Pueraria Root (Gegen)
| Pharmaceutical Name: | Radix Puerariae |
| Botanical Name: | Pueraria lobata (wild.) Ohwi Pueraria thomsonii Benth. |
| Common Name: | Pueraria root |
| Source of Earliest Record: | Shennong Bencao Jing |
| Part Used & Method for Pharmaceutical Preparations: | The roots are dug in spring or autumn. They are cut into slices and dried in the shade, or the slices are baked. |
| Properties and Taste: | Pungent, sweet and cool |
| Meridian: | Spleen and stomach |
| Functions: | To release the exterior To bring measles rash to the surface To cause yang to ascend so as to alleviate diarrhea To clear heat and promote production of the body fluids. |
| Indications and Combinations: | 1. Exterior syndrome due to invasion by exogenous wind and cod manifested as stiffness of upper back or neck, absences of sweating, aversion to wind, fever and headache. *Use with Ephedra (Mahuang), Cinnamon twigs (Guizhi) and White peony root (Baishao) in the formula Gegen Tang. 2. Exterior syndrome due to invasion by exogenous wind and heat manifested as headache, fever, painful eyes and dry throat. *Use with Bupleurum root (Chaihu) and Scutellaria root (Huangqin) in the formula Chai Ge Jieji Tang. 3. Early stage of measles with incomplete expression of the rash, fever and chills. *Use with Cimicifuga rhizome (Shengma) in the formula Shengma Gegen Tang. 4. Damp-heat dysentery. *Use with Coptis root (Huanglian) and Scutellaria root (Huangqin) in the formula Gegen Huangqin Huanglian Tang. 5. Diarrhea due to deficient spleen. *Use with Pilose asiabell root (Dangshen), White atractylodes (Baizhu) and Costus root (Muxiang) in the formula Qiwei Baishu San. 6. Thirst in febrile diseases or diabetes. *Use with Ophiopogon root (Maidong), Trichosanthes root (Tianhuafen) and Fresh rehmannia root (Shengdihuang). |
| Dosage: | 10-20 g |
| Cautions: | To treat diarrhea, the herb is first baked. |