Shi Chang Pu - 石菖蒲 - Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii - Acorus
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Rhizoma Acori Gramenei Rhizoma Acori Tatarinowii |
| Common English: | Acorus Grassleaf Sweetflag Rhizome Rock Sweetflag Root Sweetflag Rhizome |
Category
Aromatic Substances that Open the OrificesProperties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Acrid Bitter | Warm Aromatic | Heart Stomach (Liver) (Spleen) (Lung) | 1.5-10g For eye or throat complaints: 1.5-3g For sensory disturbance or vexation: 4.5-7.5g To facilitate bowel movements and urination: 9g Fresh: 10-15g Tincture: 1-3ml 3-9g (Secondary source) |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Calms the Spirit, Disperses Wind, Opens the Orifices, Removes filth, Vaporizes Phlegm | Phlegm-Dampness Veiling and Blocking the Sensory Orifices with deafness, dizziness, tinnitus, forgetfulness, dulled senses, and seizures or stupor Wind-Phlegm with seizures or stupor |
Awakens the Spleen, Harmonizes the Middle Jiao, Promotes the movement of Qi, Transforms turbid Dampness | Dampness Distressing the Spleen and Stomach with chest and epigastric fullness and lumps, anorexia and abdominal fullness and pain due to Dampness and Turbidity Obstructing the Middle Jiao |
Promotes Blood flow, reduces swelling and alleviates Wind-Damp Bi and sores (internally and topically) | Wind-Cold-Damp Bi Sores (internally and topically) Trauma |
Benefits the throat | Hoarse voice due to laryngitis or inflammation of the vocal cords |
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
| Rx. Curcumae | Rx. Curcumae | Rz. Arisaematis |
Disorientation, irritability, dizziness, and hearing problems due to Turbid Dampness Blocking the Orifices. | Phlegm-Heat Veiling the Pericardium with muddled consciousness and delirium. | Wind-Stroke from Phlegm Blocking the Heart Orifices with muddled consciousness and a stiff tongue with aphasia. |
| Rx. Polygalae | Frusta Ferri | Fr. Aurantii Immaturus |
Forgetfulness, tinnitus and impaired hearing. | Mania from Phlegm-Fire Agitating the Heart. | Seizures or spasms from Phlegm-Heat. |
| Rx. Ginseng Or Poria Pararadicis Or Rx. Ginseng | Rz. Atractylodis Macrocephalae | Sm. Cuscutae |
Forgetfulness and dulled senses. | Overwork leading to insomnia or palpitations. | Diminished hearing and tinnitus from Heart and Kidney Deficiency. |
Cx. Magnoliae Officinalis Or Cx. Magnoliae Officinalis | Hb. Pogostemonis/Agastaches | Rz. Coptidis |
Pain and distention of the chest and epigastrium due to Turbid dampness Obstructing the Middle Jiao. | Chest and abdominal distention and fullness, anorexia, feeling of focal distention and pain from Dampness and Turbidity Obstructing the Middle. | Sudden turmoil disorder from smoldering Damp-Heat. |
Rz. Coptidis | Sm. Nelumbinis Nuciferae | Rx. Aucklandiae |
Dysenteric disorders where the patient is unable to eat or drink. | Dysenteric disorders with an inability to eat. | Epigastric and abdominal distention due to Dampness and Qi Obstruction. |
Rx. Sophorae Tonkinensis | Rx. Platycodi | Succinum |
Swollen, sore throat with difficulty swallowing and a raspy voice. | Hoarseness with Phlegm in the throat or swollen vocal cords. | Corneal ulcerations. |
Rx. Aconiti Preparata | Rx. Curcumae | Arillus Longan |
Wind-Cold-Damp Bi with joint pain in the extremities. | Transforms Dampness, opens the Orifices, and awakens the brain to treat Warm-Damp febrile disease when Heat has entered the Pericardium or where turbid Dampness has blocked the clear Orifices, with loss of consciousness or confusion, tinnitus and forgetfulness. With appropriate herbs to treat Qi, Blood or Phlegm Stagnation with palpitations, forgetfulness, moodiness or withdrawal-mania, hysteria, depression or reduced mental acuity as a sequela of brain concussion. | Forgetfulness, dizziness and fatigue due to Heart Qi and Blood Deficiency. |
Rx. Curcumae | Rx. Polygalae | Rx. et Rz. Rhei |
High fever with coma or unconsciousness caused by Hot Phlegm. | Manic behavior with a greasy tongue coat and a slippery pulse. | Manic behavior with constipation. |
Rx. Curcumae | Magnetitum Or Six-Ingredient Pill with Rehmannia | Hb. Sinocrassulae Indicae |
Epilepsy. | Tinnitus or diarrhea due to Kidney Deficiency. | Damp-Heat diarrhea. |
Rx. Codonopsis | Hb. Sinocrassulae Indicae | Sm. Sterculae Lychnophorae |
Diarrhea with Spleen Deficiency. | Diarrhea accompanied by Exterior conditions. | Hoarse voice and dry mouth. |
Notes
- It is regarded as the principal herb for Opening Orifices, usually in combination with Rx. Polygalae Yuan Zhi.
- Even so, its ability to open the Orifices is secondary to its aromatic action of vaporizing Phlegm.
- Certain sources state that it benefits wisdom and also kills worms.
- It is reported to be effective for Heart Qi Deficiency.
- It is also reported to nourish the Liver.
- It is said to make the singing voice stronger.
- Its volatile oil is markedly sedative and is used for patients who are restless or unconscious.
- It is said to cure nine kinds of Stomach disease arising from disordered Qi and to relieve pain.
- It further promotes the functional activity of the Stomach and eases epigastric distention.
- Studies have shown it to act on cancer cells.
- For cancer, decoct 10g of the herb in 200ml of water and drink it three times a day.
- Shi Chang Pu and Rx. Polygalae Yuan Zhi both enter the Heart, clear Phlegm and open the Orifices. Shi Chang Pu is acrid and warm, and uses its aromatic fragrance to open the Orifices, disseminate Qi and Dampness, and expel Phlegm. Yuan Zhi expels Phlegm, calms the Spirit and augments the mind, using its bitterness to drain and descend Phlegm that rebels upward to the Heart. The two are frequently used together.
From Class
- She Xiang / Niu Huang substitutes: Su He Xiang, Shi Chang Pu, Bing Pian: For closed (bi) syndrome in the dying: replace warming musk with styrax or acorus; replace cooling Niu Huang with tiny amounts of borneol. (Yuen)
- Shi Chang Pu (Acorus, sweet flag): Gentler warming orifice-opener for tea for the dying; affinity with spleen, heart, liver; warms middle burner like SP-6. (Yuen)
- Shi Chang Pu / Yuan Zhi: Open-orifice herbs; acorus slightly mind-altering — changes how we see; Yuan Zhi opens the heart orifice ('a change of heart'). (Shea)
- Er Chen Tang + Shi Chang Pu: Adding Shi Chang Pu to Er Chen Tang takes it up to the sensory orifices for confused, foggy people with digestive/small-intestine issues.
- Wen Dan Tang for concussion: Wen Dan Tang (Zhu Ru, Zhi Shi, Ban Xia, Chen Pi, Fu Ling, Gan Cao) resolves wrong-viscosity phlegm after head trauma; add Yuan Zhi and Shi Chang Pu. (Gioioso)