Wolfberry Bark (di gu pi)

Cortex Lycii Radicis

　

Properties: Sweet in flavour, cold in nature, it acts on the lung, liver and kidney channels. The sweet and cold properties of the herb remove heat and moisturize dryness. It is good at clearing away the heat of deficiency type in liver and kidney, hence bringing down the hectic fever. It is an important herb for treating the syndromes of heat due to Yin-deficiency, hectic and tidal heat. It is also used to clear lung-heat, remove heat from the blood, stop bleeding, and treat cough due to lung-heat, hematemesis and epitaxis caused by blood-heat as well.

 

Effects: Bringing down heat of Yin-deficiency, removing lung-fire.

 

Indications:

1. For fever due to Yin-deficiency, vexation and night sweating, or hectic and tidal fever, it is used in combination with the drugs for nourishing Yin and bringing down heat of deficiency type, such as anmarrhena rhizome, rehmannia root and sweet wormwood.

2. For cough due to lung-heat or hemoptysis, it is often used in combination with the drugs for clearing lung-heat and expelling fire, such as mulberry bark and liquorice, known as Xiebai San (Lung-fire expelling Powder).

In addition, it is also used to treat bleedings due to blood-heat because it can remove heat from the blood and stop bleeding. It has the functions of promoting the generation of body fluid, relieving cough so as to treat diabetes due to interior heat.

Dosage and Administration: 6-15g.

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