蚶殼草－－臺灣藥用植物本草學考證

Textual Research for Centella asiatica – a popular Taiwan Fol k Herb in Pents ’aolo gy

台灣民間常用的草藥“蚶殼草”，以其學名Centella asiatica （L.） Urban 考證諸版本植物誌，得知中國植物誌Flora of China （1879） 與《臺灣植物誌》第一版Flora of Taiwan （1975-1979），兩岸此兩本不同的植物誌，雖以相同的學名，卻分別給予不同的中文名稱，分別為“積雪草”與“雷公根”。考證“積雪草”早於漢《神農本草經》就有性味、主治、功效的記載，但此植物自古以來即有藥物記載不實或文與圖誤植的情況，歷代諸家本草就有連錢草、地錢草、天胡荽、胡薄荷、活血丹、地棠草等不同的來源植物混雜應用；而“蚶殼草”在台灣民間也有天胡荽、台灣天胡荽、乞食碗、馬蹄金、金錢薄荷等外形類似的草藥混用的情形。今經由考證《中華本草》、《臺灣維管束植物簡誌》、諸家本草與植物誌等有關此植物的內文及藥圖，確定“積雪草”與“雷公根”確實是指同一植物Centella asiatica （L.） Urban，即台灣民間草藥“蚶殼草”，即是藥用植物“雷公根”，也是古本草所收載的“積雪草”。Han-K’o-Ts’ao is one of Taiwan folk commonly used medicinal herbs. It was named with its appearance like a clam. By textual research of the clam herb on Pents’aology, it was found that there were two different Chinese names with the same scientific name, Centella asiatica (L.) Urban, on Flora of Chin (1879) and Flora of Taiwan (1975-1979) respectively. Early, it was used with the name of Chi-Hsueh-Ts’ao of Herba Centellae Asiaticae on the Chinese ancient medicine book - Shen-Nung-Pen- Ts’ao-Ching. But, it was used with the name of Lei-Kung-Ken of Herba Centellae Asiaticae on Taiwan many flora books recently. There were many confusions and uncertainties about the use of names and pictures for Herba Centellae Asiaticae on the traditional Chinese medicine books. For the same herb there were many different names in different areas. The result of this study confirms that the names of Chi-Hsueh-Ts’ao and Lei-Kung-Ken are for the same herb - Centella asiatica (L.) Urban. With the similar circular leaves, there are many herbs such as Herba Centellae Asiaticae, Herba Hydrocotylis Sibthorpioidis, Herba Hydrocotylis Nepalensis, Herba Dichondrae Micranthae, and Herba Glechomae Hederacea. They cause some misunderstandings and misuses in Taiwan. To distinguish these five chosen herbs, a list was provided with leaf configuration, leaf margin form, flower color and growth height characteristic on this paper.