Aweto is a kind of worm in winter, while it turns into a kind of grass in summer months. It is listed as the treasure of Chinese rare medicinal herbs and is called "soft gold" in Tibet.

Aweto is composed of a larva and sporophore growing on the top of its head. The larva is 3-5 cm long, 0.3-0.8 cm thick with yellowish brown and coarse surface. It has segments with several annular marks and eight pairs of feet present at the abdomen with the middle fourpairs more prominent, and the organism is brittle.

The sporophore is slender, longer than the larva, deep brown, with longitudinal striae, and its top is elliptical, enlarged, with numerous protruding granular peritheciums, and soft and tough in texture.

Aweto, treasure of Tibetan medicine[Photo/www.pupk.com]

Aweto is sweet in taste, warm in nature, and attributive to lung and kidney channels.

It is rich in various microelements and helps to invigorate lung, liver and kidney functions, supplements essence, improves inspiration to relieve dyspnea, eliminates phlegm, and stops bleeding. Aweto is a good tonic, and an ideal remedy for treating a long-time cough and weakness, asthma, sputum with blood, aching knees and waist, as well as impotence.

Aweto, treasure of Tibetan medicine[Photo/www.bjkp.gov.cn]

As a tonic, aweto also has a great potential of preventing and fighting with cancer and promoting the immune system. It is sometimes used as a tonics for aging.

Aweto, treasure of Tibetan medicine[Photo/www.bjkp.gov.cn]

Aweto is mainly produced on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, including Qinghai, Tibet, Gansu, Yunnan and Sichuan. It is a very precious Chinese traditional medicinal plant, and also a unique life form of both animal and plant like conformation.

Aweto, treasure of Tibetan medicine[Photo/www.etours.cn]

As early as the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), aweto has enjoyed a world-class reputation and was exported to neighboring countries and Southeast Asian countries. At present, there is still a great demand of aweto in the market and it is renowned as the legendary treasure of Tibet medicine.

[www.chinaculture.org also contributes to this article]