- Region
- North America
- Origin
- California and Oregon (western North America)
North America · Herb · № 627
Aralia californica
Herb · North America
California spikenard
Aralia californica
Traditionally attributed effects: opens the surface in wind-cold and fever without sweating, warms the lung and stops cough with abundant white or clear phlegm, and (roasted with honey) strengthens the energy of lung and spleen.
Safety notes
Caution with high fever with heavy sweating; not with yin deficiency with heat signs. Not during pregnancy. 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)
- Western herbs in Chinese medicine: Caution with high fever with heavy sweating; not with yin deficiency with heat signs.
Preparation
Root and rhizome (also the berries) as a decoction, tincture or powdered extract.
Use in traditions
An important herb in North American herbal medicine. From the viewpoint of Chinese medicine it belongs to the warm, pungent remedies that open the surface. Related to ginseng, notoginseng and the Chinese aralia (hong song mu).
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.
Western herbs in Chinese medicine
- Nature and taste
- pungent, bitter, slightly sweet, warm
- Meridians
- lung, bladder, kidney, stomach
Attributed effects
Opens the surface in wind-cold with headache, tension in neck and shoulders and chills, and helps break through fever without sweating; also for cold, damp joint complaints. Warms the lung, dissolves phlegm and stops cough with abundant white or clear phlegm. Roasted with honey it strengthens the energy of lung and spleen in fatigue, shortness of breath, cough with watery phlegm and catching colds easily.
Preparation and amount
3–9 g as a decoction, 2–4 ml tincture or 1–3 g powdered extract; the same amounts apply to the berries. Dig the roots in late autumn or winter, when the leaves have died back, and cut them before drying or for a fresh tincture. Good dried root is large and light, cream-coloured with rust-coloured resin streaks, and smells aromatic. For qi deficiency the root is roasted with honey: heat 25–40 parts honey per 100 parts herb in a wok until the honey bubbles, stir in the herb until golden brown and no longer sticky, and let it cool until crisp (the berries do not need roasting).
Combinations
- With oshá and elecampane for wind-cold with cough, much white or clear phlegm, chills, stiff neck and muscle pain
- Roasted with honey alongside the formula yu ping feng san for cold and qi deficiency with phlegm, cough, a blocked and runny nose
Caution: Caution with high fever with heavy sweating; not with yin deficiency with heat signs.
- Ways to prepare herbs
- DecoctionTinctureSalve and balmSyrup, honey and oxymelPowder and kitchen