INDIVIDUAL HERBS

Pharmaceutical Latin: Catechu
Pasta Acaciae seu Uncariae
Common English: Catechu
Black Catechu
Black Cutch
Brown Cutch
White Cutch
Catechu seu Gambir
Substances for Topical Application
Taste Temperature Entering Meridians Dosage
Bitter
Astringent
Slightly Cold
(Cool)
Lung
1-3g
Pills and Powders: 0.1-0.9g
Actions Indications/Syndromes

Drains Dampness and absorbs suppuration

Sores that are filled with purulent fluid, chronic, syphilitic sores, non-healing sores and sores of the oral cavity

Stops bleeding and generates flesh

Topically for bleeding due to external trauma

Internal bleeding with epistaxis, hematemesis, hemafecia and irregular uterine bleeding

Clears Heat, clears the Lungs, transforms Phlegm, generates fluids and stops diarrhea

Cough due to Lung Heat

Thirst due to Summerheat

Bloody diarrhea, dysenteric disorders

These uses are now rare

Relieves Food Stagnation in children and promotes digestion Indigestion or Food Stagnation in children
CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Contraindicated for those with Cold-Dampness.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

Fossilia Ossis Mastodi
Long Gu
Borneolum
Bing Pian
Calomelas
Qing Fen

Borneolum
Bing Pian

Gecko
Ge Jie

Flos Lonicerae
Jin Yin Hua
Fr. Forsythiae
Lian Qiao

Eczema, weeping ulcers, and other Damp skin lesions.

Topically for burns.

Redness, swelling, Heat and pain of the mouth and throat.

Indigo Naturalis
Qing Dai
Cx. Phellodendri
Huang Bai
Borneolum
Bing Pian

Rz. Picrorhizae
Hu Huang Lian

Fr. Cnidii
She Chuang Zi

Ulcerations of the mouth and gums.

Syphilitic sores.

As an external wash for vaginal discharge.

Hb. Ephedrae
Ma Huang
Sm. Armeniacae
Xing Ren
Gypsum Fibrosum
Shi Gao
Rx. Glycyrrhizae
Gan Cao

Rx. Notoginseng
San Qi

Rx. Notoginseng
San Qi
Endoconcha Sepiae
Hai Piao Xiao

Cough with yellow Phlegm.

Bleeding from the upper digestive tract.

Bleeding.

Daemonoropis
Xue Jie
Olibanum
Ru Xiang
Borneolum
Bing Pian

Hb. Asari
Xi Xin
Pigs Gall

Rx. Scutellariae
Huang Lian
Cx. Mori
Sang Bai Pi
Rx. Peucedani
Qian Hu

Bruising, swelling and pain from trauma.

Phlegm-Heat cough.

Phlegm-Heat cough.

Calomelas
Qing Fen
Daemonoropis
Xue Jie

Borax
Peng Sha

Moschus
She Xiang

Topically for ulcers with necrosis of tissue.

Topically for oral ulcers.

Topically for hemorrhoids.

Fossilia Ossis Mastodi
Long Gu
Daemonoropis
Xue Jie
Rz. Bletillae
Bai Ji

or

Rx. Notoginseng
San Qi
Rz. Bletillae
Bai Ji

or

Lignum Dalbergiae Odoriferae
Jiang Xiang
Rz. Bletillae
Bai Ji

Daemonoropis
Xue Jie
Olibanum
Ru Xiang
Myrrh
Mo
Yao
(Borneolum)
(Bing Pian)
(Fossilia Ossis Mastodi)
(Long Gu)

Fol. Nelumbinis
He Ye
Rx. Glycyrrhizae
Gan Cao
Talcum
Hua Shi
Hb. Artemisiae Annuae
Qing Hao

Topically for traumatic hemorrhage.

Topically as a powder for non-healing oozing sores.

Thirst.

Rx. Puerariae
Ge Gen
Rz. Coptidis
Huang Lian
Rx. Scutellariae
Huang Qin
Cx. Phellodendri
Huang Bai

Endothelium Corneum Gigeriae Galli
Ji Ne Jin

 

Diarrhea and dysenteric disorders with tenesmus or burning sensations.

Indigestion or food Stagnation.

 

  1. Internally this herb clears Upper Jiao Heat, transforms Phlegm and generates Fluids. These uses are now rare.
  2. This herb is used externally to restrain Dampness, close non-healing sores, moderate pain and stop bleeding.
  3. This herb is also said to stimulate the growth of new muscles.
  4. Both Er Cha and Alumen Ming Fan drains Dampness and absorb seepage. Ming Fan resolves toxicity kills parasites, dries Dampness and alleviates itching and is primarily used for Dampness. Er Cha but is more transformational and can be used for sores that are filled with purulent fluid and chronic non-healing sores. It also stops bleeding due to external trauma.