Radix Pseudostellariae (Taizishen)

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Tai Zi Shen (Radix Pseudostellariae)-Zhong Guo Yao Yong Zhi Wu Zhi (Magazine of Medical Plant of China)

Origin
The root tuber of the plant Pseudostellaria heterophylla (Miq.) Pax. Ex Hoffm. of family Club Moss.

Location
Jiangsu, Anhui and Shandong provinces in China.

Harvest
Plucked in summer after stalk and leaves wither.

The actual smell and taste
Slight smell and slightly sweet in flavor.

Best quality
Coarse, white-yellow, without fibrous roots.

Processing
Unprocessed.

Property
Sweet, slightly bitter, neutral; lung, spleen and heart meridians entered.

Actions
Tonify qi, nourish yin.

Indications
Both qi and yin deficiency of spleen, lung and heart
In the aspect of tonifying qi and producing fluid, it is similar to Ren Shen, though it is not stronger than the latter. It is a clearing-tonifying herb due to its mild action. Because it can tonify both qi and yin of spleen, lung and heart, and promote the production of body fluid, this herb is very suitable for fatigue, spontaneous sweating, poor appetite, dryness in mouth due to qi and yin deficiency caused by heat diseases, which is often combined with other qi-tonifying and yin-nourishing herbs. In a word, it is extensively applied for regulating and tonifying after illness. For poor appetite, fatigue, dryness in mouth and tongue due to spleen qi and stomach yin deficiency, it is combined with spleen qi and stomach yin tonics; for instance, it is used with Rhizoma Dioscoreae (Shanyao), Herba Dendrobii (Shihu). For cough with shortness of breath, little phlegm due to qi deficiency with dryness in lung, it is combined with lung tonics and yin nourishing herbs, such as Bei Sha Shen and Mai Dong. For palpitation, Insomnia, deficiency-heat with excessive sweating due to qi and yin deficiency of heart, it is combined with heart-nourishing, tranquilization-inducing, and sweating-checking herbs, such as Fructus Schisandrae (Wuweizi), and Suan Zao Ren.

Dosage and Administrations
Decoct 10~30 g.