- Region
- Asia
- Origin
- China
Asia · Herb · № 670
Anemarrhena asphodeloides
Herb · Asia
Anemarrhena (zhi mu)
Anemarrhena asphodeloides
Traditionally attributed effects: cools heat in lungs and stomach and nourishes yin in fever, thirst and night sweats.
Safety notes
Not for diarrhoea from spleen deficiency. Traditional use is no proof of effectiveness; if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a medical condition, consult a doctor or pharmacist.
Preparation
Rhizome. Usually as a decoction, together with other herbs.
Use in traditions
Described in the classical Chinese materia medica, in the group 'herbs that cool internal heat'. Zhi mu is used together with gypsum in Bai Hu Tang, the 'White Tiger decoction' for high fever and thirst. It also nourishes yin in night sweats and dry cough.
Applications
Use by tradition
How different herbal traditions describe this herb. Amounts are traditional guidelines checked for obvious errors; they are not medical advice. For poisonous plants no dosage is given on purpose.
Chinese materia medica
- Nature and taste
- sweet, bitter, cold
- Meridians
- stomach, lung, kidney
Attributed effects
Cools heat at the qi level in high fever with thirst, cools lungs and stomach in thirst and cough with thick yellow phlegm and cools false heat from yin deficiency of lung and kidney: night sweats, lower back pain, mild fever, bleeding gums and nocturnal emission.
Preparation and amount
Traditional dosage: 6–12 g a day, usually in a decoction. Broadly antibacterial and has a downward, moistening action.
Combinations
- With gypsum for high fever
- With huang bai in zhi bai di huang wan for yin deficiency with heat
- Ways to prepare herbs
- Decoction