The source is from the root of Saposhnikoviae divaricata (Turcz.) Schischk, family Umbelliferae. Its producing areas are mainly in those of Northeast China, Hebei, Sichuan, and Yunnan, etc.. The medicinal material is collected in spring or autumn, dried in the sun and cut into pieces, generally, either crude one or carbonized one is used for medication.
Medicinal Properties Pungent and sweet in flavor, slightly warm in nature, and attributive to the bladder, liver and spleen meridians.

Actions Expel wind and relieve exterior syndrome, eliminate dampness, relieve convulsion and diarrhea.

Application

1. It can be used for exterior syndrome due to exogenous attack, whether the syndrome is caused by wind-cold or wind-heat or it belongs to exterior asthenia or exterior sthenia. It is most suitable to be used for exterior syndrome due to wind-cold, which is manifested as severe headache and general pain, it is often used together with Jingjie (Herba Schizonepetae ), Qianghuo ( Rhizoma et Radix Notopterygii), etc., such as Jing Fang Baidu San (Powder). For a disease caused by exogenous wind, cold and dampness manifested as severe headache, general heaviness and painful limbs, it can be used together with Qianghuo ( Rhizoma seu Radix Notopterygii ), Duhuo (Radix Angelicae Pubescentis ) , and Chuanxiong ( Rhizoma Chuanxiong ), etc., such as Qianghuo Shengshi Tang (Decoction).

2. It is suitable for arthralgia of wind-cold-dampness, arthrodynia of the extremities and stiffness of tendon and can be used together with Qianghuo (Rhizoma et Radix Notopterygii ), Guizhi ( Ramulus Cinnamomi ), and Jianghuang (Rhizoma Curcumae Longae), etc., such as Juanbi Tang (Decoction).

3. It is used for tetanus and infantile convulsion. For the treatment of tetanus, it can be used together with Tiannanxing ( Rhizonrna Arisaematis ), Baifuzi ( Rhizoma Typhoni ), and Tianma ( Rhizoma Gastrodiae ), etc., such as Yuzhen San (Powder); for high fever and convulsion in children, it is often used together with Gouteng ( Ramulus Uncariae cure Uncis ), Niuhuang (Calculus Boris ), and Qingdai ( Indigo Naturalis ), etc..

In addition, for spleen disorder due to liver stagnation marked by abdominal pain with diarrhea, it is often used together with Jupi (Pericarpium Citri Tangerinae), Baishaoyao ( Radix Paeoniae Alba ), and Baizhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae ), etc., such as Tongxie Yaofang (Decoction).

Usage and Dosage 3-9 g is used in decoction for oral use.

Notes Contraindicated in the patient with convulsion due to blood-deficiency and hyperactivity of fire due to yin deficiency.

Explanation The herb is slightly warm in nature but not dry, and moderate in medicinal property with mild actions, and considered as one of the medicines for dispersing wind but with moisturizing effect. It is often combined with Jingjie ( Herba Schizonepetae ). Compared with Jingjie ( Herba Schizonepetae ), Fangfeng ( Radix Saposhnikoviae) has better effect to expel wind and relieve pain, and is suitable for exterior syndrome with general pain; Jingjie can promote eruption during measles and arrest bleeding as well as has larger action of promoting sweating.

Qianghuo Rhizoma et Radix Notopterygii

Its source is from the dried rhizomes and roots of the perennial herbaceous plant, Rhizome of Notopterygium incisum Ting ex H.T. Chang or the Rhizome and root of N. forbesii Boiss, family Umbelliferae. The producing areas are mainly in the provinces of Sichuan, Gansu, and Yunnan, etc.. The medicinal material is collected in the early stage of spring and autumn, dried and cut into pieces for being used in crude form.

Medicinal Properties Pungent and bitter in flavor, warm in nature, and attributive to the bladder and kidney meridians.

Actions Expel wind and dampness, dispel cold to relieve pain.

Application
1. It is used for the syndrome of exogenous wind-cold with dampness marked by aversion to cold with fever, painful head and nape, sore and heavy feelings of extremities with pain. It is often used together with Fangfeng (Radix Saposhnikoviae ) , Duhuo ( Radix Angelicae Pubescentis) and so on, such as Duhuo Shengshi Tang (Decoction).

2. It is used for headache of wind-damp type, and Bi-syndrome of wind-cold-dampness type. For the former involving the nape and back, it is often used together with Fangfeng (Radix Saposhnikoviae), Chuanxiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong), etc.; for the latter or arthralgia, especially in the upper part of the body, usually used together with Fangfeng ( Radix Saposhnikoviae ), Jianghuang ( Rhizoma Curcumae Longae) and Danggui ( Radix Angelicae Sinensis ).

Usage and Dosage 3 -10 g is used in decoction for oral use.

Notes Contraindicated in the patient with yin-deficiency or in-sufficiency of blood due to its warm and dryness in nature.

Explanation Either Fangfeng (Radix Saposhnikoviae ) or Qianghuo (Rhizoma et Radix Notopterygii ) is the medicinal herb for expelling wind and eliminating dampness. Since it is pungent and bitter in flavor, warm and dry in nature, and has stronger actions of expelling wind, cold and dampness, Qianghuo (Rhizoma et Radix Notopterygii) is especially used for headache involving the nape and back or limbs due to wind-cold or wind-dampness, while Fangfeng (Radix Saposhnikoviae) is pungent with sweet flavor and has nourishing property and is good at expelling wind, therefore, it is often used for the syndrome caused by pathogenic wind whether the wind is exterior or interior, and it can also relieve convulsion and diarrhea.

Xixin Herba Asari

Its source is from the dried entire herb of the perennial herbaceous plant, Asarum heterotropoides Fr. Schmidt var. mandshuricum (Maxim) Kitag., and A. sieboldii Miq., family Aristolochiaceae. The producing areas are mainly in the provinces of Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Shandong, Anhui, and Shanxi, etc.. The Medicinal material is collected in summer and autumn, dried in shade and the crude form is used for medication.

Actions Expel wind and dispel cold, remove the obstruction of the nose, relieve pain and warm the lung to remove the retention of fluids.

Application

1. For exterior syndrome of wind-cold type manifested as headache and general pain, it can be used together with Qianghuo (Rhizoma et Radix Notopterygii), Fangfeng ( Radix Saposhnikoviae ), etc., such as Jiuwei Qianghuo Tang (Decoction) ; for yang-deficiency exterior syndrome marked by aversion to cold with anhidrosis, fever and sinking pulse, used together with Mahuang (Herba Ephedrae ) and Fuzi (Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata), such as Mahuang Fuzi Xixin Tang (Decoction).

2. It is indicated for headache, toothache, Bi-syndrome of wind-cold-dampness type, etc.. For wind-syndrome of headache, it is often used together with Chuanxiong (Rhizoma Chuanxiong) and Fangfeng (Radix Saposhnikoviae); for toothache of wind-cold type, Xixin (Herba Asari ) is singly decocted as gargle, or combined with Baizhi (Radix Angelicae Dahuricae ), Ruxiang (Olibanum), etc. ; for Bi-syndrome of wind-cold-damp type, or arthralgia, used together with Duhuo (Radix Angelicae Pubescentis ) , Fangfeng (Radix Saposhnikoviae ), and Qinjiao (Radix Gentianae Macrophyllae), such as Duhuo Jisheng Tang (Decoction).

3. For retention of cold in the lung, cough with plenty of thin and clean sputum, it is often combined with Mahuang ( Herba Ephedrae ), Ganjiang ( Rhizoma Zingiberis), and Wuweizi (Fructus Schisandrae ), etc., such as Xiao Oinglong Tang (Decoction).

4. For the obstruction of nose, headache, and episodes of running nose, it is used together with Xinyi ( Flos Magnoliae ), Baizhi ( Radix Angelicae Dahuricae), and Cang'erzi (Fructus Xanthii), etc..

Usage and Dosage 1 -3 g is used in decoction for oral use; O. 5 -1 g can be used in pill or powder.

Notes The dosage should not be excessively large, contraindicated in the patient with headache caused by hyperactivity of yang due to yin deficiency and dry cough due to yin-damage resulting from lung-dryness. It is incompatible with Lilu (Rhizoma et Radix Veratri).