Tan Xiang - 檀香 - Lignum Santali Albi - Sandalwood
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Lignum Santali Albi |
| Common English: | Heartwood Sandalwood Santalum |
Category
Herbs that Regulate QiProperties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Acrid Aromatic | Warm | Lung Spleen Stomach (Heart) (Liver) (Kidney) | 1-5g Tincture: 0.25-2ml Essential Oil: 8-12 drops in water |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
Promotes movement of Qi, harmonizes the Middle Jiao and alleviates pain | Pain associated with Qi Stagnation in the chest and abdomen |
Dispels Cold and improves digestion | Stomach Cold |
Removes Blood Stagnation | Blood Stagnation |
Treats coronary artery disease | Coronary artery disease |
Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions
| CONTRAINDICATIONS |
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| INCOMPATIBILITIES |
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| HERB/DRUG INTERACTIONS |
Major Combinations
| Rx. Salviae Miltiorrhizae | Fr. Amomi | Rx. Aucklandiae |
Chest pain associated with obstructed Heart Qi. | Chest, epigastric, and abdominal pain due to stagnant Qi. | Chest, epigastric, and abdominal pain due to stagnant Qi due to Cold. |
| Rz. Cyperi | Poria | Rx. Salviae Miltiorrhizae |
Regulates Qi and harmonizes the Liver and Spleen to treat Liver QI Stagnation causing Spleen and Stomach disharmony with a stifling sensation in the chest and flanks, belching, sighing, loss of appetite and epigastric pain. | Powdered and chased with a decoction of Ginseng Ren Shen for dysphagia-occlusion when one suffers from a sense of food stuck in the throat. | Chest, epigastric and abdominal pain due to Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis. |
| Bul. Allii Macrostemi | Fr. Amomi | Rx. Ginseng |
Warms the Yang , disperses clumps and unblocks painful obstruction to treat Chest Bi. | Abdominal pain with vomiting of clear fluids. | Hiccups. |
Rx. Salviae Miltiorrhizae | Per. Citri Reticulatae | Rz. Corydalis |
Epigastric distention and bloating. | Poor appetite. | Chest pain. |
Notes
- According to some sources, this herb is diuretic.
- Its main use is for pain syndromes, particularly those involving Stomach disorders and angina pectoris.
- In the West it is imported as a fragrance, and it is also considered a disinfectant for the urinary tract.
- It benefits stagnant Lung Qi.
- Tan Xiang and Rx. Aucklandiae Mu Xiang regulate Qi in similar ways. Tan Xiang is the stronger of the two for chest pain from Cold or Qi Stagnation, while Mu Xiang works better for abdominal pain from Cold and Qi Stagnation.
From Class
- Incense: A Wei (asafoetida), Xuan Shen (Scrophularia), Tan Xiang (sandalwood), Chen Xiang: Ritual incense with eight candles (bagua): A Wei and Xuan Shen 'the mysterious root' invoke the spirit; sandalwood or aquilaria draws from heaven. (Yuen)