INDIVIDUAL HERBS

Pharmaceutical Latin: Flos Inulae
Common English: Inula Flower
Japanese Elecampane Flower    
Herbs that Transform Phlegm and Stop Coughing: Warm Herbs that Transform Cold Phlegm
Taste Temperature Entering Meridians Dosage
Bitter
Acrid
Salty
Slightly Warm
(Warm)
Liver
Lung
Stomach
Spleen
(Large Intestine)
3-12g
Tincture: 2-4ml
Actions Indications/Syndromes

Expels Phlegm and removes pathogenic water (Resolves Phlegm Stagnation in the Lungs)

Phlegm Accumulation in the Lungs with Qi Rebellion

Accumulation of Phlegm and thin mucus

Best for Cold disorders but in combination with the appropriate herbs can be used for Hot disorders

Phlegm-Damp

Descends Qi and stops vomiting (Calms rebellious Stomach Qi)

Vomiting, hiccup and belching

CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Contraindicated for those with a dry cough due to Yin Deficiency (tuberculosis).
  • Contraindicated for those with a Wind-Heat cough.
  • Contraindicated for debilitated patients with loose stools.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS
  • Concurrent use with diuretics such as chlorothiazide, hydrochlorothiazide, furosimide (Lasix), bumetanide (Bumex) and torsemide (Demadex) may lead to increased elimination of water and electrolytes.

Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum
Zhi
Ban Xia
Hb. Asari
Xi Xin

or

Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum
Zhi
Ban Xia
Sm. Armeniacae
Xing Ren

Os Pumex
Fu Shi

Rx. Platycodi
Jie Geng
Cx. Mori
Sang Bai Pi
Rx. Scutellariae
Huang Qin
Rx. et Rz. Rhei
Da Huan

Coughing and wheezing due to Cold and Phlegm attacking the Lungs.

Cough with viscous difficult-to-expectorate sputum and sensations of tightness in the chest due to Phlegm-Heat.

Coughing and wheezing due to Phlegm-Heat.

Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum
Zhi
Ban Xia

Haematitum
Dai Zhe Shi
Rx. Ginseng
Ren Shen
Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum
Zhi
Ban Xia

Rz. Coptidis
Huang Lian
Caulis Bambusae in Taeniam
Zhu Ru

Vomiting, coughing, wheezing and epigastric distention due to congested fluids.

Vomiting, hiccup or non-stop belching due to Spleen and Stomach Deficiency Cold along with accumulation of turbid Phlegm.

Vomiting due to Stomach Heat.

Rx. Aucklandiae
Mu Xiang
Massa Medicata Fermentata
Shen Qu
Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae
Bai Zhu

Rz. Zingiberis Recens
Sheng Jiang
Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum
Zhi
Ban Xia
Rx. Ephedrae
Ma Huang

Epigastric distention, indigestion and belching.

Accumulation of Phlegm with Exterior conditions.

 

  1. This herb treats dyspnea, asthma, hiccups, vomiting and belching.
  2. Some sources say that this herb resolves swellings and hardness and (Invigorates Blood).
  3. It is honey-fried to ameliorate its warmth and prevent injury to Qi or Yin.
  4. One source says it treats Spleen and Stomach Qi Deficiency,
  5. Hb. Inulae Jin Fei Cao is the aerial part of the same plant. It is salty, slightly bitter and warm and transforms Phlegm and stops coughs. It is for more superficial problems than Xuan Fu Hua.
  6. It is primarily used for reflux of Stomach Qi.
  7. This herb descends rebellious Qi, disperses Phlegm, transforms thin mucus, dispels epigastric obstruction, harmonizes the Stomach, alleviates nausea and drains the Lungs.
  8. Wrap this herb in cheese cloth before drinking to avoid ingesting the thorn in the flower.
  9. Both Xuan Fu Hua and Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum Zhi Ban Xia disperse clumped Phlegm, settle the Stomach and stop vomiting. Zhi Ban Xia primarily dries Dampness to transform Phlegm and is best to treat profuse, thin, clear Phlegm that is easy to cough up. Xuan Fu Hua descends rebellious Qi, breaks up clumped accumulation, promotes the movement of pathogenic water and is more appropriate for thick, viscous, hard-to-expectorate Phlegm or flank pain with distention and a sensation of fullness in the chest and abdomen from accumulated water and thin mucus or Middle Jiao Qi Deficiency allowing water and Dampness to build up in the Spleen and Stomach causing nausea.
  10. Both Xuan Fu Hua and Pumex Fu Shi are salty and thus able to soften hardened Phlegm. They are often combined to treat clumped viscous sputum that is difficult to expectorate. Xuan Fu Hua is warm, bitter and acrid to guide Qi downward in the treatment of cough, wheezing and nausea. Fu Hai Shi is cold and better for hot viscous Phlegm or Lung Heat injuring the collaterals leading to hemoptysis.
  11. Both Xuan Fu Hua and Haematitum Dai Zhe Shi descend rebellious Lung and Stomach Qi to stop nausea, vomiting and wheezing. It also sedates the Liver Yang, cools the Blood and stops bleeding. Dai Zhe Shi uses its heaviness to sink rebellious Qi and its bitter Coldness to cool Liver Fire. Xuan Fu Hua uses its saltiness to soften hardened areas of clumped Phlegm, which are then dispersed by its warm acridity and descended by its bitterness. It is most appropriate when clumped Phlegm obstructs the ascending and descending flow of Qi, leading to nausea, vomiting and wheezing.
  12. Honey-prepared Inula Flower Mi Zhi Xuan Fu Hua Is less acrid and bitter and not as warm, drying or descending to allow the herbs to descend Qi without injuring it and to descend Phlegm with out injuring the Yin. It is good for patients with Lung Qi or Yin Deficiency with cough, wheezing and Phlegm or thin mucus.
  13. Inula Stalks Xuan Fu Geng have an action similar to the flowers and are mainly used for cough, wheezing and rebellious Qi due to Cold-Phlegm obstruction as well as nausea, vomiting and belching due to Internal pathogenic water and Dampness.
  14. It is said that Xuan Fu Hua and Rz. Cyperi Xiang Fu are best for right-sided hypochondriac pain and Fr. Toosendan Chuan Lian Zi and Rz. Corydalis Yan Hu Suo are best for left-sided hypochondriac pain.