INDIVIDUAL HERBS
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Rhizoma Pinelliae Preparatum |
| Common English: | Pinellia Rhizome Prepared Pinellia Corm |
Taste |
Temperature |
Entering Meridians |
Dosage |
Acrid |
Warm Toxic |
Lung Spleen Stomach (Heart) |
3-15g Tincture: 2-4ml |
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Dries Dampness and transforms Phlegm |
Cold-Phlegm in the Lungs (cough with copious sputum) Especially effective for Damp-Phlegm of the Spleen (Cold-Damp Stagnation) |
Descends Rebellious Qi and stops vomiting (harmonizes the Stomach) |
Vomiting due to Phlegm-Damp in the Stomach (Tan Yin), Cold thin mucus, Stomach Deficiency, Stomach Heat or pregnancy |
Dissipates nodules and reduces Stagnation (clumps) |
Phlegm in the chest (nodules, pressure, distention, pain) Phlegm nodules in the neck (goiter, scrofula) Focal distension in the chest and epigastrium Obstruction caused by Phlegm anywhere in the body |
| Treats sores, skin ulcerations and carbuncles and reduces swelling (external) | Topically as a powder for sores, skin ulcerations and carbuncles |
CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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INCOMPATIBILITIES |
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Per. Citri Reticulatae |
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Epigastric and abdominal distention or pain due to disharmony of the Stomach Qi. Productive cough and a stifling sensation in the chest due to Phlegm-Damp Obstruction or Spleen Qi Deficiency. |
Vomiting due to Cold with copious, frothy sputum with Cold signs and thin mucus in the Lungs. |
Phlegm-Heat in the Lungs with yellow, viscous sputum, with other Heat signs and vomiting. |
Poria |
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Phlegm-Dampness rising upward and combining with uprising Internal Wind with symptoms of headache, dizziness, focal distention, a stifling sensation in the chest and diaphragm, a greasy white tongue and wiry and slippery pulse. |
Chest Bi from Cold Phlegm clumping in the chest with pain, cough and shortness of breath. |
Expels Phlegm and stops nausea and vomiting, hiccups, coughs with clear, profuse Phlegm and loose, watery stools. Treats Phlegm, thin mucus and turbid Dampness. Prevents turbid Phlegm and Dampness from disturbing the Heart with dizziness, palpitations and insomnia. |
Sp. Prunellae |
Rz. Zingiberis Recens
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Rz. Zingiberis Recens or |
Phlegm-Heat induced insomnia. |
Vomiting due to Cold, thin mucus. Helps eliminate toxins. |
Vomiting with clear signs of Cold in the Middle Jiao. |
Rx. Ginseng |
Rz. Coptidis |
Rz. Coptidis |
Vomiting due to Stomach Deficiency. |
Epigastric distention and indigestion due to a simultaneous invasion of Hot and Cold pathogenic influences into the Stomach. |
Vomiting from Stomach Heat. |
Caul. Perillae |
Hb. Pogostemonis/Agastaches |
Rz. Coptidis |
Morning sickness. |
Nausea with lethargy, anorexia, poor concentration and a swollen, a pale tongue with a greasy, white coat due to turbid Dampness in the Spleen and Stomach. Vomiting during the summer. Fever, vomiting, lethargy and diarrhea associated with Summerheat. |
Phlegm-Heat clumping in the chest and epigastrium with a stifling, distended sensation in the epigastrium that is aggravated by pressure, coughing of viscous, yellow sputum, a greasy, yellow tongue coat and a slippery, rapid pulse. |
Cx. Magnoliae Officinalis |
Bul. Fritillariae Thunbergii |
Bul. Fritillariae Thunbergii |
Phlegm-induced coughing, vomiting, and epigastric and abdominal distention. Treats Phlegm-Dampness with Qi Stagnation to open Phlegm and Qi Obstruction with a sensation of fullness in the chest with coughing and wheezing, nausea, vomiting and a sensation of distention in the hypochondrium. Plum-pit Qi Stagnation. |
Scrofula or Phlegm-Dampness induced cough. |
Goiter, scrofula or thyroid nodules. |
Rx. Scutellariae |
Fr. Trichosanthis |
Concretio Bambusae Silicea |
Phlegm-Heat induced Rebellious Qi with cough, nausea, and vomiting. |
Focal distention in the chest and diaphragm due to clumping of Phlegm and Heat leading to Qi Stagnation. Chest Bi due to clumping of sticky, thick and turbid Phlegm. |
Clears Heat, dries Dampness, dislodges Phlegm and calms the Spirit for internal retention of Damp Heat with deep-seated, difficult-to-expectorate sputum, nausea, a stifling sensation in the chest and insomnia or restless sleep. Expels Wind and controls, palpitations and convulsions for children's febrile convulsions from Phlegm-Heat, seizures and Wind-Stroke with profuse Phlegm making speech difficult. Cough with profuse Phlegm and a stifling sensation in the chest. Phlegm-Heat affecting the Stomach with restless sleep. |
Rz. Coptidis |
Haematitum |
Cx. Magnoliae Officinalis |
Nausea and vomiting due to Heat and Cold. |
Chronic neurogenic vomiting. |
Plum pit Qi Stagnation. |
- It is often used with Bul. Fritillariae Thunbergii Zhe Bei Mu or Bul. Fritillariae Cirrhosae Chuan Bei Mu.
- Bul. Fritillariae Bei Mu is more effective in clearing Phlegm-Heat and transforming Phlegm in the Lungs.
- Zhi Ban Xia is more effective at clearing Phlegm-Damp and transforming Phlegm in the Stomach.
- The unprepared herb is most toxic, prepared with ginger the next most toxic and prepared with alumen, the least toxic.
- Toxic symptoms include: burning and numbness in the throat and lips, queasy stomach and nausea and a feeling of pressure in the chest. Oral administration of raw ginger acts as an antidote.
- It is one of the most important herbs for treating Phlegm conditions and digestive disturbance.
- It is said that it should not be used during pregnancy, however in practice it is used, especially for morning sickness - always in combination with a substantial amount of ginger.
- It is said to disperse Stagnation and reduce distention.
- This herb inhibits the growth of cancer cells.
- This herb resolves swellings and lumps and treats carbuncles and goiter both internally and topically.
- One source says that it cures sores, paralysis of the throat, regurgitation, vomiting, mass and goiter.
- For symptoms of tongue cancer (double tongue, swollen and rigid tongue), gargle with this herb decocted in vinegar.
- For carbuncle and cellulitis on the back and breast furuncle, powder this herb and mix with the white of an egg, then apply topically.
- For aphasia, aphonia due to pain of the Shao Yin channel and sore throat, crush seven pieces of this herb, pack it into an egg whose yolk has been removed, fill the egg with wine and boil over a charcoal fire for a short time. Drink slowly after the dregs have been removed. Repeat as needed.
- Both Zhi Ban Xia and Poria Fu Ling expel Phlegm-Dampness. Fu Ling strengthens the Spleen, expels Dampness and transforms Phlegm, while Zhi Ban Xia dries and transforms Phlegm.
- Both Zhi Ban Xia and Rz. Zingiberis Recens Sheng Jiang harmonize the Stomach, settle nausea and alleviate cough. Zhi Ban Xia dries Dampness and disperses Phlegm and thin mucus to settle nausea and dry Dampness and transform Phlegm to treat cough. Sheng Jiang warms the Stomach and awakens the Spleen in order to harmonize the Stomach and settle nausea and warms the Lungs and transforms thin mucus to stop cough. They are used together to treat Cold-Dampness injuring the Stomach and Cold-Phlegm induced cough with profuse mucus. If Rz. Zingiberis Gan Jiang is used, the action is even stronger.
- Both Zhi Ban Xia and Rz. Arisaematis Preparatum Zhi Tian Nan Xing dry Dampness, transform Phlegm and treat Phlegm-Dampness in the Spleen and Stomach. Zhi Ban Xia specifically treats Spleen and Stomach Phlegm-Dampness, alleviates nausea and reduces focal distention. It is acrid but conserving. Zhi Tian Nan Xing has a far more dispersing action, mainly enters the Liver channel and excels at treating Wind-Phlegm in the channels and collaterals, dispersing Blood and reducing swelling. It is acrid but not conserving and is acutely drying. In combination, Zhi Ban Xia should be the primary herb if Phlegm-Dampness is the target and Zhi Tian Nan Xing should be the main herb if Wind-Phlegm is the target.
- Both Zhi Ban Xia and Flos Inulae Xuan Fu Hua disperse clumped Phlegm, settle the Stomach and stop vomiting. Zhi Ban Xia primarily dries Dampness to transform Phlegm and is best to treat profuse, thin, clear Phlegm that is easy to cough up. Xuan Fu Hua descends rebellious Qi, breaks up clumped accumulation, promotes the movement of pathogenic water and is more appropriate for thick, viscous, hard-to-expectorate Phlegm or flank pain with distention and a sensation of fullness in the chest and abdomen from accumulated water and thin mucus or Middle Jiao Qi Deficiency allowing water and Dampness to build up in the Spleen and Stomach causing nausea.
- Both Zhi Ban Xia and Pi Pa Ye Fol. Eriobotryae treat Lung and Stomach conditions. Pi Pa Ye cools the Lungs to stop coughs and transform Phlegm. It is cool and moistening and is used for Phlegm-Heat and cough from Lung Dryness. It cools Stomach Heat, preventing Stomach Qi from being carried upward by Excess Yang. It allows Phlegm to be more easily moved by Zhi Ban Xia. Zhi Ban Xia transforms Dampness and Phlegm and is better for cough with profuse Phlegm from Phlegm-Dampness. It transforms Phlegm and Dampness so that Stomach Qi is free to properly descend, thereby preventing nausea. It is warm and parching and mainly parches Dampness and transforms Phlegm. Together Moistness and Dryness , Cold and Heat are all represented and the ability to descend Qi is considerably strengthened. They are frequently used together to treat cough and wheezing and to alleviate nausea and calm the Stomach.
- Rz. Pinelliae (Unprepared Pinellia) Sheng Ban Xia is too toxic for internal use. It can be used for external application as a powder to inhale for treating coma, fainting, childhood convulsions or swollen, painful obstruction of the throat. Modern applications include eliminating boils and goiter, stopping pain, and treating skin diseases.
- Ginger Pinellia Jiang Ban Xia is less toxic, warm and drying to dry Dampness, transform Phlegm, descend Qi and alleviate nausea. It is best for either Phlegm and thin mucus from Spleen Deficiency or Cold-Phlegm causing coughing and rebellious Qi.
- Standard Pinellia Fa Ban Xia as a less intense drying action and is often used for Spleen Deficiency with Dampness, Phlegm and thin mucus. It can be used for Deficiency Cold and Damp-Heat.
- Clear Water Pinellia Qing Shui Ban Xia is less acrid and drying, making it suitable for weak patients with copious Phlegm and relatively mild Cold-Dampness.
- Pinellia Rhizome Fermented Mass Ban Xia Qu is bitter, pungent and neutral; enters the Lung, Large Intestine and Spleen channels; resolves Phlegm, relieves cough and promotes digestion. It is used for diarrhea and cough with a dosage of 6-9g.
- Purified Pinellia (Qing Xia). It is soaked, boiled, or salted in Alumen Ming Fan solution, which eliminates the side effects of tingling to throat and reduces the toxicity. This form is mainly used for drying dampness and transforming Phlegm. It is slightly acrid.
- This herb is showing promise for type IV sensitivity responses, such as contact dermatitis and tubercular lesions as well as autoimmune disorders in general.