Pang Da Hai - 胖大海 - Semen Sterculiae Lychnophorae

Pharmaceutical Latin:	Semen Sterculiae Lychnophorae
Common English:	Boat Sterculia Seed Boat-fringed Sterculia Seed Sterculia Seed

Category

Herbs that Transform Phlegm and Stop Coughing: Herbs that Cool and Transform Phlegm-Heat

Properties

Taste	Temperature	Entering Meridians	Dosage
Sweet (Slightly Sweet)	Cold	Large Intestine Lung (Stomach)	3-12g 2-5 pieces

Actions And Indications

Actions	Indications/Syndromes
Clears and disseminates Lung Qi	Sore throat, hoarseness, Phlegm-Heat cough and constrained Lung Qi Used alone as a tea for hoarseness
Moistens the Intestines and unblocks the bowels	Mild to moderate constipation due to Heat clumping in the Intestines, often with concurrent headache, red eyes and fever Can be used alone for mild cases
Encourages the expression of rashes	Adjunctively, as an external wash, for incomplete expression of rashes

Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions

Major Combinations

Rx. Platycodi Jie Geng Periostracum Cicadae Chan Tui Bul. Fritillariae Bei Mu	Rx. Scrophulariae Xuan Shen	Rz. Acori Tatarinowii Shi Chang Pu Hb. Menthae Haplocalycis Bo He
Hoarseness due to Lung Heat Cough due to Phlegm-Heat	Hoarseness, pain and swelling of the throat due to Yin Deficiency Fire	Hoarseness due to Wind-Heat Invading the Lungs
Rx. Glehniae/Adenophorae Sha Shen Rx. Rehmanniae Sheng Di Huang Rx. Glycyrrhizae Gan Cao (Sm. Oroxyli) (Mu Hu Die)	Sm. Cannabis Huo Ma Ren Sm. Pruni Yu Li Ren
Hoarseness due to either Lung Heat or impairment of the proper dissemination of Lung Qi and injury to the Fluids	Mild constipation due to Heat clumping in the Intestines. For serious cases add downward-draining herbs

Notes

1. According to some sources, this herb clears Heat and toxin, moistens the Lung and clears the throat, treating toothache, dry cough without sputum, throat inflammation with hoarseness, tonsillitis and constipation.
2. It excels at disseminating Lung Qi while at the same time unblocking and draining the Intestines.
3. Pang Da Hai and Rx. Platycodi Jie Geng both disseminate Lung Qi, cool the Lungs, resolve toxicity and benefit the throat. Jie Geng is the more intense of the two. It raises Lung Qi, releases the Exterior, benefits the throat by clearing Phlegm and pus, and directs the other herbs toward the Upper Jiao. It also treats dysenteric disorders and abdominal pain. Pang Da Hai is cooling and moistening, drains constrained Fire, and is used specifically for throat disorders. It also moistens the Intestines, treating mild constipation and blood in the stool.
4. Pang Da Hai and Fr. Momordicae Luo Han Guo both cool Lung Heat and lubricate the Intestines; both are gentle and frequently used on their own for sore throats and coughs. Pang Da Hai disseminates and disperses, excelling at opening and spreading Lung Qi and at cooling and draining Fire from constraint. Its main indications are hoarseness, loss of voice, sore throat and Phlegm-Heat cough from Lung Qi blocked by constraint. Luo Han Guo moistens and cools to treat Phlegm-Fire cough and constipation, and it moistens the Intestines more strongly than Pang Da Hai.
5. Pang Da Hai and Sm. Oroxyli Mu Hu Die rank among the best herbs for restoring a lost voice. People who must speak or sing for long periods can drink them as a tea throughout the day.