Bai Zhi - 白芷 - Radix Angelicae Dahuricae
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Radix Angelicae Dahuricae |
| Common English: | Angelica Root Chinese Angelica Root Dahurican Angelica Root Taiwan Angelica Root White Angelica Root |
Category
Herbs that Release the Exterior: Warm, Acrid Herbs that Release the Exterior (Wind-Cold Diaphoretics)Properties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Acrid (Slightly sweet) (Bitter) | Warm | Lung Stomach Spleen (Large Intestine) | 3-10g Tincture: 2-4ml |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Alleviates pain, Dispels Cold, Eliminates Dampness, Expels Wind, Unblocks the nasal passages | External Wind-Cold patterns, especially with headache Arthritis, Nasal congestion and toothache, Supra orbital pain Any External Wind invasion of the Ying Ming channels of the head with a frontal headache |
| Reduces swelling, eliminates toxins and expels pus | Early-stage superficial sores, boils and carbuncles, pruritis |
Expels Dampness, alleviates discharge and treats leukorrhea and diarrhea | Vaginal discharge due to Cold-Dampness in the Lower Jiao |
Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions
| CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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| INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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| HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
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Major Combinations
| Rz. Ligustici | Rx. Puerariae | Hb. Asari |
Wind-Cold induced headaches, especially those at the vertex. | Wind-Cold trapped at the level of the muscles and interstices. | Wind-Cold induced headaches, sinus headaches, orbital headaches and toothaches aggravated by cold air. |
| Rx. Platycodi | Rx. Ligustici Chuanxiong | Rx. Ligustici Chuanxiong |
Ulcerated boils when pus has not been discharged. | Headaches. | Wind-Cold headache. |
| Rx. Ligustici Chuanxiong | Rx. Glycyrrhizae | Hb. Taraxaci |
| Wind-Heat headache. | Ulcer pain. Stomach ache. | Breast abscess, boils and carbuncles and skin diseases. |
| Hb. Asari | Rx. Scutellariae | Gypsum |
| Nasal congestion. | Wind-Heat headache. | Toothache due to Wind-Heat which is aggravated by Heat. |
| Cx. Phellodendri | Rx. Angelicae Sinensis | Rx. Saposhnikoviae |
Damp-Heat vaginal discharge. | Vaginal infections. | Wind-Cold with headache and stuffy nose. |
| Rx. et Rz. Notopterygii | Rx. Chuanxiong | Fr. Trichosanthis |
Wind-Cold Dampness causing fever, chills and headaches. | Headache (especially frontal) due to Wind. | Acute mastitis. |
| Fr. Trichosanthis | Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae | Fr. Xanthii |
Sores and swellings. | Cold-Damp leukorrhea. | Headache due to nasal congestion with thick putrid discharge. |
| Bul. Allii | Bombyx Batryticatus | Flos Lonicerae |
Wind-Cold. | Frontal headache. | Early-stage sores and carbuncles. |
Gypsum | Hb. Asari | Rx. Ligustici Chuanxiong |
Sinusitis and rhinitis with turbid, yellow nasal discharge and nasal obstruction due to Heat. | Headache with excessive Cold. | Headache with excessive Heat. |
Rx. et Rz. Notopterygii | Rx. Gentianae Macrophyllae | Flos Lonicerae |
Muscle aches and pains due to Wind-Dampness. | Rashes and itching due to Wind-Dampness. | Dermatological disorders with abscesses and swelling. |
Fr. Arctii | Rx. Codonopsis | Cx. Moutan |
Formation of pus without ulceration. | Formation of pus with ulceration. | Acute appendicitis or Intestinal abscess. |
Rx. Paeoniae Rubra | Endoconcha Sepiae | Cx. Phellodendri |
Breast abscesses. | White, turbid leukorrhea due to Cold and Dampness. | Yellow, turbid vaginal discharge due to Damp-Heat. |
Sm. Myristicae | ||
Chronic diarrhea due to Spleen Deficiency and Dampness Accumulation. |
Notes
- When a sore or ulcer has not yet formed pus, this herb helps bring down the swelling; once pus has formed or the sore has broken open, it helps drain the pus.
- Taken orally or applied topically on its own, this herb effectively eases toothache pain.
- Combined with suitable herbs, it can treat vaginal discharge caused by Damp-Heat.
- This herb supports healthy function of the female organs.
- It has analgesic, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.
- Dry-fried Angelica Root Chao Bai Zhi is used for discharge of a Cold-Damp nature.
- Charred Angelica Root Bai Zhi Tan stops bleeding, menstrual spotting in particular.
- Bai Zhi, Rz. seu Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo, Rz. Ligustici Gao Ben, and Hb. Asari Xi Xin are all warm and acrid; they dispel Wind-Cold, Wind-Dampness and Cold-Dampness and relieve pain. Bai Zhi is the best of these for pain of the forehead, eyebrows, teeth and gums; it also reduces swelling, expels pus and stops itching and vaginal discharge. Qiang Huo expels Wind from the exterior and the muscles and is the best for pain of the neck and shoulders. Qiang Huo and Gao Ben both enter the Du channel, though Qiang Huo travels upward and Gao Ben travels downward. Hb. Asari Xi Xin disperses pathogenic Wind-Cold-Dampness and is particularly good at opening the orifices and relieving pain; it also transforms thin Cold mucus.
From Class
- Bai Zhi (Angelica dahurica): Lung-stomach (Yang Ming) affinity; provokes a strong reaction — for the Yang Ming cell picture. (Yuen)