Cát căn (Radix Puerariae) – hay còn gọi là củ sắn dây, Cam cát căn, Bạch cát – là rễ của cây Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi, một vị thuốc quý trong Y học cổ truyền phương Đông. Cát căn có vị ngọt, cay, tính bình, quy vào kinh Tỳ, Vị, Phế và Bàng quang. Từ lâu, thảo dược này được dùng để thanh nhiệt, giải độc, sinh tân dịch, giải cơ, chỉ tả, tiêu khát và giải độc rượu. Ngoài ra, Cát căn còn giúp tăng tuần hoàn máu não – tim, hỗ trợ điều trị cao huyết áp, tiểu đường, mỡ máu cao, đồng thời giúp ổn định nội tiết tố nữ, giảm triệu chứng mãn kinh. Nghiên cứu hiện đại đã chứng minh các hoạt chất như Puerarin, Daidzein, Genistein có khả năng giãn mạch, chống viêm, chống oxy hóa và bảo vệ tế bào gan. Trong dân gian, bột sắn dây – chế từ Cát căn – còn được dùng làm thức uống giải nhiệt tự nhiên, giúp mát gan, đẹp da, an thần. Nhờ công năng đa dạng, Cát căn là lựa chọn hàng đầu trong các bài thuốc giải cảm, hỗ trợ tiêu hóa, giải độc và dưỡng vị khí.
TÊN THẢO DƯỢC: CÁT CĂN – Ge Gen
TÊN KHÁC (NẾU CÓ): Củ sắn dây, Cam cát căn, Bạch cát.
TÊN TIẾNG ANH THÔNG DỤNG: Kudzu Root
TÊN KHOA HỌC (TÊN DƯỢC): Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi (Radix Puerariae)
HỌ: Họ Đậu (Fabaceae).
BẢO QUẢN: Dễ ẩm mốc và mối mọt nên cần đậy kín và bảo quản ở nơi khô ráo, thoáng mát.
PHÂN BỐ: Cây mọc hoang hoặc được trồng tại nhiều địa phương ở nước ta.
TÍNH VỊ: Vị ngọt, cay, tính bình đến lương, không độc.
QUY KINH: vào kinh Bàng quang, Tỳ, Vị và Phế.
CÔNG DỤNG CHỮA BỆNH:
Theo Đông Y Cát căn có tác dụng thanh nhiệt, trừ phiền, tuyên độc, giải biểu, thấu chẩn, sinh tân dịch, chỉ tả, giải co giật, giải cơ, tiêu khát, giải độc rượu, làm thuốc dẫn vào kinh Dương minh, dưỡng vị, thăng đề vị khí, bổ tỳ khí.
Trị các chứng biểu nhiệt, thương hàn, đau đầu, phát sốt, cảm mạo, làm ra mồ hôi, sởi muốn mọc không mọc được, sởi thời kỳ đầu, phát ban, phần cơ nóng mãi không lui.
Chữa nôn mửa (có thể kết hợp với gừng), chữa chứng co thắt ruột, chữa đau bụng, cầm tiêu chảy, thấp nhiệt tả lỵ, bệnh thái dương do hạ nhầm mà gây nên những chứng tiêu chảy hiệp nhiệt. Giúp dưỡng vị, hỗ trợ hạ nhiệt dạ dày (dạ dày dóng do ăn đồ cay nóng, ăn quá nhiều, biểu hiện có thể là viêm loét dạ dày kèm đau răng, hơi thở hôi).
Giải độc rượu (giã nát cát căn lấy nước uống), độc do sởi, làm giảm tác dụng phụ khi uống thuốc quá liều.
Chữa chứng tê chân, thoái hóa khớp và thoái hóa đốt sống cổ. Chỉ nóng không lạnh hoặc gáy sau lưng cứng đờ hoặc thái dương và dương minh cùng hợp bệnh làm cho gáy lưng cứng đờ đều có thể dùng được. Trị chấn thương do kim loại, trúng phong.
Chữa các triệu chứng do nóng trong như nôn ra máu, chảy máu mũi không cầm, tâm trí phiền muộn.
Cát căn làm tăng lưu lượng máu trong động mạch vành và não của người bị xơ vữa động mạch. Giúp tăng tuần hoàn máu não và tim, giảm tình trạng thiếu máu ở tim, tắc mạch máu não. Chữa cao huyết áp, đau nửa đầu. Giúp hạ đường huyết, hạ mỡ máu.
Dùng phối hợp nước sắc dược liệu kèm theo vitamin B có thể hỗ trợ điều trị điếc đột ngột, không do bẩm sinh.
Tăng cường khả năng hoạt động của tử cung, có khả năng điều tiết hormone, hỗ trợ phụ nữ ở thời kỳ mãn kinh.
THÀNH PHẦN HÓA HỌC:
CÁCH DÙNG VÀ LIỀU LƯỢNG:
Dùng từ 4 – 12 gram / ngày dùng ở dạng sắc và ép lấy nước là chủ yếu.
1. Cát căn dùng sống giải cơ, giải biểu, giải ôn độc, trừ mẩn ngứa, thanh nhiệt, sinh tân dịch; dùng nướng kích thích vị khí mà đi lên. Chỉ tả (cầm tiêu chảy) nên ninh nhừ/ nướng.
2. Hoa cát căn có công dụng giải độc rượu.
3. Ngoài ra, hạt cát căn có thể chữa kiết lỵ kéo dài.
CHỐNG CHỈ ĐỊNH VÀ KIÊNG KỴ:
Tỳ vị hư hàn, hay lạnh bụng, tiêu chảy mạn;
Người đang dùng thuốc hạ huyết áp, hạ đường huyết;
Cát căn không nên dùng cùng Ô đầu (Aconitum) và các thuốc cực nhiệt; với bệnh nhân có bệnh vú (tăng sản tuyến vú, u vú) cũng kiêng.
Đồng thời cần thận trọng khi dùng cho người sốt nóng mà sợ lạnh.
Ngoài giá trị dược liệu, cát căn hay sắn dây (Pueraria montana var. lobata) có những tác động sinh thái đáng chú ý, bao gồm cả lợi ích và rủi ro:
Cát căn có giá trị dược liệu và khả năng cố định đạm, che phủ đất, nhưng cũng tiềm ẩn nguy cơ xâm lấn và suy giảm đa dạng sinh học. Việc sử dụng cần gắn với quản lý sinh thái chặt chẽ.
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