INDIVIDUAL HERBS

Pharmaceutical Latin:	Herba Spirodelae
Common English:	Spirodela Duckweed

Taste	Temperature	Entering Meridians	Dosage
Acrid	Cool (Cold)	Bladder Lung	3-10g Severe cases: 9-20g Tincture: 2-4ml

Actions	Indications/Syndromes
Induces sweating and releases the exterior (unblocks the muscle layer)	Wind-Heat with body aches and anhidrosis
Vents rashes and relieves itching	Hastens the full expression of measles or other rashes to hasten the resolution of the disease Wind rash
Promotes urination and reduces swelling	Hot superficial edema (primarily in the upper body with urinary difficulty)

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Contraindicated for those with any condition with profuse sweating, including Wei Qi Deficiency or Blood Deficiency or Qi Deficiency.
Contraindicated for those with night sweats, and/or thirst and dry mouth from Yin Deficiency.
Use with caution for those with edema due to Yang Deficiency.
Use caution in mild cases.

INCOMPATIBILITIES

HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

Hb. Schizonepetae Jing Jie Hb. Menthae Haplocalycis Bo He (Fr. Forsythiae) (Lian Qiao)	Fr. Tribuli Bai Ji Li Fr. Arctii *Niu Bang Zi* Hb. Menthae Haplocalycis Bo He	Hb. Menthae Haplocalycis Bo He Periostracum Cicadae Chan Tui Rz. Cimicifugae Sheng Ma (Fr. Arctii) *(Niu Bang Zi)*
Wind-Heat with fever and lack of sweat.	Wind-Heat fever and headache.	Measles and Wind rash without full expression of the rash.
Hb. Menthae Haplocalycis Bo He Fr. Arctii *Niu Bang Zi*	Hb. Ephedrae Ma Huang	Rx. Trichosanthis Tian Hua Fen
Measles and Wind rash without full expression of the rash. Itching.	Wind-Edema patterns with swollen face, urinary difficulty and anhidrosis.	Wind-Heat with thirst.

This is one of the few cold herbs that is a strong diaphoretic.
It is sometimes used by itself.
It disseminates Lung Qi .
It vents pores to bring out sweat.
Some sources say that this herb dispels Wind-Damp, clears Heat and removes toxins.
Its ability to induce sweating is superior to that of Hb. Ephedrae Ma Huang and its ability to drain water downward is better than that of Medulla Tetrapanacis Tong Cao.
There must be severe Excess and great Heat before it can be used.
This herb is appropriate for itching due to Damp-Heat and absence of sweat as opposed to Wind-Cold with absence of sweat.
Both Fu Ping and Hb. Ephedrae Ma Huang open the pores and unblock fluid passageways to induce sweat and promote urination and can be used to treat fever with absence of sweat, urinary difficulty and edema. Fu Ping is acrid and cold and is best used for Wind-Heat in the exterior with absence of sweating. It also promotes urination where there is edema or Damp-Heat and expels Wind to clear rashes and stop itching. It does not relieve cough or wheezing. Ma Huang is warm, acrid and warm and is best for Wind-Cold exterior patterns with absence of sweat. It also controls wheezing and stops cough.