INDIVIDUAL HERBS
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma Acori Graminei |
| Common English: | Sweetflag Rhizome Grassleaf Sweetflag Rhizome Rock Sweetflag Root Acorus |
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
Acrid Bitter |
Warm Aromatic |
Heart Stomach (Liver) (Spleen) (Lung) |
3-10g Fresh: 10-15g Tincture: 1-3ml |
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Opens the Orifices, vaporizes Phlegm, removes filth, calms the Spirit and disperses Wind |
Phlegm-Dampness Veiling and Blocking the Sensory Orifices with deafness, dizziness, forgetfulness, dulled senses, and seizures or stupor Wind-Phlegm with seizures or stupor |
Transforms turbid Dampness, harmonizes the Middle Jiao, awakens the Spleen and promotes the movement of Qi |
Dampness Distressing the Spleen and Stomach with chest and epigastric fullness and abdominal fullness and pain due to Dampness and Turbidity Obstructing the Middle Jiao |
Promotes Blood flow reduces swelling and alleviates Wind-Damp Bi and sores (internally and topically) |
Wind-Cold-Damp Bi Sores (internally and topically) Trauma |
Benefits the throat |
Hoarse voice due to laryngitis or inflammation of the vocal cords |
CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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INCOMPATIBILITIES |
|
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Rz. Arisaematis |
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Disorientation, irritability, dizziness, and hearing problems due to Turbid Dampness Blocking the Orifices |
Phlegm-Heat Veiling the Pericardium with muddled consciousness and delirium |
Wind-Stroke from Phlegm Blocking the Heart Orifices with muddled conscious-ness and a stiff tongue with aphasia |
Frusta Ferri |
Fr. Aurantii Immaturus |
|
Forgetfulness, tinnitus, and impaired hearing |
Mania from Phlegm-Fire Agitating the Heart |
Seizures or spasms from Phlegm-Heat |
Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae |
Sm. Cuscutae |
|
Forgetfulness and dulled senses |
Overwork leading to insomnia or palpitations |
Diminished hearing and tinnitus from Heart and Kidney Deficiency |
Cx. Magnoliae Officinalis or Cx. Magnoliae Officinalis |
Hb. Pogostemi/Agastaches |
Rz. Coptidis |
Pain and distention of the chest and epigastrium due to Turbid dampness Obstructing the Middle Jiao |
Chest and abdominal distention and fullness, anorexia, feeling of focal distention and pain from Dampness and Turbidity Obstructing the Middle |
Sudden turmoil disorder from smoldering Damp-Heat |
Rz. Coptidis |
Sm. Nelumbinis Nuciferae |
Rx. Aucklandiae |
Dysenteric disorders where the patient is unable to eat or drink |
Dysenteric disorders with an inability to eat |
Epigastric and abdominal distention due to Dampness and Qi Obstruction |
Rx. Sophorae Tonkinensis |
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Swollen, sore throat with difficulty swallowing and a raspy voice |
Hoarseness with Phlegm in the throat or swollen vocal cords |
Corneal ulcerations |
Rx. Aconiti Preparata |
Rx. Curcumae |
Arillus Longan |
Wind-Cold-Damp Bi with joint pain in the extremities |
Transforms Dampness, opens the Orifices, and awakens the brain to treat Warm-Damp febrile disease when Heat has entered the Pericardium or where turbid Dampness has blocked the clear Orifices.with loss of consciousness or confusion, tinnitus and forgetfulness With appropriate herbs to treat Qi, Blood or Phlegm Stagnation with palpitations, forgetfulness, moodiness or withdrawal-mania, hysteria, depression or reduced mental acuity as a sequela of brain concussion |
Forgetfulness, dizziness and fatigue due to Heart Qi and Blood Deficiency |
Rx. Curcumae |
Rx. Polygalae |
Rx. et Rz. Rhei |
High fever with coma or unconsciousness caused by Hot Phlegm |
Manic behavior with a greasy tongue coat and a slippery pulse |
Manic behavior with constipation |
Magnetitum or Six-Ingredient Pill with Rehmannia |
Hb. Sincrassulae Indicae |
|
Epilepsy |
Tinnitus or diarrhea due to Kidney Deficiency |
Damp-Heat diarrhea |
Rx. Codonopsis |
Hb. Sincrassulae Indicae |
Sm. Sterculae Lychnophorae |
Diarrhea with Spleen Deficiency |
Diarrhea accompanied by Exterior conditions |
Hoarse voice and dry mouth |
- This is considered the primary herb for Opening Orifices (usually used in combination with Rx. Polygalae Tenuifoliae Yuan Zhi).
- The ability of this herb to open Orifices is secondary, however, to its aromatic action of vaporizing Phlegm.
- Some sources say that this herb benefits wisdom and in addition kills worms.
- Both Shi Chang Pu and Rx. Polygalae Yuan Zhi enter the Heart, clear Phlegm and open the Orifices. Shi Chang Pu is acrid and war and relies on its aromatic fragrance to open the Orifices, disseminate Qi and Dampness and expel Phlegm. Yuan Zhi expels phlegm, calms the Spirit and augments the mind and uses its bitterness to drain and descend the Phlegm that rebels upward to the Heart. Both herbs are often used together.