From: https://www.diseasewiki.com
What is the difference between perilla leaves and perilla stem? Are their effects the same?
Perilla is a very common herbaceous plant. Perilla has leaves and perilla stem, both growing on the same plant, so there is no distinction in efficacy. It is just that the shape is different; the leaves of perilla are the top leaves, and the stem is its diameter, and the effects are also different. In terms of efficacy, both have the effect of regulating qi and blood, preventing and treating wind-cold.
1. Perilla leaves are pungent and warm in nature, capable of regulating qi and nourishing the camp. People often use perilla leaves to treat wind-cold common cold, aversion to cold with fever, cough, asthma, and other diseases. It is often taken with Wu Xingren and Qianhu, such as Xingsu San, which has an excellent curative effect. If there is also qi stagnation and chest stuffiness, it can be taken with Xiangfu and Chenpi, such as Su San.
2. Perilla leaves have the effect of promoting qi and relaxing the middle jiao, which can be used to treat symptoms such as qi stagnation in the spleen and stomach, chest stuffiness, and vomiting. It has the magical effect of harmonizing the stomach and stopping vomiting. For those with a cold bias, it can be used with Huoxiang; for those with a hot bias, it can be used with Huanglian; for those with qi stagnation and phlegm clots, it is often used with Banxia and Houpu, and the effects are all excellent.
The efficacy and action of perilla stem
Perilla has pungent and warm properties that can disperse wind-cold and relieve coughing; its leaves are light as the lung, able to disperse wind-cold and relieve cough; its stem is like the spleen and stomach, good at promoting qi and harmonizing the middle jiao, regulating qi and calming the fetus. Therefore, it is commonly used for wind-cold cough and qi stagnation in the spleen and stomach, and also for detoxifying fish and crab toxins.
Sweating to relieve exterior symptoms (Su ye is more effective): Used for common cold with wind-cold, cough with abundant phlegm. Mainly treats wind-cold common cold, aversion to cold without sweating; wind-cold affecting the lung, cough with abundant phlegm; external wind-cold with internal qi stagnation is more effective.
