used to treat childhood malnutrition and abscesses.

Edible Methods of Milkvine

Consuming Milkvine is beneficial to the spleen, kidneys, and bladder. It has a bitter taste with a slight sweetness. Milkvine can be taken internally as a traditional Chinese medicinal herb. The recommended dosage is to decoct the herb, strain out the residue, and drink the decoction. The daily dosage is 3-6 grams. Alternatively, the herb can be ground into a powder and mixed with water for consumption. For external use, an appropriate amount of fresh Milkvine can be pounded and applied to the affected area. However, it should be noted that certain parts of Milkvine, such as its leaves and seeds, are toxic and can cause symptoms such as dizziness and abdominal pain if ingested.

Original Form of the Herb

Milkvine is a shrub-like vine with milk-like secretions. Its stems are purple-brown and covered with rusty soft hairs. The leaves are opposite, rectangular to inverted oval, and range from 8-14 cm long and 5-7 cm wide. The base of the leaves is nearly heart-shaped and eared, with both sides covered in rusty soft hairs. The leaves are thick and papery, with prominent veins on the underside. The petioles are 7 mm long. The flowers grow in cymose inflorescences that are axillary and forked. The pedicels are approximately 4 mm long, and the calyx is 5-lobed with lobes that are triangular in shape, approximately 1 mm long, and hairy. The corolla is 5-lobed and deeply cleft, with lobes that are oval in shape, approximately 4 mm long, green on the outside and purple on the inside. The corona is linear, approximately 3 mm long, and fused with the base of the stamens. There are 5 stamens, and the ovary is 2-lobed with a short style and a discoid stigma that is purple. The fruit is a two-lobed follicle that is widely spreading, dark brown, and covered with yellowish-brown short hairs. It contains numerous elongated seeds with white hairs. The flowering season is from August to October, and the fruiting season is from October to December.