Properties: Bitter, cold
Meridans Entered:
Primary: Heart and Liver
Traditional Actions/Indications:
- Opens the orifices and resuscitates the Spirit
Sudden unconsciousness (mixed with warm water
- Detoxifies alcohol and softens hardness
Acute alcoholism
Firm mass Jiu Zheng in the upper abdomen due to long-term habitual drinking
- Stops Malaria (Nue)
Intermittent fevers (taken with cold vinegar)
- Harmonises the Stomach and alleviates pain
Epigastric pain and stomach aches
Suggested Daily Dosage: Dissolved in warm water or made into pills.
Notable Constituents:
- Bile Acids
Steroid acids and salts that are conjugated with taurine of glycine to become bile salts that play an important role in the digestion and absorption of fat.
- Taurine
An amino sulfonic acid derived from methionine and cysteine metabolism abundant in many animal and fish organs and a major constituent of bile. It has many biological roles, including conjugation of bile acids, antioxidation, osmoregulation, membrane stabilisation, and modulation of calcium signalling. It is essential for cardiovascular function, and development and function of skeletal muscle, the retina, and the central nervous system. It is used as an oral supplement in the treatment of disorders such as cystic fibrosis and hypertension and widely used in energy drinks, cosmetics and nutritional supplements.
Notes:
"Pills were made from fox bile, cinnabar (Mercury sulfide; Zhu Sha), white arsenic (Arsenic trioxide; Pi Shuang), asafetida (Ferula assafoetida; A Wei), musk (Moschus berezovskii; She Xiang), and mung beans (Vigna radiata; Lu Dou)" (Wang & Carey, 2014).
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, 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.
