Properties: Pungent, warm, toxic
Meridans Entered:
Primary: Heart
Traditional Actions/Indications:
- Relieves toxicity, reduces swellings and alleviates pain
Toxic Phlegm-Heat in the throat
Topically or internally for swellings, sores, carbuncles and ulcers
- Expels Summerheat and Dampness, opens the orifices, awakens consciousness and tonifies the Heart
Extremely turbid Summerheat with abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and sudden loss of consciousness
Heart and Kidney Yang Deficiencies
Devastated Yang
Heart and Lung Fluid congestion Lung Qi Stagnation with Cold Phlegm
- Attacks toxins, reduces swellings resists cancer and stops panic
Various types of cancer
Suggested Daily Dosage: 0.015-0.03g in pills or powder.
Cautions: Toxic so avoid overdose or excessive use. Do not use in eyes for external application. Prohibited to pregnant women.
Due to toxicity and the Medicines Act 1968 ch. 67 prohibiting animal products from being used by herbalists this must be substituted. Shi Chang Pu and Ru Xiang are probably good candidates.
Appears in 1 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, 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.
