INDIVIDUAL HERBS
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Rhizoma Anemarrhenae |
| Common English: | Anemarrhena Rhizome Know Mother Root |
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
Bitter Sweet |
Cold |
Lung Stomach Kidney (DU) |
6-12g Maximum dose: 30g Tincture: 2-4ml |
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Clears Heat and drains Fire (Clears Heat from the Qi Stage, from the Lungs and from the Stomach) |
Heat in the Qi Stage with high fever, irritability, restlessness, thirst and a rapid, flooding pulse. Lung Heat and Dryness with cough and expectoration of thick, yellow Phlegm Yang Ming Heat Stomach Heat |
Nourishes Yin and moistens Dryness |
Lung and Kidney Yin Deficiency with night sweats, steaming bone disorder, irritability, afternoon or low grade fever, Five Sole Heat and bleeding gums (Stomach Yin Deficiency) Kidney Heat with spermatorrhea, nocturnal emissions and an abnormally elevated sex drive |
Generates Fluids, clears Deficiency Fire and quenches thirst |
Oral ulcers and inflammation, steaming bones and Xiao Ke (diabetes) due to Yin Deficiency |
Ameliorates the Dryness of tonifying or warming herbs |
For use with herbs such as Rx. Astragali Huang Qi, Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi, Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Preparata Zhi Fu Zi when there is concern that these herbs may be too drying |
CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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INCOMPATIBILITIES |
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
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Cx. Phellodendri |
Rz. Coptidis
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Clears Heat and drains Fire for Yin Deficiency Fire. Steaming Bone disorder from Yin Deficiency with night sweats, dizziness, and vertigo. |
Damp-Heat in the Lower Jiao causing obstruction and dysfunction of Bladder Qi with resulting urinary retention and afternoon fevers. |
Blazing Stomach Fire with intense hunger, dry stools, dry, yellow tongue coat and a slippery rapid pulse. |
Bul. Fritillariae Thunbergii |
Rx. Scrophulariae |
Carapax Trionycis |
Cough due to Lung Heat or Yin Deficiency with expectoration of thick, yellow sputum. |
Ulcers of the oral cavity. |
Steaming bone disorder. |
Rx. Trichosanthis |
Rx. Trichosanthis |
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Thirst and irritability due to Lung and Stomach Dryness. |
Diabetes. |
Wasting and thirsting. |
Gypsum Fibrosum |
Fr. Tsaoko |
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Epidemic diseases. Cools Heat in the Yang Ming or Qi Level while protecting Stomach fluids to treat high fever, profuse sweating, insatiable thirst, a red face, aversion to Heat and a large, strong pulse. |
Regulates Cold and Heat, harmonizes the Exterior and Interior and treats malarial diseases with Tai Yin turbid Dampness fuming upward. (irritability, Heat, profuse sweating) |
Yin Deficiency with Empty Fire. |
Rx. Scutellariae |
Gypsum |
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Coughing with Excess Lung Heat. |
Thirst due to Heat in the Lung and Stomach damaging the Fluids. |
- Moderate dosage may cause a drop in blood pressure and respiratory and cardiac depression.
- Large dosage may cause cessation of respiration and Heart Heat.
- It is common in formulas for Deficiency Fire, dry cough, and diabetes.
- Usually used to treat severe Yin Deficiency Fire.
- It has a deep, systemic tonification via gentle stimulation of the pituitary-adrenal cortex axis (related to the Du Mai).
- It clears Excess energy in the Du Mai.
- Some sources say that it lubricates intestines, is a diuretic, stops cough, resolves Phlegm and is a sedative.
- It clears Heat from all three Jiaos and nourishes the Yin of the Lungs, Stomach and Kidneys and therefore can be used when Excess Heat damages the Yin as in diabetes.
- Because of its Cold, moistening qualities it drains the Spleen to drive water down.
- This herb can be used to neutralize the Heat and drying effects of Qi tonics.
- When Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Preparata Zhi Fu Zi or Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo are used for treatment of Bi Syndrome, this herb may be used to prevent them from damaging Yin Fluids.
- Li Shi-Zhen says that Rx. Astragali Huang Qi acts at the Blood level of the Kidneys and therefore the two herbs should be used together.
- Both Zhi Mu and Gypsum Fibrosum Shi Gao cool the Lungs and Stomach and clear Heat from the Yang Ming Qi Level. Zhi Mu primarily drains Heat and Dampness, cools the Lungs and Kidneys, nourishes Yin and benefits Yin by generating fluids while Shi Gao protects the fluids by draining Fire.
- Dry-fried Anemarrhena Chao Zhi Mu has a reduced cooling nature and a more moderate Fire-draining effect. If fried with wheat, digestion is protected for patients with both Deficiency Fire and Spleen and Stomach Deficiency.
- Honey-prepares Anemarrhena Mi Zhi Zhi Mu is best for those with damaged fluids and Blood or those who are too weak to take strong, bitter, cooling herbs.
- Vinegar-fried Anemarrhena Cu Chao Zhi Mu leads the properties upward to cool the Lungs and drain Fire when Lung Heat causes hemoptysis, epistaxis, irritability, cough and wheezing.
- Salt-fried Anemarrhena Yan Chao Zhi Mu increases its downward-directing action to nourish Yin, moisten Dryness and cool and drain Ministerial Fire.
- Wine-fried Anemarrhena Jiu Chao Zhi Mu guides the herbs action upward and lessens its Cold, draining properties.
- It is especially useful for states of impending or actual adrenal burnout with fatigue, loss of stamina, Dryness and Heat, with clear benefits for treating menopause.