Kudzu is a common Chinese herbal medicine in traditional Chinese medicine, which has a good effect on the treatment of many diseases. Some regions use it as an auxiliary seasoning for pickled products. Today, I will talk about the efficacy and function of kudzu in detail.
1. Phlegm-clearing and pus-draining
Kudzu is good at promoting lung qi and widening the chest, facilitating the discharge of pus and phlegm from the lungs. It is a good medicine for treating lung abscess. It is used to treat lung abscess with chest pain, fever, coughing up purulent blood, and foul-smelling phlegm, combined with licorice, known as Kudzu Decoction. It can also be used in combination with fishy-smelling herb, coix seed, and reed root.
2. Opening and dispersing lung qi
Kudzu has a dispersing and bitter purging property, with a mild and moderate nature. It is good at promoting the upward movement of lung qi and resolving phlegm to widen the chest, and can be used to treat cough with excessive phlegm caused by both external and internal factors, whether it is cold or heat.
3. Opening the chest and dispersing stagnation
Kudzu is not a qi-regulating medicine, but it is often used in the treatment of chest pain caused by qi stagnation and blood stasis, and phlegm obstruction. For example, it is used in the formula Blood Mansion Dispelling Stasis Decoction to treat chest pain caused by blood stasis in the chest.
4. Throat-clearing and voice-opening
Kudzu is good at promoting the lung and clearing the throat to open the voice. It can be used for sore throat and loss of voice caused by external pathogenic factors invading the lungs. For example, it is used to treat sore throat and loss of voice caused by wind-heat invading the lungs, often combined with licorice, known as Kudzu Decoction, or with licorice, peppermint, and burdock seed, such as Modified Licorice and Kudzu Decoction.
