You Can Treat Insomnia with Vong Leaves Infused in Alcohol: Use 100 g of dried Vong leaves, chopped, and soak them in 1 liter of 30-40 degree alcohol for 15-20 days; the longer, the better. Consume 10-20 ml daily.
Vong leaves, also known as Vong nem (as the leaves are used to wrap spring rolls), Hai Dong, or Thich Dong, have long been used by people in various regions as a sedative, anti-anxiety, and treatment for headaches and dizziness. To treat insomnia, fresh Vong leaves (of medium maturity) are washed and boiled or used in soups daily; sometimes, they are combined with young mulberry leaves. Those with high blood pressure and children who sweat excessively should use this remedy.
Pharmacological studies show that Vong leaves have a calming effect on the central nervous system, promote sleep, lower blood pressure, and do not cause toxicity. Various formulations of Vong leaves for treating insomnia have been developed for convenience.
Decoction: Use 8-16 g of dried Vong leaves, chopped, and decoct with 200 ml of water until 50 ml remains. Consume this in one dose per day.
Infusion: Combine 16 g of Vong leaves, 10 g of processed jujube seeds, and 5 g of lotus seed hearts. Mix well, crush, and infuse with 1 liter of boiling water. Once cooled, add fresh jasmine flowers (2-3 blooms), and consume in multiple doses throughout the day.
Liquid Extract: Use 400 g each of Vong leaves and Passionflower; 100 g each of Jute leaves and Gotu Kola. Chop all ingredients, dry, boil with water 2-3 times, strain, and concentrate to obtain 700 ml. Add 1,000 g of sugar, and concentrate until you have 1 liter of final product. Consume 40 ml daily, divided into two doses.
Vong-Sen Capsules: Each capsule contains 0.06 g of dry Vong leaf extract (equivalent to 1 g of dry leaves), 0.05 g of lotus leaf extract (equivalent to 1 g of dry leaves), 0.03 g of tetrahydropalmatine (an active compound extracted from the root of the Chinese herb). The dosage for adults is 2-4 capsules per day for a treatment course of 10-15 days. The Neurology Department at Hanoi Friendship Hospital has administered these capsules to 100 patients, noting good sedative effects, quick onset of sleep, prolonged and restful sleep; patients felt no fatigue upon waking compared to using meprobamate. Vong-Sen capsules are now widely produced for domestic use and export.
Other Remedies Using Vong Leaves
To Treat Nosebleeds and Blood in Stool: Vong leaves combined with lotus leaves can be decocted and consumed.
To Treat Hemorrhoids: Crush Vong leaves and lotus leaves to extract juice for drinking; use the residue heated as a poultice applied to the anus.
For Uterine Prolapse: Take 30 g of Vong leaves, 20 g of Chinese chive leaves, and 20 g of silk cotton seeds, crush, decoct with 400 ml of water until 100 ml remains, and split into two doses for the day; additionally, take 10 seeds of castor bean, crush with vinegar, and apply as a poultice and bandage. Alternatively, cook Vong leaves with creeping grass and catfish, and consume both the fish and the broth.
DS Bao Hoa, Health & Life