Properties: Bitter and pungent
Meridans Entered:
Primary: Liver
Divergent Channels: Gallbladder, Liver
Traditional Actions/Indications:
- Clears Liver Fire and brightens the eyes
Liver Fire with red, painful or swollen eyes or headache and dizziness
Eye pain which is worse in the evening due to Liver Yin Deficiency, especially when the eyes are neither red nor swollen
- Clears Hot Phlegm and dissipates nodules
Any neck lumps or nodules due to Phlegm-Fire such as scrofula, lipoma, carbuncle, swollen glands or goiter
- Lowers blood pressure
Hypertension due to Liver Fire or Liver Yang Rising
Suggested Daily Dosage: 10-15g in decoction.
Notable Constituents:
- Betulinic acid
Pentacyclic triterpenoid with antiretroviral, antimalarial, and anti-inflammatory properties as well as recently discovered anticancer potential via mitochondrial pathways
- Hyperoside
Quercetin glycoside with antibacterial, hepatoprotective and antitumour activity.
Appears in 6 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.
