Perilla is a type of herb that serves as both a spice and a valuable medicinal herb, offering numerous health benefits.
Perilla, also known as Shiso, Bạch Tô, or Giả Tô. Scientific name: Elsholtzia cristata Wild. Family: Lamiaceae.
According to Dr. Huỳnh Tấn Vũ, a specialist from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh City (Campus 3), the perilla plant is used as a remedy for colds, fevers, headaches, sore throats, vomiting, nosebleeds, dysentery with blood, and postpartum hemorrhage. The recommended dosage is 6-12g in the form of decoction or powder.
Perilla is one of the important herbal remedies for heat colds and flu.
Currently, modern medicine has extracted essential oil from perilla for beauty purposes: skin nourishment, anti-aging, pain relief, anti-inflammation, and cold treatment. Additionally, perilla essential oil stimulates digestion and treats respiratory diseases…
In ancient times, when Western medicine was not widespread, perilla was one of the important herbal remedies for heat colds and flu. The effects of perilla on colds have been clearly recorded in ancient texts.
Dr. Vũ states that individuals suffering from heat colds or fainting can use a handful of fresh perilla leaves combined with a few slices of fresh ginger, crushed and squeezed for juice, while the remaining pulp can be used to rub along the spine. Covering with a blanket will induce sweating and alleviate the cold symptoms.
For those with colds, fresh perilla leaves, basil, purple perilla, lemongrass, and chrysanthemum can be boiled to make a steam inhalation remedy to relieve symptoms; or simply use about 50g of perilla leaves and stems, decocted with 100ml of water, boiled for about 5 minutes, drunk hot, and covered with a blanket to induce sweating.
Dr. Vũ mentions that perilla is also used to make perilla cold medicine (*) by lightly roasting and grinding it into powder. When suffering from a cold, 6-8g of this powder can be used for treatment.
Perilla treats many ailments. (Photo: ST).
Moreover, perilla is known for its skin-beautifying properties and anti-aging effects due to its high essential oil content, possessing a spicy flavor and warm nature.
Modern medicine uses perilla essential oil to treat various skin conditions such as: itching, allergies, stimulating sweat secretion, and keeping pores dry and clear.
Dr. Vũ suggests using perilla for facial steaming to enhance skin beauty and prevent aging. The facial steam recipe includes 100g each of perilla, mugwort, and purple perilla, washed and boiled with 500ml of clean water, poured into a small basin, with a little salt and juice from half a lemon added. Steam your face for 20-30 minutes before bed or right after waking up. Doing this for about a week will improve acne and blackheads on the face.
Some remedies using perilla:
- Treating postpartum hemorrhage in women and nosebleeds in children/adults: 15g of black roasted perilla, 200ml of water, decocted until 100ml remains, taken 2-3 times.
- Fever reduction: 12g of perilla branches and leaves, 25g of arrowroot, decocted for drinking.
- Body aches and headache without sweating: 20g of perilla decocted for drinking hot, three times a day.
- Treating prickly heat in infants: Fresh perilla boiled in water for drinking and daily bathing to prevent itching, prickly heat, and boils.
- Treating boils and swelling in the breast: 12g of perilla, 10g each of plantain, honeysuckle, dandelion, thổ phục linh, and 10g of the ground seed of cocklebur, boiled in 400ml of water until 100ml remains. Drink twice a day.
- Treating loss of voice and cough: 12g each of perilla, mulberry leaves, and earth skin, 8g each of banxia and purple perilla, and 4g of dried tangerine peel, decocted for drinking once a day.
- Stopping bleeding and eliminating stagnation: Ground perilla, 8g taken with water 2-3 times a day for treating nosebleeds, hemoptysis, and blood in urine.
- Hemorrhoids: 12g each of perilla, five-flower fruit, and phellodendron combined with 4g of alum. Boil the mixture for 300ml of water, used as a sitz bath daily.
*Perilla cold medicine refers to the cluster of flowers cut along with 1-2 top leaves of perilla (the flowers are still green when bloomed).
