Fang Feng - 防风 - Radix Saposhnikoviae - Siler
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Radix Ledebouriellae Radix Saposhnikoviae |
| Common English: | Laserwort Ledebouriella Root Saposhnikoviae Root Siler Wind-Protector Root |
Category
Herbs That Release the Exterior: Warm, Acrid Herbs that Release the Exterior (Wind-Cold Diaphoretics)Properties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Acrid Sweet | Slightly Warm (Warm) | Urinary Bladder Liver Spleen Lung | 3-10g Maximum dosage: 30g Tincture:2-4 ml 4.5-9g (Secondary source) |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Releases the Exterior and expels External Wind | Wind-Cold with headache, chills, aversion to Cold, and body aches |
Expels Wind-Dampness and alleviates pain | Wind-Damp Bi, especially with Wind predominant |
Expels Internal Wind and stops spasms | As an auxiliary for Liver Wind with trembling of hands and feet and tetany Intestinal-Wind due to imbalance between Spleen and Liver with recurrent tenesmus and painful diarrhea with bright blood in the stool Migraine headaches |
| Relieves diarrhea and stops bleeding | Liver and Spleen Disharmony with recurrent painful diarrhea, borborygmus and abdominal pain |
Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions
| CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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| INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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| HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Major Combinations
| Rx. Astragali | Flos Schizonepetae | Rx. Gentianae Macrophyllae |
Prevents Wind from entering the skin (once Wind has entered, discontinue). | Wind-Cold. Exterior patterns in any season. Pruritic rash. Initial-stage boils. Expels Wind and stops itching. Charred to stop bleeding. | Wind-Damp Bi with spasms of the tendons or numbness of the limbs. Pain due to Wind-Dampness in patients with Blood Deficiency. |
| Rz. Atractylodis | Rz. seu Rx. Notopterygii | Rz. Arisaematis Preparatum |
Wind-Cold-Dampness with chills, anhidrosis, headache, heavy head, lethargy, heavy limbs and stifling fullness in the chest and abdomen. Pain due to Wind-Dampness Bi with aching joints, heavy limbs and generalized aching discomfort. Diarrhea due to Wind-Cold in patients with Spleen Dampness. | Painful obstruction. | Headache, generalized body aches and numbness due to Wind-Phlegm Obstructing the channels. |
| Rz. Chuanxiong | Hb. Schizonepetae | Hb. Menthae |
Difficulty walking due to painful legs after a dysenteric disorder. Crane's-Knee-Wind. | Wind-Cold with aversion to Cold, headache and muscle aches and pain. | Wind-Heat. |
| Flos Schizonepetae | Rz. seu Rx. Notopterygii | Rz. Arisaematis |
German measles, pruritis and other skin ailments. | Wind-Dampness. | Opisthotonos, trismus, spasms and convulsions due to Liver Wind. |
| Flos Schizonepetae | Flos Schizonepetae | Rz. seu Rx. Notopterygii |
Wind-Cold. | Wind-Heat. | Wind-Cold-Damp Bi. |
| Rx. Sophorae Flavescentis | Fol. Perillae | Flos Schizonepetae |
| Urticaria and skin itch. | Exterior Wind-Cold with aversion to Cold, fever and headache. | Wind-Heat with red eyes and a sore throat. |
Rx. Ephedrae | Rx. Ephedrae | Flos Schizonepetae |
Dispels Wind-Cold from the Exterior. | Dispels Wind-Heat from the Exterior and clears Heat from the Interior. | Dermatological disorders with rash, irritability and itching. |
Hb. Menthae | Rz. seu Rx. Notopterygii | Per. Citri Reticulatae |
Acne due to Wind-Heat Attacking the upper body. | Wind-Cold-Damp Bi. | Diarrhea with abdominal pain. |
Charred Rx. Sanguisorbae | ||
Chronic, recurrent diarrhea with Blood. |
Notes
- Fang Feng is able to neutralize the toxins of Rx. Aconiti Chuan Wu Tou, Flos Daphne Genkwa Yuan Hua and wild mushroom.
- Formulas for skin conditions frequently include it.
- Charred to ashes, it can stop bleeding.
- The name Fang Feng means Dispel Wind.
- It ranks among the main herbs for relieving the surface.
- Its action is milder than that of Ma Huang.
- For surface inflammations, it is often paired with cold, bitter herbs.
- Long-term use is safe.
- It is suitable for every Wind pattern, whether Hot or Cold, in the upper or lower body, Exterior or Interior.
- According to some sources, it tonifies the Spleen.
- It is also reputed to raise Yang Qi.
- Compared with most other Wind-expelling herbs, it is less drying.
- Owing to its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties, it is said to prevent influenza.
- Fang Feng is less drying and less aromatic than either Rx. Angelicae Pubescentis Du Huo or Rz. seu Rx. Notopterygii Qiang Huo. As a result, it disperses heavy accumulation less effectively than those two, but it acts more gently and does not injure Yin as quickly. Unlike the other two, it is useful for Intestinal Wind or painful diarrhea.
- Fang Feng and Hb. Schizonepetae Jing Jie both eliminate Wind, release the exterior and disperse Wind-Cold and Wind-Heat, but Jing Jie acts more weakly and more superficially, its Wind-expelling action being confined to the skin, muscles and Blood. Fang Feng is stronger at expelling Wind lodged deep in the body, can also overcome Dampness, and is suitable for every type of Wind.
- Dry-fried Saposhnikoviae Chao Fang Feng expels Wind and releases the Exterior less strongly but lifts Yang more effectively, which makes it useful for Spleen Deficiency diarrhea.
- Charred Saposhnikoviae Fang Feng Tan is able to enter the Blood level, where it strongly warms the Blood and stops bleeding. It is indicated for irregular menstrual bleeding with pale Blood from Deficiency Cold.
From Class
- Wind herbs: Gou Teng, Tian Ma, Bai Ji Li, Shi Jue Ming, Fang Feng, Chan Tui, insects: Thorny vines hook out hidden wind; abalone anchors yang; Fang Feng treats internal and external wind; Chan Tui for itching; insects indispensable for some (stroke). (Shea)