Xuan Shen - 玄參 - Radix Scrophulariae
| Pharmaceutical Latin: | Radix Scrophulariae |
| Common English: | Black Figwort Root Ningpo Figwort Root Scrophularia |
Category
Herbs That Clean Heat and Purge Fire: Herbs That Clean Heat and Cool BloodProperties
| Taste | Temperature | Entering Meridians | Dosage |
| Salty Sweet Bitter | Cold | Kidney Lung Stomach (Heart) (Pericardium) (Yin Wei) | 7-30g Tincture: 2-4ml 9-15g (Secondary source) |
Actions And Indications
| Actions | Indications/Syndromes |
| Clears Heat and cools the Blood | Xue Stage Heat or Blood Heat with hemorrhage (hematemesis), fever, dry mouth and a purplish tongue |
Nourishes Yin | Yin Deficiency with Heat signs especially as sequelae from Warm Febrile Disease with Dry Lungs, insomnia, constipation, an unclear Shen and irritability Yin Deficiency dry Lungs Heart Yin Deficiency |
Softens hardness and dissipates nodules (Transforms Phlegm-Heat) | Neck lumps (goiter, scrofula) due to Phlegm Fire Severe throat pain and swelling |
Drains Fire | Extreme throat pain or red, swollen eyes |
Relieves toxicity | Ying Stage Heat |
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
| Cx. Moutan | Fr. Arctii | Concha Ostreae Or Concha Ostreae |
| Erysipelas and purplish rashes. | Pain and swelling of the throat. Purpuric rashes due to Wind-Heat. | Scrofula, goiter and other nodules due to Phlegm. |
Rz. Atractylodis | Flos Lonicerae | Rx. Rehmanniae |
Lowers plasma glucose to treat diabetes mellitus especially due to Qi and Yin Deficiency. | Deep rooted, sores and ulcers. Recalcitrant, ulcerated, and painful sores due to toxic obstruction leading to Blood Stasis. Gangrene of the fingers and toes. | Ying Stage Heat. |
| Gypsum | Flos Lonicerae | Rx. Ophiopogonis |
Excess Toxic Heat with maculae and eruptions. | Boils, carbuncles and furuncles. | Sore throat due to Internal Heat. |
Flos Lonicerae | Rx. Rehmanniae | Bul. Lilii |
Swollen abscesses and toxic sores. Skin lesions with abscesses or ulcerations. | Constipation due to Dryness. Sore, dry throat due to Deficiency Fire. | Yin Deficiency with Lung Dryness and a dry cough. |
Cornu Bubali | Lasiosphere/Calvatia | Rx. Rehmanniae |
Macular rashes and purpura from Heat in the Blood. | Wind-Heat obstruction leading to swelling and pain of the throat. Clears the upper body, Nourishes Yin and stops pain, Restores normal descent. | Excess or Deficiency Heat patterns. Late-stage febrile disease with irritability, thirst and constipation. Kidney Yin Deficiency with Fire Blazing with soreness and swelling in the throat, dry mouth and a parched tongue. |
Rx. Platycodi | Rx. Rehmanniae | Rx. Ophiopogonis |
Sore throat with Dryness and pain. | Diphtheria. | Sore, swollen throat from toxicity and Heat. |
| Fr. Arctii | ||
Initial stages of Wind-Heat where there are slight signs of toxicity. |
Notes
- Avoid storing it in brass or iron.
- Its name comes from scrofula, a form of tuberculosis affecting the lymph nodes of the neck.
- It is a valuable remedy for scrofula.
- Some sources place it among the Yin Tonics.
- Its main target is the cardiovascular system.
- It moistens Dryness.
- As a neurocardiac sedative, it addresses chronic neurogenic stress conditions of the Heart.
- For nourishing Yin and draining Deficiency Fire, Steamed Scrophularia Zheng Xuan Shen is the better choice.
- Xuan Shen and Rx. Rehmanniae Sheng Di Huang both clear Heat, cool the Blood, enrich Yin and generate fluids. Xuan Shen concentrates on the Yin, directs Fire downward, resolves toxicity, disperses clumps, cools the Lungs and benefits the throat, with an emphasis on regulating the Lungs and Kidneys. Sheng Di Huang cools Blood more strongly while enriching Yin and stopping bleeding; it works at the Blood level and regulates disorders of the Heart, Liver and Kidneys.
- Dui Yao pair with Ban Lan Gen: for a painful, red, swollen throat from Yin Deficiency Heat or from Excess Fire that damages the Yin. Used together in Ban Lan Da Qing Tang.
- Dui Yao pair with Mu Li: for neck lumps and nodules such as scrofula, lipoma, swollen glands or goiter in Phlegm-Fire patterns, and likewise for nodules in the inguinal canal and elsewhere in the body. Used together in Xiao Luo Wan.
- Dui Yao pair with Mai Men Dong: for wasting and thirsting disorder (Xiao Ke, diabetes) with a dry mouth and throat, a red tongue and a scanty tongue coat. Used together in Tian Wang Bu Xin Dan.
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)
- Mu Dan Pi / Chi Shao / Di Gu Pi / Sheng Di / Xuan Shen / Shi Hu: Bitter-cold blood-cooling herbs; Mu Dan Pi and Chi Shao go to the pericardium. (Gioioso)