Cimicifuga rhizome (Shengma)
| Pharmaceutical Name: | Rhizome Cimicifugae |
| Botanical Name: | Cimicifuga foetoda L. Cimicifuga dahurica (Turcz) Maxim. Cimicifuga heracleifolia Kom. |
| Common Name: | Cimicifuga rhizome Bugbane rhizome |
| Source of Earliest Record: | Shennong Bencao Jing |
| art Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: | The roots, or rhizomes, are dug in the summer or autumn and died in the sun. After removing the fibrous roots, they are soaked in water and cut into pieces. |
| Properties and Taste: | Pungent, sweet and slightly cold |
| Meridian: | Spleen, lung, large intestine and stomach |
| Functions: | To release the exterior and bring measles rash to the surface To clear heat and toxins To raise the Yang-Qi |
| Indications and Combinations: | 1. Early stage of measles with incomplete expression of the rash. *Use with Pueraria root (Gegen) in the formula Shengma Gegen Tang. 2. Excessive heat in the stomach meridian manifested as headache, swelling of gums, painful teeth and ulceration of tongue and mouth. *Use with Coptis root (Huanglian), Fresh rehmannia root (Shengdihuang), Gypsum (Shigao) and Moutan bark (Mudanpi) in the formula Qingwei San. 3. Soar throat caused by invasion of exogenous wind and heat. *Use with Scrophularia (Xuanshen0, Platycodon root (Jiegeng), Arctium fruit (Niubangzi) in the formula Niubang Tang. 4. Sinking of qi in the spleen and stomach manifested as chronic diarrhea, prolapse of rectum, uterine prolapse and gastroptosis. *Use with Ginseng (Renshen), Scutellaria root (Huangqin) and White atractylodes (Baizhu) in the formula Buzhong Yiqi Tang. 5. Boils, carbuncles, furuncles and skin disease. *Use with Dandelion herb (Pugongying), Honeysuckle flower (Jinyinhua), Forsythia fruit (Lianqiao) and Red peony (Chishao). |
| Dosage: | 3-10 g |
| Cautions: | This herb is contraindicated in patients who have difficulty breathing, who have measles with complete rashes, or have deficient yin syndrome with heat. |