Bo He - 薄荷 - Herba Menthae - Peppermint
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Herba Menthae Haplocalycis |
| Common English: | Asian Fieldmint Cornmint Field Mint Mentha Peppermint Wild Mint Wild Pennyroyal |
Category
Herbs that Release the Exterior: Cool, Acrid Herbs that Release the Exterior (Wind-Heat Diaphoretics)Properties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Acrid Aromatic | Cool | Lung Liver | 1.5-30g (3-6g) Tincture: 2-3 ml Add during the last 5 minutes of cooking. |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Disperses Wind-Heat, cools and clears the head and eyes and benefits the throat | Wind-Heat with fever, cough, headache, red eyes and a sore throat |
Vents rashes | Early-stage rashes e.g. measles |
Relieves Stagnation of Liver Qi | Liver Qi Stagnation with pressure in the chest or flanks, emotional instability and gynecological problems |
Expels turbid filth | Exposure to unclean Qi in the Summertime leading to gastric distress with abdominal pain, vomiting. diarrhea and a thick, yellow, greasy tongue coat |
Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions
| CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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| INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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| HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Major Combinations
| Flos Schizonepetae | Flos Schizonepetae | Flos Chrysanthemi |
Wind-Heat. | Wind-Heat. (stronger effect) | Headache due to Wind-Heat. Headache and pain, redness, and swelling of the eyes due to Liver Fire. |
| Rx. Platycodi | Spica Prunellae | Fr. Arctii |
Painful, swollen throat. | Inflammation of the eyes. Scrofula. | Sores, dry throat, cough with yellow sputum, incomplete expression of measles or pruritic rash due to Wind-Heat. |
| Ramulus Uncariae cum Uncis | Ramulus Uncariae cum Uncis | Hb. Patriniae |
Prevents convulsions in febrile children. | Prevents convulsions in febrile children. (stronger effect) | Rashes with severe itching. Childhood convulsions. |
| Rx. Paeoniae Alba | Rx. Stellariae | Hb. Pogostemonis/Agastaches |
Liver Qi Stagnation with chest and flank distention or pain. | Cools and drains pathogenic from the Liver. Stomach and Liver Yin Deficiency Heat. Steaming bones. | Summerheat with distention, pain, vomiting and diarrhea. |
Hb. Patriniae | Fr. Arctii | Rx. Platycodi Or Rx. Platycodi |
| Childhood convulsions and/or a pruritic rash. | Early stage measles. | Wind-Heat. |
| Talc | Fr. Forsythiae | Periostracum Cicadae |
Summerheat. | Summerheat with distention, pain, vomiting and diarrhea. | Itching due to Wind rashes. |
| Periostracum Cicadae | Periostracum Cicadae | Fol. Perillae |
Powerfully expels Wind-Heat and vents rashes. Stops itch. | Early-stage febrile disorders. | Wind-Cold. |
Fr. Arctii | Fr. Forsythiae | Flos Chrysanthemi |
Sore throat from Wind-Heat. | Sore throat with loss of voice. | Red eyes from Wind-Heat. |
Hb. Schizonepetae | Periostracum Cicadae | Flos Chrysanthemi |
Promotes the eruption of measles. | Rash, eczema and general itching. | Liver Yang Rising causing hyper-tension with red eyes, blurred vision and headache. |
Hb. Agastaches | ||
Vomiting and diarrhea due to Summerheat and Dampness. |
Notes
- Frequently used for surface Heat conditions of the upper body.
- Typically used for sore throats, headaches, red eyes, superficial visual obstruction, loss of voice, problems of the mouth and teeth, and skin conditions of the upper body.
- According to some sources, it settles the Stomach and relieves itching.
- In small doses it harmonizes Qi, and treats pain from Liver Qi Stagnation, Gallbladder Fire and Liver Wind Stirring Internally.
- Bo He resembles Borneolum Bing Pian. Both are excellent at penetrating the orifices. Their actions extend inward to the organs, sinews and bones and outward to the pores, interstices, skin and hair, so they can treat aching sinews and bones in febrile disease.
- Mentha Leaves Bo He Ye work best for venting rashes and dispersing Wind.
- Mentha Stalks Bo He Geng work best for easing the Middle and descending Qi.
- Dry-fried Mentha Chao Bo He has a moderated diaphoretic nature and is best when sweating is already present. Charred Mentha Bo He Tan enters the blood and disperses Heat at the Blood Level.
- Mentha Juice Bo He Zhi clears Heat, cools Blood and relieves pain. Externally, it can be used as ear drops for ear pain and as nose drops for epistaxis.
- Menthol Bo He Chun is cool and pungent and goes to the Liver and Lung channels. It is used for colds, diarrhea and sore throat. Applied as a topical ointment, menthol stimulates the skin's cold and hot receptors without chilling the body.
From Class
- Heat-clearing yet moistening herbs: Ju Hua, Sang Ye, Bo He, Sheng Di, Zhi Mu, Lu Gen: Heat-clearing yet moistening herbs reverse the heat→dryness→phlegm→wind progression in neurology; Ju Hua and Sang Ye also clear external wind and go to the eyes. (Shea)