Asarum Herb (xi xin)

Herba Asari

Properties: The herb is the pungent in flavour, warm in nature and acts on the heart, lung and Kinney channels. Pungent for dispersion, warm for removing blockage, aromatic for moving from exterior to interior, it can disperse cold from exterior, dispel cold from interior, warm the lung, clear passages and relieve pain with good effect. It is an important herb for treatment of Yang insufficiency caused by exopathogens, headache due to pathogenic wind, cold fluid retention, cough and asthma.

Effects: Expelling wind, dispersing cold, clearing passages, relieving pain, warming the lung and removing fluid retention.

Indication:

1. Asarum can be used in combination with prepared aconite root, such as Mahuang Fuzi Xixin Decoction for reinforcing Yang and dispelling exopathogens, to treat Yang deficiency caused by exopathogens with symptoms of wind-cold, aversion to cold, anhidrosis, and ectopic radial and deep pulse; and with ledebouriella root, notopterygium root and other herbs, such as Jiuwei Qianghuo Decoction, to treat wind-cold type of common cold, headache and nasal obstruction.

2.  To treat headache duo to rhinorrhea with turbid discharge and nasal obstruction, asarum is often used in combination with magnolia flower, peppermint and other herbs.

3.  To treat cold fluid retention in the lung and cough with abundant white and thin phlegm, the drug can be used in combination with dried dinger, pinellia tuber and other herbs, such as Xiao Qinglong Decoction for warming the lung and removing fluid retention.

In addition, asarum can also be used to treat arthralgia due to wind-cold, headache caused by wind, toothache due to wind and fire, and other syndromes.

Dosage and Administration: 1-3g

Precautions: Asarum antagonizes veratrum root. There is an old saying:" More than one Qian of asarum should never be used.¡± Therefore, it should no be used in excessive dosage.

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