INDIVIDUAL HERBS

Pharmaceutical Latin: Radix Ophiopogonis
Tuber Ophiopogonis
Common English: Ophiopogon Tuber
Creeping Lily-Turf Root
Dwarf Lily-Turf Root
Herbs that Tonify Yin
Taste Temperature Entering Meridians Dosage
Sweet
Slightly Bitter
Slightly Cold
(Cool)

Heart
Lung
Stomach
(Spleen)

6-15g
Tincture: 2-4ml
Actions Indications/Syndromes

Moistens the Lungs, nourishes Yin and stops coughing

Lung Yin Deficiency with a hacking, dry cough or a cough with thick, difficult to expectorate sputum, or hemoptysis

Pathogenic Warm-Dryness

Dryness that has transformed into Fire

Nourishes Stomach Yin and generates Fluids

Stomach Yin Deficiency with dry mouth and tongue

Moistens the Intestines

Constipation, dry mouth and irritability as a result of febrile disease or Yin Deficiency

Clears the Heart and eliminates irritability

Ying Stage Heat with fever and irritability which is worse at night

Yin Deficiency with fever and irritability which is worse at night

CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Contraindicated in those with diarrhea due to Deficiency Cold.
  • Contraindicated in those with congested fluids (Turbid Phlegm or thin mucus in the Lungs or Stomach).
  • Contraindicated in those with early-stage Wind-Cold coughs.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
  • Antagonizes Flos Tussilaginis Farfarae Kuan Dong Hua.
  • Counteracts Rx. Sophorae Flavescentis Ku Shen.
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

Gypsum Fibrosum
Shi Gao
Fol. Mori
Sang Ye
Fol. Eriobotryae
Pi Pa Ye
(Colla Corii Asini)
(E Jiao)

Rz. Anemarrhenae
Zhi Mu
Fr. Trichosanthis
Gua Lou

Rz. Anemarrhenae
Zhi Mu
Fr. Trichosanthis
Gua Lou

Hb. Ecliptae
Han Lian Cao

Warm-Dryness Injuring the Lungs with a fever, coughing, wheezing and fullness and pain in the chest and lower rib areas.

Pathogenic Dryness that has transformed into Fire with coughing of thick, viscous, yellow sputum with chest pain and possible hemoptysis.

Significant hemoptysis.

Rx. Asparagi
Tian Men Dong

Rx. Scrophulariae
Xuan Shen
Rx. Platycodi
Jie Geng
Rx. Glycyrrhizae
Gan Cao

Rx. Scrophulariae
Xuan Shen

Cx. Moutan
Mu Dan Pi
(Bul. Fritillariae Thunbergii)
(Zhe Bei Mu)

Lung and Kidney Yin Deficiency with consumptive coughing and occasional hemoptysis.

As a tea for an itchy, dry throat, thirst and a nonproductive cough due to Lung Yin Deficiency.

Those with Yin Deficiency constitution who develop a swollen, painful diphtheria disorder after contracting an epidemic toxin.

Rx. Adenophorae/Glehniae
Sha Shen
Rz. Polygonati Odorati
Yu Zhu
(Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata)
(Shu Di Huang)
(Rock Sugar)

(Bing Tang)

Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum
Zhi
Ban Xia
Rx. Codonopsis
Dang Shen

Fr. Mume
Wu Mei

Insufficient Stomach Yin from Yang Ming Stage or Qi Level disease with profuse sweating, especially if purging was used.

Chronic, dry, non-productive cough due to Lung Yin Deficiency.

Upper or Middle Jiao wasting and thirsting disorder with intense Dryness of the throat and an unquenchable thirst.

Rx. Rehmanniae
Sheng Di Huang
Rx. Scrophulariae
Xuan Shen

Rx. Ginseng
Ren Shen
Fr. Schisandrae
Wu Wei Zi

Rx. Astragali
Huang Qi
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis
Dang Gui
Fr. Schisandrae
Wu Wei Zi

Thirst, constipation, irritability and a low-grade fever due to Stomach Yin Deficiency in the aftermath of warm febrile disease where the fluids have been injured.

Profuse sweating, wheezing, increased Heart rate and exhaustion due to severe Deficiency of the Heart and Lungs.

Symptoms associated with excessive loss of fluids in Summerheat disorders.

Qi and Yin Deficiency with fatigue, shortness of breath thirst and dry mouth.

Irritability due to severe loss of fluids due to sweating.

Sm. Zizyphi Spinosae
Suan Zao Ren
Rx. Rehmanniae
Sheng Di Huang

Rx. Adenophorae/Glehniae
Sha Shen

Rx. Asparagi
Tian Men Dong
Rz. Anemarrhenae
Zhi Mu
Bul. Fritillariae Thunbergii
Zhe Bei Mu
Fr. Trichosanthis
Gua Lou

Rx. Scutellariae
Huang Qin
Fr. Gardeniae
Zhi Zi
Rz. Bletillae
Bai Ji
Hb. Ecliptae
Mo Han Lian
Rz. Imperatae
Bai Mao Gen

Irritability and insomnia due to Yin Deficiency.

Dry cough with little Phlegm and a parched throat due to Lung Dryness or Heat injuring the Lung Yin.

Dry throat, constipation, thirst and a red tongue with little coat due to pathogenic Warmth or Heat injuring the Stomach Yin or long-term Yin Deficiency.

Fire and Dryness in the Lungs with coughing with Blood and/or thick yellow difficult-to-expectorate sputum, and chest pain.

Rx. Rehmanniae
Sheng Di Huang
Rx. Scrophulariae
Xuan Shen

Bul. Fritillariae Thunbergii
Zhe Bei Mu
Cx. Moutan
Mu Dan Pi

Rx. Rehmanniae
Sheng Di Huang
Rx. Scrophulariae
Xuan Shen

Rx. Platycodi
Jie Geng
Rx. Glycyrrhizae
Gan Cao
Rx. Sophorae Tonkinensis
Shan Dou Gen
Rz. Anemarrhenae
Zhi Mu

Rz. Bletillae
Bai Ji
Hb. Ecliptae
Han Lian Cao
Rz. Imperatae
Bai Mao Gen

Sore throat with epistaxis, hematemesis or Blood-streaked sputum due to Yin Deficiency with Excess Heat.

Loss of voice, dry throat and thirst.

Lung and Kidney Yin Deficiency with excessive hemoptysis.

Sm. Cannabis
Huo Ma Ren
Rx. Rehmanniae
Sheng Di Huang
Rx. Scrophulariae
Xuan Shen

Sm. Trichosanthis
Gua Lou Ren
Fr. Aurantii Immaturus
Zhi Shi

Rx. Rehmanniae
Sheng Di Huang

Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum
Zhi
Ban Xia
Sm. Oryzae
Geng Mi
Rx. Glycyrrhizae
Gan Cao

Post-febrile disease with constipation.

Hematemesis or epistaxis due to Yin Deficiency with Excess Heat.

Stomach Yin Deficiency with hiccups and vomiting.

Rx. Panacis Quinquefolii
Xi Yang Shen
Rz. Dioscoreae
Shan Yao
Rx. Trichosanthis
Tian Hua Fen
Gypsum Fibrosum
Shi Gao
Rz. Anemarrhenae
Zhi Mu
Fr. Mume
Wu Mei

Rz. Coptidis
Huang Lian
Rx. Rehmanniae Recens Juice
Xian Di Huang
Fresh Rx. Trichosanthis Juice
Tian Hua Fen
Milk

Rz. Coptidis
Huang Lian
Colla Corii Asini
E Jiao
Bul. Fritillariae Thunbergii
Zhe Bei Mu
Rx. Rehmanniae
Sheng Di Huang
Rx. Scrophulariae
Xuan Shen

Rx. Salviae Miltiorrhizae
Dan Shen
Concha Margaritaferae
Zhen Zhu Mu
Rx. Polygalae
Yuan Zhi

Xiao Ke syndrome with extreme thirst.

Xiao Ke syndrome with Heat and thirst.

Heart Yin and Blood Deficiency with Heat, with insomnia, palpitations, irritability and nigh fever or restless sleep.

Rx. Rehmanniae
Sheng Di Huang
Rx. Salviae Miltiorrhizae
Dan Shen
Flos Lonicerae
Jin Yin Hua

Hb. Phylostachys Nigra
Zhu Ye
Gypsum Fibrosum
Shi Gao
Rx. Ginseng
Ren Shen
Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum
Zhi Ban Xia

Rx. Rehmanniae
Sheng Di Huang
Rx. Salviae Miltiorrhizae
Dan Shen
Rx. Polygalae
Yuan Zhi
Sm. Zizyphi Spinosae
Suan Zao Ren

Heat in the Ying Stage with nocturnal fever, irritability and insomnia.

Qi and Blood Deficiency caused by chronic febrile disorder with irritability, and insomnia.

Yin and Blood Deficiency with restlessness, irritability, insomnia palpitations, fatigue and a red tongue with little coat.

Sm. Platycladi
Bai Zi Ren
Fr. Lycii
Gou Qi Zi
Poria Pararadicis
Fu Shen
Rz. Acori Tatarinowii
Shi Chang Pu

Rx. Scrophulariae
Xuan Shen

Rx. Rehmanniae Preparata
Shu Di Huang

 

Disharmony between the Heart and Kidneys with insomnia, forgetfulness, night sweats and palpitations.

Constipation.

 
  1. It is often used with Rx. Asparagi Tian Men Dong (syrup).
  2. It is used for any syndrome that damages fluids (Jin Ye).
  3. Some sources say that this herb resolves Phlegm.
  4. Rx. Trichosanthis Tian Huan Fen, Tub. Ophiopogonis Japonici Mai Men Dong, and Tub. Asparagi Tian Men Dong all Clear Heat and moisten the Lungs. Tian Huan Fen is best for Lung Heat from Stomach Heat, Mai Men Dong is best for Lung Heat from Heart Fire and Tian Men Dong is best for Lung Dryness from Kidney Yin Deficiency.
  5. Both Mai Men Dong and Rx. Glehniae/Adenophorae Sha Shen nourish Yin, moisten Dryness, augment the Stomach, generate fluids, nourish Lung Yin and clear Lung Heat. Mai Men Dong is heavier, more moist and more compact than Sha Shen and is better at generating Stomach fluids. Sha Shen is lighter and is stronger at clearing Lung Heat and nourishing Lung Yin but it cannot clear the Heart or calm irritability.
  6. Both Mai Men Dong and Rx. Asparagi Tian Men Dong nourish Lung Yin, moisten Dryness and stop coughs and are used together for dry coughs with Blood tinged sputum, thirst due to injured Yin and constipation from Intestinal Dryness. Mai Men Dong is slightly cold and less Yin-nourishing but is less greasy and cloying than Tian Men Dong, and can eliminate irritability which Tian Men Dong cannot do. Tian Men Dong is very cold and more strongly clears Heat and moistens Dryness. It also enriches Kidney Yin which Mai Men Dong cannot do.
  7. Ophiopogonis Succus Sheng Mai Men Dong Zhi is very cold with strong Heat clearing, Blood cooling and hemostatic actions.
  8. Prepared Ophiopogon Zhi Mai Dong is less cooling and less cloying so that it nourishes Yin without obstructing digestion. It is used for those with Lung or Stomach Yin Deficiency, but whose digestion is easily upset.
  9. Center-retained Ophiopogon Lian Xin Mai Dong nourishes Yin, generates fluids, unblocks blood vessels and opens the Heart Orifices .
  10. Cinnabar Ophiopogon Zha Mai Dong has an enhanced Spirit-calming property and is used for Heart Yin Deficiency with  irritability, mania and delirium.