Gastrodia elata is a saprophytic perrenial herb of the Orchidaceae family. It is found in Nepal, Bhutan, India, Japan (Hokkaido, Honshu, four countries, Nine Provinces), North Korean, Siberia, Taiwan as well as mainland China grow at elevations of 400-3200 meters at the edge of forest. Gastrodia root has been shown to exert novel pain relief and inflammatory-mediating activities, as well as in vivo and in vitro inhibitory activity on nitric oxide (NO) production.
The plant has a 8-12 centimeters long elliptical underground rhizome with a diameter of 3-5 centimeters but may grow up to 7 centimeters. The stem is erect with a height of 0.3-1 meter up to 2 meters, the orange yellow, tan, cylinder, and leafless.
The herb is used in Traditional Chinese medicine and Sichuan cuisine. Medicinally, it is used for 'calming the liver'and for treating headaches, dizziness, tetanus, and epilepsy. Chemical properties: 4-Hydroxybenzaldehyde and gastrodin can be found in the orchid G. elata.