Individual Herbs Notebook

桑白皮 Sang Bai Pi

Pharmaceutical: Cortex Mori
Taxonomy: Morus alba

Other names: Mulberry Root Bark

Category: Herbs that Transform Phlegm


Properties: Sweet, cold

Meridans Entered:
Primary: Lung

Traditional Actions/Indications:
  1. Drains Heat from the Lungs, stops coughing and calms wheezing
    Coughing and wheezing, fullness and hemoptysis due to Lung Heat
  2. Promotes urination and reduces oedema
    Lung Heat obstructing the descending action of the Lung, preventing water from moving and stopping perspiration (floating oedema, facial oedema, swelling of the upper extremities, fever, thirst, urinary difficulty, a floating pulse)
  3. Treats hypertension
    Hypertension

Suggested Daily Dosage: 3-10g in decoction.

Cautions: It is contraindicated for lung cold and wind-cold cough patients for its cold and descending property. It should be used with cautions for patients with much urine.

Notes:

In the Classic of Mountains and Seas, a collection of Pre-Qin mythological geography, there is a great tree in the far east called 扶桑 (Fu Sang), identified as an ancient "world-tree". It stands with its roots in the water and the ten suns on its branches. Nine suns are on its lower branches and the one (presumably the one that rises that day) is on the upper branch. It is debated whether this name refers to a hibiscus (扶桑 Fu Sang), or a mulberry tree (桑 Sang) that "supports" (扶 Fu) the ten suns.

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