INDIVIDUAL HERBS

Pharmaceutical Latin: Radix Saposhnikoviae
Radix Ledebouriellae
Common English: Saposhnikoviae Root
Ledebouriella Root
Siler
Laserwort
Wind-Protector Root
Herbs That Release the Exterior: Warm, Acrid Herbs that Release the Exterior (Wind-Cold Diaphoretics)
Taste Temperature Entering Meridians Dosage
Acrid
Sweet
Slightly Warm
(Warm)
Urinary Bladder
Liver
Spleen
Lung
3-10g
Maximum dosage: 30g
Tincture:2-4 ml
Actions Indications/Syndromes

Releases the Exterior and expels External Wind

Wind-Cold with headache, chills, aversion to Cold, and body aches

Expels Wind-Dampness and alleviates pain

Wind-Damp Bi, especially with Wind predominant

Expels Internal Wind and stops spasms

As an auxiliary for Liver Wind with trembling of hands and feet and tetany

Intestinal-Wind due to imbalance between Spleen and Liver with recurrent tenesmus and painful diarrhea with bright blood in the stool

Migraine headaches

Relieves diarrhea and stops bleeding Liver and Spleen Disharmony with recurrent painful diarrhea, borborygmus and abdominal pain
CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Contraindicated for those with Blood Deficiency with spasms.
  • Contraindicated for those with Wind-stroke, postpartum seizures, or convulsions.
  • Contraindicated for those with Yin Deficiency with Heat signs.
  • Contraindicated for those without Wind-Dampness or Cold.
  • Contraindicated for those with headache due to Yin Deficiency, liver Yang or Liver Wind Rising.
  • Contraindicated for those with difficulty passing stools or urine.
  • Contraindicated for those with nausea from rebellious Qi.
  • Contraindicated for those with cough from Fire.
  • Contraindicated for those with spontaneous sweating from Qi Deficiency.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
  • Antagonizes Rz. Zingiberis Officinalis Gan Jiang.
  • Antagonizes Rz. et Rx. Veratri Li Lu.
  • Counteracts Rz. Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae Bei Xie.
  • Incompatible with Fr. Corni Officinalis Shan Zhu Yu.
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

Rx. Astragali
Huang Qi

Flos Schizonepetae
Jing Jie

 

Rx. Gentianae Macrophyllae
Qin Jiao

 

Prevents Wind from entering the skin (once Wind has entered, discontinue).

Wind-Cold.

Exterior patterns in any season.

Pruritic rash.

Initial-stage boils.

Expels Wind and stops itching.

Charred to stop bleeding.

Wind-Damp Bi with spasms of the tendons or numbness of the limbs.

Pain due to Wind-Dampness in patients with Blood Deficiency.

Rz. Atractylodis
Cang Zhu

Rz. seu Rx. Notopterygii
Qiang Huo
Rx. Angelicae Pubescens
Du Huo
Rx. Clematidis
Wei Ling Xian

Rz. Arisaematis Preparatum
Zhi
Tian Nan Xing

 

Wind-Cold-Dampness with chills, anhidrosis, headache, heavy head, lethargy, heavy limbs and stifling fullness in the chest and abdomen.

Pain due to Wind-Dampness Bi with aching joints, heavy limbs and generalized aching discomfort.

Diarrhea due to Wind-Cold in patients with Spleen Dampness.

Painful obstruction.

Headache, generalized body aches and numbness due to Wind-Phlegm Obstructing the channels.

Rz. Chuanxiong
Chuan Xiong
Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata
Shu Di Huang
Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Preparata
Zhi Fu Zi

Hb. Schizonepetae
Jing Jie
Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii
Qiang Huo
Rx. Peucedani
Qian Hu

Hb. Menthae
Bo He
Fr. Forsythiae
Lian Qiao

 

Difficulty walking due to painful legs after a dysenteric disorder.

Crane's-Knee-Wind.

Wind-Cold with aversion to Cold, headache and muscle aches and pain.

Wind-Heat.

Flos Schizonepetae
Jing Jie
Fr. Tribuli
Bai Ji Li

Rz. seu Rx. Notopterygii
Qiang Huo

Rz. Arisaematis
Zhi Tian
Nan Xing
Rz. Typhonii Preparatum
Zhi Bai Fu Zi
Rz. Gastrodiae
Tian Ma
(Scolopendra)
(Wu Gong)
(Bombyx Batryticatus)
(Jiang Can)

German measles, pruritis and other skin ailments.

Wind-Dampness.

Opisthotonos, trismus, spasms and convulsions due to Liver Wind.

Flos Schizonepetae
Jing Jie
Rz. seu Rx. Notopterygii
Qiang Huo

Flos Schizonepetae
Jing Jie
Hb. Menthae
Bo He
Rx. Scutellariae
Huang Qin
Fr. Forsythia
Lian Qiao

Rz. seu Rx. Notopterygii
Qiang Huo
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis
Dang Gui

 

Wind-Cold.

Wind-Heat.

Wind-Cold-Damp Bi.

Rx. Sophorae Flavescentis
Ku Shen
Per. Cicadae
Chan Tui

Fol. Perillae
Zi Su Ye
Hb. Schizonepetae
Jing Jie
Rx. Angelicae Dahuricae
Bai Zhi

Flos Schizonepetae
Jing Jie

Fr. Forsythiae
Lian Qiao
Hb. Menthae
Bo He

Urticaria and skin itch. Exterior Wind-Cold with aversion to Cold, fever and headache. Wind-Heat with red eyes and a sore throat.

Rx. Ephedrae
Ma Huang

Rx. Ephedrae
Ma Huang

Rx. Scutellariae
Huang Qin
Fr. Gardeniae
Zhi Zi

Flos Schizonepetae
Jing Jie

Periostracum Cicadae
Chan Tui

Dispels Wind-Cold from the Exterior.

Dispels Wind-Heat from the Exterior and clears Heat from the Interior.

Dermatological disorders with rash, irritability and itching.

Hb. Menthae
Bo He
Fr. Forsythiae
Lian Qiao
Rx. Scutellariae
Huang Qin
Rz. Coptidis
Huang Lian

Rz. seu Rx. Notopterygii
Qiang Huo
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis
Dang Gui
Rz. Curcumae Longae
Jiang Huang
Rx. Glycyrrhizae
Gan Cao

Per. Citri Reticulatae
Chen Pi
Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae
Bai Zhu
Rx. Paeoniae Alba
Bai Shao

Acne due to Wind-Heat Attacking the upper body.

Wind-Cold-Damp Bi.

Diarrhea with abdominal pain.

Charred Rx. Sanguisorbae
Di Yu
Charred Fr. Sophorae
Huai Jiao
Flos. Sophorae Immaturus
Huai Hua Mi

 

 

Chronic, recurrent diarrhea with Blood.

 

 

  1. Fang Feng can neutralize toxins produced by Rx. Aconiti Chuan Wu Tou and Flos Daphne Genkwa Yuan Hua and wild mushroom.
  2. It is common in formulas for skin ailments.
  3. When charred to ashes, it can stop bleeding.
  4. Fang Feng means Dispel Wind.
  5. It is one of the major surface relieving herbs.
  6. It is gentler than Ma Huang.
  7. It is frequently combined with cold, bitter herbs to treat surface inflammations.
  8. It is safe for long-term use.
  9. It can be used for all Wind patterns, Hot or Cold, upper or lower body and Exterior or Interior.
  10. Some sources say that it tonifies the Spleen.
  11. It is also said to raise Yang Qi.
  12. It is less drying than most other Wind expelling herbs.
  13. It is said to prevent influenza due to its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties.
  14. Fang Feng is less drying and less aromatic that either Rx. Angelicae Pubescentis Du Huo or Rz. seu Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo. Therefore it is less able to disperse a heavy accumulation than the other two, but is gentler in its effect and will not injure Yin as rapidly . It is useful in treating Intestinal Wind or painful diarrhea, which is no true of the other two.
  15. Both Fang Feng and Hb. Schizonepetae Jing Jie eliminate Wind, release the exterior, and disperse Wind-Cold and Wind-Heat but Jing Jie's actions are weaker and more superficial. Its Wind expelling nature is limited to the skin, muscles and Blood. Fang Feng is stronger at expelling Wind that is deep in the body and can also overcome Dampness. It is appropriate for all types of Wind.
  16. Dry-fried Saposhnikoviae Chao Fang Feng has reduced Wind expelling and Exterior releasing actions but an improved ability to lift Yang. It is useful in treating Spleen Deficiency diarrhea.
  17. Charred Saposhnikoviae Fang Feng Tan can enter the Blood level with strong Blood warming and hemostatic effects. It can treat irregular menstrual bleeding with pale Blood due to Deficiency Cold.