Phragmites Root
(lu gen)
Rhizoma
Phragmitis
Properties:
Sweet in flavour, cold in nature, it acts on the
lung and stomach channels. The cold property
clears the heat, the moist quality promotes the
production of body fluid and the sweet flavour
eliminates dampness. The herb can clear away the
heat in lung and stomach, promote the production
of body fluid to quench thirst and induce
diuresis for treating stranguria as well. The
potency of the herb is relatively weak, so it
has the action of astringing the pathogenic
factors without impairing the vital-Qi. It is
therefore applied to febrile diseases manifested
as impairment of the body fluid and excessive
thirst.
Effects: Clearing heat,
promoting the production of body fluid,
relieving restlessness and arresting vomiting.
Indications:
1. For treating the
impairment of the body fluid caused by febrile
diseases, vexation and thirst, red tongue, lack
of body fluid, it is often used in combination
with ophiopogon root, trichosanthes root, and
gypsum to clear heat, nourish Yin, promote the
production of the body fluid and quench thirst.
For treating stomach-heat and vomiting, it is
used in combination with other drugs for
clearing away the stomach-heat and arresting
vomiting, such as bamboo shavings.
2. For treating
lung-heat and cough with yellow and thick
phlegm, it is used in combination with
scutellaria root, trichosanthes fruit to remove
the heat from lung, resolve sputum and quench
thirst. For pulmonary abscesses with vomiting
pus and blood, it is used in combination with
peach kernel, waxgourd seed, coix seed known as
Weijing Tang (Decoction of the Reed Stem) to
enhance the action of clearing the lung-heat
and evacuating pus.
The herb can be
also used for treating dribbling urination and
neonatal measles because it has the functions of
inducing diuresis, eliminating dampness,
ventilating lung and promoting eruption.
Dosage and
Administration:
15-30g for dried preparation, 30-60g for the
fresh. The fresh reed root is superior in
clearing heat and promoting the production of
the body fluid.
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