INDIVIDUAL HERBS
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Radix Sophorae Flavescentis |
| Common English: | Sophora Root Flavescent Sophora Root Yellow Pagoda Tree Root |
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
Bitter |
Cold |
Urinary Bladder Heart Liver Large Intestine Stomach Small Intestine |
3-15g Up to 30g when used topically Tincture: 1-4ml |
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Clears Heat and dries Dampness |
Damp-Heat in the Lower Jiao with jaundice, diarrhea, dysenteric disorders, vaginal discharge and sores, viral hepatitis |
Disperses Wind, kills parasites and stops itching |
Damp-toxin skin lesions or infestations with chronic itching, scabies, seepage and bleeding (internal and topical) Genital itching and vaginal discharge (internal and topical) Bronchial asthma |
Clears Heat and promotes urination |
Damp-Heat in the Small Intestine Painful urinary dysfunction Hot edema |
CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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INCOMPATIBILITIES |
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Rx. Aucklandiae |
Cx. Phellodendri |
Fr. Cnidii |
Damp-Heat dysenteric disorder. Jaundice. |
Thick, yellow vaginal discharge with itching. |
Damp skin lesions such as eczema. |
Fol. Pyrrosiae |
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Hemafecia from Intestinal Heat, bleeding hemorrhoids. Hematemesis from Stomach Heat. |
Generalized itching. |
Urinary dysfunction with burning, rough, painful urination due to Damp-Heat. |
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis |
Poria
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Fr. Gardeniae |
Urinary dysfunction during pregnancy. |
Edema due to hot painful urinary dysfunction. |
Jaundice. |
Cx. Phellodendri |
Cx. Meliae |
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Diarrhea. |
Yellow leukorrhea. As an herbal wash for general itching or vaginitis due to trichomonas infection. |
Hemorrhoid pain. |
Cx. Phellodendri |
Sm. Plantaginis |
Cx. Dictamni |
Skin itching with lesions and abscesses topically. |
As an herbal wash for itching. |
Urticaria. |
Sm. Hydnocarpi |
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Leprosy. |
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- It is often used in pills, powders, tinctures and ointments.
- It is especially useful for lower body skin ailments.
- It is a major ingredient in several formulas for hot dysenteric disorders.
- It clears Heart/Small Intestine Heat.
- It can be used alone to treat diarrhea.
- It can be used alone as an External wash to treat general sores.
- It can be used alone to treat dysuria.
- It is used primarily when Damp-Heat disrupts the Bladder’s separation function.
- Some sources say that this herb is primarily known for treating knotted syndromes and masses in the chest and abdomen.
- This herb is said to protect the Liver.
- It protects against anaphylaxis.
- This herb has also been used to treat enterorrhagia.
- This herb has been shown to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
- Ku Shen, Rx. Gentianae Long Dan Cao and Fr. Gardeniae Zhi Zi all clear and drain Damp-Heat, promote Gallbladder function and resolve jaundice. Ku Shen also expels Wind and kills parasites and is used for itchy skin and hot dysenteric disorders. Long Dan Cao is especially able to enter and clear Liver/Gallbladder Damp-Heat with swelling and expel Bladder Fire. Zhi Zi also drains Heat through the urine and resolves irritable discomfort in the chest.
- Both Ku Shen and Cx. Dictamni Bai Xian Pi eliminate Damp-Heat from the Lower Jiao and the skin and both promote urination Ku Shen also Expels Wind and kills parasites and therefore is better at treating itching and vaginal discharge. Bai Xian Pi is better for Wind-Damp-Bi or Damp-Bi with Heat signs.
- Both Ku Shen and Rz. Coptidis Huang Lian are very bitter and cold. and address problems of the Heart. Ku Shen treats Fire in the Heart channel as well as the Small Intestine. It cools the Fire and drains the Damp-Heat out through the urine. Its drying nature exceeds that of Huang Lian and thus can kill parasites related to Damp-Heat. Huang Lian primarily cools Fire in the Heart organ.
- Both Ku Shen and Fr. Cnidii She Chuang Zi have an excellent ability to dry Dampness, kill parasites, and stop itching when used externally and are often combined for these purposes. Ku Shen is very bitter and cold, clears Heat, dries Dampness and facilitates urination. It is used for Damp-Heat dysenteric disorders, jaundice and urinary difficulty due to clumping of Damp-Heat. She Chuang Zi is acrid, bitter and warm and strongly warms the Kidneys.
- Dry-fried Sophora Chao Ku Shen is less bitter and cold which helps it enter the Blood Level. It is used for those who have Spleen and Stomach Deficiencies, Heat toxin dysenteric disorders or Intestinal Wind with passage of Blood.