{pixabay|100|campaign} Dokudami is a medium sized flowering plant that grows in many Asian countries, including Japan, China, Korea and other Asian nations. It is known as the chameleon plant to many gardeners and it produces a fishy odor when the leaves are pressed together or crushed. This plant can be found in dark, damp areas and will grow almost anywhere that meets this criteria, including hills, fields and even asphalt cracks. It is considered a perennial and it flowers in the summer.

Dokudami has a long history as a medicinal herb. Dokudami means “poison blocking plant” and it was used to treat many ailments throughout Asian history. It is one of only a few herbs to be listed in the Japanese Pharmacopoeias. This plant contains phytochemicals and has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. It has been used to control fever, regulate blood pressure, stop hemorrhaging, relieve indigestion and calm allergic reactions. It has also been used as a detoxifier, a diuretic and as an anti-inflammatory agent. Some studies even show that it may help to prevent certain cancers.

The most common way to use dokudami for medicinal purposes is to dry out the leaves. Many people in Japan believe that this plant helps maintain clean and clear skin, as well as help slow down the aging process. It is also used to relieve congestion by picking and crushing the leaves and then rubbing them inside the nostrils. The leaves can also be picked and rubbed in a wound to prevent infection. This plant is also a key ingredient in some foot detoxification pads.

Dokudami is also the primary herb used in Ten Chi Cha, a Japanese tea that is known for its medicinal purposes. Studies have shown that quercitrin, which is found in the leaf of the plant, can help reduce the hardening that occurs in arteries. Other herbs included in this tea are the hardy rubber tree leaf, large fruited adley, sicklepod, nomame senna, kuma-zasa, Chinese boxthorn, mulberry leaf, persimmon leaf, loquat leaf, shiso and lindera leaf. Each of these additional 11 herbs has its own medicinal benefits. Ten Chi Cha is used for a variety of purposes, including detoxification, maintaining a regular gastrointestinal function and assisting with a healthy blood flow. This tea does not contain caffeine or sugar and it does not have a bitter taste. It also does not contain any calories, which makes it a very popular beverage choice.

Many people are not aware there is a healthier Japanese herbal tea than Green teas, called Tenchicha. The tea contains 12 herbs with no caffeine. Tad Kumagai is the president of Eco Vita, which provides information on health benefits of herbal products including Ten-Chi Cha. For more detail, please visit TenChiCha.com.

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