Properties: Sweet, astringent, neutral
Meridans Entered:
Primary: Spleen, and Kidney
Extraordinary Vessels: Chong, Dai
Traditional Actions/Indications:
- Strengthens the Spleen and stops diarrhoea
Chronic diarrhoea due to Spleen Deficiency (especially useful for children) Chronic diarrhoea due to Internal Accumulation of Damp (weak transportation)
- Stabilizes the Kidneys and astringes Jing
Kidney Qi Deficiency with nocturnal emission, premature ejaculation, spermatorrhea and urinary incontinence or frequency
- Expels Dampness and stops discharge
Vaginal discharge due to either Deficiency or Damp-Heat
- Aids fasting
Mentioned in the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing as part of the superior class of herbs which can, with protracted taking, make the body light and free from hunger, and slow ageing to make one an immortal. 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: 10-15g in decoction.
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, 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.
