- Region
- Asia
- Origin
- Asia (China)
Asia · Herb · № 290
Bupleurum chinense
Herb · Asia
Bupleurum (chai hu)
Bupleurum chinense
Traditionally attributed effects: energy tonic, stimulates the liver, cooling, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, promotes bile, lowers cholesterol.
Safety notes
Traditional use is no proof of effectiveness; if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a medical condition, consult a doctor or pharmacist.
Cautions by tradition (1)
- Chinese materia medica: Not with yin deficiency or with severe headache and eye inflammation from liver fire. In some people chai hu causes irritability ('it consumes yin'); with blood deficiency combine it with dang gui or goji.
Preparation
Root.
Use in traditions
Described in herbal medicine (Western, Chinese and Ayurvedic). Chai hu is the chief herb of Xiao Chai Hu Tang and Xiao Yao San, prescriptions for alternating chills and fever and for stress and irritability. In Japan Shosaikoto is one of the most frequently prescribed Kampo remedies; in the 1990s it was linked to pneumonia when used alongside interferon.
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.
Herbal medicine worldwide
Attributed effects
Energy tonic, stimulates the liver, cooling, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, promotes bile, lowers cholesterol.
Preparation and amount
Root.
Chinese materia medica
- Nature and taste
- pungent, bitter, cool
- Meridians
- liver, gallbladder, pericardium, triple burner
Attributed effects
Main herb for 'shao yang' patterns: alternating fever and chills with a bitter taste, irritability, nausea and a full feeling in the chest. Moves stagnant liver energy in menstrual complaints, mood swings, dizziness and pain in the chest or flanks, and together with qi tonics lifts the energy of spleen and stomach in prolapse and diarrhoea from spleen deficiency.
Preparation and amount
Traditional dosage: 3–12 g a day, usually in a decoction. Japanese kampo doctors use about a third of the Chinese dosage.
Combinations
- With huang qin for half-external, half-internal complaints
- With white peony and dang gui in xiao yao san for liver qi stagnation
- With dang shen, bai zhu and huang qi in bu zhong yi qi tang for prolapse
Caution: Not with yin deficiency or with severe headache and eye inflammation from liver fire. In some people chai hu causes irritability ('it consumes yin'); with blood deficiency combine it with dang gui or goji.
- Ways to prepare herbs
- Decoction
- Formulas
- Bu zhong yi qi tangChai hu gui zhi gan jiang tangChai hu gui zhi tangChai hu jia long gu mu li tangChai hu shu gan sanDa chai hu tangJia wei xiao yao sanJing fang bai du sanJing jie lian qiao tangLong dan xie gan tangShi wei bai du tangSi ni sanXiao chai hu tangXiao yao sanXue fu zhu yu tangYi gan san