Tai Zi Shen - 太子参 - Radix Pseudostellariae
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Radix Pseudostellariae |
| Common English: | Heterophylly False Starwort Root Prince Ginseng Root Pseudostellaria Root |
Category
Herbs that tonify the QiProperties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Sweet Slightly Bitter | Neutral | Lung Spleen | 9-30g Tincture: 2-5ml |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Strengthens the Spleen and tonifies Qi | Spleen and Stomach Deficiency with fatigue and anorexia Lung Qi Deficiency with spontaneous sweating |
Generates Body Fluids and treats chronic febrile disorders | Yin Deficiency Lung Dryness Injury to fluids and weakness after febrile disease. Unrelenting fever or Summerheat in children |
Tonifies the Lungs | Lung Deficiency |
Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions
| CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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| INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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| HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Major Combinations
| Rx. Dioscoreae | Rx. Adenophorae/Glehniae | Fr. Schisandrae |
Spleen Deficiency with lethargy and reduced appetite. | Qi and Yin Deficiencies after febrile diseases. | Nourishes Fluids. |
| Fr. Schisandrae | Rx. Rehmanniae | Hb. Dendrobii |
Qi Deficiency with increased sweat, insomnia, irritability and debility. | Thirst in the aftermath of a febrile disease. | Unrelenting fevers, especially during the summer with Qi and Yin Deficiencies. |
Rz. Atractylodes Macrocephalae | Rx. Ophiopogonis | Rx. Rehmanniae |
Poor appetite due to Spleen and Stomach Deficiency. | Qi and Yin Deficiencies with spontaneous sweat. | Thirst due to Qi and Yin Deficiencies with Heat. |
Rx. Ophiopogonis | Rx. Glehniae/Adenophorae | Fr. Schisandrae |
Insomnia due to Qi and Yin Deficiencies with Heat. | Persistent unremitting fever due to Qi and Yin Deficiencies with Heat. | Acute or chronic hepatitis. |
Notes
- Its actions resemble those of Rx. Ginseng Ren Shen and Rx. Codonopsis Dang Shen, though they are weaker.
- It is superior at generating fluids.
- It tonifies Spleen and Lung Qi, nourishes the Yin and generates Fluids, treating Spleen Deficiency accompanied by Stomach Yin Deficiency, a pattern that often follows a febrile disease.
- According to one source, it tonifies the primal Qi of the Spleen and Lungs, generates Yang Fluids, stops sweating and settles palpitations from Deficiency.
- Tai Zi Shen, Rx. Ginseng Ren Shen, Rx. Codonopsis Dang Shen and Rx. Panacis Quinquifolii Xi Yang Shen each tonify the primal Qi and generate Fluids. Tai Zi Shen is much weaker, so a larger dose is needed, and its tonifying effect reaches only the Lungs and Spleen. Dang Shen tonifies Spleen Qi, yet it does not tonify the primal Qi as Ren Shen does, nor does it generate Fluids as Ren Shen and Tai Zi Shen do. Xi Yang Shen matches Ren Shen in strength but is cooler and better at generating Fluids, which makes it less suitable when warm tonification is needed. Tai Zi Shen can be used as a substitute in mild cases of Qi and Yin Deficiencies.