Chai Hu
| Chai Hu in TCM:Explore the properties of Chai Hu according to Chinese
Nutrition and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM):
Factoids:
English Name: bupleurum, hare's ear, Chinese thorowax root, red thorowax root, "kindling of the barbarians"
Pharmacuetical Name: Radix Bupleuri
Properties: bitter, acrid, cool
Temperature: cool
Channels: LV, GB, PC, SJ
Flavors: bitter, pungent
Special Properties:
circulates qi, clears heat, disperses wind
Alternate Forms:
- Sheng: better for shao yang syndrome or fever (12g)
- Cu Zhi: better for LV Qi Yu (6-9g)
- Mi Zhi: better for SP qi sinking (3-6g)
Actions / Indications:
- Harmonizes shao yang syndrome; reduces fever (alternating
chills and fever; flank pain, bitter taste, irritability, vomit, stifling
sensation in chest; fever from exterior syndromes; wind-heat headaches;
particularly effective for half-interior half-exterior disorders)
- Spreads LV qi; relieves constraint (LV qi stagnation
with chest and flank pain, menstrual disorders, emotional instability;
disharmony between LV and SP)
- Lifts SP Yang (prolapse of organs or diarrhea
due to sinking of SP qi; head, eye, ear disorders due to yang qi that
fails to ascend)
Special Notes:
- Pharmacologically Chai Hu has been shown to have analgesic and antipyretic
functions, sedative effects, anti-inflammatory actions, hepatoprotective
functions, cholagogic functions (increases bile production), antihyperlipidemic
properties (reduce triglycerides and cholesterol), immunostimulant benefits,
and antibiotic actions.
- A comparison of Ge Gen, Chai Hu, and Sheng
Ma reveals that Ge Gen is weakest to lift SP
yang while Sheng Ma is strongest to lift
SP yang.
- Used to treat shao yang headaches, along with Huang
Qin and Chuan Xiong.
Contraindications:
- (cc: Since Chai Hu is acrid and dispersing it consumes LV yin. Caution
with yin deficient heat, LYR, LV Wind, or rebellious qi)
- (cc: Chai Hu may have adverse interaction with interferon, inducing
LV failure)
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