Properties: Bitter, pungent, cold
Meridans Entered:
Primary: Lung, Spleen, Stomach and Liver (tcmwiki), or Lung, Large Intestine and Bladder (American Dragon)
Traditional Actions/Indications:
- Promotes expectoration, resolves Phlegm-Heat and Dryness, relieves coughing, tonifies Lung Yin and relieves the bronchi
Phlegm-Heat in the Lungs with cough, sore throat, purulent green-yellow sputum or fetid bloody pus. Treats bronchitis, emphysema, pneumonia and Lung abscess.
Phlegm-Dryness in the Lungs with coughing up plugs of sputum, difficult expectoration and wheezing. Treats allergic asthma.
Lung Yin Deficiency with low-grade afternoon fever, dry mouth and throat and cough with expectoration of thick or bloody sputum. Treats pulmonary tuberculosis.
- Promotes sweating, expels Wind-Heat, reduces fever, promotes eruptions, opens the sinuses and relieves pain
Wind-Heat Invades the Lungs with sore throat, aches and pains, cough and possible fever. Treats common cold and influenza.
Damp-Heat with nasal and head congestion and pain and watery nasal discharge. Treats sinusitis, rhinitis, post nasal drip, otitis media. remittent fevers and eruptive fevers.
Wind-Damp-Heat Bi with joint pain and redness, and muscle aches. Treats rheumatism, arthritis and neuralgia.
- Clears Damp-Heat, reduces infection and inflammation, stimulates immunity, stops discharge and expels parasites
Treats viral and bacterial respiratory infections and throat infections
Bladder and Kidney Damp-Heat with urgent, burning cloudy urination. Treats Uro-genital infections.
Genitourinary Damp-Heat with purulent vaginal discharge and painful urination, Treats cervical erosion, chronic peptic ulcer and parasites.
- Promotes tissue repair, reduces inflammation, benefits the skin and repel insects
Treats burns, injuries, ulcers and abscesses.
Treats skin eruptions.
Use topically as an insect repellant (Lemon Eucalyptus / Neng Ming An Ye / Folium Eucalypti Citriodorae is better against mosquitoes)
- Supports the pancreas and lowers Blood sugar
Treats hyperglycemia and diabetes
Suggested Daily Dosage: 6-15g in decoction. More often as tincture or drops of essential oil.
Cautions: It is contraindicated in case of allergic dermatitis.
Does not appear in any formulae listed on this site
Research Links & References: (click to display)
Research Links:
Reference Notes:
Individual herb information has sourced mainly from TCM Wiki and American Dragon for basic data and then updated manually with my own notes. Zhou, Xie and Yan (2011): Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Vol. 5, has been used for entries not available from those sources with additional material searched for and filled in where available. Western herbs not appearing in the Chinese literature have used Ross (2010): Combining Western Herbs and Chinese Medicine: A Clinical Materia Medica, White Rabbit Institute of Healing and therapeutika.ch. Choices of which source to use or combine have been my own.
These pages are intended to assist clinicians and are not intended for self-diagnosis or treatment for which a qualified professional should be consulted. Actions and indications are taken from traditional uses and do not necessarily reflect the evidence base which should be researched independently. Dosages are for guidance only and will vary dependening on the potency of the batch and the tolerance of the individual so should be evaluated by a professional based on individual needs.
