Properties: Sweet, slightly bitter, cold
Meridans Entered:
Primary: Liver, Kidney and Lung
Extraordinary Vessels: Yang Wei
Traditional Actions/Indications:
- Cools the Blood and drains Yin Deficiency Fire (steaming bones) - (drains Kidney Fire, eliminates lurking Heat, and clears Heat from the bones)
Yin Deficiency with Empty Fire Rising (Kidney Fire) with night sweats, steaming bone disorder with sweating, chronic low-grade fever, irritability and thirst
Toothache from Floating Fire in the Kidney channel
- Clears and drains Heat in the Lung
Lung Heat cough or wheezing
- Clears Heat, cools the Blood and stops bleeding
Various bleeding disorders characterized by Heat in the Blood
- Aids fasting
Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, fortify the sinews and bones, 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: 9-15g in decoction.
Appears in 21 formulae listed on this site: (click to display)
Bu Shen Qing Re Zhi Wang Tang (Kidney Supplementing Heat Clearing Joint Deformity Decoction)
From: Ten Lectures on the Use of Formulas from the Personal Experience of Jiao Shu-De by Jiao Shu-De (2005)
Da Tou Wen Tang (Massive Febrile Disorder of the Head Decoction)
From: Medical Collectanea of Kong Bo-Hua (1988) by Kong Bo-Hua
Di Gu Pi Jiu (Lycium Bark Wine)
From: Chinese Medicinal Wines and Elixirs (2008) by Various
Di Gu Pi Yin (Lycium Root Bark Drink)
From: Shen's Book for Revering Life (1773)
Er Dong Er Di Jiu (Two Winters Two Earths Wine)
From: Chinese Medicinal Wines and Elixirs (2008) by Various
Ma Huang Deng Shi Wei San (Ephedra Pill with Ten Ingredients)
From: Arcane Essentials from the Imperial Library by Wang Tao (752)
Niu Xi Jia Pi Jiu (Achyranthes and Acanthopanax Wine (or literally "Ox Knee with Bark Wine"))
From: Chinese Medicinal Wines and Elixirs (2008) by Various
Niu Xi Rou Gui Jiu (Achyranthes and Cinnamon Wine)
From: Chinese Medicinal Wines and Elixirs (2008) by Various
Qi Pi Yin (Seven Peel Drink)
From: Formulas to Aid the Living by Yan Yong-He (1253)
Qin Jiao Bie Jia San (Large Gentian and Soft-Shelled Turtle Powder)
From: Precious Mirror of Health by Luo Tian-Yi (Yuan Dynasty)
Qing Gu San (Cool the Bones Powder)
From: Indispensable Tools for Pattern Treatment by Wang Ken-Tang (1602)
Qing Jing San (Clear the Menses Powder)
From: Fu Qing-Zhu's Women's Disorders by Fu Qing-Zhu (1826)
Qing Xin Lian Zi Yin (Clear the Heart Drink with Lotus Seed)
From: Formulary of the Pharmacy Service for Benefiting the People of the Taiping Era by Tai Yi Ju (Imperial Medical Bureau) (1107)
Ren Shen Huang Qi San (Ginseng and Astragalus Powder)
From: Precious Mirror of Health by Luo Tian-Yi (Yuan Dynasty)
Sang Dan Xie Bai Tang (Mulberry Leaf and Moutan Decoction to Drain the White)
From: Revised Popular Guide to the Discussion of Cold Damage by Yu Gen-Chu, Revised by He Bing-Yuan (Qing dynasty)
Tao Ren San Yu Tang (Peach Seed Decoction to Scatter Stasis)
From: Complete External Therapies of Chinese Drugs by Xu Xiangcai
Wu Pi Yin (Five Peel Drink)
From: Formulary of the Pharmacy Service for Benefiting the People of the Taiping Era by Tai Yi Ju (Imperial Medical Bureau) (1107)
Xie Bai San (Drain the White Powder)
From: Craft of Medicines and Patterns for Children by Qian Yi (1119)
Xie Bai San (Drain the White Powder)
From: Wondrous Lantern for Peering into the Origin and Development of Miscellaneous Diseases (1773) by Shen Jin-Ao
Xie Bai San (Drain the White Powder)
From: Indispensable Tools for Pattern Treatment by Wang Ken-Tang (1602)
Xie Gan San [Bao Feng Ke Re] (Drain the Liver Powder [Violent Wind Accompanied with Heat])
From: Essential Subtleties on the Silver Sea by Unknown, attributed to Sun Si Miao (Maybe composed in the Song - Ming Dynasty, published ~1579)
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.
