INDIVIDUAL HERBS

NAME: SHAN DOU GEN - 山豆根 - RADIX SOPHORAE TONKINENSIS

Pharmaceutical Latin: Radix Sophorae Tonkinensis
Common English: Bushy Sophora
Pigeon-Pea Root
Rx. Sophorae Subprostrata

CATEGORY

Herbs that Clean Heat and Purge Fire: Herbs that Clear Heat and Resolve Toxicity; Target Warm and Heat Disease

PROPERTIES

Taste Temperature Entering Meridians Dosage
Bitter
(Slightly Toxic)
Cold
Lung
Large Intestine
(Heart)
3-10g
Tincture: 2-4ml

ACTIONS AND INDICATIONS

Actions Indications/Syndromes

Clears Heat, relieves Fire toxicity and improves the throat

Swollen, painful throat (alone internally or as a gargle)

Clears Heat, resolves Fire toxicity and disperses swellings

Abscesses, carbuncles and other toxic sores

Cancers, especially of the throat and Lungs

Externally for Heat swellings, ulcers of the head, scabies and injuries from snake, dog and spider bites

Relieves jaundice

Damp-Heat jaundice

CONTRAINDICATIONS, INCOMPATIBILITIES AND HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

CONTRAINDICATIONS
  • Contraindicated for those with diarrhea, loose stools or anorexia due to Spleen Deficiency Cold.
INCOMPATIBILITIES
HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

MAJOR COMBINATIONS

Rx. Isatidis
Ban Lan Gen

Fr. Arctii
Niu Bang Zi
Rx. Platycodi
Jie Geng

Rz. Belamcandae
She Gan

 

Severe pain and swelling of the throat, teeth and gums.

Mouth and tongue ulcers.

Pain and swelling of the throat.

Phlegm-Heat in the throat with a swollen, sore throat and Phlegm that is difficult to expectorate.

Flos Lonicerae
Jin Yin Hua
Fr. Forsythiae
Lian Qiao
Rz. Coptidis
Huang Lian

Rx. Scrophulariae
Xuan Shen
Rz. Belamcandae
She Gan
Rx. Isatidis
Ban Lan Gen

Rx. Scutellariae Barbatae
Ban Zhi Lian
Hb. Hedyotis Diffusae
Bai Hua She She Cao

Abscesses and toxic sores.

Severe sore throat.

Throat or Lung cancer.

NOTES

  1. It is used more for upper body skin ailments because it is less drying than Sophorae Flavescentis Ku Shen.
  2. It is very bitter and Cold and clears toxic swelling of the gums and throat.
  3. Holding it in the mouth and swallowing the juice is remarkable for healing the throat.
  4. It can be used alone as a decoction or gargle for a mild sore throat.
  5. This herb was included in ancient formulas for Damp-Heat jaundice.
  6. One source says that this herb clears Heat in the Heart to protect Lung Qi.
  7. This herb has been shown to inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
  8. It is said to have a curative effect on breast , nasopharyngeal and bladder cancers.
  9. It is said to be a broad-spectrum anti-cancer herb which resists many types of tumors.
  10. This herb is said to remove toxic materials from other herbs, stop pain, subside inflammation, stop cough.
  11. When ground and taken orally, it eliminates abdominal distention.
  12. When taken with wine, it relieves female abdominal distention due to Blood Stagnation.
  13. When the juice is applied topically, it treats baldness and snake, spider and dog bites.
  14. For esophageal and pharyngeal cancers, grind with vinegar and suck.
  15. It counters leukopenia due to radiation therapy.
  16. It inhibits the growth of sarcoma 180.
  17. It prolongs life in ascitic sarcoma and carcinoma.
  18. It relieves histamine-induced asthma.
  19. This herb has a rapid action.
  20. Both Shan Dou Gen and Rx. Isatidis Bei Ban Lan Gen cool Heat, resolve toxicity, and soothe the throat and are often used together. Shan Dou Gen enters the Lungs and Large Intestine to cool Heat both above and below. It excels at dispersing clumps, drying Dampness and killing parasites. Bei Ban Lan Gen enters the Heart, Lungs, and Stomach and excels at resolving toxicity, cooling the Blood and expelling Wind-Heat to clear rashes associated with warm pathogen diseases.
  21. Rz. Menispermi Bei Dou Gen is is sometimes used as a substitute for Shan Dou Gen. It is bitter, Cold, clears Heat and toxins and is used to treat throat soreness and pain. The dosage is 3 to 10g.