Gu Jing Cao - 谷经草 - Flos Eriocauli

Pharmaceutical Latin:	Flos Eriocauli
Common English:	Buerger Pipewort Flower Pipewort Scapus and Inflorescence

Category

Herbs that Clear Heat and Purge Fire: Herbs that Clear Heat and Drain Fire; Herbs that Clear Heat in the Qi Stage

Properties

Taste	Temperature	Entering Meridians	Dosage
Sweet (Acrid)	Neutral (Cool)	Liver Stomach	4.5-15g Tincture: 2-5ml

Actions And Indications

Actions	Indications/Syndromes
Disperses Wind-Heat in the Liver channel, brightens the eyes and eliminates superficial visual obstruction	Wind-Heat Entering the Liver channel with red, swollen eyes, spots before the eyes, cataracts, photosensitivity, hazy vision, excessive tearing or pterygium Wind-Heat headache, toothache or throat Bi

*Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions

Major Combinations

Hb. Schizonepetae Jing Jie Flos Chrysanthemi Ju Hua	Rx. Gentianae Long Dan Cao Rx. Paeoniae Rubra Chi Shao	Flos Chrysanthemi Ju Hua SP. Prunellae Xia Ku Cao Rx. Gentianae Long Dan Cao
Pterygium, blurred vision, and itchy skin due to Wind-Damp-Heat	Red eyes, pterygium, headache and toothache due to Liver Fire	Red eyes
Hb. Schizonepetae Jing Jie	Periostracum Cicadae Chan Tui
Itching of the eyes	Superficial visual obstruction

Notes

1. It disperses Wind-Heat from the eyes and head.
2. It is excellent at dispersing Wind-Heat, brightening the eyes and reducing superficial visual obstruction.
3. It is frequently prescribed for eye disorders from Wind-Heat or Liver Heat.
4. It is gentle on the digestion.
5. Gu Jing Cao and Hb. Equiseti Hiemalis Mu Zei both dredge and disperse Wind-Heat, reduce superficial visual obstruction and improve vision. Gu Jing Cao is the better choice for superficial visual obstruction. Mu Zei eliminates Wind-Heat more strongly and is diaphoretic, so it is preferred for eye disorders involving external pathogens.
6. Gu Jing Cao and Flos Buddlejae Mi Meng Hua both expel Wind, cool Heat, benefit the eyes and reduce superficial visual obstruction, and they are frequently combined for eye disorders. Gu Jing Cao is acrid, sweet and cool and enters the Liver and Stomach channels; it is good for eye problems and for headache and toothache from Wind. Mi Meng Hua is sweet and cold and likewise enters the Liver channel. Its rising and dispersing nature is weaker than that of Gu Jing Cao. It excels at cooling Liver Heat, tonifying Liver Blood and moistening Liver Dryness at the same time, and it can be used for all kinds of eye problems.