Properties: Sweet, sour, cold
Meridans Entered:
Primary: Heart, Liver and Kidney
Traditional Actions/Indications:
- Tonifies the Blood and enriches Yin
Blood Deficiency and Yin Deficiency with dizziness, tinnitus, insomnia and premature graying of the hair
Wasting and thirsting disorder due to Yin Deficiency
- Lubricates the Intestines
Constipation due to Blood Deficiency or insufficiency of Fluids
- Generates Fluids
Thirst and Body Fluid Deficiency
Suggested Daily Dosage: 15-30g in decoction, or sometimes up to 60g; alternatively, can be made into a paste.
Cautions: It is contraindicated for deficiency-cold in spleen and stomach with loose stool.
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.
Appears in 4 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, has 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.
