Nature: bitter, cold
Enters: Liver, Heart, Pericardium
Actions: Subdues the liver, suppresses liver Yang rising; clears liver heat; descends the Qi of the Lungs and stomach, strongly directs rebellious Qi downward; cools the blood; stops bleeding; anchors the Shen.
Indications:
• Stomach Qi rebellion: belching, hiccups, vomiting. Use when Ban xia is not enough. This herb is not appropriate for morning sickness of pregnancy.
• Failure of Lung Qi to descend: wheezing, asthma.
• Liver Yang rising, liver fire: headache, dizziness, tinnitus, pressure around the eyes.
• Hematemesis, epistaxis. Primarily for bleeding due to heat, but can also be used for bleeding due to cold from deficiency when combined with appropriate herbs.
• Should be boiled for approximately 30 minutes before adding other herbs.
• Often calcined or pulverized after soaking in vinegar.
• Major known constituents include diferric trioxide, aluminum, silicon, magnesium, tin.
• Bensky/Gamble classifies this with herbs that anchor the Shen.
MLT: For short term use only – likely contains traces of arsenic.
Dose: 9-30g