Guang Huo Xiang (Wrinkled Gianthyssop Herb)

Name

Guang Huo Xiang (Herba Pogostemonis), from Ming Yi Bie Lu (Miscellaneous Records of Famous Physicians)

Source and quality

The aerial part of the perennial herbaceous plant Pogostemon cablin (Blanco) Benth. of the family Lamiaceae. It is produced in Guangdong and Hainan provinces, and collected in summer and autumn.

It has a distinctive fragrance and is slightly bitter. The best grade is dry and orderly, with a green cross section and soft, full leaves, and a strong fragrance.

It is dried in the sun, cut into segments and used unprocessed.

Nature and action

Pungent and slightly warm. It enters the spleen, stomach and lung meridians.

It resolves dampness, arrests vomiting and releases the exterior.

Indications

Damp obstruction of the middle energizer

It is the essential herb for resolving dampness, because it is aromatic in flavor, warm but not hot, and dry but not drastic in nature. It is therefore commonly used for dysfunction of the spleen's transformation and transportation caused by damp obstruction in the middle energizer, marked by distension and fullness in the stomach and abdomen, poor appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and dysentery.

Because it is slightly warm, it suits the syndrome of cold-damp harassment of the spleen, and is then combined with herbs that dry dampness and move qi: Cang Zhu, Hou Po and Chen Pi in Buhuanjin Zhengqi San from Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang.

Vomiting

It is an effective herb for vomiting and is indicated for every type of vomiting, because it both resolves dampness and arrests vomiting.

• As its main action is resolving dampness, it suits vomiting caused by obstruction of damp-turbidity in the middle energizer better.
• For failure of stomach qi to descend due to cold-damp harassment of the spleen, marked by vomiting, it is usually combined with herbs that warm the stomach and arrest vomiting, such as Ban Xia and Ding Xiang in Huo Xiang Ban Xia Tang from Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang (Prescriptions of the Great Peace and Benevolent Pharmacy).
• For vomiting due to obstruction of damp-heat in the middle energizer, it is usually combined with herbs that clear the stomach and arrest vomiting, such as Huang Lian and Zhu Ru.
• For nausea and vomiting due to deficiency of the spleen and stomach, it is combined with herbs that invigorate the spleen and stomach, such as Dang Shen and Bai Zhu.
• For vomiting of pregnancy due to damp obstruction and qi stagnation, it is usually combined with herbs that harmonize the middle energizer and prevent abortion, such as Sha Ren and Zi Su Geng.

Early-stage exterior syndrome of the wind-cold type, summer-damp syndrome and damp-warm syndrome

It is the essential herb for chills with fever, headache and body pain, and for distension and fullness in the stomach and abdomen with nausea and vomiting, caused by affection with exogenous wind-cold in summer together with retention of dampness and cold in the interior. Its actions are to disperse wind-cold from the exterior and to resolve damp-turbidity from the interior.

• It is usually combined with herbs that resolve dampness and release the exterior, such as Zi Su, Hou Po and Ban Xia in Huoxiang Zhengqi San from Tai Ping Hui Min He Ji Ju Fang.
• In the early stage of damp-warm syndrome, it is usually combined with herbs that clear heat and drain dampness, such as Huang Qin, Hua Shi and Yin Chen in Ganlu Xiaodu Dan from Wen Re Jing Wei.

Dosage and administration

Decoct 5~10 g; double the dose when using the fresh herb.