Chai Hu - 柴胡 - Radix Bupleuri
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Radix Bupleuri |
| Common English: | Asian Buplever Root Bupleurum Root Hare’s Ear Root Red Thorowax Root Thorowax Root |
Category
Herbs that Release the Exterior: Cool Acrid Herbs that Release the Exterior (Wind-Heat Diaphoretics)Properties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Bitter Acrid (Astringent) | Cool (Neutral) | Gallbladder Liver Pericardium San Jiao | 3-12g Tincture: 1-3.5ml 3-9g (Secondary source) |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Resolves Shao Yang disorders and reduces fever (harmonizes the Exterior and Interior) | Shao Yang Stage with alternating chills and fever, a bitter taste,dizziness, tinnitus, flank pain, irritability, vomiting and a stifling sensation in the chest Deficiency Heat (auxiliary) Gallbladder Fire |
Spreads Liver Qi and relieves Stagnation | Liver Qi Stagnation with dizziness, vertigo, chest and flank pain, emotional instability and menstrual problems Disharmony between the Liver and Spleen with epigastric and flank pain, a stifling sensation in the chest, abdominal bloating, nausea and indigestion Liver/Gallbladder Disharmony |
Raises Yang Qi (specifically the Clear Qi of the Stomach and Gallbladder) | Spleen and Stomach Yang Deficiency, Qi collapse (prolapse) with hemorrhoids, vaginal discharge, bleeding or exhaustion |
Disperses Wind-Heat and resolves Phlegm and congestion | Wind-Heat |
Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions
| CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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| INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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| HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Major Combinations
| Rx. Scutellariae | Rx. Scutellariae | Rx. Scutellariae |
Heat in the Shao Yang. Restores the normal functioning of the Liver and Gallbladder. Heat in the Womb with fever, chills and delirium. | Shao Yang disorders with alternating chills and fever and a sensation of fullness in the hypochondria and chest. | Shao Yang disorders with Cold predominating. |
| Rx. Scutellariae | Rx. Scutellariae | Rx. Scutellariae |
Shao Yang disorders with Heat predominating. | Shao Yang disorder that is primarily Excess. | Weak patients. |
| Rx. Scutellariae | Rx. Scutellariae | Rx. Gentianae Macrocephalae |
Shao Yang Heat. | Malaria. | Deficiency consumption with steaming bones and tidal fever. |
| Rx. Paeoniae Alba | Rx. Paeoniae Alba | Rx. Paeoniae Alba |
Liver Blood Deficiency with Liver Qi Stagnation. Vertigo, dizziness and thoracic and costal pain due to Liver Qi Stagnation. | Harmonizes the Blood for irregular menstruation. | Fortifies Qi. |
Rx, Peucedani | Hb. Menthae | Fr. Aurantii |
Wind-Heat constraining the Lungs leading to a stifling sensation in the chest and a productive cough. | Emotional depression, a stifling sensation in the chest and irregular menstruation due to Liver Blood Stagnation and Deficiency. | Stifling sensation in the chest, abdominal pain, poor appetite and irregular bowel movements. |
Rx. Gentianae | Per. Citri Reticulatae Viride | Rx. Glycyrrhizae |
Excess Heat in the Liver and/or Gallbladder channels. | Intercostal pain due to Qi obstruction in the Liver channel. | Hepatitis and upper right quadrant pain. Wind-Heat fever. |
Rx. Astragali | Rz. seu Rz. Notopterygii | Rz. Cyperi |
Raises the Clear Yang due to abnormal descent of Qi. | Spleen Deficiency Dampness. | Liver Qi Stagnation. |
Rx. Ginseng | Rx. Astragali | Rx. Puerariae |
Central Qi Sinking. | Central Qi Sinking. | Wind-Heat with neck and shoulder pain. |
Rz. Cyperi | Rx. Dichroae | Rx. Scutellariae |
Liver Qi Stagnation. | Malarial disorders. | Combined Shao Yang and Yang Ming syndromes. |
Rx. Scutellariae | Rx. Paeoniae Alba | Rx. Paeoniae Alba |
Shao Yang Stage with fever. | Liver Qi Stagnation with stress and emotional distress. | Liver Qi Stagnation with hypochondriac fullness and pain. |
Rz. Cyperi | Rx. Ligustici Chuanxiong | Rx. Scutellariae |
Liver Qi Stagnation with cold extremities. | Migraine headache due to Shao Yang Fire. | Eye disorders due to Liver Fire Rising with redness, swelling and pain. |
Rx. Paeoniae Alba | Hb. Artemisiae Scopariae | RZ. Cimicifugae |
Irregular menstruation with pain and cramps. | Jaundice due Damp-Heat in the Liver and Gallbladder. | Viral hepatitis, cough with difficult to expectorate Phlegm and chronic bronchitis. |
Notes
- Northern Bupleurum Bei Chai Hu is firmer and works better for resolving the Shao Yang and reducing Heat. It is used for External Wind-Heat.
- Southern Bupleurum Nan Chai Hu is comparatively thin and soft and is better at spreading Liver Qi and relieving Stagnation.
- Indications include Heat from Deficiency, gynecological problems, boils, furuncles, and diseases of the eyes and ears.
- Among the Cold herbs, it is one of the most important. By relaxing Liver tension, calming Wind and cooling Fire, it treats convulsions, muscle tension, lumps, tumors, skin ailments, digestive disturbances, Lung Heat, menstrual irregularity and Excess bleeding due to Heat. It can release pent-up anger and Heat, an effect that Rx. Paeoniae Alba Bai Shao moderates.
- In harmonization therapies, Bupleurum is the chief herb.
- It stimulates the immune system immediately.
- It is beneficial for every type of toxicosis, particularly Liver/Gallbladder infections.
- It is helpful for allergies.
- Malaria and blackwater fever have been treated with large doses.
- Spring Bupleurum Chun Chai Hu has a dispersing, draining nature and is well suited to spreading Liver Qi.
- Dry-fried Bupleurum Chao Chai Hu is not as cool but is more effective at raising clear Yang.
- Vinegar Bupleurum Cu Cha Hu is more effective at soothing the Liver, harmonizing the Blood and stopping pain.
- Use it raw for topical application.
- Roast it in sake for Internal conditions.
- Roast it in honey water for Phlegm and Heat.
- Roast it in pork gall bladder water for Liver and Gall Bladder Fire.
From Class
- Chai Hu (Bupleurum): Strong for liver-qi stagnation and drying dampness, but overly drying in yin deficiency — avoid Chai Hu formulas then. (Lewis)
- Chai Hu — dose changes the action: Small-dose Chai Hu raises clear yang; moderate (6–9 g) regulates and unbinds qi; higher (9–12 g) resolves the exterior. (Rabinowitz)
- Chai Hu Shu Gan San / Xiao Yao San / Dan Zhi Xiao Yao San: Liver-harmonizing, moving formulas to decongest the liver; for heavy bleeding, focus less on blood tonics and more on resolving stagnation. (Lewis)
- Neuro formulas: Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin, Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang, Chai Hu Long Gu Mu Li Wan, Yi Guan Jian, Ding Zhi Wan, Wen Dan Tang: Tian Ma Gou Teng Yin for liver wind, Ban Xia Bai Zhu Tian Ma Tang for wind-phlegm, Yi Guan Jian for liver yin, Ding Zhi Wan settles the will. (Shea)