Fu Xiao Mai (Fructus Tritici levis)

Name

Fu Xiao Mai (Fructus Tritici levis), from Ben Cao Meng Quan (Materia Medica Companion)

Source and quality

The immature seeds of the annual herbaceous plant Triticum aestivum L. of the family Gramineae. It is produced in all parts of China.

Collect the light, withered wheat, sift out the dust, wash it in water and dry it in the sun. It has a slight taste and no unpleasant odor.

The best grade is even and free from impurities, light, and floats when washed. It is used raw or stir-baked.

Nature and action

Sweet, slightly astringent and cool. It enters the heart meridian.

It strengthens the superficies and checks sweating, replenishes qi and clears heat.

Indications

Spontaneous sweating and night sweat

This herb is sweet and cool, and it can be applied to stop sweating of deficiency, as in Du Sheng San, which comes from Wei Sheng Bao Jian. It can also replenish heart qi and lung qi. It is a good herb for astringing fluids by nourishing the heart and strengthening the superficies to check sweating, and it is indicated for spontaneous sweating and night sweat.

• It can be given on its own, stir-baked until brown and smashed into a powder.
• For spontaneous sweating due to qi deficiency, it is combined with herbs that check sweating and tonify qi, such as Huang Qi, toasted Mu Li and Ma Huang Gen in Muli San from He Ji Ju Fang.
• For night sweat due to yin deficiency, it is combined with herbs that check sweating and tonify yin, such as Wu Wei Zi and Bai Shao.

Bone-steaming and tidal fever

This herb can tonify qi, nourish yin and clear heat. For fever of yin deficiency and for bone-steaming and tidal fever, it is combined with herbs that clear heat and nourish yin, such as Xuan Shen, Mai Dong, Sheng Di Huang and Di Gu Pi.

Dosage and administration

Decoct 15~30 g. Smash it into a powder, 3~5 g a time.