半夏Pinellia ternata Breit.为常用中药,自《内经》以来,主用于镇咳祛痰,和胃止呕。七十年代中期又发现半夏蛋白有抗早孕的作用,同属植物虎掌P.pedatisecta Schott具有抗癌活性。后者自古为天南星的一大来源,而天南星属Arisaema某些植物小块茎作半夏,大块茎作南星用。犁头尖属Typhonium一些种的块茎在民间亦按半夏功能 Pinellia ternata Breit. is a commonly used Chinese medicine. Since the “Internal Classic,” it has been mainly used for antitussive and expectorant vomiting. In the mid-1970s, Pinellia protein was also found to have anti-pregnancy effects. The same plant P. pedatisecta Schott has anticancer activity. The latter has been a major source of Arisaema since ancient times, while Arisaema of some Araceae plants are small tubers of Pinellia ternate, and large tubers are used for southern astronomy. Pleurota Typhonium is a species of tuber in the folk also according to Pinellia function