INDIVIDUAL HERBS
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Radix Saposhnikoviae Radix Ledebouriellae |
| Common English: | Saposhnikoviae Root Ledebouriella Root Siler Laserwort Wind-Protector Root |
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
Acrid Sweet |
Slightly Warm (Warm) |
Urinary Bladder Liver Spleen Lung |
3-10g Maximum dosage: 30g Tincture:2-4 ml |
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Releases the Exterior and expels External Wind |
Wind-Cold with headache, chills, aversion to Cold, and body aches |
Expels Wind-Dampness and alleviates pain |
Wind-Damp Bi, especially with Wind predominant |
Expels Internal Wind and stops spasms |
As an auxiliary for Liver Wind with trembling of hands and feet and tetany Intestinal-Wind due to imbalance between Spleen and Liver with recurrent tenesmus and painful diarrhea with bright blood in the stool Migraine headaches |
| Relieves diarrhea and stops bleeding | Liver and Spleen Disharmony with recurrent painful diarrhea, borborygmus and abdominal pain |
CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Rx. Astragali |
Flos Schizonepetae
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Rx. Gentianae Macrophyllae
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Prevents Wind from entering the skin (once Wind has entered, discontinue). |
Wind-Cold. Exterior patterns in any season. Pruritic rash. Initial-stage boils. Expels Wind and stops itching. Charred to stop bleeding. |
Wind-Damp Bi with spasms of the tendons or numbness of the limbs. Pain due to Wind-Dampness in patients with Blood Deficiency. |
Rz. Atractylodis |
Rz. seu Rx. Notopterygii |
Rz. Arisaematis Preparatum
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Wind-Cold-Dampness with chills, anhidrosis, headache, heavy head, lethargy, heavy limbs and stifling fullness in the chest and abdomen. Pain due to Wind-Dampness Bi with aching joints, heavy limbs and generalized aching discomfort. Diarrhea due to Wind-Cold in patients with Spleen Dampness. |
Painful obstruction. |
Headache, generalized body aches and numbness due to Wind-Phlegm Obstructing the channels. |
Rz. Chuanxiong |
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Difficulty walking due to painful legs after a dysenteric disorder. Crane's-Knee-Wind. |
Wind-Cold with aversion to Cold, headache and muscle aches and pain. |
Wind-Heat. |
Rz. seu Rx. Notopterygii |
Rz. Arisaematis |
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German measles, pruritis and other skin ailments. |
Wind-Dampness. |
Opisthotonos, trismus, spasms and convulsions due to Liver Wind. |
Wind-Cold. |
Wind-Heat. |
Wind-Cold-Damp Bi. |
| Urticaria and skin itch. | Exterior Wind-Cold with aversion to Cold, fever and headache. | Wind-Heat with red eyes and a sore throat. |
Rx. Ephedrae |
Rx. Ephedrae |
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Dispels Wind-Cold from the Exterior. |
Dispels Wind-Heat from the Exterior and clears Heat from the Interior. |
Dermatological disorders with rash, irritability and itching. |
Hb. Menthae |
Rz. seu Rx. Notopterygii |
Per. Citri Reticulatae |
Acne due to Wind-Heat Attacking the upper body. |
Wind-Cold-Damp Bi. |
Diarrhea with abdominal pain. |
Charred Rx. Sanguisorbae |
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Chronic, recurrent diarrhea with Blood. |
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- Fang Feng can neutralize toxins produced by Rx. Aconiti Chuan Wu Tou and Flos Daphne Genkwa Yuan Hua and wild mushroom.
- It is common in formulas for skin ailments.
- When charred to ashes, it can stop bleeding.
- Fang Feng means Dispel Wind.
- It is one of the major surface relieving herbs.
- It is gentler than Ma Huang.
- It is frequently combined with cold, bitter herbs to treat surface inflammations.
- It is safe for long-term use.
- It can be used for all Wind patterns, Hot or Cold, upper or lower body and Exterior or Interior.
- Some sources say that it tonifies the Spleen.
- It is also said to raise Yang Qi.
- It is less drying than most other Wind expelling herbs.
- It is said to prevent influenza due to its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties.
- Fang Feng is less drying and less aromatic that either Rx. Angelicae Pubescentis Du Huo or Rz. seu Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo. Therefore it is less able to disperse a heavy accumulation than the other two, but is gentler in its effect and will not injure Yin as rapidly . It is useful in treating Intestinal Wind or painful diarrhea, which is no true of the other two.
- Both Fang Feng and Hb. Schizonepetae Jing Jie eliminate Wind, release the exterior, and disperse Wind-Cold and Wind-Heat but Jing Jie's actions are weaker and more superficial. Its Wind expelling nature is limited to the skin, muscles and Blood. Fang Feng is stronger at expelling Wind that is deep in the body and can also overcome Dampness. It is appropriate for all types of Wind.
- Dry-fried Saposhnikoviae Chao Fang Feng has reduced Wind expelling and Exterior releasing actions but an improved ability to lift Yang. It is useful in treating Spleen Deficiency diarrhea.
- Charred Saposhnikoviae Fang Feng Tan can enter the Blood level with strong Blood warming and hemostatic effects. It can treat irregular menstrual bleeding with pale Blood due to Deficiency Cold.