五爪金英爲台灣之民間藥,又名“王爺葵”、“小向日葵”、“樹菊”等,能消暑,利尿,清熱解毒,被用於治療急性胃腸炎,膀胱炎,肝炎及黃疸等疾患,外用可治癱瘡。有關五爪金英之基源,據高木村之調查,爲菊科(Compositae)植物Tithonia diversifolia;之莖與葉,但尚未獲證實。經著者收集市場品及現地調查,發現有其於上述基源之植物被用作五爪金英。爲究明五爪金英之基源,確保其藥效而從事生藥學之研究。由生藥學之研究,從植物之外部形態(葉形、莖外形、葉綠形狀)及內部構造(葉主脈之厚度、主脈維管束數目、表皮細胞之形狀大小、厚角組織之分佈與細胞形狀大小、柵狀組織之層教與分佈、葉表面視特徵;莖表皮細胞,厚角組織及皮層柔細胞之細胞形狀大,導管徑、髓部柔細胞大小)觀察研究之結果,確證五爪金英之基㼍係下列植物: (1)Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.)Gray(腫柄菊)(Family Compositae)之地上部。 (2)Tithonia diversifolia (hemsl.)Gray(腫柄菊)(Family compositae)之莖部。 (3)Dicliptera chinensis Juss.(狗肝菜)(Family Acanthaceae)之地上部。
”Wuu-joa-jin-ing” is a folk medicine of Taiwan. It commonly has been used in the treatment of hepatitis, cystitis, jaundice, gastroenteritis and scrofulodermia. The origin of ”Wuu-jao-jin-ing” has been assumed by Kao to be derived from the aerial part of Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) Gray (Family Compositae). But the investigation shows that there are other plants used as ”Wuu-joa-jin-ing” on Taiwan market. To clarify the origins of ”Wuu-joa-jin-ing”, the pharmacognostical studies were made. From the external morphological and internal structure characteristic indicate that the origins of ”Wuu-joa-jin-ing” are derived from the following species: (1) aerial part of T. diversifolia (Hemsl.) Gray (Family Compositae) (2) stem of T. diversifolia (Hemsl.) Gray (Family Compositae) (3) aerial part of Dicliptera chinensis Juss. (Family Acanthaceae).