INDIVIDUAL HERBS
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Rhizoma Coptidis |
| Common English: | Coptis Rhizome Goldthread Root |
Taste |
Temperature |
Entering Meridians |
Dosage |
Bitter (Astringent) |
Cold |
Heart Large Intestine Liver Stomach (Gallbladder) (Spleen) |
1.5-10g Tincture: 0.25-3 ml |
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Clears Heat and drains Dampness |
Damp-Heat in the Stomach or Intestines with diarrhea or dysenteric disorder, enteritis and vaginal infection, cholera, acute gastroenteritis, typhoid fever, staphylococcus Stomach Heat with vomiting and/or acid regurgitation |
Drains Fire and resolves Fire toxicity |
Heat with Blazing Fire (Toxic Heat) with high fever. irritability, disorientation, delirium, a red tongue and a rapid, full pulse Heat from Excess with toxicity painful, red eyes, otitis and a sore throat, ear, nose and throat infection Boils, carbuncles and abscesses (Chuang Yung) |
Clears Heat and stops bleeding |
Blood Heat with epistaxis, hematemesis, hematuria, hemafecia and hemoptysis |
Clears Heat topically |
Infected wounds, red and painful eyes, ulcerations of the tongue and mouth (topical) |
Clears Heart Fire (sedative) |
Heart Fire Lack of communication between the Heart and Kidneys |
Drains Stomach Fire |
Stomach Fire |
CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
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Cx. Fraxini |
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Damp-Heat dysenteric disorders. |
External Heat with diarrhea or dysentery. |
Dysenteric disorders with co-existing pathogens in the exterior. Damp-Heat in the Middle Jiao with diarrhea or dysentery. |
Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum |
Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum |
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Cold and Heat complexes in the Intestines and Stomach marked by focal distention, nausea, vomiting and feelings of oppression in the chest. |
Phlegm-Heat clumping in the chest with feelings of oppression beneath the Heart with pain on palpation. |
High fever, irritability, dry mouth and throat and dark urine due to Fire toxin in the three burners. |
Fr. Evodiae |
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Epigastric and abdominal pain, acid regurgitation, ulcers, vomiting and epigastric upset due to Liver Fire or Stomach Heat. |
Dysenteric disorder and abdominal pain. |
Toothache, gum swelling, halitosis, dental disorders and tongue and mouth ulcerations due to Stomach Fire. Swollen eyes and deafness. Red eyes and photophobia due to Liver Fire. |
Rz. Cimicifugae |
Rx. Rehmanniae |
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Toothache, gum swelling, and tongue and mouth ulcerations due to Stomach Fire. (stronger effect) |
Toothache due to Stomach Fire. |
Insomnia and delirium due to unremitting Heat injuring the Ying level. |
Rx. Rehmanniae |
Caul. Bambusae in Taeniam |
Rz. Anemarrhenae |
Wasting and thirsting disorder due to Excess Heat. Stomach Fire with Excess hunger. |
Nausea, vomiting, hiccup or dry retching due to Stomach Fire. Vomiting of mucus or acid regurgitation due to Phlegm-Heat Obstructing the Stomach. Gallbladder Fire and Phlegm-Heat Disturbing the Heart with palpitations, insomnia, irritability and a stifling sensation in the chest. |
Blazing Stomach Fire with intense hunger, dry stools, dry, yellow tongue coat and a slippery rapid pulse. |
Cx. Cinnamomi |
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Insomnia with disturbing dreams, palpitations which are worse at night and irritability due to lack of communication between the Heart and Kidneys. |
Ying Stage Heat with delirium and loss of consciousness. |
Heart Fire with Blood Heat. |
Rx. Scutellariae |
Rx. Scutellariae |
Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum |
Damp-Heat in the Middle Jiao. |
Boils, carbuncles and furuncles. |
Cold and Heat in the Middle Jiao with abdominal fullness, nausea and vomiting. |
Rx. Aucklandiae |
Colla Corii Asini |
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Dysenteric disorders due to Damp-Heat Obstructing the Intestines. |
Hot dysenteric disorders with Qi Stagnation. Damp-Heat in the Middle Jiao with intense tenesmus. |
Heat toxin clumping in the Intestines, injuring the Blood collaterals causing Blood and pus in the stools especially during pregnancy or postpartum. |
Fr. Mume |
Rx. Scutellariae |
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Insomnia and irritability due to overwhelming Heart Fire and Yin and Blood Deficiency. |
Irritable Heat and fullness in the chest due to Yin Deficiency Fire attacking the Heart. Internal Heat with thirst, Dryness, cough and irritability. Seasonal epidemic dysenteric disorders with inability to eat |
Drains pathogenic Heat from the Upper and Middle Jiaos for high fever, redness, swelling and pain of the head and face, dry mouth, parched throat, ulcerations of the mouth and tongue, epistaxis, rashes and irritability in warm-febrile disease. Explosive diarrhea and dysentery with burning pain in the anus or fetid, filthy stools and abdominal pain. Nausea in pregnancy with Heat disturbing the fetus. |
Cx. Phellodendri |
Endoconcha Sepiae |
Rx. Puerariae |
Diarrhea or dysentery with burning sensations in the anus. |
Acid regurgitation. |
Diarrhea in Exterior syndromes. |
Bul. Allii Macrostemi |
Gypsum Fibrosum |
Fr. Evodiae |
Diarrhea with bleeding. |
Wasting and thirsting disorder (diabetes). |
Liver Fire. |
Concha Haliotidis |
Cinnabaris |
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Red eyes due to Liver Yang Rising. |
Insomnia and irritability due to Heart Fire. |
Hematemesis and rectal bleeding due to Blood Heat. |
Rz. Acori Tatarinowii |
Rx. Scutellariae |
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Delirium. |
Abscesses, lesions, carbuncles, furuncles, burns, swelling and inflammation due to toxic Heat. |
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- This is one of the coldest and most bitter, drying herbs in Chinese Medicine.
- It is primarily used for treating Liver and Heart Fire especially as it invades the Spleen/Stomach and Lungs.
- Its anti-bacterial properties make it useful in treating intestinal infections.
- Because of its extreme bitterness it is better used as an extract or in pill form.
- It is related to goldenseal.
- It is an especially broad-spectrum anti fungal.
- It is one of the best herbs for treating intestinal infections with bleeding.
- Used alone it can treat photophobia, blurred vision, spots in front of the eyes, night blindness, and acute conjunctivitis due to Liver Blood Deficiency and Liver Yang Rising.
- It can be used as an external wash for the eyes.
- It is said to cure ophthalmalgia due to pathogenic Heat.
- It has been shown to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
- It is said to cure five kinds of impairment and seven kinds of trauma.
- It circulates Qi, relieves gastralgia, palpitations with fear and restlessness, moistens the Heart and Lungs, promotes meiopoiesis and stops hemorrhage.
- It is said to expel Blood Stagnation in the tongue.
- It is said to cure Qi and Blood Deficiency, weak Spleen and Stomach, Yin Deficiency and restlessness due to Internal Heat Accumulation. When treating these disorders, do not use with salt.
- When roasted, this herb works upward to the brain, eyes, mouth and tongue.
- When roasted with Ginger juice, it cures pyogenic swelling and infection, Summerheat, malignant infection, sores and ulcers.
- Japanese Coptis is used as a less expensive substitute.
- It can drain all Heat in the Heart, Spleen, Liver and Kidneys and all Fire in the Large Intestine, Small Intestines, Gallbladder and Stomach.
- It is said to treat hypertension.
- It is also said to prolong sleep.
- It is said to treat upper respiratory tract infection, pneumonia, tuberculosis and gout.
It is used to treat staphylococcus , pneumococcus, bacillus anthracis and vibrio cholerae. - For upper Jiao Heat, saute in sake.
- For Middle Jiao Heat, saute with chopped ginger.
- For Lower Jiao Heat, saute in seawater.
- For Heat due to Food Accumulation, saute in soil.
- Frying with pig bile enhances its effectiveness in sedating Liver and Gallbladder Fire.
- Huang Lian, Fr. Evodiae Wu Zhu Yu, and Rz. Zingiberis Recens Sheng Jiang all alleviate nausea. Wu Zhu Yu warms the Liver treating nausea and acid regurgitation Liver Cold attacking the Stomach. Huang Lian clears Stomach Heat to treat nausea and vomiting of bile due to Damp-Heat in the Stomach and Sheng Jiang warms the Middle for vomiting of clear fluids due to Stomach Cold.
- Dry-fried Coptis Chao Huang Lian has its cold properties moderated to avoid injuring Spleen and Stomach Yang. it enters the Blood to cool Blood Heat and resolve toxicity.
- Ginger Coptis Jiang Huang Lian has its cooling action focused on the Middle Jiao, where it cools Stomach Fire and Heat, alleviating nausea and descending rebellious Qi.
- Wine-fried Coptis Jiu Huang Lian reaches the head and eyes and cools Upper Jiao Fire to treat pain of the eyes, ears, or tongue and mouth ulcers due to pathogenic Fire or Heat.
- Evodia Coptis Yu Huang Lian is focused on clearing Damp-Heat at the Qi Level with diarrhea and nausea or Liver Stomach Disharmony causing Liver Fire with acid regurgitation, belching or nausea.
- Salt-water Fried Coptis Yan Shui Chao Huang Lian is less dry and focused on the Lower Jiao, clearing Fire to protect Kidney water.
- Charred Coptis Huang Lian Tan enters the Blood Level where it cools Heat, cools the Blood, stops bleeding and alleviates dysenteric disorders. It is used for Blood Heat causing hemorrhage, and for pus in the stool due to Damp-Heat in the Large Intestine.