INDIVIDUAL HERBS

Pharmaceutical Latin: Radix Scrophulariae
Common English: Scrophularia
Ningpo Figwort Root
Black Figwort Root
Herbs That Clean Heat and Purge Fire: Herbs That Clean Heat and Cool Blood
Taste Temperature Entering Meridians Dosage
Salty
Sweet
Bitter
Cold
Kidney
Lung
Stomach
(Heart)
(Pericardium)
(Yin Wei)
7-30g
Tincture: 2-4ml
Actions Indications/Syndromes
Clears Heat and cools the Blood

Xue Stage Heat or Blood Heat with hemorrhage (hematemesis), fever, dry mouth and a purplish tongue

Nourishes Yin

Yin Deficiency with Heat signs especially as sequelae from Warm Febrile Disease with Dry Lungs, insomnia, constipation, an unclear Shen and irritability

Yin Deficiency dry Lungs

Heart Yin Deficiency

Softens hardness and dissipates nodules (Transforms Phlegm-Heat)

Neck lumps (goiter, scrofula) due to Phlegm Fire

Severe throat pain and swelling

Drains Fire

Extreme throat pain or red, swollen eyes

Relieves toxicity

Ying Stage Heat
CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Contraindicated for those with Cold-Dampness of the Spleen/Stomach.
  • Contraindicated for those with dizziness and abdominal pain from Blood Deficiency.
  • Contraindicated for those with accumulated thin mucus leading to chills, fever and uncomfortable fullness.
  • Do not use with brass or iron utensils.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
  • Incompatible with Rz. et Rx. Veratri Li Lu.
  • Antagonizes Rx. Astragali Huang Qi.
  • Antagonizes Rz, Zingiberis Officinalis Gan Jiang.
  • Antagonizes Fr. Zizyphi Jujube Da Zao.
  • Antagonizes Fr. Corni Officinalis Shan Zhu Yu.
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS
  • Use caution when used in conjunction with insulin, sulfonylureas and other antidiabetics such as tolbutamide (Orinase),glipizide (Glucotrol), and glyburide (DiaBeta/Micronase) as there may be a synergistic effect leading to hypoglycemia.

Cx. Moutan
Mu Dan Pi

Fr. Arctii
Niu Bang Zi
Rx. Platycodi
Jie Geng
(Hb. Menthae)
(Bo He)

Concha Ostreae
Mu Li
Bul. Fritillariae Thunbergii
Zhe Bei Mu

or

Concha Ostreae
Mu Li
Bul. Fritillariae Thunbergii
Zhe Bei Mu
Sp. Prunellae
Xia Ku Cao
Rx. Arnebiae/Lithospermi
Zi Cao

Erysipelas and purplish rashes.

Pain and swelling of the throat.

Purpuric rashes due to Wind-Heat.

Scrofula, goiter and other nodules due to Phlegm.

Rz. Atractylodis
Cang Zhu

Flos Lonicerae
Jin Yin Hua
Rx. Angelicae Sinensis
Dang Gui

Rx. Rehmanniae
Sheng Di Huang
Cornu Rhinoceri
Xi Jiao
Fr. Forsythiae
Lian Qiao

Lowers plasma glucose to treat diabetes mellitus especially due to Qi and Yin Deficiency.

Deep rooted, sores and ulcers.

Recalcitrant, ulcerated, and painful sores due to toxic obstruction leading to Blood Stasis.

Gangrene of the fingers and toes.

Ying Stage Heat.

Gypsum
Shi Gao
Cornu Rhinoceri
Xi Jiao
Rz. Anemarrhenae
Zhi Mu

Flos Lonicerae
Jin Yin Hua
Rx. Glycyrrhizae
Gan Cao

Rx. Ophiopogonis
Mai Men Dong
Rx. Platycodi
Jie Geng
Cornu Rhinoceri
Xi Jiao
Rx. Glycyrrhizae
Gan Cao

Excess Toxic Heat with maculae and eruptions.

Boils, carbuncles and furuncles.

Sore throat due to Internal Heat.

Flos Lonicerae
Jin Yin Hua
Fr. Forsythiae
Lian Qiao
Hb. Violae
Zi Hua Di Ding

Rx. Rehmanniae
Sheng Di Huang
Rx. Ophiopogonis
Mai Men Dong

Bul. Lilii
Bai He
Bul. Fritillariae Cirrhosae
Chuan Bei Mu

(Rx. Glycyrrhizae)
(Gan Cao)

Swollen abscesses and toxic sores.

Skin lesions with abscesses or ulcerations.

Constipation due to Dryness.

Sore, dry throat due to Deficiency Fire.

Yin Deficiency with Lung Dryness and a dry cough.

Cornu Bubali
Shui Niu Jiao
Rz. Cimicifugae
Sheng Ma

Lasiosphere/Calvatia
Ma Bo

Rx. Rehmanniae
Sheng Di Huang

Macular rashes and purpura from Heat in the Blood.

Wind-Heat obstruction leading to swelling and pain of the throat.

Clears the upper body, restores normal descent, nourishes Yin and stops pain.

Excess or Deficiency Heat patterns.

Late-stage febrile disease with irritability, thirst and constipation.

Kidney Yin Deficiency with Fire Blazing with soreness and swelling in the throat, dry mouth and a parched tongue.

Rx. Platycodi
Jie Geng
Rx. Glycyrrhizae
Gan Cao

Rx. Rehmanniae
Sheng Di Huang
Rx. Ophiopogonis
Mai Men Dong

Cx. Moutan
Mu Dan Pi

Rx. Ophiopogonis
Mai Men Dong

Fr. Forsythiae
Lian Qiao

Sore throat with Dryness and pain.

Diphtheria.

Sore, swollen throat from toxicity and Heat.

Fr. Arctii
Niu Bang Zi
Hb. Menthae
Bo He

   

Initial stages of Wind-Heat where there are slight signs of toxicity.

   
  1. Do not store in brass or iron.
  2. Named after the disease scrofula which is a type of tuberculosis affecting the lymph nodes of the neck.
  3. It is a valuable remedy for scrofula.
  4. Some sources classify this as a Yin Tonic.
  5. It mainly targets the cardiovascular system.
  6. It moistens Dryness.
  7. It is a neurocardiac sedative and targets chronic neurogenic stress conditions of the Heart.
  8. Steamed Scrophularia Zheng Xuan Shen is better for nourishing Yin and draining Deficiency Fire.
  9. Both Xuan Shen and Rx. Rehmanniae Sheng Di Huang clear Heat, cool the Blood, enrich Yin and generate fluids. Xuan Shen focuses on the Yin, directs Fire downward, resolves toxicity, disperses clumps, cools the Lungs and benefits the throat. It emphasizes regulating the Lungs and Kidneys. Sheng Di Huang is stronger at cooling Blood, while enriching Yin and stopping bleeding. It focuses at the Blood level and regulates disorders of the Heart, Liver and Kidneys.