Codonopsis Root
(dang
shen)
Radix
Codonopsis Pilosulae
Properties:
The herb is sweet in flavour, neutral in nature, and acts
on the lung and spleen channels. Being sweet, neutral,
noist, not dry, not greasy and mild in potency, it can not
only invigorate spleen-qi but also nourish blood and
promote the production of the body fluid. with its effects
similar to but weaker than those of ginseng, dangshen can
be used to replace ginseng but the dosage of dangshen
should be doubled as much as that of ginseng wherever
ginseng is used except for emergency treatment of
collapse. Therefore, dangshen is often used to treat
deficiency of spleen-qi and lung-qi and deficiency of body
fluid and blood.
Effects: Reinforcing
the spleen, tonifying the lung, nourishing blood and
promoting the production of the body fluid.
Indications:
1. For deficiency
of lung-qi, lingering cough and asthma of deficiency type,
deficiency of the lung and kidney, failure of the kidney
in holding air, short breath and asthma, dangshen is often
used in combination with astragalus root, schisandra
fruit, gecko, walnut kernel and other remedies for
tonifying the lung and kidney and improving breath to
relieve asthma.
2. For deficiency
of the spleen and stomach, anorexia, loose stool,
emeciation and lassitude, or sinking of Qi in middle-jiao,
lingering diarrhea and proctoptosis, dangshen isoften used
in combination with white atractylodes rhizome, astragalus
root, bupleurum root, cimicifuga rhizome and other herbs
for invigorating Qi and Yang.
3. For injury of
Qi and Yin by heat, perspiration, lassitude, vexation and
thirst, dangshen can be used in combination with
ophiopogon root, schisandra fruit, reed rhizome and other
herbs for nourishing Yin and promoting the generation of
the body fluid.
4. For paleness
due to deficiency of blood, or deficiency of Qi and blood,
dangshen is often used in combination with Chinese
angelica root, prepared rehmannia root, longan aril and
other herbs for invigorating Qi and blood.
Dosage and
Administration: 10-15g. Up
to 30g for being used to replace ginseng.
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