Bian Xu - 扁蓄 - Herba Polygoni Avicularis

Pharmaceutical Latin:	Herba Polygoni Avicularis
Common English:	Knotgrass Knotweed Polygonum

Properties

Taste	Temperature	Entering Meridians	Dosage
Bitter	Slightly Cold (Cool) (Neutral)	Bladder	8-16g Tincture: 2-4ml

Actions

Indications/Syndromes

Drains Damp-Heat from the Urinary Bladder, promotes urination and unblocks painful urinary dysfunction

Damp-Heat Painful Urinary Dysfunction (Lin Syndrome)

Damp-Heat jaundice

Expels parasites and stops itching

Damp lesions with itch including tinea

Intestinal parasites such as tapeworm, hookworm and pinworm

CONTRAINDICATIONS

INCOMPATIBILITIES

HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS

Concurrent use with diuretics such as chlorothiazide, hydrochlorothiazide, furmoside (Lasix), bumetinide (Bumex) and torsemide (Demadex) may lead to increased elimination of water and/or electrolytes.

Hb. Dianthi Qu Mai Sm. Plantaginis Che Qian Zi	Hb. Cirsii Xiao Ji Rz. Imperatae Bai Mao Gen (Pollen Typhae) (Pu Huang )	Hb. Lysimachiae/Desmodii/Glechomae Jin Qian Cao/Guang Jin Qian Cao/Lian Qian Cao Spora Lygodii Hai Jin Sha
Damp-Heat in the Lower Jiao or Stone Lin with urinary discomfort.	Blood (Xue) Lin.	Stone Lin.
Fr. Kochiae Di Fu Zi (Rx. Sophorae Flavescentis) (Ku Shen)	Fr. Quisqualis Shi Jun Zi Fr. Mume Wu Mei (Pericarpium Zanthoxyli) (Hua Jiao)	Sm. Torreyae Fei Zi Rx. Stemonae Bai Bu Sm. Arecae Bing Lang
Topically as a wash for Damp-Heat induced genital itching.	Roundworms.	As an external wash for pinworms.
Hb. Dianthi Qu Mai	Caulis Akebiae Mu Tong Sm. Plantaginis Che Qian Zi Fr. Gardeniae Zhi Zi Talcum Hua Shi	Rx. et Rz. Rhei Da Huang Hb. Artemisiae Scopariae Yin Chen Hao Fr. Gardeniae Zhi Zi
Painful urinary dysfunction.	Damp-Heat dysuria. (Shi-Re Lin)	Jaundice.
Rz. Atractylodis Cang Zhu Cx. Phellodendri Huang Bai Cx. Dictamni Bai Xian Pi Rx. Sophorae Flavescentis Ku Shen	Hb. Artemisiae Scopariae Yin Chen Hao Fr. Gardeniae Zhi Zi
Eczema.	Damp-Heat jaundice.

It is best suited to cases in which Dampness and Heat are equally severe.
It is also used for Damp-Heat jaundice, dysenteric disorders from Damp-Heat, and Damp-Heat sores and itchy rashes.
It is indicated for weeping rashes, hemorrhoids, the three parasites, sudden turmoil disorder and vaginal erosion.
As a topical wash, it can relieve itching caused by parasites.
Bian Xu and Hb. Dianthi Qu Mai both clear Heat and promote the removal of pathogenic water, unblocking painful urinary dysfunction, and they are frequently combined for difficult, painful and burning urination. Bian Xu is bitter and directs downward, entering the Bladder directly to cool Damp-Heat; it is the better choice for scanty, dark urine that is difficult to pass because of Damp-Heat, and it can also treat Damp-Heat jaundice. Qu Mai promotes the function of the Small Intestine to lead Internal Heat outward and is the better choice for hematuria from Heat or burning pain on urination. It also breaks up blood Stasis and unblocks the channels, so it treats amenorrhea.
Western herbology also uses Bian Xu for rheumatism and gout.