Cudweed: A wild roadside herb and its little-known health benefits
Not only used as food, cudweed is also highly valued for its medicinal properties
Cudweed is also known by many other names such as pluchea, chrysanthemum, ragweed, thanh minh herb, khuc leaves... It often grows wild in moist areas such as field borders, canal banks, roadsides, or around ponds and lakes.
Numerous health benefits
Not only used as food, cudweed is also highly valued for its medicinal properties. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, cudweed has neutral properties and a sweet taste, helping to soothe coughs, expectorate phlegm, clear heat, detoxify, and support the treatment of common colds and asthma. In addition, this plant is used to relieve joint pain, rheumatism, scabies, and swollen, painful boils.
According to modern medicine, cudweed (rau khúc) offers various health benefits, such as: supporting anti-inflammatory action, astringing skin, accelerating wound healing, and promoting the repair of damaged tissues and cells; aiding in the treatment of constipation and hemorrhoids; and relieving pain, inflammation, and swelling in gout patients when applied topically as fresh leaves.
In addition, cudweed (rau khúc) has diuretic effects, supports mood improvement, and helps relieve stress. Dried cudweed flowers can be placed in pillows to provide a pleasant scent and improve sleep quality. A decoction of cudweed can also be used as a mouthwash to help reduce inflammation, canker sores, and mouth ulcers.
Some folk remedies from cudweed
In folk medicine, cudweed is used in many simple and easy-to-follow remedies:
Relieving cough and expelling phlegm: Decoct about 20g of cudweed with rock sugar to drink daily. Alternatively, finely chop cudweed leaves, add sugar, steam in a water bath, and drink the extracted liquid.
Treating colds: Decoct cudweed combined with perilla and Vietnamese balm to drink.
Supports treatment of bronchitis: Decoct cudweed until the liquid concentrates to about three bowls, divide into three doses to drink during the day, and use continuously for about 12 days.
Treating sore throat: Decoct cudweed with ephedra, coltsfoot flower, apricot kernel, and cynanchum.
Supports treatment of hypertension: Combine cudweed with uncaria and mulberry mistletoe to decoct into a daily drink, or incorporate cudweed into daily meals.
Treating boils and pimples: Fresh cudweed leaves are finely pounded, mixed with cold cooked rice, and applied to swollen, painful pimples.
Notes on using cudweed
Although it offers many health benefits, cudweed is not suitable for everyone. Certain components in the plant can cause allergies in sensitive individuals. Therefore, when using cudweed as a remedy, note the following:
Before use, consult a doctor or healthcare professional.
Adhere strictly to the recommended dosage; do not misuse or prepare home remedies on your own.
People with underlying medical conditions or those taking medications or dietary supplements must consult their doctor before use.
Cudweed should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women, young children, or individuals with a history of allergies to plants in the Asteraceae family.
If abnormal symptoms such as rash, nausea, dizziness, or digestive disorders occur, discontinue use and visit a healthcare facility for timely treatment.
Only use for a short period; if symptoms do not improve, seek medical advice for appropriate treatment; Do not arbitrarily combine cudweed with Western medicine to avoid adverse health effects and reduced treatment efficacy.