INDIVIDUAL HERBS
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma Acori Gramenei |
| 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) |
1.5-10g For eye or throat complaints: 1.5-3g For sensory disturbance or vexation: 4.5-7.5g To facilitate bowel movements and urination: 9g 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, tinnitus, 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 lumps, anorexia 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 |
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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 consciousness and a stiff tongue with aphasia. |
Frusta Ferri |
Fr. Aurantii Immaturus |
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Forgetfulness, tinnitus and impaired hearing. |
Mania from Phlegm-Fire Agitating the Heart. |
Seizures or spasms from Phlegm-Heat. |
Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae |
Sm. Cuscutae |
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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. Pogostemonis/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. Sinocrassulae Indicae |
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Epilepsy. |
Tinnitus or diarrhea due to Kidney Deficiency. |
Damp-Heat diarrhea. |
Rx. Codonopsis |
Hb. Sinocrassulae 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 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.
- This herb is said to be effective in treating Heart Qi Deficiency.
- It is also said to nourish the Liver.
- This herb is said to strengthen the singing voice.
- The volatile oil of this herb has a remarkable sedative effect and is used to treat patients with restlessness and unconsciousness.
- This herb is said to cure nine types of Stomach diseases due to disorder of Qi and alleviate pain.
- It also promotes the functional activity of the Stomach and relieves epigastric distention.
- This herb has been shown to have an active effect on cancer cells.
- To treat cancer, decoct 10g of this herb in 200ml of water and drink three times a day.
- 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.