Chinese
Gall
(wu bei zi)
Galla
Chinensis
Properties:
Sour and astringent in flavour, cold in nature, it is
tropistic to the lung, large intestine and kidney
channels. Being sour and astringent, it has effects of
astringing the lung and bowels, arresting spermatorrhea.
and perspiration. Its effects are similar to those of
Fructus Schisandrae. It is used for chronic cough and
diarrhea, spontaneous emission and perspiration as well as
night sweat. However, owing to its cold nature, it also
functions in clearing heat and when it astring, it purges
as well. It is used preferentially to treat patients with
inability to preserve body essence due to deficiency and
with concomitant heat in the interior.
Effects:
Astringing the lung and reducing pathogenic fire,
arresting spermatorrhea, astringing bowels, stopping
bleeding and sweating.
Indications:
1. For chronic
cough due to deficiency of the lung, it is used with herbs
for replenishing the lung to relieve cough and asthma,
such as Radix Codonopsis Pilosulae, Rhizoma Discoreae,
Radix Ophiopogonis, Fructus Schisandrae, Semen Armeniacae
Amartum, etc. For cough due to lung-heat, it is used with
herbs for clearing away lung-heat and phlegm, such as
Fructus Trichosanthis, Bulbus Fritillariae, Rhizoma
Phragmitis, egc.
2. For night
sweating due to Yin-deficiency, and spontaneous
perspiration because of Qi-deficiency, it is often used
with drugs for consolidating the superficial resistance to
stop sweating, such as Concha Ostreae, Fructus Corni,
Fructus Schisandrae, Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae,
etc.
3. For
spermatorrhea and frequent urination due to
kidney-deficiency, it is used with herbs for invigorating
the kidney to preserve essence, such as Rhizoma Dioscoreae,
Fructus Psoraleae, Concha Ostreae, Fructus Alpiniae
Oxyphyllae, etc.
4. For chronic
diarrhea and dysentery, it is used with herbs for
astringing intestines and to arrest diarrhea, such as
Fructus Chebulae, Halloysitum Rubrum, Fructus Schisandrae,
etc. For protracted diarrhea and proclapse of rectum, it
is decocted alone in water and used as an external lotion.
Dosage and
Administration:
1.5-6g, used
in bolus or powder, and appropriate amount for external
use.
