Properties: Bitter and cold
Meridans Entered:
Primary: Liver, Gallbladder, Stomach and Bladder
Divergent Channels: Gallbladder, Liver
Extraordinary Vessels: Dai
Traditional Actions/Indications:
- Drains Damp-Heat from the Liver and Gallbladder channels
Damp-Heat in the upper portion of the Gall Bladder Channel with red, swollen sore throat and eyes; swollen, painful ears or sudden deafness
Damp-Heat in the Liver/Gallbladder with jaundice, pain, swelling or dampness in the genital area or foul-smelling vaginal discharge and itching
- Drains and pacifies Excess Liver Fire
Liver Fire Blazing Upward with headache or red eyes
Liver Wind-Heat with fever, spasms, convulsions or flank pain
- Settles the Five Zang and Kills Gu Toxins
Stated in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing but not commonly used this way today
- Aids fasting
Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, sharpen the wits, improve memory, make the body light and slow ageing. 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: 2-6g in decoction.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for deficiency cold syndrome.
Appears in 10 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.
