Nature: bitter, cold, slightly toxic
Enters: Liver, Stomach, Small Intestine, Bladder
Actions: Regulates Qi (especially liver Qi), relieves pain; kills parasites, treats fungal disease; clears heat; dries dampness.
Indications:
• Liver Qi stagnation or liver attacking the stomach: costal, hypochondriac, epigastric, or abdominal pain. Also for hernial disorders. Especially useful when there are heat signs.
• Damp-heat Qi stagnation: epigastric, abdominal, flank, or hernial pain.
• Roundworms, tapeworms: abdominal pain. More effective at treating the pain than killing the parasites.
• Particularly useful for stagnation in the flanks and lower abdomen.
• Topical: for fungal infections on the scalp.
• May irritate the stomach – when given in a large dose for a long time, it injures the mucous membrane of the stomach.
• May cause elevation of liver enzymes.
• Must be broken up before using.
Jin: Safe to use in pregnancy (when indicated). Unlike some herbs in this category, this herb is not especially drying.
Li: When used for excess conditions, it will not irritate the stomach.
• Use as a sitz bath for yeast infections, and as a wash for other fungal diseases.
DY: With Yan hu suo to clear heat, eliminate dampness, course the liver, move the Qi and blood, and stop pain. This combination (Jin Ling Zi San) is used for indications such as:
– 1. Pain in the chest, epigastrium, abdomen, and lateral costal regions due to liver depression Qi stagnation sometimes associated with liver blood stasis. (Use wine mix-fried Yan hu suo and scorched Chuan lian zi.)
– 2. Liver depression Qi stagnation transforming into liver heat or fire.
– 3. Dysmenorrhea and menstrual irregularities due to Qi and/or blood stasis. (Use scorched Chuan lian zi and vinegar mix-fried Yan hu suo.)
– 4. Heart pain due to Qi and blood stagnation. (Use wine mix-fried Yan hu suo and scorched Chuan lian zi.)
– 5. Inguinal hernia or diseases of the scrotum or testicles due to Qi stagnating in the liver channel. (Use scorched Chuan lian zi and vinegar mix-fried Yan hu suo.)
– 6. Hepatitis, cholecystitis, and angiocholitis due to damp-heat in the liver and gallbladder. (Use scorched Chuan lian zi and vinegar mix-fried Yan hu suo.)
– This combination is a major analgesic which can be added to other prescriptions when pain is a key manifestation of the disorder and especially if this pain is due to Qi stagnation and blood stasis. If there is a headache, add Chuan xiong and Hong hua. If there is chest pain, add Jie geng, Zhi ke, and Xie bai. If there is lateral costal pain, add Chai hu and Yu jin. If there is stomach and epigastric pain, add Mu xiang and Dan shen. If there is lower abdominal pain, add Mu xiang and Tao ren. If there is lower abdomen pain occurring on both sides of the abdomen in the area traversed by the liver channel, add Wu yao and Xiao hui xiang.
Dose: 3-9g