INDIVIDUAL HERBS

NAME: DAN ZHU YE - 淡竹葉 - HERBA LOPHATHERI - BAMBOO LEAVES AND STEM

Pharmaceutical Latin: Herba Lophatheri
Common English: Bamboo Leaves and Stem
Lophatheri Leaves and Stem

CATEGORY

Herbs that Clear Heat and Drain Fire: Herbs that Clear Heat in the Qi Stage

PROPERTIES

Taste Temperature Entering Meridians Dosage
Sweet
Bland
Cold
Heart
Small Intestine
Stomach
( Bladder)
6-16g
Tincture: 2-4 ml

ACTIONS AND INDICATIONS

Actions Indications/Syndromes

Clears Heat and eliminates irritability

Internal Heat patterns with irritability, restlessness, dry mouth and thirst

Mouth and lip ulcers ulcers due to Heat in the Heart or Stomach channels

Promotes urination and clears Damp-Heat

Rough, scanty, painful urination

Especially useful for Heat in the Small Intestine channel with rough, scanty, painful urination, irritability and a dark, red tip of the tongue

CONTRAINDICATIONS, INCOMPATIBILITIES AND HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Use caution during pregnancy.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS
  • Concurrent use with diuretics such as chlorothiazide, hydrochlorothiazide furosemide (Lasix) bumetanide (Bumex) and torsemide (Demadex) may lead to increased elimination of water and electrolytes.

MAJOR COMBINATIONS

Gypsum Fibrosum
Shi Gao

Tub. Ophiopogonis
Mai Men Dong
Rz. Phragmitis
Lu Gen
Rx. Trichosanthis
Tian Hua Fen

Gypsum Fibrosum
Shi Gao
Rz. Anemarrhenae
Zhi Mu

Late stage febrile disease with residual fever, sensations of Heat in the chest, desire for cold drinks, and a red tongue with a thin coat

Lingering fever from febrile disease with insomnia, irritability and a scanty dry tongue coat.

Cough with fever in children.

Heart and Stomach Heat with mouth ulcers and swollen gums.

Heat attacking the Lung and Stomach with a sensation of irritability in the chest and thirst.

Febrile disease with irritability and thirst.

Heat attacking the Stomach with thirst and stomatitis.

Caulis Akebiae
Mu Tong
Rx. Rehmanniae
Sheng Di Huang

Plumula Nelumbinis
Lian Zi Xin

Caul. Akebiae
Mu Tong
Sm. Plantaginis
Che Qian Zi
 Rx. Rehmanniae
Sheng Di Huang

Sensation of Heat and irritability in the chest and Stomach, sores of the mouth and tongue, and dark, scanty urine due to Heat in the Heart and Stomach channels.

Tongue ulcers.

Dysuria due to Small Intestine Heat.

NOTES

  1. Use the root of this herb to stimulate abortion and hasten difficult labor.
  2. The leaf is not good for the fetus.
  3. It is usually used when there is febrile disease with Heat penetrating inward and downward.
  4. Due to its sweet taste, it can be used to help tonify weaker patients.
  5. Some sources say that his herb moistens Dryness and acts as a purgative.
  6. It is good for cold sores (herpes).
  7. This herb does not serve as a chief herb but is a capable assistant.
  8. Both Dan Zhu Ye and Fr. Gardeniae Zhi Zi cool Heat, eliminate irritability and facilitate urination. Zhi Zi is very bitter and cold, enters both the Qi and Blood levels, drains constrained Heat from the San Jiao, cools the Blood and resolves toxicity while clearing the Liver and Gallbladder. It excels at eliminating irritable constraint. Dan Zhu Ye has milder properties, enters only the Qi level, is not only bitter and cold but also acrid and can vent and disseminate Heat. It primarily treats Heart and Lungs and to some extent Stomach. It is also good for cough due to Wind-Heat and mouth ulcers due to Heat in the Heart.