What are the effects and functions of kapok?
As a landmark tree species in Lingnan, kapok not only adorns the city's skyline with fiery red flowers, but also occupies an important position in the field of traditional Chinese medicine. This plant, known as the "Hero Tree", can all be used as medicine. More than 200 varieties have been discovered around the world, forming a unique ecological system. The medicinal value and health application of kapok is a natural recipe for dispelling dampness and detoxifying. Kapok tea is combined with coix seed and tuckahoe to enhance the dispelling dampness effect. Research by Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine found that the kaposide contained in its calyx can promote lymphatic circulation, and when combined with crucian carp decoction, it can accelerate the metabolism of wet poison. The dietary companion of gastrointestinal conditioning, kapok tangerine peel porridge, has an improvement rate of 72%, and the dietary fiber in the petals can promote the proliferation of Bifidobacterium. It is recommended to mix it with japonica rice and simmer it slowly for 2 hours to fully release the mucus. Summer Jiayin, which is used to clear heat and detoxify, and herbal tea with a ratio of 1:3 with honeysuckle, has a significant effect on alleviating sore throat. Malaysian scholars found that its extract had a 58.6% inhibition rate on influenza A virus. Kapok polysaccharide, a natural barrier to immune regulation, can increase NK cell activity by 27%. The anti-cancer decoction compatible with Agaricus blazei has applied for a national patent. It is recommended to drink it 2-3 times a week, and improvement in immune indicators can be seen after three months. Classification and characteristics of kapok varieties. The fruit of the edible and medicinal variety kapok magnescens can extract edible fiber. The seed oil of kapok Jibei contains 65% linoleic acid and is listed as a new resource food. In my country, long-fruit kapok is mainly cultivated for medicinal production. The flowering period of the ornamental economic variety Meiren Tree is as long as 90 days, and the water storage capacity of the moire kapok stems reaches 300 liters. African kapok wood has a hardness of Janka 1120 lbf and is widely used in high-end furniture manufacturing. There are less than 2000 existing rare and protected variety Kapok greeni and listed in Appendix II of CITES. The flame kapok variety found in Yunnan shows a rare orange-blue gradient in color.
From the medicinal material market to urban greening, the value chain of kapok continues to extend. Modern research has confirmed that its antioxidant capacity is three times that of green tea, and it has great potential in the development of functional foods. Reasonable use of this ecological resource requires balancing medicinal collection and species protection so that the heroic tree can continue to benefit mankind.