Properties: Bitter, cold, mildly toxic
Meridans Entered:
Primary: Liver, Stomach, Small Intestine and Urinary Bladder
Extraordinary Vessels: Chong, Ren, Yin Qiao
Traditional Actions/Indications:
- Dredges Liver Qi, releases Stagnation, stops pain and conducts Heat out from below
Liver Qi Stagnation with pain in the chest and ribs, distention and pain from Liver/Stomach disharmony and bulging disorders
It is most useful for problems involving Heat, but because it is very effective, it can also be used for Cold conditions with the appropriate herbs
- Kills parasites and stops pain
Roundworms and tapeworms
Primarily used for abdominal pain associated with parasitic infestation
Topically as a powder for dermatosis of the scalp
- Kills fungus
Topically, as a paste for fungal infections of the scalp
- Removes the Three Worms
Said in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing that it removes the Three Worms. These may refer to difficult to treat metabolic disorders caused by overindulgence and should be accompanied by fasting, meditation and exercise regimes.
Suggested Daily Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.
Cautions: It is bitter, cold and mildly toxic in property, so it can easily induce nausea, vomiting, etc. when overtaken.
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.
