Properties: Pungent, salty, cold
Meridans Entered:
Primary: Heart, Stomach and Kidney
Traditional Actions/Indications:
- Clears Heat and drains Fire from the Yangming Stage / Qi Level
Yangming Division or Qi Level Heat with high fever, irritability and thirst
- Expels Summerheat
Especially useful for Summerheat
- Used for burns and sores
Topically for burns, sores and inflamed eyes due to Wind-Heat
- Promotes urination and reduces oedema
Edema and anuria
- Directs Fire downward and softens hardness
Swelling and pain of the throat and gums, and clumping in the abdomen
- Aids fasting
Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the middle class of minerals which can, with protracted taking, end hunger. This may suggest it was part of supplementing the diet when engaging in an "avoiding grain" (Bigu 辟穀) fasting regime to cultivate life (Yangsheng 養生).
Suggested Daily Dosage: 9-15g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated in case of insufficiency-cold in spleen and stomach.
Mineral products are prohibited from use in the UK under the Medicines Act 1968 ch. 67 which restricts herbalists to the use of plant products only.
Appears in 7 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.
