Gou Teng - 钩藤 - Ramulus Cum Uncis Uncariae - Gambir
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Ramulus cum Uncis Uncariae |
| Common English: | Gambir Uncaria Vine |
Category
Substances that Extinguish Wind and Stop Tremors (Substances that Calm the Liver and Extinguish Wind)Properties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Sweet | Slightly Cold (Cool) (Lukewarm) | Pericardium Liver (Heart) | 6-16g Tincture: 2-4ml |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Extinguishes Wind and alleviates spasms | Liver Heat Transforming into Wind with tremors, seizures and eclampsia |
Drains Liver Heat and pacifies Liver Yang | Liver Fire and Liver Yang Rising with headaches, irritability, red eyes and dizziness Recently used for hypertension |
Releases the Exterior | Exterior Wind-Heat with fever, headaches and red eyes |
Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions
| CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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| INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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| HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
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Major Combinations
| Rz. Gastrodiae | Rz. Gastrodiae | Rz. Gastrodiae |
Convulsions due to Liver Wind. Childhood convulsions with clenching of the jaws and tremors. | Eclampsia due to Liver Wind. | High fevers with convulsions or muscular tetany. |
| Rz. Gastrodiae | Cornu Saigae Tataricae | Concretio Bambusae Silicea |
High fevers with convulsions or muscular tetany with concurrent Qi Deficiency. | Seizures associated with high fever. | Seizures. |
| Fossilia Dentis Mastodi | Flos Chrysanthemi | Rz. Gastrodiae |
Childhood seizures. | Dizziness and vertigo due to Liver Wind. | Dizziness and vertigo due to Liver Wind. |
Flos Chrysanthemi | Rz. Gastrodiae | Sp. Prunellae |
More extreme cases of Liver Yang Rising with a red face, short temper and a wiry pulse. | Hypertension. | Liver Fire with headaches and dizziness. Hypertension with headaches and feelings of distention in the head. |
Sp. Prunellae | Hb. Menthae Haplocalycis | Scorpio |
Hypertension due to Liver Yang Rising. | External Wind-Heat with headache and red and painful eyes. Incomplete expression of rashes. | Seizures, convulsions spasms, tics, hemiplegia due to Wind-Stroke and numbness and pain in the limbs and stubborn migraines or trigeminal neuralgia from Liver Wind or Liver Yang Rising. |
Rz. Gastrodiae | Scorpio | Cornu Saigae Tataricae |
Calms the Liver and extinguishes Wind. | Liver Wind. | High fever in Liver Yang Rising. |
Rz. Pinelliae Preparatum | ||
Stroke. |
Notes
- It is a principal herb for hypertensive headaches.
- It is also reported to stabilize fright.
- This herb and Cornu Saigae Tataricae Ling Yang Jiao both calm the Liver and extinguish Liver Wind; they treat tremors and convulsions from high fever and are frequently used together. Ling Yang Jiao enters the Blood level very effectively and relieves toxicity, whereas Gou Teng enters the Qi level, clearing and draining Heat to treat Wind-Heat problems.
- Do not boil it for more than 20 minutes, or it will lose its ability to lower high blood pressure.
- It is similar to Rz. Gastrodiae Tian Ma; both treat dizziness, vertigo and headache and are frequently combined. Gou Teng is sweet and cold and treats Heat-induced Wind, whereas Tian Ma is sweet, warm and dry and treats Wind-Cold with Phlegm Dampness.
- Gou Teng and Flos Chrysanthemi Ju Hua both calm the Liver and disperse pathogenic Wind. They are used when Wind-Fire rises along the Liver channel causing headache and dizziness, or for Externally contracted diseases that lead to headache and red eyes. Gou Teng mainly extinguishes Wind and stops seizures, whereas Ju Hua disperses Wind and drains Heat.
From Class
- Gou Teng (hook), shells & insects for wind: Gou Teng's hook shape hooks back what moves too fast; shells, minerals and insects are heavy hitters for wind; Bai Ji Li is gentler for long-term use. (Gioioso)
- 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)