Radix Aristolochiae (Qingmuxiang)

Naming
Qing Mu Xiang (Radix Aristolochiae)-Xin Xiu Ben Cao (Newly Revised Materia Medica)

Origin
The root of Aristolochia debilis Sieb. et Zucc.

Location
Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces in China.

Harvest
Collected in spring and winter.

The true smell and taste
Fragrant, spicy after bitter when taste.

Best quality
Chunky, much powder and fragrant.

Processing
Unprocessed.

Property
Pungent, bitter, cold, mildly toxic; liver and stomach meridians entered.

Actions
Promote the flow of qi and alleviate pain, clear heat and remove toxicity.

Indications
A. Qi stagnation of liver and stomach
For it has the actions of moving qi and alleviating pain, clearing heat with bitter-cold, it is suitable for syndrome of qi stagnation in liver and stomach complicated with heat. For the syndrome of qi stagnation in liver and stomach manifested as distending pain in chest, hypochondrium and abdomen, it can be ground into powder for oral use alone or combined with the liver-soothing and stomach-harmonizing herbs such as Fructus Meliae Toosendan (Chuanlianzi), Rhizoma Cyperi (Xiangfu), Radix Aucklandiae (Muxiang). For gastric and abdominal distention due to stomach cold and qi stagnation, it should be combined with the middle-energizer-warming, qi-moving and pain-alleviating herbs such as Gao Liang Jiang, Xiang Fu and Sha Ren.

B. Diarrhea and dysentery with abdominal pain
It can not only move qi and alleviate pain but also clear heat and relieve toxicity, and is indicated for diarrhea and dysentery with abdominal pain due to improper diet and summer-damp retention. It can be ground into powder or smashed out the juice alone for oral use, or combined with the heat-clearing, damp-drying and toxicity-relieving herbs such as Rhizoma Coptidis (Huanglian), Cortex Phellodendri (HuangBai).

C. Abscess, sore and deep-rooted boil, eczema, bitten by viper
It has the actions of clearing heat, relieving toxicity and detumescence for external use. For abscess, sore and deep-rooted boil, it can be used by ground into powder alone and mixed with water and honeydew, or smashed for local application. For eczema, it can be decocted alone for wash or ground into powder for local application. For bitten by viper, it is usually combined with Bai Zhi for oral and external use.

Dosage and Administrations
Decoct 3~10 g, l.5～2 g of powder for oral use, proper dosage for external application.

Cautions
Overtaking should be avoided for the side effect of nausea and vomiting, etc.