Bai Tou Weng 白头翁 - Radix Pulsatillae

Pharmaceutical Latin:	Radix Pulsatillae
Common English:	Anemone Asian Pasqueflower Root Chinese Anemone Root Pulsatilla Root

Category

Herbs that Clear Heat and Purge Fire: Herbs that Clear Heat and Dry Dampness

Properties

Taste	Temperature	Entering Meridians	Dosage
Bitter	Cold	Large Intestine Stomach (Liver)	6-18g Tincture: 2-5ml 6-15g (Secondary source)

Actions And Indications

Actions	Indications/Syndromes
Alleviates dysentery, Clears Heat, Cools the Blood, Resolves Fire toxicity	Dysentery, Damp-Heat in the Stomach or Intestines, hematochezia Toxic Fire dysentery

Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions

Major Combinations

Cx. Phellodendri Huang Bai Rz. Coptidis Huang Lian Cx. Fraxini Qin Pi	Hb. Portulacae Ma Chi Xian	Rx. Bupleuri Chai Hu Rx. Scutellariae Huang Qin Sm. Arecae Bing Lang
Damp-Heat or epidemic dysenteric disorders	Dysenteric disorders due to Heat toxin	Warm febrile malarial disorders
Rx. Sophorae Flavescentis Ku Shen	Rx. Sanguisorbae Di Yu Charred Flos Sophorae Huai Hua Tan Rx. Scutellariae Huang Qin
External wash for itchy vaginal discharge	Bleeding hemorrhoids

Notes

1. This herb is indicated when a Heat syndrome is injuring the fluids or leading to bleeding.
2. An extract of it is used as a douche for trichomonas vaginitis.
3. It belongs to the same family as goldenseal.
4. It addresses Hot dysenteric disorders accompanied by tenesmus or a bearing-down sensation, particularly when there is bleeding.
5. It may be given as an enema for dysenteric disorders.
6. For hemorrhoids, this herb may be applied topically or taken internally on its own.
7. For scrofula, this herb may be applied topically or taken Internally on its own.
8. According to other sources, this herb treats warm malarial disorders marked by frequent thrashing, delirium, chills, fever, abdominal masses, accumulation and goiter; it also drives out Blood and stops pain, and treats metal sores, nosebleeds, toxic red dysenteric disorders, abdominal pain, toothache, pain in all the joints, scrofula of the lower neck and all types of Wind; in addition it warms the lower back, brightens the eyes and dissolves warts.
9. Bai Tou Weng, Fr. Bruceae Ya Dan Zi and Hb. Portulacae Ma Chi Xian share the ability to clear Heat, resolve toxicity and treat dysenteric disorders, and they are combined for bleeding dysenteric disorders caused by Heat toxin. Ma Chi Xian mainly addresses red dysenteric disorders with Blood and mucus, in part because it cools the Blood and stops bleeding. Ya Dan Zi mainly addresses dysenteric disorders that swing between mild and severe, or that appear cured and then come back. Bai Tou Weng is suited to both types.
10. The fresh herb contains protoanemonin, which irritates the skin and mucous membranes; this is why only the dried herb is used.