Heat-Clearing and toxicity-Removing Herbs
Ku Mu (苦木)
Name
Ku Mu (India quassiawood)
The Effect of 苦木
Property
Bitter, cold, slightly toxic; lung and large intestine meridians entered.
Actions
Clear heat, remove toxicity and dispel dampness.
Indications
Sore throat, cold due to wind-heat, eczema, snake and insect bites, diarrhea due to damp-heat, sores and boils.
Dosage and Administrations
Decoct 6~15 g, large dosage can be 30 g, or made into pill or powder. Proper dosage is for external application, pounded for applying, or decocted for washing or soaked in wine.
Cautions
It is contraindicated to pregnant women.
Sources and further reading
We cite classical materia medica and modern reference works. This article is health education, not medical advice.
- Shennong Bencao Jing (The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica), Han dynasty.
- Bencao Gangmu (Compendium of Materia Medica), Li Shizhen, 1578.
- Chinese Pharmacopoeia, current edition — identity, quality and safety monographs.
- NCCIH and WHO reference material on traditional medicine safety.
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