INDIVIDUAL HERBS

Pharmaceutical Latin: Rhizoma Anemarrhenae
Common English: Anemarrhena Rhizome
Know Mother Root
Herbs That Clean Heat and Drain Fire: Clear Heat in the Qi Stage
Taste Temperature Entering Meridians Dosage
Bitter
Sweet
Cold
Lung
Stomach
Kidney
(DU)
6-12g
Maximum dose: 30g
Tincture: 2-4ml
Actions Indications/Syndromes

Clears Heat and drains Fire (Clears Heat from the Qi Stage, from the Lungs and from the Stomach)

Heat in the Qi Stage with high fever, irritability, restlessness, thirst and a rapid, flooding pulse.

Lung Heat and Dryness with cough and expectoration of thick, yellow Phlegm

Yang Ming Heat

Stomach Heat

Nourishes Yin and moistens Dryness

Lung and Kidney Yin Deficiency with night sweats, steaming bone disorder, irritability, afternoon or low grade fever, Five Sole Heat and bleeding gums

(Stomach Yin Deficiency)

Kidney Heat with spermatorrhea, nocturnal emissions and an abnormally elevated sex drive

Generates Fluids, clears Deficiency Fire and quenches thirst

Oral ulcers and inflammation, steaming bones and Xiao Ke (diabetes) due to Yin Deficiency

Ameliorates the Dryness of tonifying or warming herbs

For use with herbs such as Rx. Astragali Huang Qi, Ram. Cinnamomi Gui Zhi, Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Preparata Zhi Fu Zi when there is concern that these herbs may be too drying

CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Contraindicated in those with diarrhea.
  • Contraindicated in those with Cold from Spleen Deficiency.
  • Contraindicated in those with impotence coupled with quick arousal and quick ejaculation.
  • Contraindicated in those with a weak Spleen.
  • Contraindicated in those with inability to digest food.
  • Contraindicated in those with Stomach Deficiency with no thought of eating.
  • Contraindicated in those with Kidney Yang Deficiency.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS
  • Use this herb with caution in conjunction with insulin, sulfonylureas and other antidiabetic drugs such as tolbutamide (Orinase), glipizide (Glucotrol) and glyburide (DiaBeta/Micronase) as there may be a synergistic effect leading to hypoglycemia.

Cx. Phellodendri
Huang Bai

Cx. Phellodendri
Huang Bai
Cx. Cinnamomi
Rou Gui

Rz. Coptidis
Huang Lian

 

Clears Heat and drains Fire for Yin Deficiency Fire.

Steaming Bone disorder from Yin Deficiency with night sweats, dizziness, and vertigo.

Damp-Heat in the Lower Jiao causing obstruction and dysfunction of Bladder Qi with resulting urinary retention and afternoon fevers.

Blazing Stomach Fire with intense hunger, dry stools, dry, yellow tongue coat and a slippery rapid pulse.

Bul. Fritillariae Thunbergii
Zhe Bei Mu

Rx. Scrophulariae
Xuan Shen
Rx. Rehmanniae
Sheng Di Huang

Carapax Trionycis
Bie Jia

Cough due to Lung Heat or Yin Deficiency with expectoration of thick, yellow sputum.

Ulcers of the oral cavity.

Steaming bone disorder.

Rx. Trichosanthis
Tian Hua Fen
Tub Ophiopogonis
Mai Men Dong

Rx. Trichosanthis
Tian Hua Fen
Tub Ophiopogonis
Main Men Dong
Fr. Schisandrae
Wu Wei Zi
Rx. Puerariae
Ge Gen

Rz. Dioscoreae
Shan
Yao
Rx. Astragali
Huang Qi
Fr. Schisandrae
Wu Wei Zi

Thirst and irritability due to Lung and Stomach Dryness.

Diabetes.

Wasting and thirsting.

Gypsum Fibrosum
Shi Gao

Fr. Tsaoko
Cao Guo

Cx. Phellodendri
Huang Bai
Rx. Rehmanniae
Shu Di Huang

Epidemic diseases.

Cools Heat in the Yang Ming or Qi Level while protecting Stomach fluids to treat high fever, profuse sweating, insatiable thirst, a red face, aversion to Heat and a large, strong pulse.

Regulates Cold and Heat, harmonizes the Exterior and Interior and treats malarial diseases with Tai Yin turbid Dampness fuming upward. (irritability, Heat, profuse sweating)

Yin Deficiency with Empty Fire.

Rx. Scutellariae
Huang Qin

Gypsum
Shi Gao
Rx. Trichosanthis
Tian Hua Fen
Fr. Schisandrae
Wu Wei Zi
Rx. Astragali
Huang Qi

 

Coughing with Excess Lung Heat.

Thirst due to Heat in the Lung and Stomach damaging the Fluids.

 
  1. Moderate dosage may cause a drop in blood pressure and respiratory and cardiac depression.
  2. Large dosage may cause cessation of respiration and Heart Heat.
  3. It is common in formulas for Deficiency Fire, dry cough, and diabetes.
  4. Usually used to treat severe Yin Deficiency Fire.
  5. It has a deep, systemic tonification via gentle stimulation of the pituitary-adrenal cortex axis (related to the Du Mai).
  6. It clears Excess energy in the Du Mai.
  7. Some sources say that it lubricates intestines, is a diuretic, stops cough, resolves Phlegm and is a sedative.
  8. It clears Heat from all three Jiaos and nourishes the Yin of the Lungs, Stomach and Kidneys and therefore can be used when Excess Heat damages the Yin as in diabetes.
  9. Because of its Cold, moistening qualities it drains the Spleen to drive water down.
  10. This herb can be used to neutralize the Heat and drying effects of Qi tonics.
  11. When Rx. Aconiti Lateralis Preparata Zhi Fu Zi or Rz. et Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo are used for treatment of Bi Syndrome, this herb may be used to prevent them from damaging Yin Fluids.
  12. Li Shi-Zhen says that Rx. Astragali Huang Qi acts at the Blood level of the Kidneys and therefore the two herbs should be used together.
  13. Both Zhi Mu and Gypsum Fibrosum Shi Gao cool the Lungs and Stomach and clear Heat from the Yang Ming Qi Level. Zhi Mu primarily drains Heat and Dampness, cools the Lungs and Kidneys, nourishes Yin and benefits Yin by generating fluids while Shi Gao protects the fluids by draining Fire.
  14. Dry-fried Anemarrhena Chao Zhi Mu has a reduced cooling nature and a more moderate Fire-draining effect. If fried with wheat, digestion is protected for patients with both Deficiency Fire and Spleen and Stomach Deficiency.
  15. Honey-prepares Anemarrhena Mi Zhi Zhi Mu is best for those with damaged fluids and Blood or those who are too weak to take strong, bitter, cooling herbs.
  16. Vinegar-fried Anemarrhena Cu Chao Zhi Mu leads the properties upward to cool the Lungs and drain Fire when Lung Heat causes hemoptysis, epistaxis, irritability, cough and wheezing.
  17. Salt-fried Anemarrhena Yan Chao Zhi Mu increases its downward-directing action to nourish Yin, moisten Dryness and cool and drain Ministerial Fire.
  18. Wine-fried Anemarrhena Jiu Chao Zhi Mu guides the herbs action upward and lessens its Cold, draining properties.
  19. It is especially useful for states of impending or actual adrenal burnout with fatigue, loss of stamina, Dryness and Heat, with clear benefits for treating menopause.