Bupleurum Root (Chaihu)
| Pharmaceutical Name: | Radix Bupleuri |
| Botanical Name: | Bupleurum scorzoneraefollium wild Bupleurum chinese DC. |
| Common Name: | Bupleurum root |
| Source of Earliest Record: | Shennong Bencao Jing |
| art Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: | The roots are dug in the spring or autumn, dried in the sun and cut into short pieces. The raw root can be used, or it can be baked with wine or vinegar. |
| Properties and Taste: | Bitter, pungent and slightly cold |
| Meridian: | Pericardium, liver, gall bladder and triple jioa |
| Functions: | To release the exterior and clear heat To pacify the liver so as to relieve stagnation To elevate Yang-Qi |
| Indications and Combinations: | 1. Fever due to invasion by exogenous pathogenic factors. *Use with Licorice root (Gancao). 2. Alternating chills and fever in lesser yang-syndrome. *Use with Scutellarai root (Huangqin). 3. Qi stagnation in the liver manifested as distension and pain in the chest and costal regions and irregular menstruation. *Use with Cyprus tuber (Xiangfu), Bitter orange (Zhiqiao) and Green tangerine peel (Qingpi) in the formula Chaihu Sugan San. 4. Qi stagnation of the liver and deficient blood. *Use with Chinese angelica root (Dangui) and White peony (Baishao) in the formula Xiaoyao San. 5. Sinking of qi in the spleen and stomach manifested as chronic diarrhea, prolapse of rectum, gastroptosis and uterine prolapse. *Use with Ginseng (Renshen), Scutellaria root (Huangqin) and White atractylodes (Baizhu) in the formula Buzhong Yiqi Tang. |
| Dosage: | 3-10 g |
| Cautions: | This herb is contraindicated during syndromes due to hyperactivity of liver Yang or deficiency of Yin. |