Ephedra Root (Mahuanggen)
| Pharmaceutical Name: | Radix Ephedrae |
| Botanical Name: | Ephedra sinica stapf Ephedra equisetina Bge. Ephedra intermedia schrenk et C. A. Mey. |
| Common Name: | Ephedra root |
| Source of Earliest Record: | Mingyi Bielu |
| Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: | The roots are dug in the period of the Beginning of Autumn (thirteenth solar term). After the fibrous roots have been removed, the roots are cleaned and cut into pieces. |
| Properties and Taste: | Sweet and neutral |
| Meridian: | Lung |
| Functions: | To stop sweating |
| Indications and Combinations: | 1. Spontaneous sweating. *Use with Astragalus root (Huangqi) and Chinese angelica root (Danggui). 2. Night sweating. *Use with Fresh rehmannia root (Shengdihuang) and Oyster shell (Muli). |
| Dosage: | 3-10 g |
| Cautions: | This herb is contraindicated in cases with exterior syndromes. |