Properties: Bitter, pungent, slightly salty
Meridans Entered:
Primary: Liver
Divergent Zones: Taiyang
Traditional Actions/Indications:
- Calms the Liver and anchors Yang
Liver Yang Rising with headache, vertigo or dizziness
- Dredges Liver Qi and disperses Stagnation and clumping
Liver Qi Stagnation with pain and distention in the flanks, irregular menstruation or insufficient lactation
- Dispels Wind-Heat and brightens the eyes
Red, swollen and painful eyes
Excess tearing
- Dispels Wind and stops itching
Any kind of skin lesion with significant itching, such as hives
Vitiligo (can be used as a stand-alone herb)
- Extinguishes Liver Wind
Liver Wind
Suggested Daily Dosage: 6-10g in decoction.
Cautions: Caution in pregnancy.
Notes:
In Ayurvedic medicine it is used to increase the libido, athletic performance and testosterone, gallstones and kidney stones, prostate issues, obesity, arthritis, migraine and hypertension (Planet Ayurveda). Of these only the last couple match with any Chinese indications for Wind while many others would suggest it is a Yang tonic.
Appears in 9 formulae listed on this site: (click to display)
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, and A+ Medical Encyclopaedia have 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.
