Gastrointestinal neurosis treated with TCM lindera root

What is lindera root(Wu Yao)? Just as its name implies, it refers to the roots of Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm, a plant species in the family Lauraceae. And it is also commonly known as Japanese evergreen spicebush, radix lindera, and evergreen lindera. But please don’t confuse it with lindera benzoin since they come from the same genus. In China it is basically produced in Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Shaanxi. It can be harvested all the year round, followed by removal of fine roots, washing, slicing when fresh, and drying in the sun. Medicinally it is used raw or fried with bran.

Medicinal lindera comes from single wild source. Lindera aggregata is an evergreen shrub or small tree. Leaves are leathery, oval-shaped, with 3 veins and off-white, piliferous lower surface. It is a spring-flowering plant, with mall, pale yellow petals. It is dioecious and with umbel. Fruits are black. Leaves and fruit can be used to extract aromatic oils.

Lindera root health benefits
In the eyes of ordinary people it is a small shrub, just like those commonly seen around. But from the point of view of traditional Chinese medicine, it is a very good medicine that can cure. Being one of essential ingredient in the Kampo herb list, it is frequently added to many Chinese patent drugs, typifying by Chaihu Shugan Wan and TianTai Wuyao Wan (the Lindera Combination Teapills).

Just like any other herbs that use a help from others, lindera is no exception. Combining it with others will bring a boost to its healing power. The paring with Chen Xiang (agilawood) is often used to treat liver-stagnation and spleen-deficiency induced chest tightness, abdominal distension, shortness of breath, fatigue, and vomiting; the paring with Dang Gui (Dong Quai) is ideal for congealing cold, Qi-stagnation and blood stasis caused dysmenorrhea, postpartum abdominal pain and hernia; the pairing with Mu Xiang (Costus) makes more sense in the treatment of abdominal pain, bloating and gastrointestinal neurosis that are caused by congealing cold and Qi-stagnation; the paring with Yi Zhi Ren (Black Cardamon) is preferable in treating frequent urination and enuresis due to kidney Yang-deficiency.