Sheng Ma - 升麻 - Rhizoma Cimicifugae - Black Cohosh
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Rhizoma Cimicifugae |
| Common English: | Black Cohosh Bugbane Rhizome Cimicifuga Rising Hemp Root |
Category
Herbs that Release the Exterior: Cool Acrid Herbs that Release the Exterior (Wind-Heat Diaphoretics)Properties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Sweet Acrid | Slightly Cold (Cool) (Warm) | Large Intestine Lung Spleen Stomach | 1.5-9g Maximum dose: 15g Tincture: 2-3ml 3-9g (Secondary source) |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Releases the Exterior and vents measles | Headache due to Wind-Heat Early stages of measles |
Clears Heat and relieves toxicity | Fire toxins in the upper or superficial aspects of the body with sore teeth, swollen or painful gums, ulcerated lips or gums, canker sores, painful and swollen throat, sores or maculae from Warm-Heat pathogen diseases |
Raises Yang and lifts sunken Qi | Central Qi Sinking or Middle Qi Deficiency with shortness of breath, fatigue and prolapse Dai channel spasms Guides other herbs upwards |
Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions
| CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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| INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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| HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Major Combinations
| Rx. Puerariae | Fr. Arctii | Gypsum Fibrosum |
Early stage measles with incomplete expression of the rash with fever along with relatively superficial Yang Ming disorders. Unblocks the pores to vent rashes and treat Wind-Heat patterns in which Heat toxin has injured the Fluids of the Stomach with fever, chills, headache and thirst. | Incomplete expression of Fire toxin rashes. | Clears Heat Excess and Fire toxin from the Yang Ming channel with toothache, swollen and bleeding gums or jaw, vertex headache or redness and swelling along the lower eyelid. Rash resulting from Qi Stage/Yang Ming level Heat toxin. |
| Gypsum Fibrosum | Rz. Coptidis | Rx. Platycodi |
Maculae from warm febrile disease. | Clears and drains Heart and Stomach Fire with swelling of the gums, toothache, and ulcerations of the mouth and tongue. Ulcers of the gums and mouth with bad breath. | Swollen, painful throat due to Wind-Heat. |
| Rx. Angelicae Dahuricae | Rx. Rehmanniae | Hb. Taraxaci |
Yang Ming headache. | Toothache from Stomach Fire. Cools Heat in the Lungs and Stomach, stopping hemoptysis and hematemesis. | Boils, carbuncles and skin diseases. |
Rx. Bupleuri | Rx. Bupleuri | Rz. Coptidis |
Chronic dysenteric disorders, rectal prolapse and uterine prolapse due to Yang Deficiency. With other Wind-expelling, exterior releasing herbs to treat continuous fever, headache and sore throat from Wind-Heat patterns constrained in the muscle layer. | Erysipelas of the head and face and swelling and pain due to Fire toxin. | Stomach Fire with swollen, painful gums and oral ulcers. |
Rz Atractylodis Macrocephalae | Charred Hb. Schizonepetae | Rx. Curcumae |
Dai channel spasms manifested as dragging sensations in the lower body, usually accompanied by vaginal discharge. | With charred Cimicifugae Sheng Ma Tan for urinary, menstrual or rectal bleeding due to Yang Qi Sinking and injuring the Yin collaterals. | Toxins in either the upper or lower body. |
Sm. Arcae | Rx. Angelicae Sinensis Or Sm. Persicae | Rx. Angelicae Sinensis |
Lifts the Qi to ease the Intestines. | Raises the clear Qi, allowing turbidity to descend and moistening of the Intestines. | Unblocks stool parched by Deficiency. |
Rx. Puerariae | Rx. Paeoniae Alba | Fol. Nelumbinis |
Measles. | Incomplete expression of measles. | Facial skin disorders. |
Rz. Coptidis | Fr. Forsythiae | Flos Lonicerae |
Toothache. | Carbuncles without abscess. | Carbuncles with abscess and ulceration. |
Rx. Bupleuri | ||
Prolapse of internal organs. |
Notes
- Certain sources state that this herb treats Stomach Heat, Heart Yin Deficiency and Liver Yang Rising.
- Its uses include raising Yang, relieving surface Heat, and treating childhood illnesses such as chicken pox and measles, often together with Rx. Pueraria Ge Gen.
- The essential oil plays an important role in releasing the surface, so for that purpose the herb should be cooked only briefly.
- At 3-6 grams it lifts Qi; at 10 or more grams it clears the Stomach.
- According to some sources, it treats rheumatoid arthritis and eases childbirth.
- It is thought to act as an insecticide against bugs (bugbane).
- It closely resembles the American variety of black cohosh.
- Its most accurate name is Guang Dong Sheng Ma, to distinguish it from Serratula Sheng Ma, which lacks the antiprolapse action.
- Recently it has been used to treat neurocardiac disorder and hypertension.
- Research shows that it inhibits the growth of cancer cells.
- One source states that this herb guides other herbs to tonify the Spleen and Stomach.
- For various pyogenic infections, it can be powdered and mixed with vinegar for topical use.
- It is reputed to cure root decay of the teeth accompanied by a fetid smell.
- For carbuncles and eruptive diseases, prepare a decoction and apply it to the sores with silk floss.
- When treating tumors, the dosage should be raised.
- Sheng Ma, Rx. Puerariae Ge Gen and Rx. Bupleuri Chai Hu all release the exterior and raise Yang. Sheng Ma disperses Wind from the muscle layer and exterior, stops Yang Ming headache, and is the ideal choice for raising Spleen and Stomach Yang Qi in sinking of Yang Qi with chronic diarrhea or prolapse. Ge Gen concentrates on the Yang Ming channel, releasing the muscle layer, eliminating Heat and treating stiff neck, while also encouraging Stomach Qi to rise, producing Fluids and stopping thirst. When baked, it can lift the Yang and stop diarrhea. Chai Hu concentrates on dispersing pathogens in the Xiao Yang channel to treat alternating chills and fever, and it raises Yang Qi. Because its lifting power is weaker than that of Sheng ma, the two are often combined. Ge Gen and Sheng Ma can both vent rashes, and Sheng Ma and Chai Hu both spread Liver Qi.
- Unprepared Cimicifuga, Sheng Sheng Ma, releases the exterior, vents rashes, and has a strong cooling and toxin-relieving action.
- Honey-prepared Cimicifuga, Mi Zhi Sheng Ma, is less acrid and dispersing but targets the Middle Jiao with a stronger ascending tendency.
- Charred Cimicifuga, Sheng Ma Tan, is less acrid and dispersing but can stop bleeding, and is used for vaginal or rectal bleeding from weak Spleen or Qi Deficiency.
- Dry-fried Cimicifuga, Chao Sheng Ma, is remarkably effective for dysenteric disorders with nausea and difficulty eating when it is fried in vinegar and combined with Rx. Ginseng Ren Shen and Sm. Nelumbinis Lian Zi. Frying in wine strengthens its ability to tonify the Spleen and ascend. Frying in salt guides it into the Kidney channel to lift and benefit the Kidney Qi; salt-fried and combined with Kidney tonics, it can be used for spermatorrhea, vaginal discharge and incontinence.
From Class
- Sheng Ma (Cimicifuga): Releases toxic guilt and lifts the qi — guilt/remorse is often big at end of life. (Lewis)
- Sheng Ma (Cimicifuga): Alchemical herb — a good one to go to when a patient is encountering a lot of guilt. (Lewis)
- Sheng Ma (Cimicifuga): 'The ascending root'; ingredient in the Ku Shen heart-pain wine. (Yuen)
- Sheng Ma (Cimicifuga) with Spleen tonics: Adding Sheng Ma to Spleen-fortifying herbs lifts one out of the heaviness of guilt/remorse that bogs down the Spleen. (Lewis)
- Ku Shen Jiu (Sophora wine) — four-herb version: Alcohol for the nine heart pains: Ku Shen with Long Dan Cao (Gentiana scabra), Sheng Ma (Cimicifuga, the 'ascending root') and Zhi Zi (Gardenia) soaked in alcohol. (Yuen)