Xuan Fu Hua – Inula flower – Elecampane – “Revolved, Upturned Flower”

Nature: bitter, acrid, salty, slightly warm

Enters: Lung, Spleen, Stomach, Large Intestine, Liver

Actions: Descends the Qi of the Lungs and stomach, stops vomiting and burping; resolves phlegm and harmful fluids; promotes blood circulation, frees the connecting vessels; free the liver Qi and subdues the liver.

Indications:
• Vomiting or burping, especially when due to spleen damp, spleen/stomach deficiency cold, or stomach phlegm.
• Lung phlegm accumulation: cough with copious sputum, wheezing.
• Retention of harmful fluid in the Lungs: distention in the chest and diaphragm.
• Qi and blood stagnation: distending pain in the costal or hypochondriac area.
• Liver Qi stagnation or liver invading the middle Jiao.
• Anti-emetic, anti-nauseant. Good for nausea after chemotherapy.
• Honey fry the herb for patients with Lung deficiency to ameliorate its warmth and prevent it from harming the Qi or Yin.
• Liu: this is the only flower in the Chinese pharmacopeia which does not disperse (it descends).
MLT: The root and flower are similar, but the root is probably more Qi tonic than the flower.
• Contains quercetin and isoquercetin – both useful for upper respiratory allergies.
DY: Usually flowers have an upbearing, floating nature. However, Xuan fu hua, on the contrary, downbears the Qi and disinhibits urination.
• The flower (Xuan fu hua) and stem (Xuan fu geng) of this plant have similar actions. However, Xuan fu geng is superior for downbearing the Qi and disinhibiting urination, while Xuan fu hua is superior for dispersing phlegm, downbearing the Qi, and calming asthma.
• With Dan nan xing to clear heat, transform phlegm, stop cough, calm asthma, extinguish wind, and wash away phlegm in the channels and network vessels. For indications such as:
– 1. Cough, asthma, and chest oppression due to phlegm-damp obstruction, phlegm-heat, or stubborn phlegm in the Lungs.
– 2. Numbness in the limbs due to (wind) phlegm in the channels and network vessels.
– In the absence of heat, and in the presence of cold or damp patterns, processed Tian nan xing may be favorably prescribed instead of Dan nan xing.
Yoga: Pushkaramula: (root and flower) K, V-; P+
• Expectorant, antispasmodic, carminative, analgesic, rejuvenative.
• For colds, asthma, cardiac asthma, pleurisy, dyspepsia, cough, nervous debility
• A rejuvenative tonic to the lungs. Promotes longevity of lung tissue, helps absorb water from the lungs, reduces swelling.
• Calms the mind, the digestive system, and the female reproductive system.
• Topical: apply as a paste for muscular pain.
MW: The plant told him, in a dream, that its flowers could be used for grief.
• It is said that where Helen of Troy’s tears fell, this plant grew.

Dose: 3-12g (flower)

 
On the common related Western herb, Elecampane root:
K&R: Expectorant, alterative, choleretic, diuretic, pituitary stimulant, sympathomimetic, vagolytic.
• Water, wood, fire, earth, metal deficiency.
• Strengthens and cleanses the mucosa of the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts.
• Good for glandular insufficiency, immune deficiency, renal insufficiency.
Metal: bronchorrhea, pertussis, copious expectoration, asthma, emphysema, tuberculosis, immunoallergic pneumopathies, sarcoidoses, anemia, leukorrhea, insufficient menses, amenorrhea, dermatoses, chronic diarrhea.
Water: oliguria, edema, glomerulonephritis, acute and chronic arterial hypertension.
Wood: choleretic, immune stimulant, hepatomegaly, herpes, insufficient bile secretion.
Fire: hypotension, lipothymia, syncope from vagotonia, stimulates pituitary and testicular activity, FSH and LH-like activity.
Earth: splenomegaly, gastroptosis, gastric atony, chronic diarrhea, hypothyroidism, insufficient hypophysial function, amenorrhea, impotence, frigidity.

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