Bei Xie (Bi Xie) - 荜解 - Rhizoma Dioscoreae Hypoglaugae - Tokoro
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Rhizoma Dioscoreae Hypoglaucae |
| Common English: | Fish Poison Yam Rhizome Long Yam Root Seven-Lobed Yam (Mian Bei Xie) Tokoro |
Category
Herbs That Drain Dampness (Diuretics)Properties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Bitter | Neutral | Urinary Bladder Liver Stomach | 9-18g 9-15g (Secondary source) |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Separates the pure from the turbid (resolves turbid Dampness in the Lower Jiao) | Turbid Dampness in the Lower Jiao with cloudy urine, vaginal discharge Deficiency Heat or Damp-Heat |
Expels Wind-Dampness, relaxes the sinews and unblocks the Luo channels | Wind-Damp Bi or Damp-Heat Bi with low back pain, numbness or stiffness of the lower extremities, muscle aches (mild effect) |
Clears Damp-Heat from the skin | Damp-Heat skin lesions (eczema, pustular sores) |
Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions
| CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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| INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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| HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Major Combinations
| Rz. Acori Tatarinowii | Fr. Alpiniae Oxyphyllae | Sm. Plantaginis |
| Frequent urination, Milky Lin, or vaginal discharge. | Yang Deficiency causing frequent urination or urinary incontinence. | Damp-Heat pouring downward with urinary frequency, cloudy urine, vaginal discharge, a red tongue with a yellow, greasy coat. |
| Fr. Alpiniae Oxyphyllae | Rx. Clematidis | Rx. Clematidis |
Urine like rice porridge with no pain or Heat signs. Cloudy urine due to Yang Deficiency. | Wind-Damp Bi. | Wind-Cold-Damp Bi. |
| Rx. Clematidis Or Rx. Gentianae | Rx. Achyranthis Bidentatae | Cx. Phellodendri |
Wind-Damp-Heat Bi. | Lower back pain and weakness due to Kidney Deficiency with Wind-Dampness. | Damp-Heat skin lesions. |
| Fr. Alpiniae Oxyphyllae | Poria | Rx. Angelicae Pubescentis |
Cloudy urine due to Kidney Deficiency with frequency and difficulty of flow and for vaginal discharge. | Leukorrhea from Dampness. | Bi syndrome. |
Notes
- When the Kidneys are deficient, this herb helps relieve swelling and pain in the Lower Jiao.
- It is of great benefit in treating prostatitis.
- It can be used for conditions arising from either Deficiency or Damp-Heat.
- Its ability to resolve Wind-Damp is fairly mild.
- It is best suited to cases where Dampness outweighs Heat.
- Powdery Dioscorea Fen Bei Xie is regarded as superior for separating the pure from the turbid, expelling Dampness and facilitating urination.
- It is one of only a few Chinese Herbs specific for albuminuria and chyluria.
- Sichuan Dioscorea Chuan Bei Xie is more effective at unblocking the channels and expelling Wind-Dampness.
- Dry-fried Dioscorea Chao Bei Xie is more effective at transforming Dampness and entering the Stomach.
- Wine-fried Dioscorea Jiu Chao Bei Xie is more effective at expelling Wind-Dampness.
- Salt-fried Dioscorea Yan Chao Bei Xie is more effective at facilitating urination
- Bei Xie and Rz. Smilacis Glabrae Tu Fu Ling both dispel Dampness and are used for milky Lin, Wind-Damp sores and toxic Damp-Heat sores. Bei Xie excels at separating the pure from the turbid (for milky Lin and vaginal discharge), whereas Tu Fu Ling excels at resolving toxicity (for toxic sores). It is well known for treating syphilitic lesions, and it also removes mercury from the body.